The successor to politics will be propaganda. Propaganda, not in the sense of a message or ideology, but as the impact of the whole technology of the times.*
Weekly Republican Address Ron Johnson 11/16/13 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO
Weekly Republican Address Bill Johnson 03/15/14 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT PODCAST VIDEO - WASHINGTON, DC – Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) calls on President Obama to address the devastating impact his health care law is having on the nation’s seniors, who – despite his promises – are paying higher premiums and losing access to their doctors.
"Good morning. My name is Bill Johnson, and I’m proud to represent Eastern and Southeastern Ohio in the House of Representatives."
Republican Address to the Nation State of the Union LIVE VIDEO
Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 Full Text and Analysis
The Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013 Full Text and Analysis -
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senate Budget Committee chairman Patty Murray (D-WA) and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) announced that they have reached a two-year budget agreement in advance of the budget conference’s December 13th deadline.
“I’m proud of this agreement,” said Chairman Ryan. “It reduces the deficit—without raising taxes. And it cuts spending in a smarter way. It’s a firm step in the right direction, and I ask all my colleagues in the House to support it.”
TEXT TRANSCRIPT: Who has the right experience? Mitt Romney helped created thousands of jobs. Rick Santorum is called "The Ultimate Washington Insider". Romney rescued the Olympics. Santorum was in Washington voting to raise the debt limit 5 times. Romney vetoed 800 times and turned a deficit into a surplus without raising taxes. Santorum was voting for Billions in waste, including "The Bridge To Nowhere". Romney and Santorum - Big Differences.
313 page views as of 03/10/12 4:25 P will not cut it.
When the weekly address is given by a house member, speaker Boehner has the release ready on his site by Friday with links to mp3, video file, text and the youtube version. At that the import of our message is not given the RELEASE it warrants. If a senate member or as is the case today a governor gives the address there is no uniform place of release no mp3 for podcast or FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT. Great that sends a very clear message, this fills me with great confidence.
I know these are small things but friends we get the government we deserve.
Jack Dalrymple Weekly Republican Address On Creating Jobs In North Dakota VIDEO 03/10/12
In the Weekly Republican Address, North Dakota Governor Jack Dalrymple explains why the economy is doing so well in his state, in stark contrast to the national economic picture.
"We have the lowest unemployment rate of all 50 states at 3.2% and our prudent fiscal management has allowed us to lower taxes each of the last three legislative sessions. We've lowered substantially our real estate taxes, our individual income taxes, and even corporate income taxes. Our growing budget surpluses allow us to make large investments in infrastructure and job growth. Just think of the wise investments our country could be making right now if the Federal budget was managed as carefully.
"As a nation, what progress has been made to balance our annual budget deficit? Have any real spending reductions been proposed by the Democratic majority in the Senate? Has President Obama made any real attempts to reduce spending? All we see are budgeting games. The American people are growing tired of the constant pleas for tax increases from this Administration, long before any real proposals appear for spending reductions.
"But keeping government's house in order is only part of the equation. The other part is focusing on creating good paying jobs. North Dakota has been ranked #1 in the nation in job creation for each of the last three years by a Gallup poll study. We have created a friendly business climate in North Dakota, where taxes and insurance rates are low, the regulatory environment is very reasonable, and we have the most responsive state government anywhere. Companies want to expand in North Dakota because of the ease of doing business and because of our well educated, well trained workforce. Why do Fortune 500 companies like Caterpillar, Amazon.com, and John Deere choose to expand in North Dakota when they could go anywhere in the world? They do it because they know that North Dakotans are friendly toward business and will work hard to help their employers be successful."
Gov. Dalrymple then explains why things are so different with our national economy. "There are two main reasons. First, the Federal government is unnecessarily adding to the cost of living and the cost of doing business in America. Just one example is our cost of energy. The price of gasoline is rising rapidly because we continue to depend on foreign oil. It is now within our reach to become energy independent in North America if we simply develop the resources we already have available in places like the Gulf of Mexico, non-sensitive public lands across America, and in our friendly bordering countries.
"The second reason we are on the wrong track is that the Federal government is killing energy development with overly burdensome regulations. The best example of this is the Keystone XL pipeline which the Obama Administration will not allow to be built. The State of North Dakota is currently experiencing an oil boom in the Bakken formation. We have doubled our oil production in the last four years and are about to become the second largest oil producing state behind only Texas. But we cannot effectively market our crude oil domestically without a large North-South pipeline. North Dakota oil producers were scheduled to feed the Keystone pipeline with 100,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Now we will not be able to supply the choice American markets because President Obama says he needs more time to study Keystone. The fact is he has had over three years to study this issue. Congress should step in and pass Senator Hoeven's measure which would authorize the Keystone project. It's the common sense thing to do."
