Florida Gubernatorial Debate VIDEO

Bill McCollum vs. Rick Scott Florida Gubernatorial Debate part 1 held on August 5th, 2010 in the Tampa WTVT Studios.

VIDEO CREDIT: pinellaspatriots

Georgia Republican Gubernatorial Debate VIDEO

Georgia Republican Gubernatorial Debate between Nathan Deal and Karen Handel.

VIDEO CREDIT: redgirlrising

Jack Conway: #$&!%?@ VIDEO

One year ago, cussing at a church picnic -- his constituents dared to disagree with his liberal views. Like raising money from trial lawyers in Canada and attending swanky fundraisers with environmental activists in Las Vegas. Jack Conway is not exactly "tough" when it comes to standing up to the liberal elites in Washington. Learn more at www.wrongforkentucky.com

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

VOICEOVER: Wholesome

VOICEOVER: Christian values

VOICEOVER: In a long line of the good and faithful one Kentucky church picnic was blessed with someone special …

JACK CONWAY: Tough son of a b*&!h

CHRYON: Meet Jack Conway

VOICEOVER: Meet Jack Conway, eloquent Liberal extraordinaire.

CONWAY: You all can holler all you want at me, but you know what go ahead and chew on my hide. Chew on it. You’re looking at one tough son of a b*&!h.

VOICEOVER: One year ago, cussing at a church picnic. That’s Jack Conway. You see Jack don’t much like it when his constituents disagree with his Liberal views. Like how he’ll rubberstamp Obama’s agenda. Or how he raised money from Liberal, trial-lawyer lobbyists in Canada. Or how he pandered to Liberal environmental activists in a Las Vegas casino last month.

VOICEOVER: Yep, Jack Conway’s not exactly tough when it comes to standing up to the Liberal elites in Washington.

CONWAY: When health care reform passed it was time for Democrats to stand up and be Democrats.

CONWAY: Chew on my hide. Chew on it.

VOICEOVER: Jack Conway. Out of touch and out of step with Kentucky values.

VIDEO CREDIT: TheNRSC

TEXT CREDIT: National Republican Senatorial Committee

Gone but not forgotten Dale Peterson We are Better than That VIDEO

Dale Peterson, Alabama Agriculture Commission, Grassroot Caucus endorsed candidate fighting the fight to save our country. Some people recognize the enemies from within & without. We need fighters today, people that are not afraid to stand & tell the Government NO!!! Help Dale Stand & Defend our Country, it starts 1 state at a time.

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: ICAUCUSREGION6

Gone but not forgotten Tim James We speak English VIDEO

Tim James' campaign video
"This is Alabama; we speak English. If you want to live here, learn it."

Gone but not forgotten Rick Barber for Congress VIDEO

Rick’s ad serves as an illustration to the lack of accountability in our current leadership, how the IRS is one of the many areas in which our lives are burdened by oppressive government and what our founding fathers would think of the current state of the American federal government. This is a call to action to gather Rick's army, which from the outset of his campaign has been the tea party movement.

Gather Your Armies

This one is driving the left crazy. Expanding on “Gather your armies,” Rick sheds some light on how taking from one to give to another is a form of slavery and how we should never forget what has happened to other countries that weren’t able to keep their governments in check.

Slavery

MONTGOMERY - The following is a message from Marine Corps veteran and former District 2 Congressional candidate Rick Barber:

District 2 Republicans,

It has been an honor listening to your concerns regarding the state of our nation and those of the 2nd Congressional district. Having never run for office before, I've been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support that I've received over the past seven months. I'm thrilled to have been a voice for conservatism within the tea party movement and throughout our campaign. But throughout, I've had a deep and abiding respect for Montgomery City Councilwoman Martha Roby..

TEXT CREDIT: Rick Barber for Congress

VIDEO CREDIT: ICAUCUSREGION6 Gather Your Armies, and Barber4Congress, Slavery

Congressman Peter Roskam Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 08/06/10

Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) Delivers Weekly Republican Address: Rep. Roskam: “Back in Illinois and around the country, the situation has reached a boiling point. Americans are asking ‘where are the jobs?’ and – forget about getting answers – they can’t even get President Obama and Washington Democrats to listen to their concerns.”

