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Alexander rejects 'knee-jerk' reaction to Fort Hood tragedy

Published November 7th, 2009 | 1 Comments

U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander addresses the crowd at the dedication of the George P. Jaynes Justice Center in Washington County on Friday. Photo by Dave Boyd.

JONESBOROUGH — Congress doesn’t need a knee-jerk intervention into military policy in reaction to the deadly shooting assault committed by an Army psychiatrist of the Muslim faith at Fort Hood, Texas, U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander says.

“Every single one of us are horrified by it,” the Tennessee Republican said of the Army base incident before the dedication of the George P. Jaynes Justice Center in Washington County on Friday. “It is a tragedy any time one of our young men or women loses their lives fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan or some other part of the world, but to think that they could be killed here in the United States is just beyond belief.”

When asked whether Congress needs to re-evaluate if Muslims should be in the military, Alexander said: “I think we need to step back and let the United States military make its own investigation and its own recommendations to us. I feel, and I think many members of Congress feel, that if there is one part of our government that works well, it’s the United States military, and we would probably do well to take the military’s advice on this rather than for us to try to give them advice about it.”

Members of Congress, meanwhile, have suggested President Barack Obama needs to decide soon on whether to alter troop levels in Afghanistan.

“This is a very difficult decision,” Alexander said. “I think the president should take his time to get it right and then come to Congress and the American people and try to persuade us that he is right, because he will need bipartisan support for whatever decision he makes to see his policy all the way through to the end. But I hope he feels a sense of urgency in making the decision because he has 68,000 Americans who are fighting there every day, and from their point of view the sooner he makes a final decision the better.”

When asked if the United States should increase or decrease troop levels in Afghanistan, Alexander responded: “The president is the commander-in-chief, and I want to show respect to him, hear what he has to say, why he has to say it, and then I’ll make a judgment about whether to support it or not.”

On the final Democratic version of the House health care reform bill, Alexander doesn’t hesitate to be judgmental.

The 2,000-page bill, said Alexander, is “scaring the daylights” out of Americans.

“It raises (insurance) premiums, it raises taxes, it cuts Medicare, it adds to the debt, it transfers huge new costs to the states as (Tennessee) Governor (Phil) Bredesen has pointed out,” said Alexander, chairman of the Senate Republican Conference. “Health care reform is supposed to be about reducing cost, not increasing cost. And Republicans have suggested buying insurance across state lines and small business health plans. When we have 10 percent unemployment and jobs going overseas, this is not the time for higher taxes, more debt and higher costs.”

When asked what options Republican lawmakers have to impact the health care reform debate, Alexander said: “Our job is to read the bill and point out to the American people what a disaster it is. Our second job is to offer constructive proposals about how to actually reduce health care costs. We favor a step-by-step approach rather than a 2,000-page bill you have to roll in with a wheelbarrow.”

For more about Alexander, go to www.alexander.senate.gov.

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Let's be clear here about what Democratic health care reform is about. It's about more coverage for those who can not afford it not lower cost. The Democrats use the "pre-existing conditions" clause to try to hook us all in to another big low income entitlement program. I have a wife and child who both have major pre-existing conditions that limit their inclusion in any program other than the one I get at work, but I do NOT want to see this health care plan as it is written passed into law. The country would be completely insolvent in lest than 20 years. DO the math folks. With a lower manufacturing base and more minimum and low wage jobs, the population getting free health care grows exponentially while the available taxed dollars decreases at the same rate. End result, 20 years out, the program hits zero for available funds. Where does the money come from then? TO my friends in SW Virginia. The time has come folks, Boucher has to go. Cap and trade takes your jobs, health care takes your money, what will you have left? Your home? Wait, watch on the horizon and see if the Democrats don't propose a mortgage buy out where folks with low incomes (below $250,000.00) have their mortgages bought by the Federal Government and we make our very low interest payments to them. Afterall, the interest could help pay down the nation debt right?
And we say ostriches have their heads in the sand!

Dennis Holmes | 11/8/2009 - 9:59 AM - ( Comment

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