GraniteGrok

March 11th, 2009, Fairfax, VA—Americans For Limited Government (ALG) today released an exclusive video interview with Republican Congressman Michael Burgess, M.D. (TX-CD26).

Topics ranged from healthcare reform and the economic crisis to the commuter rail lines in Texas. Congressman Burgess also proposed tax cuts as a remedy for the nation's economic woes.

“[W]e've seen this before, we saw it with Kennedy, we saw it with Reagan, we saw it with Bush in 2003,” said Burgess in the interview. “You want the economy to hum, you help the people who actually make it work in the first place. And that would be… the place I would start.”

On nationwide concern with treasuries that are being sold to finance deficit spending on Capitol Hill, Burgess said, “We're going to be selling debt on the marketplace that will compete with the private sector.”

“How are we ever going to get the private sector to recover if we're driving interest rates up because our treasury bills now are not worth as much as they were? People don't see them as safe as they once were,” he added.

To watch the video in its entirety, click here.

For a copy of the full-interview transcript, click here.

When the subject of health care reform came up, the Congressman spoke about his views on what the American people were concerned with in regards to the implementation of universal health care. 

“If Medicare is the model for reform aren't we obligated to get it right first before we expand it to other populations?” asked Burgess.

Burgess believes that instead of national health care that Congress ought to be focused on the affordability of private health care.

“[A]ffordability is really the central issue when we talk about health care,” said Burgess.

Burgess believes the universal health care run by the government would result in  millions of Americans losing their health care that he believes they prefer.

“[P]eople are concerned because there are so many people in this country who lack insurance. But again, it's an affordability issue really primarily. 80 percent of the people in this country who have had insurance like the insurance they have and don't want to lose it. Again, that's an affordability issue because they're scared they won't be able to get something else,” said Burgess.

Overall, Burgess thinks that excessive government spending will not bolster the economy.

“January of 2008 when President Bush was still in office and Nancy Pelosi and leader Boehner and the President got together and said we need a stimulus bill, it's going to be $180 billion, we're going to make things work again for the American people, I said I don't think these things ever work. I was one of 35 members to vote against it,” Burgess said.

“[R]ealistically it was a poor idea and… time bore that out,” he added.

I highly recommend watching this interview. The difference between the REAL journalism of interviewer Alan Nathan, and the mainstream media is stunning. If only ALL politicians would sit down for such interviews, and ALL journalists were so obviously well-informed.