Senator Works to Protect Wyoming Economy

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Barrasso, R-Wyo., condemned Democrats over their grossly bloated 2009 budget. In his speech to the Senate, Barrasso spoke on issues vital to Wyoming such as cutting taxes, spurring economic growth, and slashing government spending.

“We achieve economic progress in Wyoming when the government gets out of the way,” Barrasso said. “That is the spirit that powers our state. We should unlock the American entrepreneurial spirit that made this country an economic leader.”

“We need to get our fiscal house in order. That means extending the President’s tax cuts and addressing entitlement spending.”

“The Democrat budget not only fails to do that – it actually makes it worse. The budget allows entitlement spending to grow by $488 billion over 5 years, and allows the Bush tax cuts to expire.”

“The people of Wyoming do not believe that raising taxes and dramatically increasing federal spending is the right prescription for our economy.”

“The Democrat’s budget sends the wrong signal to investors, ranchers, farmers, and Wyoming ’s small business owners."

“This budget does exactly the opposite of what is needed. It is time for Washington to heed Abraham Lincoln’s call to “think a new and act a new.” That is what I believe is needed to reform the way Washington works.”

Key facts on the Democrat budget plan include:

* Forces 43 million American families to pay an additional $2,300 out of their pockets each year if the tax cuts are eliminated; 27 million small business owners would owe an additional $4,100 a year.

* Proposes a $1.2 trillion tax increase – the largest tax hike in U.S. history.

* Increases discretionary spending by $210 billion over 5 years.

* Increases mandatory spending by $20 billion for stimulus initiatives in Fiscal Years 2008 and 2009.