I just finished interviewing Rep. Mike Pence, the Chairman of the House Republican Conference. My first impression from the interview is that Chairman Pence is an optimist who trusts the American people. I’m basing that opinion on Chairman Pence’s response to a health care question I asked early in the interview.

I started by saying that I don’t know that the American people understand the difference between price controls and cost controls. I then asked if he’d like to explain the difference. Chairman Pence said that he thought “that the American people do get it” that “that’s why the American people have rejected it.”

I mentioned that Gov. Daniels’ HSA plan in Indiana and Gov. Pawlenty’s plan here in Minnesota both rely on people making wise health care choices. Chairman Pence said that one of the things he took from President Obama’s speech yesterday was his saying his plan “gives control back to the American people.” Chairman Pence said that his first reaction was that “if you’re going to give control back to the American people, you should give it to the American people, not the government.”

Another question I posed to Chairman Pence was about the economy. I started by mentioning that the jobs report due out Friday morning was rumored to be negative. I then asked him whether he thought a double dip recession remained a possibility. Chairman Pence said that “the American economy is the most resilient economy in the history of the world” but that the Democrats’ stimulus bill hasn’t done anything that would “unleash private sector ingenuity.”

Chairman Pence said that we’re spending too much, that, historically speaking, spending has been approximately 20 percent of the American GDP. That’s why he and Rep. Jeb Hensarling have introduced a constitutional amendment to limit the federal government from spending more than that 20 percent figure in any year. Chairman Pence then said that, if President Obama’s health care legislation passes, “the federal government would be spending almost 40 percent” of the American GDP annually.

I asked Chairman Pence what he thought of the TEA Party movement, what its contributions were with respect to the Democrats’ agenda. Chairman Pence started by saying that the TEA Party “movement was an expression of the American people’s frustration” with Washington.

Chairman Pence said that TEA Party activists “were people from both political parties” who were frustrated that Congress wasn’t listening to them. Chairman Pence said that he likes to live by the belief that “a congressional minority with the American people on their side” can defeat congressional majorities.

I said that I shared that belief, that I worded my belief a little differently. I said that “Being on the side of the angels on an issue will beat lots of money more often than not.” I said the Florida primary between Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio was a perfect illustration of that. Chairman Pence said that that’s why he’s confident that Republicans will return to the majority in 2011.

I told Chairman Pence that a defining moment for me of the conservative movement came in last Thursday’s health care summit when Rep. Paul Ryan refuted President Obama’s claims that the Democrats’ plan would lower health care costs, lower the deficit and lower health insurance prmiums. I said that President Obama hasn’t refuted them because he can’t refute Congressman Ryan’s claims.

Chairman Pence he “likes to say that President Obama listened but that volume must’ve been turned down”, something I got a chuckle out of.

Finally, I told Chairman Pence that I’m impressed with the conservative nucleus they’ve put together on the House side, with himself, Paul Ryan, Thad McCotter, my congresslady Michele Bachmann, John Kline, Eric Cantor, Leader Boehner and many others. I told him that as long as they’d keep upholding the principles outlined in the Constitution, that the conservative blogosphere would have their backs and that, more importantly, they’d have the support of the American people.

I’d like to thank Chairman Pence for granting this interview. I appreciate his optimism. Frankly, I’m impressed by his optimism. These haven’t been a great last couple of election cycles for Republicans. It’s amazing to me that they don’t feel like they’ve been hit with a bus considering Speaker Pelosi’s hardball tactics.

It’s only possible, in my opinion, because Chairman Pence believes that the American people get it and that the American people believe Republicans have the better solutions.

Technorati: New Media, Mike Pence, Health Care, Reagan Optimism, Economy, Spending, Constitution, Tenth Amendment, Cnservatism, Thad McCotter, Paul Ryan, President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Health Care Summit, Democrats

Cross-posted at California Conservative