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Congressman Michael Burgess (R-TX) tells Alan what he feels was wrong with the president’s address.
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We're gonna target just -- -- Michael Burgess Michael is a congressman.
From Texas he's also any position.
Congressman Burgess who were you in the room tonight.
Yes Alan most certainly was when he's -- what you think did you you praiseworthy that.
Am I praiseworthy of the president well -- -- -- around tonight.
Leaving not so much.
Well daylight before you -- -- a grubby -- -- accuses what did you like about the speech.
Well I guess anyone who's followed this sort of stuff or for very long.
You know what the president -- -- -- Afghanistan.
Certainly.
Welcome any good news.
There it's been going on a long time yeah.
I will say sending troops there before and that's correct and that of course something under his direct control that -- a metric to which he can be held so that.
He would I don't think it would have made the statement to a mysterious about it yeah.
The Vice President Biden during the vice presidential debate out of if you remember last October I mean when he went -- there were all right he said.
It doesn't matter what conditions are were going to be out at the end of -- fourteen.
And it made me think if it doesn't matter what the conditions are they get out now.
I really why why I come with the gunmen that we should get -- a long time ago.
Well yes you know it it is if you can't articulate.
-- strategy for something different from.
Other than just going home it.
Yeah let -- -- -- strategy -- event Afghanistan's been the last fibers acute.
We'll tell back to the speech so sure before we've we've for -- was there anything else he -- you thought made sense.
But make it's what he said about.
The production natural gas and an oil from tight shale formations but unfortunate but it's all private sector on private land -- he did -- That he -- development on public -- as well.
But -- said that before we haven't seen.
-- actually moved that direction and obviously.
Lisa Jackson -- is -- the reverend protection agency has.
There has been almost.
And have diametrically opposed to this.
So what's neat you know instead -- to my adult taking his word.
What was your reaction in the room and general apart from obviously Democrats applauding.
Was -- consensus among Republicans about the speech.
You know I got to do -- it's not gonna be overwhelming approval because.
The price of how or a repeat that we can kind of ring around your doctor but that -- -- I guess is a congressman position.
Tell -- -- tell -- -- where we wanted to jump in and say well boy I don't really like what what did you like.
Hitler or put -- we have not enough time being because we're -- Start you know what's very interesting about possible with a lot today in -- the evening.
I went to the national prayer -- last Thursday and -- doctor Ben Carson.
At that.
And oh my gosh I wish I could have heard that as a state of the union speech.
What -- what a refreshing.
And pretty serious -- the presidents have been critical of his own health care plan that out emanated from the.
President Clinton when they don't doctor Carson talked about -- there's -- tax.
Policy articulated in the Bible and basically it's 10% side.
He talked about a plastic of the president's that I -- think -- the -- accurate or one or two plays that went to say we could have fundamental tax reform that would include let.
This is unbelievable -- well -- and that's probably address -- we believe I might I say we expect a map of those -- my -- looked like I believe the progressive tax for the rich pay more.
This -- never been proven that the numbers were flat tax sounds very enticing.
But the numbers don't match up there's never been proven that there were bringing up money in the treasury.
But our tax policy -- should not be for for correcting social -- It should be collecting the money to run the.
But a little bit doesn't like -- only a flat tax.
That was introduced years ago -- resign as I understand it back in the eighties never they never had brought it to apply were brought in enough revenue.
Well historically 18% of the revenue is what has been collected through the -- pick -- -- -- realize these numbers are off some some from 2007 on.
But at a flat tax at 181920%.
Of mean that the number we can beat him -- those discussions but.
Why is that that some people are rewarded for having clever accountants than the other and that's what has always bothered me about our.
Our system to tell me what you need.
And and let me write the checks and then get out of my life.
Let me ask you about your leadership John Boehner today called the president cowardly and gutless but -- appropriate I don't know I didn't hear it but -- can't comment on who you've heard about it.
No like a mother first one to tell you about it really don't think committee hearing all day -- he may.
Ellen I understand you've got a tough.
But Boehner is that they're saying it's -- you know image in Mitch McConnell -- -- -- the senate but.
BB wanna be but you know thank you know really know there's -- many people -- it for a had to go under let people -- -- good -- -- but I mean Boehner and McConnell.
They say these nasty things about the president and the State of the Union Address today.
And it's I thought the president maybe you think it was only lip service reached out said let's work together use the word bipartisan I'm sure you think -- lip service.
But at least give lip service on the day of the State of the Union Address rather than these broad sides against.
The commander in chief I mean it and that's to me is leadership is being nasty for the other side.
The united added -- -- In a proper read comics but -- -- But what about now at the rising crescendo of response when he was talking about new town a thousand birthdays missed and let's at least have a vote.
