Roy Blunt Explosion of National Response to Obama-Rubberstamp Robin Ad Over 170,000 Internet Views VIDEO

ST. LOUIS – There has been an explosion of views for Roy Blunt’s latest campaign ad entitled “Missouri’s Future.” The new ad has already reached a record of over 160,000 views on YouTube, crushing the total views of other campaign TV ads posted by Missouri officials and candidates, as well as many statewide candidates across the country.

“It’s encouraging to see such a large number of people responding so strongly to the truth that Robin Carnahan is a rubberstamp for the Pelosi-Reid-Obama extreme liberal agenda,” said Blunt spokesperson Rich Chrismer. “The ad simply features Barack Obama in his own words asking Missourians to send him “another vote” with Rubberstamp Robin Carnahan for higher job-killing taxes and regulation, government takeovers and a failing ‘stimulus’ bill that grows government, not jobs. With over 160,000 Internet views, voters are clearly rejecting the idea of sending another liberal rubberstamp to Washington whose votes and actions would be directed by Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Barack Obama.”

The ad which features Barack Obama urging Missourians to vote for Robin Carnahan because he needs "another vote" for his agenda of deficit spending, government control of health care, a national energy tax, more job-killing regulation and other Washington liberal goals, has garnered national attention and presented Missourians with the clear choice in this election. The national media has said the ad is the first test case for the popularity of Barack Obama and his policies.

TEXT CREDIT: Roy Blunt for Senate

VIDEO CREDIT: BluntforSenate2010

Senator Mike Johanns Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 07/31/10

Senator Mike Johanns Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 07/31/10 Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. Video of the address will be available here once the embargo is lifted. 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, July 31, 2010 MP4 File and WMV File

Full text transcript of Senator Johanns’ Address:

Hello, I’m Senator Mike Johanns from the great state of Nebraska.

I begin with a very sincere question for our President.

Isn’t it time, Mr. President, to tone down the rhetoric and to govern?

I’m a relatively new member of the U.S. Senate. But, I’ve had an opportunity to serve in the Cabinet; to govern a state; and to serve as the Mayor of a wonderful community.

And I learned early on that to advance an agenda, a leader needs to pull people together.

You talk about creating jobs and that sounds good, but your policies just do the opposite – with a fiercely anti-business tone.

Let’s take an honest look at the impact of your agenda.

More than 80 percent of jobs are provided by the private sector. Those are the jobs that put food on the table, pay the mortgage, and send our children to college.

Our small businesses generate 65 percent of the new jobs.

In Nebraska, we like to call them our Mom and Pop enterprises.

These are really good people who don’t want to get caught-up in a political debate.

They want to get up in the morning, head to work and find creative ways to build their businesses.

And your policies, Mr. President, are hurting them.

Let me give you an example: embedded in...

your health care law – under Section 9006 – is a job-crushing provision.

It affects every business, every church and charity; every state and local government.

It requires all of them to track their purchases and when they hit $600 with any vendor in a year – for any services or supplies – your health care law requires them to file a 10-99 form with the IRS and with that vendor.

This will create a mountain of new paperwork – increasing it by as much as 2,000 percent, according to one study.

One small business owner in Nebraska did an analysis and came to the conclusion it will cost his business an extra $15 thousand dollars a year.

Now that may not sound like much here in Washington, but to a small business in Nebraska, that would go a long way to putting another American to work.

Instead, that money will pay for paperwork… and for what purpose, Mr. President?

Even the National Taxpayer Advocate – a division of the IRS itself – predicts there will be little benefit and a mess of erroneous tax penalties.

This foolish policy hammers our business community when we should be supporting their job growth.

It’s only one example of how the Administration’s promise to support small businesses really rings hollow.

Then there’s the employer mandate in the health care law, which studies confirm will divert money from wages.

It forces employers to provide government-approved coverage or pay a tax of $2,000 per employee.

Another example: the new Medicare tax.

The majority of small businesses pay taxes at the individual level, so this new $210 billion tax will hurt; hitting businesses that employ between 20 and 200 workers especially hard.

And that’s one-quarter of our workforce.

To put it simply; your actions thus far, Mr. President, don’t encourage small businesses to hire employees.

You’re signaling to the business owners that they best be very cautious, not only because of the flurry of new taxes and regulations, but also because a national energy tax is next on your agenda.

It's time to stop pushing anti-growth policies and start supporting a real job growth agenda.

After all, what matters most is what we actually do, not what we say.

I'm Senator Mike Johanns of Nebraska. Thank you for your time.

VIDEO CREDIT: gopweeklyaddress

TEXT CREDIT: Mike Johanns

AUDIO VIDEO CREDIT: Republican.Senate.Gov

Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform USCIS Memo‎ FULL TEXT

Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform USCIS Memo‎ FULL TEXT. Obama Administration Memo Cites Non-Legislative Amnesty As Possible Option On Illegal Immigration

Senate Republicans have an internal memo from the Department of Homeland Security that shows the Obama administration "conspiring" and "scheming" to give permanent resident status, or green cards to illegal immigrants in the United States.

The 11-page memo prepared for Alejandro N. Mayorkas, Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is titled, "Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform." Obtained by Republican Senator Charles Grassley of Iowa, who said the intent of the memo is "to find very secret creative ways to unilaterally circumvent the law and have a backdoor to amnesty."

Grassley and 11 other senators question by way of letter, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on her use of "discretionary authority to let people who are illegally in the country to stay." The letter was signed by Senators. Grassley, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Johnny Isakson of Georgia, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Saxby Chambliss of Georgia, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, Tom Coburn of Oklahoma, David Vitter of Louisiana, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Jim Bunning of Kentucky, Pat Roberts of Kansas and Jeff Sessions of Alabama.

SUBJECT: Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform

I. Purpose

This memorandum offers administrative relief options to promote family unity. foster economic growth, achieve significant process improvements and reduce the threat of removal for certain individuals present in the United Slates without authorization. It includes recommendations regarding implementation time frames and required resources.

ll. Summary

In the absence of Comprehensive immigration Reform, USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations, exercising discretion with regard to parole-in-place. deferred action and the issuance of Notices to Appear (NTA), and adopting significant process improvements.

To promote family unity, USCIS could reinterpret lwO 1990 General Counsel Opinions regarding the ability of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) applicants who entered the United Slates (U. S.) without inspection to adjust or change status. This would enable thousands of individuals in TPS status to become lawful permanent residents. Similarly. where non· TPS applicants have been deemed inadmissible under section 212(a)(6)(AXi) of the Immigration and Nationality Act ("the Act") for having entered without inspection, USCIS could grant "parole·in·place" (PIP) in the exercise of discretion to create II basis for adjustment in the U.S.

FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT: Administrative Alternatives to Comprehensive Immigration Reform

Tim Pawlenty History Is On Our Side Freedom First PAC VIDEO

Americans succeed in large measure because we are the freest people the world has ever known. It is foundational to who we are and to our success -- freedom allows ordinary people to do extraordinary things. We need to raise awareness about the importance of these freedoms, and fight for them when they are threatened.


Right now, our freedoms are being challenged on many fronts. One such challenge is encroachment on our liberties by an unceasing Federal bureaucracy. Little by little, it suffocates individual freedom, personal responsibility and the free market. It can happen quietly -- it’s not always a grand debate over something like health care. It can happen in increments that people don’t even see or know about, but nevertheless deflates the human spirit.

We need to protect the freedom to be an entrepreneur without being stifled by over-burdensome taxes and regulations; the freedom to not be in financial bondage because the government ran up more debt than we can ever pay off; the freedom to choose a good school for our children; the freedom to choose a doctor without having a bureaucrat in the middle; and the freedom that comes from being safe from foreign enemies.

Our values and principles are being tested. What we believe as conservatives is being tested. The values and principles of our country – which I believe are conservative – are being tested. But expressing our concern is not enough. We need to organize, mobilize and fight back.

This organization is dedicated to putting freedom first again in America. By helping candidates and translating our ideas into policies that everyone can relate to and support, we can turn back the growth of Washington and renew the promise of freedom.