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, August 7, 2010 MP4 File and MPEG File

Washington (Aug 6) In the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Peter Roskam (R-IL) says President Obama needs to listen to the American people, who are asking ‘where are the jobs?,’ and abandon his failing ‘stimulus’ policies in favor of common-sense solutions that will promote private sector job creation. Republicans are listening to the American people through America Speaking Out and offering better solutions to cut spending now and help small businesses get people working again. Now in his second term in Congress, Rep. Roskam represents Illinois’ Sixth Congressional District and serves as job-creation policy director for America Speaking Out. Text of the address follows;

“Hello, I’m Peter Roskam, and I work for the people of Illinois’ Sixth Congressional District.

“Yesterday, Americans woke up to learn that our economy lost another 131,000 jobs in the month of July. Here in the president’s home state of Illinois, where the unemployment rate is well over 10 percent, families are wondering why Washington is spending money we don’t have and piling up a mountain of debt only to have the economy sputter and job losses continue. Businesses are afraid to invest in the economy when Washington continues to hand down mandates and tax increases that make it harder to succeed and to grow.

“Unfortunately, instead of taking decisive action to provide small and medium sized businesses with the tax and regulatory relief they need to flourish and hire new workers, Speaker Pelosi and Democrat Leaders in Congress are coming back to Washington next week to double down on their ‘stimulus’ agenda that has led to fewer jobs and more debt. This latest round of ‘stimulus’ spending comes in the form of a political season payoff to union bosses, and even worse, it’ll be financed with a job-killing tax hike on America’s job-creators.

“Under Democratic Leaders in Congress spending has gotten completely out of control. It reminds me of when Mom and Dad go away for the weekend. The teenagers say, ‘leave us home alone, we’re responsible, what can go wrong?’ Except Mom and Dad come home a day early only to find the house is trashed, the police are parked outside and everything is a mess. At this outrageous rate of spending, the Obama Administration and Congress are on track to triple the national debt over the next 10 years.

“Back in Illinois and around the country, the situation has reached a boiling point. Americans are asking ‘where are the jobs?’ and – forget about getting answers – they can’t even get President Obama and Washington Democrats to listen to their concerns.

“Well, Republicans are listening. This spring, we launched the America Speaking Out project to transform the way people interact with their elected representatives. Every day, whether it’s online or at town hall meetings, Americans are sharing ideas and engaging in a constructive dialogue about the future of our country. It’s time to put the American people back in the driver’s seat. As the great Illinois President Abraham Lincoln once said, ours should be a government ‘of the people, by the people, and for the people.’

“One of the best and most popular ideas on AmericaSpeakingOut.com right now is stopping Washington Democrats’ job-killing tax hikes on families and small businesses. At a time of serious economic challenges, massive new tax increases are a surefire way to stall growth and prevent businesses from creating jobs.

“That’s because every dollar in new taxes owed is a dollar that can’t be used to pay current employees or hire new workers. Hobbling the small businesses that are the backbone of our economy will further delay a robust recovery. According to an analysis by the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation – that’s Congress’s official tax scorekeeper – half of all new taxes collected under President Obama’s plan would come from America’s small businesses.

“Now, many economists agree that raising taxes on small businesses is the wrong approach. Among them is Mark Zandi, a favorite economist of the Obama administration. Mr. Zandi wrote this week that ‘raising taxes on anyone now’ would be a ‘mistake.’

“I served in the state Senate with President Obama, and I know that he has the ability to work across party lines when the moment demands it. And after 18 months of spending sprees, backroom deals, and government takeovers, this is the moment. We need a real economic agenda for growth and job creation, one that moves beyond partisan politics and puts our nation’s economic health front and center.

“For bipartisan economic solutions that can help all Americans, I hope President Obama will take another look at the ‘no-cost jobs plan’ that House Republican leaders presented to him last December. The no-cost jobs plan lays out several common-sense ideas that are designed to move us away from government ‘stimulus’ spending that hasn’t worked, and towards responsible policies that free up the nation’s entrepreneurs and job creators to create jobs.

