This editorial appeared in The Bradenton Herald.
As President-elect Obama pushes for more than a trillion dollars to jump-start the economy, Rep. Vern Buchanan heads back to Washington primed to help our new commander in chief achieve success with that turnaround.
The Longboat Key Republican remains steadfast in his commitment to bipartisan governance — setting politics aside in order focus on the economy and jobs in this tough recession.
"The next six months will be very interesting times," he said in a wide-ranging discussion with the Herald's Editorial Board before heading back to the nation's capital.
Indeed, and all that begins Tuesday with Obama's inauguration. His election says "something special about our country," Buchanan said.
That might sound odd coming from a Republican in a staunchly GOP county like Manatee. But he's always been about what's best for the country — a priority we especially appreciate after years of sharp partisanship that created a political divide across the country.
Obama's certainly not going to get a free pass on any initiative, but the incoming president has already demonstrated a bipartisan approach as well.
For his part, Buchanan has the right focus on spending the next $350 billion in federal bailout funds. With the first $350 billion mostly disappearing into the Wall Street financial markets with precious little trickling down to business and consumers, Buchanan vows to work to the benefit of Main Street. Small business and job creation — with tax credits for new hires, write offs for equipment purchases and loans to companies with growth potential — rank atop his priority list along with tax cuts for working families.
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