TEXT CREDIT: Freedom First PAC

VIDEO CREDIT: GovernorTimPawlenty

Ron Paul Endorses Rick Torres for US Congress VIDEO

Republican Rick Torres was endorsed today by Congressman Ron Paul. Speaking from his Campaign HQ in Bridgeport this afternoon Rick Torres said "It is It is with great honor that today I accept the endorsement of Congressman Ron Paul. I have spoken to Congressman Paul several times over the course of the Campaign and I look forward to working with him after I defeat Jim Himes this November. This endorsement further solidifies my Conservative principles and demonstrates that I am best suited to beat Jim Himes this November."

Mr. Torres added "This endorsement is our second major endorsement in as many days. Yesterday Republican Liberty Caucus endorsed me after withdrawing their endorsement of Rob Merkle. Congressman Ron Paul's endorsement today is nothing short of a game-changer. The momentum is at our back.

Our polling indicates that our message is rapidly gaining. With this endorsement we are all the more confident that we will win on August 10th."

The full endorsement is below.

"I am proud to announce that I have endorsed Rick Torres for Congress in the Connecticut's 4th district. Rick is a real Liberty lover and has a tremendously inspiring story.

Again, please consider supporting Rick in any way you are comfortable – whether it is financially, with your time as a volunteer and, most importantly, with your vote.
Big things are happening across the Country, and Connecticut has a great opportunity to tell Washington that we demand free markets, sound money and common sense, Pro-America foreign policy.

I hope you will join me in supporting Rick Torres.

In Liberty, Ron Paul"

TEXT CREDIT: Rick Torres for Congress For Immediate Release Thursday July 29, 2010 Contact: Efty Gregos Efty@ricktorres2010.com

IMAGE and VIDEO CREDIT: TorresForCongress

President Obama SNOOKI - GATE and Jersey Shore VIDEO

President Obama SNOOKI - GATE and Jersey Shore VIDEO, Less GTL, More GDP Mr. President. From Today’s GDP Numbers, It Is Clear Obama Is Focusing Too Much On “Jersey Shore” And Too Little On The Economy

Governor Ed Rendell (D-PA): “I Think There’s Got To Be A Little Bit Of Dignity To The Presidency.” (MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” 7/27/10)

OBAMA APPEARS TO HAVE PLENTY OF TIME TO TALK GTL "gym, tan, laundry."

In His Speech To The National Urban League Yesterday, Obama Randomly Brought Up Snooki. “I was on the ‘The View’ yesterday, and somebody asked me who Snooki was. I said, I don't know who Snooki is.”

“During His Appearance On ‘The View,’ President Obama Got A Quiz On Celebrities In The News -- Snooki, Lindsay Lohan And Mel Gibson.”

“‘I've Got To Admit, I Don't Know Who Snooki Is.’ But Obama Made A Joke About Snooki In His Comedy Routine Delivered At The White House Correspondents Association Dinner May 2.”

MEANWHILE, GDP GROWTH HAS BEEN DISAPPOINTING

The New York Times: “This Slowdown, Coupled With Disappointing Job Creation, Has Led To Worries That The Recovery Is Losing Steam. The Nation’s Unemployment Rate Continues To Linger Just Below 10 Percent.” “Forecasters Have Predicted Even Slower Growth In The Second Half Of The Year, Probably Around An Annual Rate Of 1.5 Percent. At That Pace, It May Be Years Before The Economy Returns To The Trend It Was On Before The Financial Crisis Hit.”

TEXT CREDIT: Republican National Committee 310 First Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 info@gop.com p 202.863.8500 | f 202.863.8820

VIDEO CREDIT: goprapidresponse

Rick Lazio challenges Andrew Cuomo to debate the ground Zero Mosque VIDEO

On July 7, 2010 Rick Lazio requested that Andrew Cuomo launch an investigation into the funding of the proposed 13-story, $100 million, Cordoba Mosque. Andrew Cuomo refused to launch an investigation.

On July 27, 2010 Rick challenged Andrew Cuomo to defend his position on the Cordoba Mosque in a public debate.

There has been no response.

Attorney General Cuomo, the people of New York await your response.

TEXT CREDIT: Lazio 2010

VIDEO CREDIT: ricklaziotv

H.R.5924: To repeal section 929I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

H.R.5924 Title: To repeal section 929I of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.

Sponsor: Rep Issa, Darrell E. [CA-49] (introduced 7/29/2010) Cosponsors (14)

Latest Major Action: 7/29/2010 Referred to House committee. Status: Referred to the House Committee on Financial Services.

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All Information (except text)	Text of Legislation	Summary	Major Congressional Actions All Congressional Actions All Congressional Actions with Amendments With links to Congressional Record pages, votes,reports
Titles	Cosponsors (14)	Committees
Related Bills	Amendments	Related Committee Documents
CBO Cost Estimates	Subjects

Darrell Issa Introduces the SEC Freedom of Information Restoration Act

Uploaded on May 28, 2010 by Congressman Darrell Issa © All rights reserved.

President Obama at Signing of Financial Reform Bill: “It demands accountability and responsibility from everyone…It demands accountability and responsibility from everyone…And we all win when folks are rewarded based on how well they perform, not how well they evade accountability.”

WASHINGTON D.C. – Rep. Darrell Issa (R-CA), the Ranking Member of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, today introduced H.R. 5924, the “SEC Freedom of Information Restoration Act” which will repeal section 9291 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act that allows the SEC to not "disclose records or information" that are typically subjects of Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests.

“Note this as just the latest example of Congress passing and the President signing legislation into law without fully understanding what's in it,” Issa said. “Either that or the Administration knowingly orchestrated the inclusion of a provision that shields the SEC from the transparency and accountability this reform bill was supposed to represent. Regardless of intent, both Democrats and Republicans alike should agree that we cannot allow this regulatory body that failed to catch Allen Stanford's fraud and Bernie Madoff's ponzi scheme to operate in secrecy. Hopefully, we can partner together and swiftly pass legislation I am introducing today to repeal Section 9291 and ensure that the SEC will be held to the highest possible standard of accountability and transparency.”

The SEC Freedom of Information Restoration Act was co-sponsored by House Financial Services Committee Ranking Member Spencer Bachus (R-AL) as well as by Reps. Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Dan Burton (R-IN), Jason Chaffetz (R-UT), John Duncan (R-TN), Jeff Fortenberry (R-NE), Jim Jordan (R-OH), Blaine Luetkemeyer (R-MO), John Mica (R-FL), Patrick McHenry (R-NC), Aaron Schock (R-IL) and Bill Shuster (R-PA). ###

TEXT CREDIT: Oversight and Government Reform Committee B350A RAYBURN HOUSE OFFICE BUILDING, WASHINGTON, DC 20515 PHONE: (202) 225-5074 FAX: (202) 225-3974

John Thune Introduces Common Sense Budget Reform Bill

Proposal to tackle runaway spending and borrowing, reduce deficit WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senator John Thune introduced legislation that will begin to tackle the nation's ballooning $13 trillion debt by reforming the budget process and cutting federal spending and borrowing.

“As families across our country make tough financial choices to live within their means, Washington continues to spend borrowed money at an alarming and dangerous rate,” said Thune. “My bill would cut and cap spending, reform the broken budget process, end the trust fund dishonesty, and create a new permanent joint Congressional committee tasked with continuously cutting the deficit without raising taxes. While my proposal will not be a cure-all for our nation's economic woes, it would fundamentally change the way Congress does business.

“Our dangerous national debt is not an issue we can continue to pass along to future generations of Americans. This legislation is a necessary first step toward reining in Washington's runaway spending habits, while restoring fiscal accountability to our government.”

Thune's budget reform legislation, The Deficit Reduction and Budget Reform Act of 2010, takes a three-pronged approach to reducing the rapidly expanding burden of growing debt and deficits for American families and businesses. By imposing strict new limits on federal spending, reforming the budget process, and creating a new standing committee of Congress for budget deficit reduction, Congress can prove to the American people that it is serious about cutting spending and growing our economy.

