Mike Lee in 2014 State of the Union address

On Civil Rights: Equality means giving citizens the right to define marriage

Gay marriage doesn't promote inequality. Lee says, among other things, that inequality "is denying citizens their right to define marriage in their states as traditionally or as broadly as their diverse values dictate." Inequality can be seen as preventing stable couples from marrying. In any event, the Defense of Marriage Act (which he and others supported) did not allow for states to self-define marriage as diversely as they saw fit; it limited that option by inflicting economic penalties on married gay couples (hence it was overturned).

On Crime: Keep violent predators behind bars, not nonviolent offenders

• "Sen. Rand Paul and I are working with some of the most liberal Democrats in Congress to reform the federal criminal-justice system--to help keep violent predators behind bars while creating opportunities for reformed, nonviolent offenders to return to the families and neighborhoods that so desperately need them."
• "Senator John Cornyn has legislation that would empower states to improve K-12 education across the country. Senator Tim Scott has reforms to improve our job-training programs. And I've introduced a bill to modernize higher education, making it more accessible and affordable for lower-income and non-traditional students."
• "Congressman Tom Graves has a transportation-reform bill to ensure our infrastructure dollars are invested in roads and bridges, and not wasted on bureaucrats and special interests." Source: Washington Post: 2014 State of the Union Tea Party response Jan 29, 2014

  On Families & Children: End hidden double-tax imposed on working parents

  One proposal that should directly help you and your family is a bill I have introduced to simplify our tax code, and provide relief from the hidden double-tax Washington currently imposes on working parents, especially moms and dads in the middle class. Source: Washington Post: 2014 State of the Union Tea Party response Jan 29, 2014

  On Health Care: ObamaCare gives far too much power to government

  Too often the left gets away with insisting the GOP has no ideas while the far right insists the "establishment" has nothing to offer. Both are false.

  Lee gave a brief overview of the ObamaCare alternative: "Health-care policy used to give too much power to insurance companies; ObamaCare now gives far too much power to government. We know that real reform will put health-care dollars and decisions where they belong: in the hands of patients and families and their doctors and nurses. So reformers in both the House and the Senate are hard at work developing new, patient-centered reforms to control health-care costs, ensure access to affordable coverage for all Americans, and provide extra help for the poor and the sick."

  Source: Washington Post: 2014 State of the Union Tea Party response Jan 29, 2014

  On Welfare & Poverty: Poverty comes from cronyist privilege at the top

  Lee gave a succinct and accurate account of the poverty problem:

  "Immobility among the poor, who are being trapped in poverty by big-government programs; insecurity in the middle class, where families are struggling just to get by and can't seem to get ahead; and cronyist privilege at the top, where political and economic insiders twist the immense power of the federal government to profit at the expense of everyone else."

  In contrast to the tired nostrums of "small government" and unrealistic assumptions that free markets will cure poverty, he explained, modern conservatism has to be about something bigger: "Not just by cutting big government, but by fixing broken government. Not just by making government smaller but by promoting bigger citizens, stronger families and more heroic communities. Our goal should be an America where everyone has a fair chance to pursue happiness--and find it. That's what it looks like when protest grows into reform."

  Source: Washington Post: 2014 State of the Union Tea Party response Jan 29, 2014

  The above quotations are from 2014 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Republican Response: Jan. 28, 2014. Click here for other excerpts from 2014 State of the Union address to Congress, plus the Republican Response: Jan. 28, 2014. Click here for other excerpts by Mike Lee. Click here for a profile of Mike Lee.

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  Page last updated: Feb 24, 2019