Braley not honest with workers

By Ben Lange

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Rep. Bruce Braley's July 10 guest column (“Simply put, Obama is betting on American workers; Romney isn't”) illustrates why Iowans cannot trust Washington politicians to get our country back on the right track.

First, Braley claimed that President Barack Obama has stood up to China's unfair trade practices and currency manipulation and has put Iowa workers “on a level playing field.” Iowa workers know this isn't true.

Braley admitted just last year that American workers can't compete with China because, in his words, “the deck is stacked against them.”

Second, Braley hypocritically criticized Mitt Romney for holding “private investments in Chinese companies” when Braley invests in Chinese auto companies that directly compete with American workers.

Braley is invested in Brilliance China Automotive, which manufactures and distributes minibuses and sedans for the People's Republic of China; China Zenix Auto International, which produces steel parts for cars sold in China; and China ZhengTong Auto Services, which operates automotive dealerships throughout China.

(Braley also invests in Chinese dairy companies, banks, chemical facilities, coal industries, insurance companies, and telecommunications firms.

Third, Braley accused Romney of wanting to “blow a hole in the deficit with tax cuts for the wealthy” when it was Braley who promised to “reduce the deficit” as his highest priority and then voted for reckless economic policies that have nearly doubled the national debt.

Since these policies were adopted, the personal share of debt owed by Iowa workers has skyrocketed from $29,000 to $53,000 while national unemployment has remained at or above

8 percent for 41 consecutive months.

Fourth, Braley accused Romney of putting taxpayers at risk “by letting Wall Street write its own rules again” when it was Braley who voted to bail out Wall Street on the backs of Iowa workers and give Wall Street executives the very blank check he now criticizes.

Braley is not being honest with Iowa workers just as he wasn't being honest when he violated his pre-election pledge not to accept lobbyist contributions or when he promised a “full and frank discussion”on ObamaCare and then helped cram through a secretive 2,700 page bill in the dead of night.

While Braley claimed in his column that this election would be about which candidate “bets on American workers,” I would argue this election will be about which candidate Iowans can trust.

Ben Lange of Independence is the Republican candidate for Congress in Iowa's 1st District. Comments: www.langefor

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