Details of Thune's legislation are outlined below.

Part I: Eliminating Wasteful Spending

Discretionary Spending Caps

Establishes binding discretionary spending caps for all non-defense, non-veteran, non-homeland security discretionary spending from 2011 to 2020. Discretionary spending caps are set at Fiscal Year 2008 levels adjusted for inflation, and any bill that exceeds the spending caps is subject to a point of order.

Stop Stimulus Spending

Ends unobligated stimulus spending on September 30, 2010. Stimulus tax provisions would be allowed to expire on December 31, 2010 as enacted by the stimulus bill.

Part II: Budget Reform

Improving PAYGO and Trust Fund Accounting

Reforms PAYGO rules to prevent the double-counting of new revenues or reduced spending in trust funds for the purposes of offsetting other expenditures. Over $600 billion in trust fund offsets were used to pass the health care reform bill and earlier this year an attempt was made to increase the per-barrel tax for the Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund to offset other non-related tax measures. By preventing these changes from being used as an offset under PAYGO rules in the future, this provision would end the practice of double accounting these spending reductions and revenue increases.

Binding Federal Budget

Reforms the budget process by requiring a binding joint budget resolution. Since the joint resolution would have to be signed into law, the Administration and Congress are forced to work more closely on the joint budget resolution and Congress would have less flexibility to violate this resolution.

Biennial Budget

Establishes a biennial budgeting timeline. In odd numbered years, Congress would pass two-year biennial budgets. In even numbered years, Congress would pass two-year appropriation bills. A biennial budget would give Congress more time for oversight of government spending during even numbered years. This provision is particularly important because Congress has only completed all of the annual appropriation bills on time in four of the last 34 years.

Legislative Line-Item Veto

Creates a legislative line-item veto. The President may propose to Congress a cancellation of any discretionary spending item, direct spending item, limited tariff benefit or targeted tax benefit contained within a bill or joint resolution. Upon Congressional approval, any cancellations must be applied to reducing the deficit or increasing a surplus.

Part III: New Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction

Standing Joint Committee of Congress on Deficit Reduction

Creates a permanent Joint Committee on Deficit Reduction composed of a bipartisan group of 20 members—10 from the House of Representatives and 10 from the Senate. Every other year, the new Joint Committee must introduce legislation that eliminates or reduces spending on wasteful government programs and achieves a savings of at least 10 percent of the previous year’s budget deficit. The legislation to reduce spending or wasteful programs would receive expedited consideration in the House and Senate. ###

TEXT CREDIT: Senator John Thune United States Senate SR-493 Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-2321 Fax: (202) 228-5429 TollFree: 1-866-850-3855

Governor Jan Brewer Files Expedited Appeal with Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals FULL TEXT

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR JAN BREWER: Governor Brewer Defends Rule of Law – Files Expedited Appeal with Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals PHOENIX – “Today I filed an expedited appeal with the Ninth Circuit asking the court to lift the injunction put in place by Judge Bolton yesterday against certain provisions of SB 1070 and to allow those provisions to go into effect pending a decision on the merits of this case.

I have also asked the Ninth Circuit to expedite the briefing schedule and its ruling, since Congress and the President have once again failed to act.

“The Notice of Appeal and Motion for Expedited Briefing and Hearing Schedule filed today asks the Ninth Circuit to establish a timeline that would have the State file a substantive brief on August 12, the United States file its response brief on August 26, and the State file its reply brief on September 2. I have asked the Ninth Circuit to schedule oral arguments on the appeal the week of September 13 and to expedite its ruling.

“America is not going to sit back and allow the ongoing federal failures to continue. We are a nation of laws and we believe they need to be enforced. If the federal government wants to be in charge of illegal immigration and they want no help from states, it then needs to do its job. Arizona would not be faced with this problem if the federal government honored its responsibilities.

“Illegal immigration is an ongoing crisis the State of Arizona did not create and the federal government has refused to fix. SB 1070 protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our state lawfully. It ensures that the constitutional rights of ALL in Arizona are undiminished.

“I believe Arizona, like America, is governed by laws – laws that confer respect and that demand respect in return. Our state taxpayers cannot sustain the outrageous costs of illegal immigration, and its continued erosion of our time-honored legal immigration traditions. As governor of the state of Arizona, I will honor my core principles and my sworn oath to protect the citizens of this great state and, therefore, I will not back down.”

Note - The Governor’s Notice of Appeal and Motion to Expedite Briefing and Hearing Schedule are attached. The Motion to Expedite Briefing and Hearing Schedule will be filed with the Ninth Circuit this afternoon after the court assigns a case number to the appeal. ###

FULL TEXT OF DOCUMENTS IN PDF FORMAT:

• Governor Brewer Defends Rule of Law - Files Expedited Appeal with Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals - 7/29/2010
• Preliminary Injunction Appeal - 7/29/2010
• Motion to Expedite Briefing and Hearing Schdule for Preliminary Injunction Appeal - 7/29/2010

RELATED: Arizona Law SB 1070 and District Court Decision FULL TEXT

IMAGE CREDIT: abc15com

Dino Rossi for U.S. Senate Dino on the Radio TEXT VIDEO

Bellevue, WA— Thursday, Dino Rossi's campaign for U.S. Senate announced a statewide radio buy featuring the following 60-second ad. FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

DINO ROSSI: I'm Dino Rossi.

People ask me why I'm running for the US Senate.

Simple. Our country is in trouble. Opportunities are vanishing because of bad decisions in Washington, DC.

Growing up, I was the youngest of seven raised on a schoolteacher's salary.

And, I worked my way through college as a janitor waxing floors at the Space
Needle.

I started out in business with two hundred dollars and an old car.

It wasn't much, but because we live in America, I knew I could chase my
dream.

That's why I can't stand what's going on in the US Senate.

Politicians are wasting money on programs that aren't creating jobs or
helping the economy.

They're running up debt that threatens our future.
That goes against everything I believe.

Washington, DC, needs some adult supervision.

It's time to end earmarks and corporate bailouts, pass a balanced budget
amendment, and stop tax increases on families and small businesses that
create jobs.

I've done it here in Washington, and I'll do it in DC.

I'm Dino Rossi, candidate for US Senate and I approve this message.

Paid for by Rossi for Senate.

TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: DinoRossiWA

Peter Schiff For Senate campaign ad Kick VIDEO

Peter Schiff For Senate campaign ad VIDEO. This is the first cut of our (SchiffforSenate) new TV commercial and a sample of what your donation will buy!

KEYWORDS: Peter Schiffm, Schiff for Senate, Peter Schiff for Senate, Schiff TV Ad: Kick, Kick, Linda McMahon, US Senate, Connecticut, CT, Liberal McMahon, Economist, Conservative.

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: SchiffforSenate

Jeff Sessions Elena Kagan a 'dangerous' nominee VIDEO

Jeff Sessions to Dem Senators: Don't Rubberstamp Elena Kagan Nomination for Obama.

"Be careful about it, because I'm afraid that we have a dangerous, progressive, political-type nominee."

"I don't think the American people are going to hold harmless those who vote to impose a legal progressive, activist legislator from the bench upon them,"

Jeff Sessions

VIDEO CREDIT: RepublicanSCOTUS

Pete Hoekstra Statement on Federal Judge Blocking Arizona’s Immigration Law

Congressman Calls Ruling an Infringement on State Sovereignty. Washington, Jul 28 - U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra, R-Holland, issued the following statement after a federal judge blocked the main elements of Arizona’s new law that requires state law enforcement to enforce federal law:

“The ruling is judicial activism at its worst. So long as Washington fails to address the issue, states should have the freedom to enforce their own laws. Violence and drug trafficking has long been a serious problem along Arizona’s border and the state’s legislature determined it necessary to respond. Congress has for years abdicated its responsibility to pass meaningful immigration reform, so states have deemed it necessary to act by themselves and an unelected judge should not block their efforts.”

