The Americano Interviews Congressman Mike Pence

Congressman Mike Pence spoke to The Americano about the GOPs efforts in reaching out to Hispanics, our current healthcare situation, democracy in Latin America, and the Hispanic vote.

He was very open about the Republican Party failing in the past and not being efficient in reaching out to Hispanics. He also explained how the party is changing now to a new direction that is more inclusive of the largest minority in the United States.  Congressman Pence goes on to state his admiration for this culture and how American Hispanics are amongst the “most energetic” to reach the American dream.

The Americano: Your position and the GOP’s position on Honduras is clearly the correct one. However, we run into the danger of having more cases like Honduras in the future.  What are Conservatives like you going to do to continue supporting freedom in Latin America?

Congressman Mike Pence (R-IN): Well, I think we’re going to continue to stand for the principle that America’s freedom is meant not just for American Citizens, but it’s meant to be an inspiration to the world.  Where we see nations, such as in the case of Honduras, where we see people in the streets, as in Tehran in June, clamoring for the types of freedoms and government that the American people enjoy we’re going to continue to insist that this government, this Congress and this administration stand with those people in solidarity.  I think we’ve seen a troubling trend, since the advent of this administration, of pressuring our friends and, in effect, accommodating the people who are enemies of our values and our way of life.  You’re going to continue to see us, Republicans, fight for America to continue to be a beacon of freedoms and free elections around the world.

TA: What is the message that the GOP is sending to Republican voters when some of their Senators are voting with Democrats on key legislation, such as the Baucus bill?

MP: I think it is frustrating to millions of Americans, who are weary of the borrowing, the spending, and the bailouts; the takeover of Washington D.C., to see members of either political party supporting a continuation of those policies.  But I have to tell you, it is a source of enormous pride for me that, since the advent of this administration, we’ve experienced unprecedented unity among Republicans in opposition to runaway federal spending, takeovers, and bailouts by this administration.  From the stimulus bill, to the budget-busting budget, you saw unanimous Republican opposition; and near unanimous opposition to the Cap and Trade legislation. I believe that, in the midst of the fire and fury of this health care reform debate, the American people can expect that Republicans will be united in opposition to a government takeover of healthcare.

TA: Speaking of healthcare: the Wall Street Journal believes it not a stretch to say that Nancy Pelosi’s healthcare bill ranks, with the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act and FDR’s National Recovery Act, among the worst bills that Congress has ever seriously contemplated.  What do you think of this; and why is the Republicans’ healthcare bill better for America?

MP: It is arguable that, when you understand this legislation which is $1.3 trillion in spending and over $700 billion in tax increases during the worst recession in 25 years, added to the creation of a massive new bureaucracy with 111 new offices, agencies, the expansion of 43 entitlements, and more than 3,425 uses of the word ‘shall’ in the legislation, you realize that this is a government takeover of healthcare, designed to grow government rather than lower the cost of health insurance to working families, small businesses, and family farms.  The Republican alternative, which is now on-line at healthcare.gop.gov, is very simply focused on reducing the cost of health insurance for the American people.  We allow Americans to purchase health insurance across state lines, to create groups and associations, and to allow businesses to purchase healthcare the way big corporations do.  We call for medical mal-practice reform in the era of runaway jury awards.  Lastly, we take the savings from all of those things and use it to strengthen insurance funds at a state level to provide coverage for cases in which people have pre existing conditions.  We think that all of those things: lowering the cost of insurance for working families and small businesses, lowering the cost of defensive medicine, medical mal-practice reform, and making insurance for pre existing conditions more available to Americans more affordable, is the right approach.

TA: There are many Hispanics that agree with the Conservative values of leaders such as yourself.  Do you have anything to say to Conservative Hispanics who follow you? And, on the same note, what can be done to encourage more Hispanics to follow leaders, such as yourself, with this type of Conservative message?

MP: I really do believe that Hispanic Americans, like every American, are people who cherish the American dream.  In fact, I want to say that I take some measure of pride in my experience with the Hispanic community in this country.  This gives evidence that Hispanic Americans, in many cases, are more energetic than other Americans in making those dreams a reality.  The entrepreneurial spirit, the commitment to a work ethic, integrity, an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay, and commitment to the older values of family, marriage, and the sanctity of life are all values of the Republican Party.  I believe that Hispanic Americans, who cherish those values, will, and do, find a home in the Republican Party today and will in an increasing measure in years to come.

TA: What can the GOP do to attract more votes? How can we better reach out to Hispanics?

MP: One of the things that we’ve endeavored to do, among House Republicans is to simply reach more effectively with our Conservative message of entrepreneurial capitalism and traditional values into the Hispanic Communities.  We, on a regular basis, translate House Republican policy documents.  We produce a weekly radio Republican address in Spanish and this year, for this first time, we delivered such an address on the national level.  We have also been very aggressive about members placing opinion editorials in Spanish-language newspapers and we’ve met with Latino representatives from here in Washington and from around the country.  It’s probably true that Republicans didn’t work hard enough in the past to reach out to Hispanic Americans, but that’s changing.  House Republicans are leading the charge in changing that; the response that we’re getting from leaders in religious communities, in the business community among Hispanic Americans, has been very encouraging.

TA: We are very happy to hear that.  Thank you so much for the interview. This was very important for us; thank you.

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