( CNN ) -- The most important question facing Washington today is : How do we move America forward ? This question guides everything we do at Americans for Prosperity . From health care to taxes to environmental issues , we fight for policies that would give every American the best shot at a better life . But politicians in Washington do n't want to answer this question . Even if they tried , they would n't know where to start . They 're too busy attacking anyone with whom they disagree . Exhibit A : Writing on these pages several days ago , Brad Woodhouse from American Bridge 21st Century declared that we want to `` buy elections '' and pursue a `` self-serving '' agenda . Exhibit B : Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid regularly takes to the Senate floor to denounce groups like Americans for Prosperity as `` un-American . '' Moreover , everything we say , according to Reid , is `` untrue . '' Dozens of Senate and House candidates have since parroted Reid 's baseless assertions in stump speeches , campaign e-mails , and more . This is nothing more than the politics of personal destruction . Yet personal attacks are all they have in their playbook . Washington 's record from the past few years does n't stand up to scrutiny -- and they know it . They ca n't show how they 've helped the people they claim to represent . Millions of Americans have been harmed by their bankrupt policies and broken promises . Look no further than Obamacare for proof . It has been nothing but a burden on hard-working American families . The country deserves to hear their stories . For months , we 've worked with middle-class families in states like Arkansas , North Carolina , Michigan , Louisiana , and elsewhere . Obamacare canceled their plans and forced them to buy health insurance that they did n't want and could n't afford . Between 6 and 9 million families experienced similar problems firsthand . Millions more found out that their new plans do n't include their doctors or cost far more than expected . Everywhere we look , people are paying more but getting less . Their response ? Call these people liars . It 's a similar story with Washington 's current energy policies . These , too , attack middle-class Americans . Take the example of the EPA regulations unveiled on June 2 . It does n't take an economist to see that these rules will increase electricity costs on families and businesses and kill jobs . Even The New York Times admits that `` jobs will indeed be lost '' and `` costs imposed '' by the new rules . These costs will disproportionately harm the middle class and the poor , who pay a greater percentage of their income on electricity and everyday goods . As for the effect on the climate ? The EPA 's own data shows that the new rules will only prevent 0.018 degrees Celsius of warming between now and 2100 . Ask the Americans who lose their jobs whether this nearly nonexistent change is worth it . The list goes on . Washington 's solution to every problem is to create a bureaucracy and lavish it with billions in taxpayer dollars . In return we get the Department of Veterans Affairs , the IRS , and bureaucracies that can barely function or actively harm Americans . Meanwhile , Washington 's demands for higher taxes will stifle small business growth and job creation even though the economy is stalled and labor force participation is hovering near record lows . Ditto for the years of trillion dollar deficits and the $ 17.5 trillion dollar debt , which has nearly doubled since President Obama took office . Such unchecked , out-of-control spending -- which many in Washington only want to expand -- will harm our economy and American families for generations for to come . This is Washington 's record . Such big government policies hobble the economy and harm the middle class , who invariably have to pick up the tab . But rather than help people , Washington 's defenders attack us for pointing this out . We 're fighting to create a better future -- but Washington is too busy holding America back . Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion .
Tim Phillips responds to op-ed attacks from Brad Woodhouse of American Bridge 21st Century . He calls the attacks nothing more than politics of personal destruction . He points to Obamacare , energy policies and VA failings as proof Washington is broken . Washington 's solution to every problem , he says , is to create a bureaucracy .