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Representative Pete Hoekstra Contact: Dave Yonkman 202.225.4401

RELATED:

• Arizona Law SB 1070 and District Court Decision FULL TEXT
• Jan Brewer Says Arizona Will Appeal Immigration Ruling TEXT VIDEO

Jan Brewer Says Arizona Will Appeal Immigration Ruling TEXT VIDEO

Jan Brewer Says Arizona Will Appeal Immigration Ruling.

STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR JAN BREWER

PHOENIX – “I am disappointed by Judge Susan Bolton’s ruling enjoining several provisions of “The Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act” -- SB 1070; though I am heartened by some findings – including the ban on sanctuary cities.

“This fight is far from over. In fact, it is just the beginning, and at the end of what is certain to be a long legal struggle, Arizona will prevail in its right to protect our citizens. I am deeply grateful for the overwhelming support we have received from across our nation in our efforts to defend against the failures of the federal government.

“I have consulted with my legal counsel about our next steps. We will take a close look at every single element Judge Bolton removed from the law, and we will soon file an expedited appeal at the United States Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

“For anyone willing to see it -- the crisis is as clear as is the federal government’s failure to address it.

“The judge herself noted that the stash houses where smugglers hide immigrants from Mexico before bringing them into the country's interior have become a fixture on the news in Arizona and that, ‘You can barely go a day without a location being found in Phoenix where there are numerous people being harbored.’”

“When I signed the bill on April 23rd, I said, SB 1070 – represents another tool for our state to use as we work to address a crisis we did not create and the federal government has actively refused to fix. The law protects all of us, every Arizona citizen and everyone here in our state lawfully. And, it does so while ensuring that the constitutional rights of ALL in Arizona are undiminished – holding fast to the diversity that has made Arizona so great.

“I will battle all the way to the Supreme Court, if necessary, for the right to protect the citizens of Arizona. Meanwhile, I also know we still have work to do in confronting the fear-mongers, those dealing in hate and lies and economic boycotts that seek to do Arizona harm.

“We have already made some progress in waking up Washington. But the question still remains: will Washington do its job, and put an end to the daily operations of smugglers in our nation, or will the delays and sidesteps continue? I believe that the defenders of the rule of law will ultimately succeed with us in our demand for action.” ###

VIDEO CREDIT: tpmtv

TEXT CREDIT: STATEMENT BY GOVERNOR JAN BREWER FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT

RELATED: Arizona Law SB 1070 and District Court Decision FULL TEXT

Arizona Law SB 1070 and District Court Decision FULL TEXT

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona: Section 1. Intent

The legislature finds that there is a compelling interest in the cooperative enforcement of federal immigration laws throughout all of Arizona. The legislature declares that the intent of this act is to make attrition through enforcement the public policy of all state and local government agencies in Arizona. The provisions of this act are intended to work together to discourage and deter the unlawful entry and presence of aliens and economic activity by persons unlawfully present in the United States.

FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT SENATE BILL 1070

At issue is the Motion for Preliminary Injunction filed by Plaintiff the United States (“Pl.’s Mot.”) (Doc. 27). 2:10-cv-01413-SRB -- United States of America v. Arizona, State of, et al

I. SUMMARY Against a backdrop of rampant illegal immigration, escalating drug and human trafficking crimes, and serious public safety concerns, the Arizona Legislature enacted a set of statutes and statutory amendments in the form of Senate Bill 1070, the “Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act,” 2010 Arizona Session Laws, Chapter 113, which Governor Janice K. Brewer signed into law on April 23, 2010. Seven days later, the Governor signed into law a set of amendments to Senate Bill 1070 under House Bill 2162, 2010 Arizona Session Laws, Chapter 211.1 Among other things, S.B. 1070 requires

FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT Document #87 U.S. District Judge Susan Bolton'Order on Preliminary Injunction IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF ARIZONA 07/28/2010

Len Britton Better Bail Faster, Better Get a Paper Route, Billy VIDEO

Len Britton unveils 2nd Humorous Ad on National Debt Crisis

“Better Bail Faster, Billy” is Vermont Senate candidate Len Britton’s second release in the laugh-out-loud series of national debt crisis campaign ads. The ad returns Billy and his sister to the Ship of State lifeboat in danger of sinking from excessive government spending. The children can’t bail the water fast enough as government agents pour on the “Stimulus” and “Pork” water buckets.

“America’s looming debt danger is crippling our economy and jeopardizing future generations. My humorous approach to this very serious issue will raise awareness with the typical American family” stated Britton.

Britton’s first installment “Better Get a Paper Route, Billy” released in May, received national acclaim appearing on numerous blogs including RedState.com, RealClearPolitics.com & MSNBC.com. “Paper route,” with over 35,000 YouTube views, is Vermont’s most widely seen viral political ad in history.

TEXT CREDIT: Len Britton for Vermont

VIDEO CREDIT: Britton4VT

Richard Burr Statement on Nomination of Elena Kagan to Serve on the U.S. Supreme Court

U.S. Senator Richard Burr

WASHINGTON, D.C. –U.S. Senator Richard Burr today issued the following statement on his opposition to President Obama’s nomination of Elena Kagan to serve on the United States Supreme Court: “I opposed Ms. Kagan’s nomination to be Solicitor General, and the little additional information provided through the confirmation hearing process has given me no reason to change my mind in support of her to serve on the Supreme Court.

With no judicial record, I am left with reviewing her decisions in academic life and the policies for which she actively advocated in prior political appointments.

“I am concerned by her actions with regard to military recruiters – fighting to keep military recruiters off campuses in a time of war – and believe it extends to her views on the rest of the military. I am also concerned about her views on Second Amendment rights and her lack of sympathy for law-abiding gun owners. She has consistently substituted her personal beliefs for the law, giving poor advice on the constitutionality of options she disagreed with, and even skewing a medical statement on partial birth abortion in order to advocate for her position."

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Richard Burr, United States Senator of North Carolina

Eric Cantor: This Will Be A Summer of Contrasts VIDEO

“The Democrats will go home to their districts, as we to ours, and find out from the people what we already know – that despite their claims of accomplishment, the agenda that they have pushed over the last year and a half is just not the agenda that the American people want.”

“As we head towards the August recess, it is clear that the Democrats will go home to their districts, as we to ours, and find out from the people what we already know – that despite their claims of accomplishment, the agenda that they have pushed over the last year and a half is just not the agenda that the American people want.

"August will be a time for us to draw the contrast between their attempts to lead by passing an agenda that doesn’t fit with the mainstream of this country and frankly the kind of policies that we as Republicans stand for.

"Clearly, there’s one party that believes we ought to empower small businesses, there’s one party who doesn’t. There’s one party who believes that now is the time to raise taxes in the depth of a horrific recession and there’s one party that doesn’t. There’s one party that believes in free enterprise, that believes that we can create jobs through empowering the private sector, there’s one party that’s clearly chosen the other route by expanding government. There’s one party with the Democrats who believe that the answer to our health care needs is to expand government over a trillion dollar bill that they demonstrated and then there are the Republicans who believe very clearly that we can bring down costs by empowering individuals to make their own choices by increasing competition.

"So despite what the other side believes, the last 18-plus months has had an impact. No matter how much they want it to go away. No matter how much they don’t agree with the reality, which is the negative consequences of their agenda, they’ll go home to find out from their constituents as will we.” ###

TEXT CREDIT: House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (R-VA) Remarks at GOP Press Stakeout July 27, 2010 Contact: Brad Dayspring 202-226-5249

VIDEO CREDIT: Eric Cantor

Joe the Plumber Endorses Chuck Purgason for Senate VIDEO

A video that I (2DumbKids) made for Joe "The Plumber". It's going to run on all major cable broadcast networks throughout Missouri between now and Aug. 3rd, 2010. Joe is endorsing Chuck Purgason (NOT Roy Blunt) for US Senate (Missouri).

Credits: Video created by: Brandon. Story Written by: Tom. Voice Over by: "Joe the Plumber" and Dave. Project Manager: Kevin Jackson.

