Rising Star

" We began a new series here a few weeks ago called right now to take a look at the future of the Republican Party. And talk to its new leaders and there's no better example than our guest today. Wisconsin congressman Paul -- he's a strong economic conservative and a leading voice on budget issues. And he's been called a rising star so -- probably embarrasses him. Congressman welcome back -- and -- things hadn't found Vickers thank you same to you let's start with an overview where do you think President Obama is taking this country. Well I think if you take a look at all the things he's trying to do just in the first six months the budget -- national debt this new health energy tax health care tax energy tax. I think the president is giving us an agenda. That takes the American ideals of promoting equal opportunity people's lives. And replaces it with more European notion of having the government more involved their lives -- equalizing the results of people's lives. And what I worry at the end of the day here he's just a few short years he's going to set the huge factory of the 21 century one what we'd basically have a European like welfare state. And that the problem with that is it takes people and it limits them from being able to reach the potentially drains them from their ability -- incentive. To make the most of their lives and lows and in the lives of complacency -- dependency and the government. And that really is who we are as a federal government and that is why we as Republicans must offer spirited alternatives and better ideas aren't. Let's look -- some specific policies. That the that you seem to object when prince of what happened always in particular. You voted for the original 700 billion dollar financial bailout plan W opposed releasing. The second half of the major banks didn't collapse -- markets happy is. And just this last week some of the major banks -- paid more than sixty billion dollars. In their federal bailout so. In fact didn't that help us prevent an economic collapse. I agree I I still think that was the right -- take at that time. I think -- on the verge of an economic meltdown this was a once in A generation kind of a crisis and I do believe the TARP was necessary what bothers me. Is the way the TARP was deployed afterwards the whole idea here was -- go to these toxic assets to free up credit. What happened. It's starting with the last administration. And we started buying banks and now we've gone outside of the financial credit markets to owning auto companies this is why I -- Republicans didn't support the second half of the tar. But I do believe at that time we had an extraordinary moment that had to be -- all right let's talk about the auto companies in the bailout there. Chrysler has sped through bankruptcy court and it looks like it's going to remain a viable company may be in a smaller scale but -- a viable company. You lobby GM to reopen a plant that they had closed in Wisconsin. Would you really have let that you would if you were running the federal government would who really about these auto companies go -- GM was going into bankruptcy and they are already now going into bankruptcy the only difference is we've now committed 87 billion dollars of taxpayer funding. To just to auto companies I would have done this before committing the 87 billion dollars of funding to these auto companies and you don't think that -- that what we have done. And again it was started by the Bush Administration. Ease the pain and as soften the landing of these companies know I think we just now gone into the inevitable bankruptcy these corporations. And now we've committed tens of billions of dollars of taxpayer come. Of taxpayer dollars but also we set a precedence. We -- here precedents of industrial policy. Of what I would call crony capitalism of where you have the government now meddling in the affairs of private enterprise and what about -- what about all these other. Companies that are not getting this kind of government taxpayer financing and so I worry worst we're committing a dangerous precedence. We're preferred companies -- become too big to fail get access to cheaper money from the federal government. And their competitors don't and so we're stacking the deck and we're putting a lot of problems into that free market system. So I do believe that the TARP went way beyond its original intent which is free up credit by toxic assets now we're buying stock we're going outside of the financial system. And that is why I think they have deployed park in the wrong way. And not just the Obama ministry counting the Bush Administration got it off -- as well let's turn to health care reform can your party stop Democrats. From the kind of major overhaul. The president -- and the leading Democrats are talking about and it is there. A possible compromise is there -- confluence of interest between what the president wants and what you and other Republicans. I hope so I hope there is a kind of a compromise. But what the president wants and what his leaders in congress are telling us is they don't want bipartisanship my favorite Democrat in congress Jim Cooper. Has told us his party says don't work with Republicans chairman Dodd -- told us he doesn't want bipartisanship. So the kind of health care reform the president's party are trying to push. Is that kind of health care reform where the government ends up taking that entire system over what that we don't want to be a part of it that's not what they say I -- what they what they wanted to date say they want government plan. That would compete with. On a on a level playing field and I could see you laughing already that compete on a level playing