Judd Gregg Has Become the GOP's Best Weapon

I'm thankful every day that Sen. Judd Gregg did not take the commerce post with Obama. He's become a forceful spokesman against Obama and for common sense. Today he gave the Republican weekly radio message:

U.S. Republicans say the path to prosperity is not the excessive spending proposed by President Obama but limited spending that holds down the growth of government, taxes and debt.

"We believe you create prosperity by having an affordable government that pursues its responsibilities without excessive costs, taxes or debt," Sen. Judd Gregg said Saturday in the weekly Republican radio address.

Gregg, who was offered the job of Obama's commerce secretary but withdrew his name, has become one of the toughest critics of Obama's handling of the economy.

"In the next five years, President Obama's budget will double the national debt; in the next 10 years, it will triple the national debt," the New Hampshire Republican said.

"His budget assumes the deficit will average $1 trillion every year for the next 10 years and will add well over $9 trillion in new debts to our children's backs," Gregg said. "He also is proposing the largest tax increase in history, much of it aimed at taxing small business people who have been, over the years, the best job creators in our economy."

Gregg said Obama's proposals "represent an extraordinary move of our government to the left."

He said Obama "is not trying to hide this; in fact, he is very forthright in stating that he believes that by greatly expanding the spending, the taxing and the borrowing of our government, this will lead us to prosperity."

Gregg countered that:

-- "It is the individual American who creates prosperity and good jobs, not the government."

-- "We believe that you create energy independence not by sticking Americans with a brand new national sales tax on everyone's electric bill, but by expanding the production of American energy ... while also conserving more."

--"We also believe you improve everyone's health care not by nationalizing the health care system and putting the government between you and your doctor, but by assuring that every American has access to quality health insurance and choices in health care."

He said the United States "has an exceptional history of one generation passing on to the next generation a more prosperous and stronger country, but that tradition is being put at risk."

Obama has had some nominations backfire, but none as badly as Gregg's.