Paid for by Joe "The Plumber" and Friends.

TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: 2DumbKidsVideo

Lindsey Graham Requests Hearing on voter intimidation by the New Black Panther Party.VIDEO

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) today wrote to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vermont) requesting a hearing on the investigation into voter intimidation by the New Black Panther Party.

Graham has publicly expressed concern about the Department of Justice's handling of this matter.

The full text of the letter, signed by Senator Graham and other Republican members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, is below.

The Honorable Patrick J. Leahy
Chairman
Committee on the Judiciary
United States Senate

Washington, D.C. 20510

We write to express concern about the politicization of the Civil Rights Division within the Department of Justice and ask that you schedule a hearing in order for the Committee to exercise its proper oversight function. On July 6, 2010, J. Christian Adams, the lead DOJ attorney who prosecuted the New Black Panther Party (NBPP) for intimidating Philadelphia voters, testified before the United States Commission on Civil Rights (USCCR). In sworn testimony, Mr. Adams confirmed that various political appointees overruled a unanimous recommendation by six career DOJ attorneys that prosecution of members of the NBPP should continue. Mr. Adams testified that within the DOJ Civil Rights Division, “not only was their open hostility toward equal enforcement in a colorblind way of the voting rights laws, but instructions were given in this regard.”

As you are aware, the USCCR’s investigation stems from an incident on November 4, 2008 in which two members of the NBPP were intimidating voters at a polling station in Philadelphia. Video taken at the scene shows both individuals were dressed in paramilitary uniforms and one man was actually brandishing a nightstick. According to the USSCR, both men “hurled racial epithets at whites and blacks alike, taunting poll watchers and poll observers who were there to aid voters.” Long time civil rights attorney Bartle Bull was at the polling place that morning and called the incident “the most blatant form of voter intimidation” he had ever seen. Despite DOJ having won a default judgment in this case, political appointees voluntarily dismissed several of the defendants. Furthermore, against the defendant brandishing a nightstick, DOJ sought only an injunction, which bars him from displaying a weapon within 100 feet of a Philadelphia polling place for the three years.

Unfortunately, allegations of misconduct by certain political appointees are not limited to the decision to dismiss this case. Tom Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division, testified before the USCCR that the facts and law did not support moving forward with the NBPP case. Mr. Adams has revealed that that career attorneys “made it very clear [to Perez] that continuing to say that the facts and the law don’t support this case would not be consistent with the truth.” Additionally, according to Mr. Adams testimony, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Julie Fernandes instructed Civil Rights Division attorneys that they would not pursue voter intimidation cases involving black defendants and white victims. Ms. Fernandes also reportedly told the Voting Section that DOJ has “no interest” in enforcing Section 8 of the National Voter Registration Act because it has “nothing to do with increasing turnout.” Section 8 vests the Attorney General with the power to ensure that states are complying with the law by removing dead and duplicate voters from the roles.

If these alarming allegations are true, the Civil Rights Division is actively engaged in widespread politicization and possible corruption. This Committee has a duty to investigate such serious allegations that strike at the heart of the Department’s integrity. Unfortunately, the Department of Justice continues to stonewall the USCCR by refusing to honor the subpoena issued for Christopher Coates, former chief of the Voting Rights Section. It is imperative that you schedule a hearing immediately so we can determine the validity of these claims and whether DOJ, as Mr. Adams testified, “abetted wrongdoers and abandoned law-abiding citizens.” Given the importance of this oversight matter, we believe that holding a hearing on this issue should take priority over other Committee business. #####

Signed copy of the letter in PDF Format: Letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman.

Senator Graham Press Releases Contact: Meghan Hughes (202-224-5972) or Kevin Bishop (864-250-1417) Date: 07/26/2010

Sharron Angle, Reid Ducking Out On Tax Issue Until After Election

Uploaded on June 5, 2009 by Sharron Angle © All rights reserved.

Nevada — U.S. Senatorial Candidate Sharron Angle (R-NV) seized upon Majority Leader Harry Reid’s (D-NV) silence after a story in the Wall Street Journal revealed that Reid was holding out until after the election to make a decision concerning the 2001-03 tax cuts due to expire in January. A Wall Street Journal news report released over the weekend wrote that “Reid, facing a tough re-election bid, favors waiting for a lame-duck session after Nov. 2,” before taking any action concerning the extension of tax cuts. (WSJ 7-24-10)

“Make no mistake,” Angle said. “Harry Reid is pushing the largest tax increase in American history during the worst economy since the Great Depression. He voted against these tax cuts in 2001 and 2003, and it’s obvious now that he favors letting these important tax cuts die permanently.”

Angle said the 2001-03 tax cuts provided help for both poor and thriving by reducing the marginal rates which provided a wide range of income tax breaks for education, married couples, and families with children. When elected, Angle said she will support making the tax-cuts permanent. “It’s madness to raise taxes during this economic climate on the small business owners who create jobs and stimulate our economy. The bottom line is Harry Reid and President Obama are strangling the economy -- and Nevada has a 14.2 percent unemployment rate to show for it.”

Background Information:

Reid Voted Against Senate And Final Passage Of The 2001 And 2003 Tax Cuts. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 58-33: R 46-2; D 12-31, 5/26/01, Reid Voted Nay; H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, 5/23/01, Reid Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 50-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, With Vice President Cheney Casting A “Yea” Vote To Break The Tie, 5/23/03, Reid Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, 5/15/03, Reid Voted Nay)

Reid Voted To Significantly Reduce The 2001 Tax Cut. “Harkin, D-Iowa, amendment to the Domenici, R-N.M., substitute amendment. The Harkin amendment would reduce the size of the tax cut by $448 billion and would increase education spending by $224 billion over 10 years. It also would provide for an increase of approximately $224 billion for debt reduction over 10 years. The Domenici amendment would cap discretionary spending at $660.7 billion in fiscal 2002 and includes an $845.7 billion contingency fund -- including the Medicare trust fund surplus -- that could be used for debt reduction, tax cuts or unforeseen spending. It also calls for $1.6 trillion in tax cuts over fiscal years 2002-2011 and $60 billion in tax cuts in FY 2001.” (H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #69: Adopted 53-47: R 4-46; D 49-1, 4/4/01, Reid Voted Yea)

Reid Was Critical Of The 2001 Republican Tax Cuts. “More of the federal budget surplus should be spent to fix schools, roads and bridges rather than be ‘squandered’ on tax cuts, U.S. Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., told city officials from across the nation Monday.” (Steve Tetreault, “Bush Proposal: Reid Calls Tax Plan Unwise Use,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/13/01)

• Reid: “To take all this money that we have in the way of surpluses and squander it on the tax cut is really the wrong way to go.” (Steve Tetreault, “Bush Proposal: Reid Calls Tax Plan Unwise Use,” Las Vegas Review-Journal, 3/13/01)

In 2003, Reid Continued To Criticize The Tax Cuts. “When they direct their tax programs to benefit the very, very, very few and eliminate the majority from any benefit of these tax cuts, it is class war.” (Kenneth R. Bazinet, “W Tax Plan Too Rich, Dems Say,” Daily News, 1/6/03)

In Nevada, The Republican Tax Cuts Have Given Tax Relief To 1,023,000 People. (“2008 Tax Relief Kit,” U.S. Department Of Treasury, Office Of Tax Policy)

As A Result of the Tax Cuts:

• 276,000 taxpayers in Nevada will have a reduction in their marriage penalty tax.
• 255,000 taxpayers in Nevada will see an increase in their child tax credit.
196,000 taxpayers in Nevada will see a reduction in their capital gains and dividends taxes. (“2008 Tax Relief Kit,” U.S. Department Of Treasury, Office Of Tax Policy) # # #

TEXT CREDIT: Friends of Sharron Angle - PO Box 33058 Reno NV 89533 (775) 787-6017 (Reno) (702) 243-1976 (Las Vegas)

Mitch McConnell National Conference of State Legislatures

Louisville, KY – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell made the following remarks Monday before the National Conference of State Legislatures: Thank you, and welcome to Louisville. We’re all happy to have you here. I think the restaurant owners are pretty happy too. I hope you’ll take some time to explore the city and enjoy everything it has to offer. It’s a great town.