The governor concludes, "America needs to return to a government based on common sense. Three Presidential candidates have visited North Dakota, and I have told them all the same thing: Build America back on the same blueprint that North Dakota has adopted and our country will surely be rewarded with the same great economy our state is enjoying."
Category: News & Politics.
Tags: Jack Dalrymple, North Dakota, Republican Address, Response, Obama, White House, Senate, Congress, Keystone XL Pipeline, Energy Independence, Security, Jobs Creation, Low Taxes, Budget, Surplus, Oil, Bakken, Gas Prices, Fargo, Natural.
License: Standard YouTube License.
VIDEO IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: Published on Mar 10, 2012 by gopweeklyaddress
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Rand Paul today unveiled his FY2013 budget, "A Platform to Revitalize America," a plan that would balance the budget in five years, significantly reduce spending, and restore fiscal order to Washington. The only budget proposal that balances within the Balanced Budget Amendment window, a measure supported by all 47 Republican Senators, the Platform to Revitalize America is a bold and necessary approach to tackling our ever-increasing debt and wasteful spending. At a press conference in the U.S. Capitol this afternoon, Sen. Paul was joined by co-sponsors Sens. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), where he laid out the details of his plan, which would bring spending below historical average in the very first year. Following the press conference, Sen. Paul issued the following statement.
"Americans deserve not only to have the debt reduced, but to have every taxpayer dollar spent more wisely. While Washington continues to spend recklessly and ignore the ever-growing deficit, I am offering a plan that will address this country's looming debt crisis in a truly timely manner - balancing the budget in just five years," Sen. Paul said. "The time has come for a change that will restore fiscal order in this country, and I will do everything in my power to ensure that this happens."
"The biggest problem facing the nation right now is the out-of-control spending and borrowing. The Budget Control Act doesn't address the underlying problems, and it's been well over 1,000 days since Senate Democrats passed a budget. I stand behind anyone who is willing to confront this issue through a serious proposal that will put us on the path toward a balanced budget," Sen. Lee said.
"This balanced budget makes the commonsense decision that we've got to stop spending more than we're bringing in," said Senator DeMint. "Already, what was once considered unthinkable has occurred: the creditworthiness and economic outlook of the United States of America has been downgraded. This is more than a national embarrassment, it's an indication that the world is losing confidence in America's ability to pay our bills and of our government to change course. This budget shows we can stop the debt crisis, improve our economy, expand freedom, and secure the future for our children and grandchildren."
Below you will find top-line points regarding the Platform to Revitalize America. Click HERE to view the budget overview in its entirety.
Balances the budget in five years by addressing spending cuts and reforms across the board The Platform to Revitalize America is the ONLY budget proposal that balances within the Balanced Budget Amendment window (which all 47 Republican Senators support)
SPENDING: This budget proposal significantly reduces spending relative to both the President's budget and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) baseline. It also brings spending below the historical average of 19.6 percent of GDP in the first year, eventually reaching sustainable levels below historic revenues. Based on current CBO baseline, the budget would spend $8 trillion less over the next 10 years.
Brings federal spending below historical average in very first year Reduces spending by nearly $11 trillion relative to the President's budget Achieves a $111 billion surplus in FY2017 Remains in surplus after initial balance, pays off $2 trillion of national debt in 10-year window Includes entitlement reform for Medicare and Social Security
§ Block-grants Medicaid, SCHIP, foods stamps, and child nutrition
§ Preserves Social Security and fixes trust fund over 75 years
§ Preserves Medicare by giving all seniors the same health care plan as Members of Congress
o Reduces most discretionary spending to FY2008 levels
o Defense: Eliminates FY2013 sequester cuts
o Freezes foreign aid spending at $5 billion per year
o Defunds duplicative or wasteful agencies and programs
o Sells off excess federal properties and land
o Eliminates the Davis-Bacon prevailing wages provisions
o Liquidates government ownership of "bailout" companies
Eliminates unnecessary bureaucracy Eliminates:
§ Department of Commerce
§ Department of Education (preserves Pell grants)
§ Department of Housing and Urban Development
§ Department of Energy (transfers nuclear research and weapons to Department of Defense)
o Privatizes Transportation Security Agency
Repeals Obamacare and Dodd-Frank Opens Arctic National Wildlife Refuge for oil and gas exploration Permits the Keystone XL Pipeline project
REVENUE: This budget provides a number of incentives to increase investment. By allowing Americans and businesses to keep more of their money, we will quicken the pace of deleveraging, allowing the economy to find its equilibrium, facilitating growth and employment.
