U.S. Senate candidate Joni Ernst delivered the response to President Obama’s weekly address for her fellow Republicans this past Saturday.
“The problem in America today is that Washington is fully liberals who think that government is the solution to every problem,” Ernst said. “They think that nothing can be solved unless Washington is involved.”
Here is a link to the video of her remarks.
Ernst opened the nearly six-minute speech by discussing her military experience and she closed by stressing her farm roots.
“Growing up on that southwest Iowa farm, my family didn’t have much. My mother canned our food and made our clothes, teaching us the lessons of not spending what we don’t have.” Ernst said. “…Today, to get America back on track it’s going to teach each of us working together to advance real solutions to our problems, not more tired rhetoric.”
Ernst repeated her call for an amendment to the U.S. Constitution which would forbid deficit spending and require congress to pass balanced budgets.
“That is how we run our households and we should expect nothing less from Washington,” Ernst said.
Ernst faces Democratic Congressman Bruce Braley this fall in the contest for the U.S. Senate seat Democrat Tom Harkin has held for nearly three decades. Braley has been traveling the state since June, citing Ernst statements that “perhaps” younger workers and those just entering the workforce should be able to shift their Social Security taxes into personal accounts and manage their own retirement savings. During her national speech, Ernst said Republicans believe Social Security and Medicare should “be strengthened.”
“But we also believe, as do some of our friends in the Democratic Party, that these programs must be reformed,” Ernst said, “so America not only keeps its promise to today’s seniors, but is also able to guarantee a safety net is available for our children and grandchildren.”
Ernst is a lieutenant colonel and battalion commander in the Iowa National Guard. She’s currently on a two-week training mission in Wisconsin with her troops and she recorded the speech before going on active duty.