Speaker Pelosi had to travel a lot farther to get here than I did, so I also want to thank her for coming. It’s a privilege for Louisville to host the National Conference of State Legislatures’ this year, and it’s a privilege to host the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

You know, some people look at Washington and wonder why the lawmakers up there can’t just get along. And if any of you happen to be in that camp, let me reassure you we all get along just fine. But there’s a big difference between getting along and agreeing on the issues. And the fact is, the two parties have very different views on most of the major issues. And it’s important for lawmakers to be candid about those differences. It’s good for public discourse, it’s good for democracy, and it’s good for voters, because people should know exactly who they’re voting for.

So this morning I’d like to explain the Republican approach to some of the issues we’ve faced over the past year and a half in Washington, why we’ve done what we’ve done, and why I think our approach to these issues has been better for the states and for the country as a whole.

I’ll start with the differences.

One fundamental difference between the parties in Washington, in my view, is the apparent belief by some that Washington knows best — that distant bureaucrats and lawmakers inside the Beltway have a better grasp of what ails people out here in places like Louisville than you do, and that they have a right to impose their prescriptions on people whether they like it or not.

Now, that may sound like an oversimplification, but it happens to be the chief complaint I get from constituents when I’m here at home: they think Washington doesn’t care what they think. And if you look at the approach some in Washington have taken over the past year and a half, it’s easy to see why. From the Stimulus to health care to the financial regulatory bill, Kentuckians and a lot of other people out there asked for one thing, and they got another.

A number of significant, far-reaching pieces of legislation have been rushed through Congress on a party-line vote in the teeth of public opposition and, as we saw with health care, even in the face of widespread public outrage.

So there’s a serious and sustained disconnect between some in Washington and the rest of the country on issues that have a major impact on people’s lives.

And it doesn’t appear to be getting any better. As many Americans awakened to our debt crisis, the President proposed a budget that would double the national debt in five years and triple it in 10. As they worried about the jobs crisis, they watched the administration pass a trillion dollar stimulus bill that hasn’t kept us from losing another two and a half million jobs. As Americans worried about the rising cost of health care, Washington handed them a health care bill that no one believes will actually lower the cost or improve the quality of care. Even the government’s own experts say we’ll end up spending more.

None of these bills has done or is expected to do any of the things we were told they would. But I’ll tell you one thing they all do: they centralize more power in Washington — and add more burdens out here. No wonder Americans have a growing sense that they serve Washington, not the other way around. And no wonder they’re upset; because it wasn’t meant to be this way.

Leave aside for a moment the fact that the states created the federal government, not the other way around. Leave aside for a moment the debate about the exact meaning of the 10th Amendment and the doctrine of enumerated powers. People may argue about these things. But one thing we can all agree on is that over the past year and a half, Washington has assumed vast new powers that make life more difficult, not less, for states and individuals.

We all read a lot about the separation of powers in our civics classes in high school. But when we’ve reached the point in this republic or ours when the federal government in Washington is pushing states already on the edge of bankruptcy with job-killing taxes, mandates, and regulations, it’s time we start hearing about separating Washington from the things that are done better by the states.

This is why Republicans have fought these Washington-driven solutions tooth and nail — not just because they cost too much, but because they take more power away from you and the people you are elected to serve.

For years, states have allowed the federal government to tighten its grip and extend its reach into their affairs. I get it: nobody wants to say no to free money. The problem is, none of it’s really free. Every dollar comes with a condition and a caveat. Every free gift whittles away a little at the freedom states and individuals have to make their own decisions.

The best example of this is the recently-passed health care bill. Republicans were willing to work on commonsense solutions that would lower costs. But when the debate about costs turned into proposals to raise taxes and to cut Medicare — all to expand the government — Republicans opposed it. It’s our view that bureaucrats in Washington have no right to force anybody to buy health insurance. It’s our view that states shouldn’t be forced to put millions of new people into Medicaid, particularly when state budgets can’t afford these mandates.

Here in Kentucky, the impact of this bill will be severe. The new health care law will force 350,000 Kentuckians into Medicaid at a time when the state is already struggling to afford the beneficiaries it currently serves. Once fully implemented, one in four Kentuckians will get their care through a program that was originally created to help the poor and which is already on the verge of bankruptcy. Nationwide, 33 states will see their Medicaid enrollment jump by 30 percent or more because of this bill, even as more authority for setting rules and benefits is transferred — not to Frankfort, Sacramento or Albany — but to Washington.

So while the President and Democrat leaders in Washington patted each other on the back for passing the health care bill, the states were left to wonder how they could afford it. Washington doesn’t have that problem. It doesn’t have to balance its budget like most of you do.

When it came to achieving their long-desired goal of universal health care, Democrats in Washington simply wrote the law, raised taxes, slashed Medicare, and sent a hefty bill to you too. And you know as well as I do that writing a law that guarantees coverage to folks on Medicaid doesn’t necessarily mean that they’ll actually receive care. That’s the clear lesson from all the other governments that have gone in the direction of government-run health care.

You know, the pundits in Washington like to think that Republicans only ever oppose things for two reasons: either we’re mean-spirited, or we think it’ll help us in the next election. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that Washington doesn’t have a very good track record of tackling big problems.

I mean, what about the government’s response to the Gulf oil spill or the impact of the trillion dollar Stimulus bill makes you want to give more power to Washington? What about the financial meltdown would make you want to give more power to the same regulators who missed it the first time? And yet that’s exactly how Washington operates these days. Problem after problem goes unmet. Crises spread. Meanwhile, Washington gets bigger and accrues more power.

The pundits can’t seem to imagine that we would have opposed these bills because we actually don’t trust Washington to get them right. It doesn’t seem to occur to them that we’ve got 50 other legislative bodies in this country that might have some good ideas themselves. All of us benefit when the states are able to perform their traditional role as laboratories of Democracy.

We saw what this looked like with the historic welfare reforms that passed in 1996 — one of the great bipartisan achievements of this generation.

Successful welfare reforms didn’t originate from a backroom deal in Washington.

They were the result of enterprising governors and legislators who were sick of a status quo that trapped generations in poverty in Wisconsin, Michigan and elsewhere. A decade later, all of the doom and gloom of the Washington naysayers who said it could not be done were proven wrong.

A massive entitlement was reformed, and millions of Americans saw a path out of dependency.

It isn’t just a good idea for states to be empowered in this way. It’s critical if we hope to solve the many challenges we face. States have led the way in the past by providing innovative solutions. We shouldn’t inhibit them from providing those same models now.

Here’s how the two leaders of the Utah Senate and the Utah House of Representatives put it in an op-ed in the Washington Post: “We don’t believe,” they wrote, “that 535 members of Congress and the president can educate our children, provide, our health care, pave our roads and protect our environment as well as the nation’s 8,000 state legislators and tens of thousands of local officials.”

It’s hard to argue with that.

It’s time to take a stand for federalism.

The issue here isn’t simply who’s in control. Increasingly, it’s also a question of who’s accountable.

The more states are dependent on Washington, the harder it is for voters to figure out who to hold accountable when programs don’t work, needs aren’t met, or red tape and regulation hold them back.

This is what federalism is all about — creating clear lines of authority close enough to the people so the public can actually say, with Jefferson, that our government does in fact derive its powers from the consent of the governed.

The fact is, that’s becoming harder and harder to say. As more federal dollars flow into the states, accountability flows out. And it’s tough to reverse that trend.

Consider this: During the Kennedy Administration, according to one study, federal funds as a percentage of state expenditures stood at 12.9%. By the middle of the Carter Administration the percentage had doubled. President Reagan promised to do something about this trend of greater federal control, and he actually had some success in reversing the trend. By 1987, the percentage of federal funds as a percentage of state expenditures had dropped to just 25%. But the trend toward greater federal spending as a percentage of state expenditures has only soared in the opposite direction since then — and it’s getting worse.

