112th Congress
Dear Ricochet Members,
I'm honored to be with you this week as a guest contributor. It is a great privilege to represent the people of NY's 20th Congressional District. The swearing-in ceremony on the floor of the House of Representatives on 5 January, with family by my side holding the Bible, will be something I always remember. Our nation is at a critical time in its history and I look forward to helping Congress pass legislation that changes the business environment that is currently hostile and uncertain to economic growth to a climate more facilitating of job creation. We must get America back to work. We will do that by addressing the impediments to growth - high taxes, onerous and duplicative regulation, and spiraling health care costs. The Congress must also take immediate action to restore fiscal responsibility, moving towards a balanced budget by reducing federal spending. In addition, this new majority must take action to protect our freedoms and cherished way of life by helping bring to a successful conclusion the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, better organizing to neutralize the Al Qaeda threat, and remaining conscious of our liberties here at home as we go about drafting laws. Finally, as a Member of Congress from upstate NY, I am proud to be on the Agriculture Committee and will work hard to help our family farmers. In America, we have the smartest, hardest working farmers in the world. The central issue for our farmers is profitability and they need our help to address the impediments to their profitability, especially taxes, regulations, and energy costs. These are all priorities for me in this Congress.
This week our institution and the entire country was rocked by the shooting incident in Arizona. Much of the Freshman class of Congress got the news of the shooting while in Williamsburg, Virginia at the bi-partisan retreat for new Members. We were shocked and saddened, stopping work for moments of silence and prayer. The Office of the Sergeant-at-Arms and Capitol Police provided briefings on the status of victims, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her staff, the ongoing investigation, and the status of security for Members of Congress. This tragedy was a reminder of the fragility of life. I had met Gabby many years ago when we were graduate students together at Cornell University. I did not know her well, although friends of mine were friends of hers and always spoke so highly of her. Back then, and now in Congress, Gabby has a reputation as a natural born leader who is warm, considerate, compassionate, smart, and determined to make a positive difference in life. We pray for her recovery and for the recovery of the others wounded and for the souls lost in this tragedy. Our thoughts and prayers are with all those affected by this horrific event.
Best regards from Kinderhook, NY,
Chris Gibson
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Comments :
Jun '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome to Ricochet, Sir! We look forward to having you in the conversation.
Re: 112th Congress
Representative Gibson, welcome, Sir. And from an old NCO, thank you very much for your past service, and your continued service today. I suspect you will find that a hostile fire zone was easier to deal with in retrospect than the hostile constitutional zone inside the beltway. Nevertheless, the country has much riding on your success in congress, as well as those other members of the calvary that were dispatched to DC by the voters last November. I will be very interested in hearing your perspective from the inside. Stand tall, but don't forget to check six.
Respectfully,
Edited on Jan 11, 2011 at 11:56amJul '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome, Congressman.
Please convey a message to your Republican colleagues: the time for thinking small is over. First they promised to cut $100 billion from federal spending in the first year; now they're backing away. They proposed cutting spending back to 2008 levels; but spending was already far out of control by 2008 - it needs to be cut back even more.
They propose to cut Congress' budget by a whopping 5%. This infuriates American families and small businesses, who have cut much more than that.
This is not the time to trim away with a scalpel. We have a Republic to save.
Jun '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome Congressman. It is a privilege to have you in the conversation.
With respect Congressman, the central issue for every business is profitability, especially taxes, regulations, and energy costs. Unlike many farmers who mainly "grow" subsidies in D.C., those businesses expect (and should be expected) to have to survive by making profits in the global marketplace I hope that you can help us find a solution to making farming a business that doesn't have the Department of Agriculture as a line-item on its P & L statement.
Here in SW Florida, the "sugar barons" have received $100's of millions in subsidies to grow sugar in envirionmentally sensitive areas (Everglades) to sell here at a price well above that at which sugar could be imported from third world countries that could use the business. Now that you are on Agriculture you can expect to see the Fanjul lobbyists early and often. Anything you need don't hesitate to ask.
And of course, the sugar daddies are pikers compared to Big Corn
Jul '10
Re: 112th Congress
Congressman, if you'd had the time to follow the discussion here at Ricochet over the past few months, you would have seen rare unanimity among our members on one principle we want Congress to follow: We don't want them to keep thinking we send them to Washington to "produce" new legislation - we want them to aggressively roll back the oppressive legislation and regulation that burdens the nation.
If they cannot do that, we'd prefer they go back home and do nothing at all.
Jul '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome, Sir.
I look forward to daily updates of everything Y'all repeal and defund.
Perhaps You could live-blog during a debate?
Sep '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome, Sir.
I wish you luck in your new endeavor. Have courage to do what is Constitutionally sound and principled. True patriots, like those here at Ricochet, will cover your six.
Slash spending. No sacred cows. Save our republic from insolvency and worse.
Thank you for your service to your country. God speed.
Sep '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome and thank you for your service. Since you seem to have encountered hostile fire in the past I will dispense with the niceties. When I read “move toward a balance budget” I am inclined to think what is really being said is “will come up with new excuses to continue the deficit spending.” I believe anyone who was serious about balancing the budget would say we will balance the budget in 2, 3, 5, 10 years. You can pick your number. Remember if congress did nothing at all the budget would be balanced this year. I know you don’t mean to sound like the typical big government, go along to get along Republican, but you do to me and I fear the country can no longer afford this. Why not come out and say how you plan on doing away with agricultural subsidies?
Jan '11
Re: 112th Congress
Representative Gibson,
Congratulations on having been sworn in - it was exciting to watch your challenge develop into a victory in Upstate New York.
I'm from Cooperstown in the 24th District (formerly of Michael Arcuri (D), seat reclaimed in November by Richard Hanna (R)). Two questions for you:
1) What do you think Republicans need to do to Upstate to be more competitive in upcoming elections? You won - how will others win?
2) re: Agriculture - are small, family farms really failing because of taxes/regulations, or because of industry changes? If it's the latter, why must the government "address the impediments to [farmers'] profitability" instead of letting the market decide who stays in business and who doesn't?
Thanks in advance - looking forward to productive service from you and your colleagues.
Matthew K. Tabor
www.matthewktabor.com
Dec '10
Re: 112th Congress
Welcome to D.C., and Ricochet. I would like to add my vote to "Pilgrim's", as to listening to the lobbyists from my fair state. Nobody in Florida gives a darn for the Fanjuls, except for people in Broward County and the denizens of Tallahassee. Average citizens can support campaigns, all over the country, $10 or $25 at a time, and there are a bunch of us. If you feel there are worthy candidates voting on agricultural issues that need support, that would be willing to eschew contributions from Big Sugar, just let us know.
Jan '11
Re: 112th Congress
I assumed we'd have some dialogue in this Conversation - was I wrong?