“Ultimately, the key to improving our nation’s struggling economy depends on the strength and innovation of America’s private sector. By engaging the small and growing businesses that fuel our economy, we can get our country back on the right track. That’s why Republicans are listening to the American people and offering better solutions to cut wasteful spending and get people working again.
“Visit AmericaSpeakingOut.com to learn more and to share your ideas. We look forward to hearing your solutions.”

TEXT CREDIT: gopleader.gov Contact H-204 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-4000 F (202) 225-5117

IMAGE CREDIT: Congressman Peter Roskam

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

RNC 2012 presidential primary schedule Tampa 2012 GOP convention

KANSAS CITY, MO. -- Friday, August 6, 2010, The Republican National Committee voted by the necessary two-thirds of the committee's 168 members to adopt the new schedule worked out with Democrats for the 2012 presidential primaries.

The hope is to delay the early start of the campaign season making it more difficult for a candidate to gain an insurmountable lead in delegates to soon in the process and before all states are heard from. No state will hold a primary or caucus before the first Tuesday in February 2012.

Iowa and New Hampshire will retain their status as the nation's first, held in February, joined by South Carolina and Nevada.

Following primaries would be held in April or later. States would have the option of holding votes in March, if delegates were awarded in proportion to the percentage of the vote, rather than in a winner-take-all system.

• (1) No primary, caucus, or convention to elect, select, allocate, or bind delegates to the national convention shall occur prior to [Tuesday March 6, 2012]. Except New Hampshire, South Carolina, Iowa and Nevada may begin their processes at any time on or after [Wednesday] February 1 [2012].
• (2) Any presidential primary, caucus, convention, or other meeting held for the purpose of selecting delegates to the national convention which occurs prior to [Sunday April 1, 2012], shall provide for the allocation of the delegates selected on a proportional basis.

The Republican National committee's 168 members unanimously approved Tampa's selection as host city for the 2012 GOP Convention The convention will take place the week of Aug. 27, 2012.

The St. Pete Times Forum will host the 2012 Republican National Convention

Convention officials and the host committee estimate the GOP gathering will attract at least 45,000 delegates, politicians and media, adding about $170 million to the economy, based on the 2008 Minneapolis-St. Paul convention.

John Boehner on Department of Labor Jobs Report: FULL TEXT “Welcome to the Reality”

Uploaded on March 20, 2010 by House GOP Leader All rights reserved.

Three days after Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner declared “Welcome to the Recovery” in The New York Times, the Department of Labor reported that the U.S. economy lost another 131,000 jobs in the month of July. Additionally, the unemployment rate remained at 9.5 percent despite Obama Administration projections that the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ would keep unemployment below eight percent.

Those projections were spearheaded by the president’s chief economist, Christina Romer, whose resignation was announced by the White House last night.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION – JULY 2010 FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT

Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement:

“Welcome to the reality of President Obama’s broken promises, out-of-control spending sprees, and failing ‘stimulus’ policies. After another disappointing jobs report and the resignation of one of the chief architects of the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus,’ it’s time for President Obama to listen to the American people and face up to the fact that his ‘stimulus’ policies aren’t working. How many more times do families and small businesses have to ask ‘where are the jobs’ before President Obama changes course? Our economy will ultimately recover, but it will do so because of the hard work and entrepreneurship of the American people. Republicans are listening to the American people and offering better solutions to cut spending now and get people working again.

“Today’s report should also cause House Democrats to reconsider beating a path back to Washington next week to double down on the same ‘stimulus’ policies that have led to fewer jobs and more debt. The American people don’t want more Washington ‘stimulus’ spending – especially in the form of a political season pay-off to union bosses. How about Washington Democrats do the right thing for a change and focus on helping small businesses? Let’s work together to ease the uncertainty employers are up against and stop the Obama Administration’s job-killing tax hike on families and small businesses.”

