Congressman Jeff Flake is a fifth-term Republican
representing Arizona's 6th congressional district.
He is a leading opponent of wasteful government
spending.
TAS: How is life in
the minority?
Congressman Flake: It’s not much
fun. Last Congress, even though Democrats controlled Congress,
President Bush made it difficult for them to do too much damage.
With that backstop gone now, it’s been pretty ugly. But being so
deep in the minority has freed Republicans to vote more on
principle. I think you saw that with every House Republican
voting against the stimulus.
TAS: Even though a
minority party in the House has very little leeway compared to a
Senate minority, it is an opportunity for reflection and policy
innovation. The Kemp-Roth tax cut bill, proposed while Democrats
controlled both the White House and Congress, later became the
centerpiece of the Reagan economic program. What are some similar
examples of new ideas coming from the Republican minority today?
Congressman Flake: House Republicans are
definitely in a period of reflection now, and I hope it leads to
some policy innovation. Former Republican Leader Dick Armey was
able to pass legislation establishing the BRAC process during the
'80s when Republicans were in the minority. So I think if you
have good bill and are persistent, you can move meaningful
legislation.
TAS: After voting for a lot of
big-ticket spending items under President Bush, House Republicans
were unanimous in their opposition to President Obama's stimulus
plan. Then we read Republicans also requested upwards of 40
percent of the earmarks in the recently-signed omnibus spending
bill. Have they gotten the message on spending yet?
Congressman Flake: No, not yet. Clearly,
taxpayers were outraged by the pork in the omnibus, but
Republicans couldn’t get any traction on it because Democrats
were able to turn around and say that 40% of the earmarks in the
bill were Republican earmarks. You would hope that our leadership
took note of that and will push for an earmark moratorium, even
if it’s just for Republicans. But they’re not there yet.
TAS: How close
are we to the tipping point toward European-style social
democracy, which would be difficult or impossible to reverse?
Congressman Flake: Fortunately, at this point
taxpayers seem to be an unwilling participant in these bailouts.
I do worry that when the crisis is over, the federal government
will be reluctant to give up the power they have over the
financial industry. But, fundamentally, I think Americans believe
that the free market works.
TAS: In the 1990s,
Republicans helped beat back an attempt to nationalize health
care while still in the minority. But at that time, the business
community was opposed to the plan on the table, many doctors
opposed the plan as well, and the Clinton administration made
serious political misjudgments. Today, many businesses and
entrepreneurs want relief from health insurance costs, doctors
want to make sure they are compensated, and the current president
probably won't ask Michelle Obama to write his health care plan.
What is the Republican game plan on health care reform?
Congressman Flake: Republicans have got to be
ready with serious, substantive alternatives on healthcare. For
good reason, Americans are naturally skeptical about the federal
government’s ability to manage a national healthcare program. So
Republicans have an advantage in that Americans are more inclined
to support market-based healthcare reforms. We can’t just offer
gimmicky alternatives, and we need to articulate our proposals.
Fortunately, House Republicans have guys like Rep. Paul Ryan and
Rep. John Shadegg who have been working on healthcare proposals
for years.
TAS: Some commentators
on the right argue that the economic crisis makes some
accommodation with big government inevitable, while others claim
that government played a significant role in the meltdown. Who is
right?
Congressman Flake: I don’t think there’s any
doubt that the federal government played a large role in this
mess. Implicit, and eventually explicit, federal guarantees in
Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac shielded the financial services sector
from market discipline. The various bailouts have prevented the
market from reaching its natural bottom.
TAS: On a similar
note, is the era of tax cuts over? Some early supply-siders like
Bruce Bartlett now say so.
Congressman Flake: I don’t think
we can expect any meaningful tax cuts during the Obama
Administration, but I don’t believe the era of tax cuts is over.
The stimulus bill passed by the Democrats in Congress and signed
into law by President Obama will not stimulate the economy, and
Democrats are already laying the groundwork for a second
stimulus. Republicans need to continue to make the case for tax
cuts as a way to spur economic growth.
TAS: What is the
biggest mistake the Republicans made in the last eight years?
Congressman Flake: So many to choose from -- the
farm bill, the highway bill, all of the spending bills. In terms
of sheer size, it’s difficult to argue that we made a bigger
mistake than the Medicare prescription drug entitlement. It could
end up costing over a trillion dollars. All to buy off the
senior vote for an election cycle.
TAS: What is the
biggest thing Republicans got right in the last eight years for
which they don't receive enough credit?
Congressman Flake: I think President Bush’s
trade policy has been underappreciated. Aside from a hiccup on
steel tariffs early on, President Bush was a consistent proponent
of free trade. Hopefully, a lot of the protectionist rhetoric
that President Obama used on the campaign trail last year was
just that -- rhetoric.
TAS: What
coalition-building, if any, exists with the so-called Blue Dog
Democrats?
Congressman Flake: There could be some
opportunities with the Blue Dogs. Many Blue Dogs,
especially guys like Rep. Jim Cooper, have a genuine concern
about the level of spending and the future sustainability of
entitlements. Unfortunately, Speaker Pelosi rules the Democratic
Caucus with an iron fist, and the Blue Dogs have yet to really
exert themselves.
topics:
Republican Party, Congress
