Fresh off his vote against the Senate compromise to avert the fiscal cliff, Rep. Steve Southerland, R-Panama City, was warmly greeted by party leaders in Florida on Saturday -- as was his call for more defiance against the White House over fiscal issues and gun control.

“We will now move into a very combative 113th Congress; combative because we will immediately begin debating the president on the next debt ceiling,” Southerland said.

“Eighteen months ago the debt ceiling was increased $2.4 trillion. Not a single dollar in cuts. Not a single reduction in our deficit. Not a single reduction in our debt. $2.4 trillion was given to President Obama. He must be stopped.”

Southerland, who was joined by all but five of Florida’s Republicans in Congress in opposing Senate Bill 8 (the American Taxpayer Relief Act) last week, said the GOP needs to remain fast because President Obama “promised” more taxes will come “in addition to the taxes that are coming this year because of Obamacare.”

Southerland was the only congressional member to attend Saturday’s Republican Party of Florida quarterly meeting at the Rosen Centre Hotel in Orlando, drawing applause by noting he was part of “a thin line between freedom and tyranny.”

“We’re going to continue to fight the president on fiscal issues, because we have a spending problem,” Southerland said.

“We could learn much about Governor Rick Scott and what he’s doing and this great Cabinet is doing, they get it.”

Southerland also said the GOP is gearing up for a fight over Second Amendment rights involving gun ownership.

“I will tell you every country throughout history that has lost that fight found themselves under an oppressive regime where human rights were stripped and central planners determined every area of your life.”



Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.