NOTE: An editorial in today’s Washington Post calls Democrats’ latest ‘stimulus’ spending spree “deeply discouraging,” a “crusade” that “has always struck us as more of an election-year favor for teachers unions than an optimal use of public resources. Billed as an effort to stimulate the economy, it's not clearly more effective than alternative uses of the cash.” #####

John Boehner - 8th District of Ohio Washington, D.C. Office 1011 Longworth H.O.B. Washington, DC 20515 (202) 225-6205 (202) 225-0704 fax

Camp, Johnson, Herger Statements on Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports FULL TEXT

Washington, DC – Ways and Means Ranking Member Dave Camp (R-MI), Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member Sam Johnson (R-TX) and Health Subcommittee Ranking Member Wally Herger (R-CA) today made the following statements on the release of the 2010 Social Security and Medicare Trustees Reports:

THE 2010 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE FEDERAL OLD-AGE AND SURVIVORS INSURANCE AND FEDERAL DISABILITY INSURANCE TRUST FUNDS FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT

Rep. Camp: “The reports of the Social Security and Medicare Trustees released today again sound the alarm that spending on Social Security and Medicare is on an unsustainable path. Without real solutions, the critical benefits so many Americans rely on, and future generations have been promised, are at risk.

"Unfortunately, many of the policies being pursued in Washington, including record levels of debt and deficit spending, are making matters worse, and we are fast losing the nation’s trust. While Washington Democrats are touting the report as evidence their Medicare cuts “protect” Medicare, the Obama Administration’s own Medicare actuaries warn these cuts could jeopardize seniors’ access to care.

"As a member of the President’s Commission tasked with proposing recommendations to address our nation’s long-term fiscal outlook, I am committed to putting us back on the right track. By working together we can find pro-growth, pro-job solutions to restore our nation’s fiscal future and strengthen Social Security and Medicare without endangering seniors’ health benefits. Americans are tired of empty promises and are counting on us to find answers that will make our country strong again. As this report shows, time is short and we cannot afford to fail.”

Rep. Johnson: "On the eve of Social Security’s 75th anniversary, the Trustees Report serves as a sobering call for action. Now more than ever the American people deserve a bipartisan effort that responsibly fixes Social Security for good. While current and near retirees deserve the peace of mind of knowing that they will get their promised retirement benefits, we also have a responsibility to ensure that Social Security will be there for younger workers. For the good of the American people, we need to put politics aside and work together. As the Social Security Subcommittee Ranking Member, I am ready, willing and able to do just that.‪‪"

Rep. Herger: “The Trustees Report makes it clear that the Obama administration can’t have it both ways. The half-a-trillion dollars of Medicare cuts in the Democrats’ health care overhaul cannot simultaneously strengthen Medicare’s fiscal position and offset the cost of a brand-new entitlement program. A private business owner who tried to use this kind of double-counting would be prosecuted for fraud. To balance the federal budget and ensure that programs like Medicare and Social Security will be solvent in the future, we must repeal the Democrats’ reckless health care plan and replace it with reforms that will truly reduce the cost of health care.” ###

House Committee on Ways & Means - Republican: 1139E Longworth HOB, Washington, D.C. 20515 | Phone (202) 225-4021 | Fax (202) 225-5680

Bill Haslam talks about his campaign for governor VIDEO

Knoxville mayor Bill Haslam talks about the value of supporters in his campaign for governor of Tennessee at the City County Building.

VIDEO CREDIT: knoxnews

Scott Brown Statement On Elena Kagan Confirmation

Scott Brown Statement On Elena Kagan Confirmation “I approach the duty of voting on nominees to the United States Supreme Court with a deep sense of the constitutional responsibility of the Senate to provide its advice and consent.

Elena Kagan’s nomination is my first opportunity to consider a nominee to the Supreme Court. First, let me say that I have a great deal of respect for Elena Kagan. She has an impressive resume, and in my private meeting with her I found her to be brilliant, as you might expect from a former dean of Harvard Law School. However, I cannot vote to confirm Elena Kagan. The reason is simple. I believe nominees to the Supreme Court should have previously served on the bench. Lacking that, I look for many years of practical courtroom experience to compensate for the absence of prior judicial experience. In Elena Kagan’s case, she is missing both. When it comes to the Supreme Court, experience matters. No classroom can substitute for the courtroom itself, where decisions are made that affect the day-to-day lives of American citizens, and where one’s judicial character and temperament is shaped in favor of the fair and just application of the law. The best umpires, to use the popular analogy, must not only call balls and strikes, but also have spent enough time on the playing field to know the strike zone. Therefore, I cannot support Elena Kagan’s nomination.” ###

