Oklahoma Congressman Markwayne Mullin focused on business Monday at a Tulsa Regional Chamber congressional forum, but he touched on national security during a Q&A with the audience.
Beginning his remarks with a focus on business, Mullin said too many small businesses are failing. Mullin said small businesses account for a majority of the state’s economic activity, but just one in three make it past two years — and even fewer make it to five years.
Mullin said Oklahoma small business owners should be mentoring up-and-coming entrepreneurs to help them succeed.
"Even with our own competitors, say, 'Let me help you out,' because if our backyard is growing because we're investing in it, believe me, there's going to be plenty of business for you," Mullin said.
Mullin also said the GOP tax plan will be good for businesses in the state. Mullin said the proposed corporate tax rate cut from 35 to 20 percent will be a tool for investing in businesses, not a giveaway to wealthy executives.
"You invest in your business, you're going to see job growth. You see job growth, you're going to hire. You're going to hire people in your backyard, you're going to see the economy increase. You're going to see our backyards increase, you're going to see more people having a career instead of just a job," Mullin said.
A White House report said cutting the corporate tax rate will boost wages $3,000 to $7,000 a year for the typical household. Independent economists have not reached a consensus.
Asked during the Q&A portion of the forum what national security threat keeps him up at night, Mullin said North Korea is the biggest threat to the United States.
Mullin accused the Obama administration of downplaying the threat posed by Kim Jong Un and said an early briefing under President Trump drew his attention from the Middle East to North Korea.
Mullin said the dictator is trying to manufacture a war with North Korea, Russia and China fighting Japan and the U.S.
"Kim Jong Un is no idiot. He's strategically doing the right things by trying to make this happen by shooting missiles over Japan," Mullin said. "Now, if a missile was shot over our country, I think we'd respond, right?"
Mullin said a direct attack on the United States would probably cause China and Russia to abandon Kim Jong Un.