USA Today recently reported that for the first time, the federal government is now biggest single source of revenue for state and local governments — more than state income tax, more than sales tax, more than property tax.

I don’t need to tell you that all these funds come at a steep price in the form of lost independence and flexibility. And this growing dependency on Uncle Sam means something else for states as well. As states accept more money from Washington, their own fiscal condition becomes inextricably tied up with the federal government. Our irresponsibility becomes your problem.

This makes it harder for states to implement innovative fiscal solutions that work for them, and it threatens to keep them down when they might otherwise be doing just fine on their own.

The good news is this: all across the country people are awakening to the dangers of centralizing more and more power in Washington. We saw it in the health care rallies last summer. And increasingly we’re even seeing it in state legislatures. I noticed, for example, that your sister organization, the Council of State Governments, recently passed a resolution affirming states’ sovereignty under the 10th Amendment. And a number of other states have passed resolutions asserting states rights. According to the Council, upwards of 40 states have now introduced either resolutions or new legislation seeking to curb federal mandates and the assumption of powers

People are tired of being pushed around by Washington, and state lawmakers from both parties are getting tired of it too. We heard from a lot of them during the health care debate. They don’t like the unfunded mandates. They don’t like the regulations. They don’t like having to answer to Washington instead of their constituents. Meanwhile, ordinary Americans continue to stand up and speak out, even if the response they get from Democrats in Washington is to sit down and shut up.

For a lot of Americans, the debate over health care was a turning point.

Opposition is still fierce. More than 20 states are challenging the bill. We’ll see what the courts say. My own view is that the federal government in Washington has no right to force the American people to buy health insurance against their will. And it has no right to act as if money is no object when states have to balance the books, and the massive federal debt is being passed to our children.

That’s why I’ve helped lead the charge in Washington against continued deficit spending. And that’s why I’ve voted in the past for a balanced budget amendment. As Margaret Thatcher once put it, at some point you simply run out of other people’s money. For the sake of our children, we can’t afford to get to that point.

I know it’s become fashionable in some quarters to refer to Republicans as the Party of No. But if we regularly voted for things we opposed, we wouldn’t be worth much. The American people wouldn’t have anywhere to turn if the party in power gets carried away. And it’s clear to me at least that most Americans now believe the party in power got carried away.

Republicans could have gone along with the crowd and gotten behind the government-driven solutions that Democrats have proposed to virtually every problem we face. Instead, we took principled stands against that approach.

As a result, most people came around to our point of view, particularly on spending, health care, and debt. Now they’re coming around on the danger of centralizing too much power in Washington.

Toward the end of his life, Thomas Jefferson wrote a letter to a friend in which summed up his view of the states and their relationship to the federal government. Let me read just one part of it.

“The states,” Jefferson wrote, “can best govern our home concerns, and the General Government our foreign ones. I wish, therefore, to see maintained that wholesome distribution of powers established by the constitution for the limitation of both; and never to see all offices transferred to Washington, where, further withdrawn from the eyes of the people, they may more secretly be bought and sold as at the market.”

This doesn’t have to be a Republican issue.

The dangers of ceding too much control to Washington is something I know everybody in this room, Democrat or Republican, can appreciate and understand.

And on this most important issue for the states, I assure you that Republicans are fighting for you in Washington.

Thank you. ####

TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Louisville Office 601 W. Broadway Room 630 Louisville, KY 40202 Phone: (502) 582-6304

IMAGE CREDIT: RepublicanLeader

American Crossroads Really Harry VIDEO

Reid neglected Nevada in massive “stimulus” legislation – even as it suffers the highest unemployment rate in the nation.

WASHINGTON – American Crossroads today released a new television ad, entitled “Really Reprise,” focused on Harry Reid’s failure to help Nevada’s crumbling economy.

With record home foreclosures and the nation’s highest unemployment rate, Nevada’s economy is one of the most troubled in the nation. Yet, even with Reid’s Majority Leader position in the Senate and his boast that “no one can do more for Nevada,” Nevada ranked fiftieth in money received per capita from the 2009 “stimulus” bill among states and the District of Columbia. (The state with the lowest funding per capita is Utah.)

“While Nevada’s economy was falling apart, Harry Reid was using his position to promote the interests of his Washington friends, not Nevada’s,” said Steven Law, president and CEO of American Crossroads. “The one thing a Senate majority leader should be able to control is what’s in the bill – but Reid was too busy taking orders from the White House to put his own state first.”

The new ad starts with an initial statewide buy of $120,000.

American Crossroads is a non-profit 527 political organization dedicated to renewing America’s commitment to individual liberty, limited government, free enterprise and a strong national defense through informed and effective political action. American Crossroads seeks to educate voters and empower citizens to hold lawmakers and office-seekers accountable for where they stand. ###

VIDEO CREDIT: AmericanCrossroads

TEXT CREDIT: American Crossroads Jonathan Collegio Communications Director jacollegio@americancrossroads.org

Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Jane Norton TEXT PODCAST

Uploaded on March 19, 2010 by Jane Norton for Colorado © All rights reserved.

Download MP3 for PODCAST: Jan Brewer endorses Norton "Hello, I'm Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. "I'm calling to let you know I support Jane Norton for the United States Senate. Jane is a true conservative, a fighter and a leader in the push to secure our borders. As you know, I signed a tough new law to crack down on illegal immigration in Arizona.

Now the same liberal Democrats who pushed Obamacare and out of control spending are challenging Arizona's commonsense law. Washington is clearly out of control and out of touch. Jane Norton will fight back and stand up to President Obama.

"I'm Arizona Governor Jan Brewer. Please join me in supporting Jane Norton for the United States Senate."

Brewer: “Norton is a fighter and a leader in the push to secure our borders”

Denver, CO – Today, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer endorsed Jane Norton for the U.S. Senate. “It's my pleasure to endorse Jane Norton. Jane is a conservative, a fighter, and a leader in the push to secure our borders,” said Arizona Governor Jan Brewer.

Brewer continued, “Jane will fight Barack Obama's heavy-handed and unconstitutional attempt to block Arizona's landmark immigration law. She supports the right of states like Arizona and Colorado to do what the federal government hasn't – fight back against illegal immigration – and that's why I'm honored and excited to support Jane Norton.”

“Governor Jan Brewer is a hero. She is one of the strongest defenders of our borders and our freedom,” said Norton. “She has stood up to the federal government, and she has defended her state. I am honored to have her endorsement.”

Norton has also earned the endorsement of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the American Conservative Union PAC, the Family Research Council Action PAC, the Susan B. Anthony List Candidate Fund, and the Pikes Peak Firearms Coalition.

TRANSCRIPT and MP3 CREDIT: Arizona Gov. Brewer backs Norton in GOP Senate primary

TEXT CREDIT: Governor Jan Brewer Endorses Jane Norton

Zach Wamp and Secession

Congressman Zach Wamp says that its the mandates forced on the states by President Obama's health care bill that has put secession on the table. Congressman Wamp is one of three candidates seeking the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Tennessee, in an interview Friday Wamp told Hotline OnCall.

"I hope that the American people will go to the ballot box in 2010 and 2012 so that states are not forced to consider separation from this government," and that he hopes the American people "will send people to Washington that will, in 2010 and 2012, strictly adhere" to the constitution's defined role for the federal government.

He also praised Governor Rick Perry (R-TX), who first floated the idea of secession in April '09. "Patriots like Rick Perry have talked about these issues because the federal government is putting us in an untenable position at the state level,"

IMAGE CREDIT: Zach Wamp for Governor

References: Health Care Law Has Wamp Hoping Against Secession

Mike Pence Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 07/24/10

Mike Pence Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 07/24/10. Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. Video of the address will be available here once the embargo is lifted. 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, July 24, 2010 MOV File (FULL HD - 1.7 GB) MP4 File and MPEG File

Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) Delivers Weekly Republican Address
Chairman Pence: “After 18 months of runaway spending, bailouts and takeovers, Washington Democrats are poised to allow the largest tax increase in American history to take effect next year.”