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Scott Brown 317 Russell Senate Office Building Washington D.C. 20510 Phone: (202) 224-4543 Fax: (202) 228-2646

Mike Huckabee Huck PAC Endorses Nathan Deal For Governor In Georgia

Huck PAC Endorses Nathan Deal For Governor In Georgia by Mike Huckabee August 05, 2010 - 04:38 PM GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE AND HUCK PAC ENDORSE NATHAN DEAL FOR GOVERNOR IN GEORGIA Little Rock, AR – Governor Mike Huckabee issued the following statement about Nathan Deal:

“Like many across the country I’ve been watching this race develop for some time; and as of late I’ve become increasingly concerned by the negative tone the race is taking.

And today, I’m pleased to announce that Huck PAC and I proudly endorse Nathan Deal for Governor.

I developed a relationship with Nathan while he was in Congress, and I was serving as Governor of Arkansas. Nathan was helping Governor’s nationwide fight the overreaching arm of the federal government. At the time, the federal government was forcing expensive Medicaid reform on states – but refusing to fund it. Nathan clearly understood that those federal mandates into healthcare would bankrupt states’ budgets, so he stood firm by the Governors and fought to protect the states.

The only difference between the federal government’s overreaching arm then as compared to its overreaching arm now – is that now, it’s bigger, stronger and more arrogant. The power of the federal government has exploded in the past two years – and as the federal government grows increasingly intrusive, Nathan will continue protecting the rights of all Georgians.

He wasn’t afraid of a fight then and he’s not afraid of a fight now. Nathan is battle tested – and that’s what Georgia needs now more than ever.

As Georgia’s Governor, Nathan would not only support a Fair Tax, he’d champion it – having been a co-sponsor of the Fair Tax since its introduction to Congress. It was also important to me that a man I deeply respect, Georgia Congressman John Linder, also supports Nathan. The National Rifle Association and Georgia Right to Life have endorsed Nathan, and he believes marriage can only be defined as being between one man and one woman.

Please join me in supporting Nathan Deal, let’s make him Georgia’s next Governor.”

TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT Huck PAC

Missouri Rejects Obamacare Proposition C FULL TEXT

Official Ballot Title Proposition C

[Proposed by the 95th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SS SCS HCS HB 1764]

Official Ballot Title: HOUSE BILL NO. 1764 FULL TEXT

Shall the Missouri Statutes be amended to:

* Deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful healthcare services?
* Modify laws regarding the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies?

It is estimated this proposal will have no immediate costs or savings to state or local governmental entities. However, because of the uncertain interaction of the proposal with implementation of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, future costs to state governmental entities are unknown.

Fair Ballot Language:

A “yes” vote will amend Missouri law to deny the government authority to penalize citizens for refusing to purchase private health insurance or infringe upon the right to offer or accept direct payment for lawful healthcare services. The amendment will also modify laws regarding the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies.

A “no” vote will not change the current Missouri law regarding private health insurance, lawful healthcare services, and the liquidation of certain domestic insurance companies.

If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.

TEXT CREDIT: Missouri State Government 600 West Main Street Jefferson City, MO 65101

Coburn, Barrasso, Burr, McCain & Thune Cease HHS Andy Griffith Health Care Ad VIDEO

Sens. Coburn, Barrasso, Burr, McCain & Thune Send Letter to Sec. Sebelius Questioning HHS Campaign Ad. Letter to Secretary Sebelius. FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT

Andy Griffith reflects on the 45 years of the Medicare program and explains the new benefits under the Affordable Care Act.

Senators Coburn, Barrasso, Burr, McCain and Thune sent the following letter to Secretary Sebelius today expressing their concern regarding the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) television ad campaign touting the benefits of the new health care law for senior.

"We request that you cease the ad campaign immediately and reimburse the U.S. Treasury for any expenditure of taxpayer funds related to this effort. We also request you provide documentation outlining which HHS account these funds came from.

"We believe this ad is a clear violation of the spirit of federal laws that prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars for campaign purposes … We can debate the relative merits of the new law, but co-opting public funds during a recession, to make a political, poll-tested argument about the new law, is wrong.

