Coats Would Like to See Humility in State of the Union Address

U.S. Sen. Dan Coats
U.S. Sen. Dan Coats
President Barack Obama gave his State of the Union address last night to Congress, giving the administration’s view of the state of the nation and plans for legislation. Among the topics expected to be addressed during the speech are income inequality, immigration, the Affordable Care Act, and the situation in Afghanistan and Iraq, and Indiana Senator Dan Coats is hopeful that he will address the economic policy as well.

Coats said he’d like to hear the President acknowledge that the current policies in terms of economic stimulation have not worked.

“I would like to hear some openness from him regarding a willingness to work with Congress to try some alternatives. When you keep beating your head against the wall, the first thing you do is stop beating your head against the wall and stepping back and saying, ‘Is there a better way to do this?’ The President hasn’t done that so far, so that’s what I would like to hear, hope to hear, but I’m not sure I will hear,” Coats said.

Coats explained that the over-regulation and over-taxation are prohibiting the expansion of business, stunting its growth. He said the Affordable Care Act has been a “very negative factor,” and is causing layoffs and the slashing of employees’ hours to prevent being required to provide them with health insurance.

“I think there needs to be acknowledgment there on the President’s standpoint that the promises that he made about you can keep your plan if you like it, your deductibles won’t rise, your premiums won’t rise, you can keep your doctor if you like your doctor – none of those have proven to be true. So I think it starts with some humility from the part of the president, basically saying our policies haven’t worked but let’s work together to find policies that do,” Coats said.

Coats said his Indiana Way model is based on what he’s heard from Hoosiers regarding their concerns and possible solutions. This information, he said, was incorporated into his model to help it gain some traction and get the state, and even the nation, to a “much better place.”