Washington (Jul 23) In the Weekly Republican Address, House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence (R-IN) talks about Washington Democrats’ refusal to listen to the American people and take action to prevent the largest tax increase in history from taking effect. Republicans are listening to the American people through America Speaking Out and offering better solutions to get people working again and make government more accountable to the people it serves. Now in his fifth term in Congress, Chairman Pence represents Indiana’s 6^th Congressional District.

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Hello, I’m Mike Pence from Indiana.

“In the worst economy in a quarter of a century, American families are hurting. That’s obvious to just about everybody, except that is the Democrats in Washington, D.C.

“You know, it’s more clear every day, they just don’t get it. Washington politicians just aren’t listening and the American people know it.

“With nearly 15 million people unemployed and the Pelosi-led Congress poised to take a six-week paid vacation, the American people deserve better.

“Now, President Obama says things are getting better. But American families see things a little differently.

“The economic policies of this administration have failed. Last year the Obama Administration said that its trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ plan would create jobs ‘immediately’ and keep unemployment below 8 percent.

“Today unemployment remains near a heartbreaking 10 percent, and since the stimulus bill became law, our economy has lost about 3 million jobs.

“And if they haven’t already done enough to wreck our recovery, Democrats in Washington are pushing more spending, more regulation, and right around the corner: more taxes. Democrats in Washington are now actually talking about embracing what would be the largest tax increase in American history.

“Let me say that again. After 18 months of runaway spending, bailouts and takeovers, Washington Democrats are poised to allow the largest tax increase in American history to take effect next year.

“The American people deserve to know every income tax bracket will increase on January 1, 2011. Every single one.

“So, if this year you receive a $1,000 per child tax credit, next year you’ll get just $500 per child. If you run a small business and pay 35 percent in federal taxes, next year you’ll have to pay nearly 40 percent. And if you own a family farm, you’ll see death taxes rise from zero to 55 percent in a single year.

“Washington D.C. doesn’t tax too little. Washington D.C. spends too much. I don’t know anybody back in Indiana who thinks they pay too little in taxes. And only in Washington D.C. would anyone believe that raising taxes creates jobs.

“The American people know we can’t tax and spend and bail our way back to a growing economy. House Republicans opposed the Democrats’ failed stimulus bill, their national energy tax, their government takeover of health care and House Republicans will oppose this tax increase with everything we’ve got.

“Congress must take immediate action to prevent any tax increase on working families, small businesses and family farms before next year.

“So why are we in this mess? You know, it’s like I said before. Democrats just aren’t listening to the American people.

“The good news is that after seeing so many important decisions made behind closed doors and so much money being funneled into backroom deals, the American people finally have a way in, an unambiguous seat at the table. It’s called AmericaSpeakingOut.com.

“Now in its third month, the Republicans’ America Speaking Out project is giving the American people a chance to share their ideas for building a more accountable government and a better country. Every day, thousands of potential solutions are being debated, discussed and voted on.

“This week alone, Republican lawmakers initiated national discussions on ideas to prevent taxpayer dollars from being used to bail out European countries, to ensure that no new major federal regulation can be implemented without the approval of Congress, and debated making all legislation subject to a three-day mandatory public review, so lawmakers will have to read the bills .

“With each of these dialogues, we’re breathing new life into the founding principle that government governs best when it governs closest to the people. And we’re forming a new path to prosperity that is built brick-by-brick on the hard work, innovation, entrepreneurship, and good ideas of the American people.

“Thanks for listening.”

TEXT CREDIT: Republican Leader John Boehner H-204 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-4000 F (202) 225-511

AUDIO VIDEO CREDIT: The House Republican Conference - Digital Communications
visual.media@mail.house.gov 202-225-5439

IMAGE CREDIT: This official House Republican Conference photograph is being made available for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way or used in materials, advertisements, products, or promotions, including but not limited to such use that in any way suggest approval or endorsement of the House Republican Conference, the Chairman of the Conference, or any Member of the Conference.

Mike Johanns S.3593 FULL TEXT and the DeMint-Vitter Amendment

Senator Mike Johanns was one of only two Republicans to vote against the DeMint-Vitter Amendment SA 4464, George Voinovich being the other.

The senator pleads guilty with an explanation that follows;

Johanns Bill Aims To Protect Cities, States From Costly Lawsuits Over Local Immigration Laws.

Sen. Mike Johanns today introduced a bill that would make the federal government think twice before it sues states and cities over local immigration laws. The bill would require the federal government to reimburse a city, state, or municipality for any attorney fees or other court costs accrued if the Justice Department sues and the local law is upheld.

"My bill levels the playing field for states and communities that might otherwise be crushed financially by federal litigation," Johanns said. "The federal immigration lawsuit is nothing more than an attempt by the Justice Department to use its vast resources to overwhelm local governments with lawyers and litigation. The bottom line is that we're in this situation because the federal government has neglected its responsibility to secure the border."

Bill Summary & Status 111th Congress (2009 - 2010) S.3593

S.3593 - Title: A bill to require the Federal Government to pay the costs incurred by a State or local government in defending a State or local immigration law that survives a constitutional challenge by the Federal Government in Federal court.
Sponsor: Sen Johanns, Mike [NE] (introduced 7/15/2010) Cosponsors (None)

Related Bills: H.R.5774

Latest Major Action: 7/15/2010 Referred to Senate committee. Status: Read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Text of Legislation

S.3593 -- To require the Federal Government to pay the costs incurred by a State or local government in defending a State or local immigration law that survives a constitutional challenge by... (Introduced in Senate - IS)

S 3593 IS

111th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3593

To require the Federal Government to pay the costs incurred by a State or local government in defending a State or local immigration law that survives a constitutional challenge by the Federal Government in Federal court.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 15, 2010

Mr. JOHANNS introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary

A BILL

To require the Federal Government to pay the costs incurred by a State or local government in defending a State or local immigration law that survives a constitutional challenge by the Federal Government in Federal court.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. PAYMENT OF ATTORNEYS' FEES AND COURT COSTS RELATED TO FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CHALLENGE OF STATE IMMIGRATION LAW.

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, all attorneys' fees and associated court costs incurred by a State or unit of local government in the course of defending a constitutional challenge to a State law or a municipal ordinance regarding immigration that is brought by the Federal Government in any Federal court shall be paid by the Federal Government if the court upholds, in whole or in part, the challenged State law or municipal ordinance.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Republicans Ask for Hearing With Medicare/Medicaid Chief Donald Berwick

WASHINGTON – Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, led by U.S. Reps. Joe Barton, R-Texas, ranking member of the committee, John Shimkus, R-Ill., and Michael Burgess, R-Texas, today asked Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, D-Calif., to hold a hearing with Donald Berwick, the new administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Berwick was recently given a recess appointment by President Obama, denying Senate Democrats and Republicans a nomination hearing. The president waited 15 months to nominate Berwick yet waited less than three months before installing him as administrator without Senate confirmation.

“Regardless of the controversy surrounding Dr. Berwick’s recess appointment, Dr. Berwick is now the administrator, and this committee must exercise its responsibility to oversee this agency,” the 18 lawmakers wrote. “A hearing with Dr. Berwick would enable members to question the individual now in charge of implementing half a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare. We could hear how Dr. Berwick believes these cuts will affect seniors’ access to services and coverage.

“Dr. Berwick will also be responsible for implementing the expansion and transformation of the Medicaid program contained in the new health care law. He will oversee a program with more than 90 million individuals and an increase in spending of nearly 90 percent during the 2014-2019 period alone. His decisions will thus have far-reaching implications for every state budget.”

A copy of the letter in PDF Format Republicans Ask for Hearing With Obama’s Medicare/Medicaid Chief.

TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Representative Joe L. Barton WASHINGTON OFFICE 2109 Rayburn Building Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-2002 (202) 225-3052 fax

IMAGE CREDIT: energyandcommerce