The job of the Executive Branch, quite simply, is to execute and implement the law, not re-litigate a political debate. Using the power of the state and the Treasury to advance the agenda of one political party is an abuse that should not be tolerated, regardless of which party is in power."

VIDEO CREDIT: CMSHHSgov

TEXT CREDIT: Tom Coburn, M.D., United States Senator from Oklahoma

Candidate for Comptroller Harry Wilson Meets with Orthodox Union Leadership VIDEO

Candidate for Comptroller Harry Wilson Meets with Orthodox Union Leadership
Discusses terror free investing and nonprofit needs with lay & professional leaders

Harry Wilson, Republican nominee for New York State Comptroller, met today with leadership from the Orthodox Union (union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America), the nation’s largest Orthodox Jewish umbrella organization in Manhattan to discuss the community’s public policy priorities.

Mr. Wilson, formerly a senior member of the U.S. Treasury team that oversaw the restructuring of the US auto industry, who is making his first run for public office, briefed the leadership on his vision for the Comptroller’s office and discussed how the office might advance priorities of the Jewish community. In particular, Mr. Wilson stated – despite recent news reports suggesting otherwise – he unequivocally believed the state could and should continue to divest from Iran and other state sponsors of terror, including not only those companies that directly do business there but from companies that “own large stakes” in such direct companies. Taking on a commonly raised objection to divestment, Mr. Wilson stated that divestment could be performed in a manner consistent with the fiduciary duties of trustees and investors, noting that in his time at the Blackstone Group, an investment firm, they did not invest in certain companies or countries because they were “bad business” investments and suggested the state pension funds could make similar decisions. Candidate for Comptroller Harry Wilson Meets with Orthodox Union Leadership FULL TEXT

TEXT CREDIT: Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America Contact: Howie Beigelman 212-613-8123 August 2, 2010 The New York Office 11 Broadway New York, NY 10004 Tel: 212-613-8123 - Fax: 212-564-9058 E-mail: ipa@ou.org

Bob Ehrlich Martin O'Malley's Tactical Mistakes VIDEO

Bob Ehrlich was raised by two loving parents in the working class suburb of Arbutus, just outside of Baltimore. His father, Bob, Sr., was a Marine Corps veteran of the Korean War and a car salesman. His mother Nancy was a legal secretary.

Bob earned athletic scholarships to the Gilman School in Baltimore and later to Princeton University. In 1979, he earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Politics from Princeton, where he also captained the freshman and varsity football teams. He earned his Juris Doctorate from Wake Forest University in 1982, where he worked his way through school as a Graduate Assistant under coaches John Mackovich and Al Groh.

After returning home to Maryland, he rose through the state legislature and the U.S. Congress to become Maryland’s first Republican Governor in 36 years in 2002.

His tenure as governor led to broad improvements in Maryland’s quality of life, including:

Balanced budgets and a stronger economy: He improved Maryland’s fiscal condition by turning $4 billion in inherited budget deficits into a budget surplus. His pro-growth economic policies helped create 100,000 new private sector jobs and he defeated $7.5 billion in taxes proposed by the Maryland General Assembly. He is an advocate for Maryland’s world-class technology economy, enacting policies that positioned Maryland as a national leader in education, biotechnology, health care, and minority business advancement.

TEXT CREDIT: BOB EHRLICH FOR MARYLAND

VIDEO CREDIT: ehrlichformaryland

Ron Johnson for Senate Clear Choice VIDEO

Ron has spent the last 30 years building a manufacturing business in Oshkosh.

Russ Feingold? He’s spent the last 30 years as a career politician.

TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: Ron4Senate

McCain,Coburn Release Oversight Report On Wastefu Stimulus Projects FULL TEXT VIDEO

Report Highlights 100 Questionable Stimulus Projects. McCain, Coburn Oversight Report On Wastefu Stimulus Projects FULL TEXT OF REPORT IN PDF FORMAT

WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Senators Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) today released a new oversight report: “Summertime Blues: 100 Stimulus Projects that Give Taxpayers the Blues.” The report, a third in a series, highlights questionable stimulus projects that are wasteful, mismanaged, and overall unsuccessful in creating jobs. The projects featured in the report cannot be considered as an investment in long-term priorities to create and sustain economic growth that the Stimulus was designed to do.

