I wish the Republicans these days actually believed in government, in doing things for the people, in solving our problems, instead of just whining and holding hearings on scandals. Currently, five committees in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives are investigating Benghazi and three are looking into the IRS.
That's overkill. Do something constructive. Work on problems that need addressing jobs, global warming, education, infrastructure.
It's so easy to be a critic (Rep. Jason Chaffetz); it's harder to be a problem-solver. Republicans complain about Obamacare, but where's their alternative?
I'm for responsible fiscal policy. I'm also for investing in our country so that we're stronger.
In the 1950s, Republicans created the Interstate freeways, an investment that propelled our economy. Today, they wouldn't approve that forward-thinking investment.
We have 72,000 bridges deemed so "structurally deficient" that they can't bear their designed weight and so lanes are closed. Nearly 8,000 bridges are "fracture critical."
This infrastructure solution is obvious and simple: Raise the federal gas tax to pay to rebuild our bridges. The 18.4 cents a gallon tax hasn't been raised since 1993, although its spending power has dropped 40 percent.
Instead of tearing down each other, let's start rebuilding our country.
Christopher Scott
Salt Lake City