Lexington County Chronicle - Wilson: focus on jobs, better health care

Mark Bellune

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Joe Wilson isn't forgetting his campaign slogan "Joe Means Jobs."

The Second District Congressman from Springdale is hammering on the latest U.S. Labor Department unemployment figures.

"Unemployment just rose to 9.6% and is even higher in South Carolina," he said.

"Enough is enough. It is time for lawmakers to provide job creation incentives to get people back to work."

Wilson was coming off a tough, $6 million fight against Lowcountry Democrat Rob Miller to retain his seat in Congress.

He said he hopes President Barack Obama "will work with us on initiatives to create more jobs instead of more spending."

First on his plate before Republicans take control of the House of Representatives is to continue tax cuts set to expire in 2011.

Wilson told the Chronicle he will "promote economic growth so small businesses will be able to hire people."

Republicans will have a chance to repeal Obamacare, he said.

If the President vetoes it, "we'll work to defund it."

A ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, Wilson said repealing the new health care law will save private sector jobs, not the 16,500 new Internal Revenue Service jobs the law is expected to create.

HR 3400, he said, will replace the Democrats' health care law with private health insurance that allows:

• Association and group plans to lower costs for small business owners.
• Being able to buy insurance across state lines, farther driving down costs.
• Promoting free market principles in insurance.