Coburn and McCain write in the report:

“Eighteen months since the passage of the stimulus bill, millions of jobs are still gone and the economy is as uncertain as ever. The only thing getting a boost is our national debt. The stimulus has helped push it 23 percent higher, to $13.2 trillion, a new record.”

“We owe it to all Americans that are paying taxes and struggling to find jobs, to rebuild our economy without doing additional harm, and to do it in a way that expands opportunities for future generations. Too many stimulus projects are failing to meet that goal.”

“Washington should focus on re-igniting the unmatched power of the American entrepreneurial spirit by sweeping away government red tape, expanding markets for U.S. goods, making it easier for small businesses to obtain credit, and reducing our national debt by eliminating wasteful Washington spending.”

“We owe it to every American to rebuild our economy without doing additional harm and in a manner that expands opportunities for future generations of Americans. Job creation should be a national priority, but torrential, misdirected government spending is not the way to do it.”

Examples of wasteful projects include:

$554,763 for the Forest Service to replace windows in a closed visitor center at Mount St. Helens

$762,372 to create “Dance Draw” interactive dance software

$62 million for a tunnel to nowhere in Pittsburgh, PA that even Governor, Ed Rendell called “a tragic mistake”

$1.9 million for international ant research

$1.8 million for a road project that is threatening a pastor’s home

$308 million for a joint clean energy venture with…BP

$89,298 to replace a new sidewalk that leads to a ditch in Boynton, OK

$3.8 million for a “streetscaping” project that has reduced traffic and caused a business to fire two employees

$16 million to help Boeing to clean up an environmental mess it created in 2007

$200,000 to help Siberian communities lobby Russian policy makers

$39.7 million to upgrade the statehouse and political offices in Topeka, KS

$760,000 to Georgia Tech to study improvised music

$700,000 to study why monkeys respond negatively to inequity

$193,956 to study voter perceptions of the economic stimulus

$363,760 to help NIH promote the positive impacts of stimulus projects

$456,663 to study the circulation of Neptune’s atmosphere

$529,648 to study the effects of local populations on the environment…in the Himalayas ###


TEXT CREIT: John McCain (R-AZ) United States Senate, 241 Russell Senate Ofc. Bldg. Washington, DC 20510, Main: (202) 224-2235, Fax: (202) 228-2862

VIDEO CREDIT: SenatorCoburn

Fred Thompson: Renew the Bush Tax Cuts VIDEO

Dear Fellow American:

President Obama and the Congress have a nasty habit of doing exactly the wrong thing at exactly the wrong time.

Here’s the perfect example.

Our economy is as weak as a kitten, crawling out of a horrible recession and Congress is on the verge of letting the Bush tax cuts expire.

Yes, it's true. On Dec. 31 of this year, all of the Bush tax cuts will expire completely in one fell swoop.

Unless Congress acts, those tax hikes are going to hit like a ton of bricks.

When the Bush cuts expire, income tax rates will rise by 10 percent or more for every tax bracket.

Capital gains taxes will rise by one-third, and the top rate on dividend taxes will almost triple.

These tax increases will have a devastating effect on the economy.

They will crush jobs, deliver a fresh dose of misery to small business owners, and if you’re wondering whether or not your taxes are going to go up, here’s your answer:

If you pay taxes, your tax bill is going up — way up!

Liberals in the Obama administration say they just want to increase income taxes for the "rich." But Obama forgets that the "rich" include the most productive, most successful, and most entrepreneurial wage earners in the country.

If he raises their taxes, they will simply spend and invest less.

Even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has testified before Congress that this is not the time to raise taxes — the economy is simply too fragile.

Many in Congress agree. Even three leading Democratic senators came out and said the Bush tax cuts should be fully renewed, even for those who are making high incomes.

These Democrats understand that raising taxes in the middle of a recession is a recipe for disaster.

President Obama doesn't get it. He is simply unwilling to take practical steps to protect the economy and reassure the markets.

I fear that unless Congress and the president act promptly, many investors may sell their stocks and bonds to lock in profits at lower rates this year, sparking a major market decline next year.