On some of those issues that people who suffered and lost lives deserve a vote they don't leave now -- even agree probably and what steps can be taken.
But let's have a vote on that -- that makes sense.
I think he was talking to -- Read this this but I understood correctly.
-- it is Harry Reid you'll have to bring this out of the senate it's.
You.
I -- I don't know but they stand.
-- be perfectly honest.
But -- percent of brings it -- but then votes and it was a senate insured up to the -- vote the house.
Probably be in Nolan I'll be quite upfront with you about that but.
I don't disagree with the print about having a -- that.
His his his comments really should have been directed toward -- -- majority leader in the senate.
Well he is speaking to both houses obviously easily -- that you you know would you wouldn't support enhanced background checks are.
Or you would it's an -- -- assault weapons and.
Background checks -- attention in New York Times what was it that you have like 110 of 1%.
No violations.
-- lying on the background check 110 of 1% -- prosecuted a -- that's the level upbeat -- that the Department of Justice is going to exert.
Why bother.
Well I could use that same argument say that almost no prosecutions -- voter ID furloughed for fraud at the voting Booth.
And -- you saw that 102 year old woman at the speech tonight.
Who finally got to vote and I'm glad he brought a voter ID Republicans and especially in red states have been promoting this notion that.
You know there's all this fraud going on we have to have -- people show ID which you do when you registered to vote.
But emitted an issue about at the voting Booth in order it seems to me to reduce the number people who vote we're gonna vote Democrat.
But I don't do a lot of polls but giving the district's.
That I represented before this last redistricting that was about.
45%.
Democratic it's 5% Republican.
When I hold on that issue of the total ID for -- it was an 80% issue amongst Democrats.
I mean where I live it is eight it's that powerful notion that he got a chill and ID to cash a check -- -- -- show an ID to vote.
-- -- -- -- to register to vote but that there you're jettisoning a problem doesn't exist.
Claiming fraud alert them.
It if -- forgot Lyndon Johnson.
-- -- -- -- -- -- We let you referring to but when Lyndon Johnson ran for the senate the first time it was of the famous ballot box thirteen from -- county that magically push to vote.
I'm talking about the year Tony thirteen and it affected -- an almost zero convictions.
For voter fraud at the voting Booth in terms of voter you know the voter ID -- zero.
Think greater -- can be can be confident doing a good job but again where I live.
Asking for a -- of -- of paddle -- I mean I only -- my driver's license I go to vote.
-- -- yeah it's a solution especially since circular problem.
But -- I don't get the sense that this congress is gonna work any more diligently with this president than they did -- the last congress to -- -- You know the big things in front of us are.
Our our budgetary issues spending issues.
The president did touch on that.
He doesn't like the sequestered too bad he signed the law and you know this is absolute -- -- we were told we would shut the government down if we didn't.
We're told bond vigilantes were at the door turns -- that story may have been a little bit over -- did you look -- yet but in the same time.
If that's the only way we can extract any sanity in the in spending and I understand people say well it's never enough -- it's it's only could've been the baseline a little bit.
But but that is the law it's happening marks the first Japanese yeah yeah I think nothing's going to be tough.
-- -- -- -- -- And he Republican to get -- -- politically.
As a matter it's going to the president signed into law it's going to happen so those cost savings.
Are in fact going to occur that trillion dollars over the next ten years and it's yet to help -- Well they're gonna jump in and fix it at some point that sequester will happen for a period of time and probably will be some built to rectify whatever the sequester.
Cast asunder don't you think that's what's gonna happen.
Well it's possible but you know the track record so far the last eighteen months and have been very encouraging.
The super committee crash to earth.
Well the house passed a reconciliation bill in May and then again in December and -- and it wouldn't look at it.
President tonight but dismissed our efforts in that regard so I and you know we're obviously were still worlds apart on that issue.
Maybe you're right they do in the paint those -- -- for the first time.
People get serious about it but honest legitimate those.
They'll both cities are going to occur because.
The end of the day the president signed a bill on the law he can't be too it retroactively it's it's gonna happen.
What -- the political consequences do you think.
Well you know I wasn't worried about the political consequences when -- took the vote to.
It -- to extend the debt ceiling in August of Tony eleven.
I really you know -- -- the political consequences of doing a getting the savings -- -- do what we promised.
When we voted to increase the debt ceiling.
You know I think they're probably more political liability for not keeping their promise.
Well -- best thing to -- -- would have a march 1 congressman I'm always have -- you're willing to come on the program thank you I'm not for your -- and are actually much congressman Michael Burgess.
Also -- -- by the way of Texas founder and co chairman of the congressional health care caucus by the way.