field and offer real competition. And it would -- the private insurers to clean up there -- With thirteen hundred private insurers let me put it this way. Heading the government compete against the private sector it's kind of like my seven year old daughter's lemonade stand competing against McDonald's. It's the government being the referee and the player in the same game. Don't just listen me listen all the actuaries and the experts that tell us. But the government public plan option quickly becomes a government run monopoly what happens is it is impossible. For the private sector to be able to compete fairly with the public sector and what ends up happening. Is the probe the public sector plants -- so much lower prices but it drives prices up for the private sector and it forces firms to dump their employees and the public plan. One firm Lewin Group is telling us is -- 120 million Americans. In about three or four years we'll lose the private insurance and be dumped -- the public plan option that's not what we want to see happen. Let's turn to the GO PL I want to put up a recent poll -- by the Pew Research Center let's put up on the screen. 42%. Say they approve of the job democratic leaders in congress are doing while 45% disapprove. But when it comes to Republicans 29%. Approve while 56% disapprove. Why is your party in such disfavor. Would happily ever work cut out for and at what it -- it is that this favor and what you can do about. Couple of things I think we stumbled in the past we stumbled in the area fiscal responsibility. I fought -- against earmarks in four entitlement reform but we stumbled in those areas and now the Democrats repeating the same mistakes we made as Republicans. We should do two things in the minority because we don't have the votes to stop such things. We needed to things expose the facts and give the American people a choice with better ideas take those principles that we believe in that built this country. Freedom liberty self determination free enterprise in applying to the problems of the day. And go to the American people with an alternative we've had to meet elections recently. -- we muddied the differences we need to -- the American people it very clear pathway that maintains this American ideal of equal opportunity. Of giving people a chance to reach the most of potential in their lives. And that is not what we have done lately. So -- candidate to forgive me come from -- tonight's word tonight I think everybody would agree with -- what does that mean in a practical sense. How do you tell the -- economically distressed family in Janesville Wisconsin. Why the Republican -- is going to be better for them than the Democrats on the big issues of the day we have put up alternatives which we have been doing on stimulus on the budget. On energy on health care. Each of these big would you get a budget and he did put out and it got -- got laughed out because there were no numbers no that's not true that's that's up marketing -- that was put out by the House Republican Conference. We put a very specific budget out at all the numbers and it has said here is how you get our debt under control our taxes on the -- spending under control. And we put a real budget on the floor of congress so there's a misperception out there and we didn't put a budget out there we did. The point on trying to make Chris is. In order for us to get back with in favor of the American people. We have to be able to connect the policies of this administration this congress with the rhetoric which right now there's -- huge gap between the two. And then we have to go the American people with better ideas let's talk about Paul -- some Republicans say that you are this generation's. Jack camp. Big tent pro growth happy warrior conservative how do you play. I would love to be anything close to being compared to Jack -- Jack Kemp I worked for Jack Kemp in the ninety's he was my mentor he's probably the reason I'm in politics. I think the kind of spirit of optimism that Jack had in the principles he applied. Are really which are -- mean how I conduct myself these days what about the colts were. War over social issues you are pro life but you don't focus -- Well look I think the problems we have right now are are we going to tip into a social welfare state or we gonna keep the American ideal of limited government and free enterprise that to me is its huge challenge we have right now. And this notion that we have to pick either social conservatism or economic conservatism is a faulty premise. They come from the -- route and so what I think we ought to do is go back to those principles that built our country. And give the American people in inclusive agenda that is big tent we we don't have to have a litmus test that you have to satisfy these thirteen things we want to let you -- party. And and finally and please don't give me the Sunday talk show answer the problem the rise -- starts at some point you've got to rise got -- arrive. What are your personal ambitions speaker Ryan president -- I don't my ambitions don't go that far. I -- to higher ambitions right now number one be the best husband I can be -- the best father can be and then worked to save my country and an -- principles as a representative of the first congressional district. That's the way these things organized in my mind so I'm not one of these people who are just simply looking at the next big job I can get. I'm looking at the direction of our country the policies -- want to pursue and want to make sure that I'm a good dad and a good husband. Which isn't appropriate that's -- for -- the congressman Ryan. Thank you so much for joining us please come boxer interest. Up next --"