Clearly, the public wants to keep the Bush tax cuts. When they were implemented in 2001 and 2003 after the 9/11 attacks and the dot-com crash of the ’90s, they helped jump start the economy.

Some say that we need to worry about the deficit, and we should raise taxes to close this staggering burden to the economy.

The deficit is a real problem. But it wasn't caused by the Bush tax cuts. It was caused by out-of-control spending by Congress.

In fact, there have been three major tax cuts in recent history: the Kennedy cuts of the 1960s, the Reagan "Kemp-Roth" cuts of 1980s, and the Bush tax cuts. All helped spur economic activity and actually increased government revenues.

It's a simple truism of economics: If you tax something, you get less of it; if you subsidize something, you get more of it.

The Obama administration is dead-set on taxing consumer spending, productivity, and investment — while they want to dramatically increase spending on social programs.

Back in 2009, President Obama demanded that Congress pass the largest single spending bill in history — the $787 billion "stimulus" program.

He promised this would propel the U.S. economy and lower unemployment to 8 percent within 18 months.

The Obama stimulus has been a dud. Unemployment continues at almost 10 percent — and is much higher if you factor in all of those who have simply given up looking for work.

My friends, America is in serious trouble.

I don't get involved in many causes, but I feel this so important I have joined with the League of American Voters to support their national petition effort to renew the Bush tax cuts.

I need you to sign that petition so the League can tell Congress that you fully support the renewal of the Bush tax cuts.

To sign the Petition to Renew the Bush Tax Cuts — Go Here Now

The League of American Voters is conducting a massive grass-roots effort to extend the Bush tax cuts and make them permanent.

They will be airing national TV ads so that millions will hear the truth about the Bush tax cuts — facts they won't hear from the liberal media.

They will also conduct a major online, print, and mail campaign to wake up America to this massive Obama tax increase that is coming down the pike.

I know you will help.

Sign your petition today online and the League of American Voters and I will deliver hundreds of thousands and hopefully millions of those petitions to Congress.

Sign today — Go Here Now

One more thing: I support the League of American Voters, and I hope you will as well with a contribution so that they can reach millions of Americans with our urgent message.

The League of American Voters is a national, non-partisan organization that supports and educates Americans about the importance of limited government and a strong national defense — the principles of Ronald Reagan.

As you may recall, the League was one of the leaders that stopped Obama's public option from passing, which would have destroyed private healthcare in America.

Dick Morris, the Fox news analyst, says "The League is one of the most effective organizations in America. It deserves your support."

Unless we act, the Bush tax cuts will expire at midnight on Dec. 31.

We can stop this from happening, but we need to fight.

You aren’t undertaxed. The government overspends!

That’s a message the professional politicians in Washington need to hear right now. With an election coming up fast, a lot of the liberal spenders are feeling desperate — their jobs are on the line.

The long-suffering American taxpayers feel fed up, frustrated, taken for granted, and put upon, and if the politicians let the Bush tax cuts expire on Dec. 31, the outcry is going to hit them right between the eyes.

Here’s what I think:

The big spenders in Congress aren’t good at listening. But if we deliver hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions, of signed petitions right to their cozy D.C. offices we’re going to get their attention!

So let’s take care of business and let them know that there’s too much government now in all the wrong places, and it will be economic suicide to let the Bush tax cuts expire, effectively sending everybody’s tax bill soaring.

Sign your petition right away.

The congressional liberals are hungry for more of your money. Send them a message that it’s your money and not theirs. — Please Go Here Now.

Tell them in a loud, clear voice that the government spends too much now; it’s always a bad time to raise taxes and to raise taxes in these economic times is just plain stupid.

That’s just common sense. Like the Ivy League professor said, “It’s not rocket surgery.”

Yours for America,

Fred Thompson
U.S. Senator 1994 - 2003

P.S. When the government tells you that letting the Bush tax cuts expire is “for your own good,” you know it’s not. When they insist that “your taxes won’t go up, only rich people’s will,” don’t believe them. Take action. Sign the petition. But do more: Share this letter and the link for the petition to all your friends and family in your e-mail contacts list. You CAN make a difference

TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: League of American Voters | 722 12th Street N.W. | 4th Floor | Washington, D.C. 20005