Tax Reform 17 percent flat tax for individuals and corporations Pro-growth and globally competitive
ENTITLEMENT REFORM: The Social Security reform proposal includes two main provisions: a gradual increase in the retirement age and progressive indexing. The budget also includes reform of Medicare through the Congressional Health Care for Seniors Act. This reform will provide seniors with better health care at a lower cost to the senior and to the taxpayers. Seniors will receive the same health insurance as their Members of Congress, at lower out-of-pocket cost.
Social Security Increase the retirement age over time, protecting beneficiaries Progressive Indexing, slows the growth of benefits for high-income and increases benefits for low-income individuals Medicare Gives all seniors the same health care plan as Members of Congress
REGULATIONS: This budget supports adoption of the REINS Act, which seeks to require all major regulations - that is, regulations with an economic impact of over $100 million - to be approved by an up-or-down Congressional vote before they can take effect. In requiring this, REINS allows Congress to re-assert its lawmaking authority over regulatory agencies to ensure that the agency has produced a rule that reflects what Congress intended.
Apply regulatory analysis requirements to independent agencies Adopt the REINS (Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny) Act Sunset on regulations Regulatory process reform Incorporation of formal rulemaking for major rules
TEXT and IMAGE CREDIT: Rand Paul | United States Senator Washington, DC. 208 Russell Senate Office Building. Washington DC, 20510. Phone: 202-224-4343
Ron Paul's Full Super Tuesday Speech VIDEO 'The Cause of Liberty Is on a Roll'
Texas Congressman Ron Paul addressed a crowd of supporters Tuesday night in Fargo, N.D., on the evening of Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses in 10 states. "The cause of liberty is on a roll'," Paul told the crowd.
March 6, 2012: Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum speaking at a rally in Steubenville, Ohio, after victories in Tennessee and Oklahoma. Santorum would also be declared the winner in North Dakota several hours later.
Category: News & Politics
Tags: Presidential Candidate, Rick Santorum, campaign, rally, speech, Super Tuesday, Tennessee, Oklahoma, North Dakota, Republican, primary, presidential, election, presidential candidates, GOP, Politics.
Mitt Romney Speech on Super Tuesday 03/06/12 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
vThank you! What a great night!
And thank you, Massachusetts! We are excited to be in the Bay State tonight celebrating with family and friends who have worked tirelessly on this campaign. And, of course, it’s an honor to have so many of the citizens I served as governor join our cause. Your support means everything to me, and I will not let you down.
Tonight, we are counting up the delegates for the convention – and counting down the days until November. We’re going to take your vote and our victory all the way to the White House!
It’s been a long road to Super Tuesday. My opponents have all worked very hard – and I’d like to congratulate Newt Gingrich on a good night in Georgia, Rick Santorum on his night, and Ron Paul for his steadfast commitment to our Constitution and his strong support in every state.
We started our campaign nine months ago on a New Hampshire farm not too far from here. It was a beautiful spring day full of hope and promise, a day that made us all recognize once again how lucky we are to be Americans. What we launched that day was not just an effort to win more votes – or more delegates – it was the start of an effort to restore the promise of America, a promise we all know has been frayed by these difficult times.
We’ve sounded our clarion call across this country, from airport tarmacs to factory floors, from door to door, and heart to heart. I’ve met with moms and dads, teachers and students, business owners and factory workers. I’ve listened and I’ve learned. I hope I’m a better candidate for it. And I will be forever grateful for this greatest of experiences.
I’ve met people like Norm Byrne, who exemplify the innovative spirit that built this country.
Norm didn’t get to go to college. He doesn’t have an engineering degree. But he does have over 100 patents to his name. He turned a small shop in his basement into a successful company that helped build an industry. And it’s entrepreneurs like Norm who are going to get the American economy back on track.
I’ve met parents like David McArthur, whose children have served and suffered for their country in war. David’s son was seriously injured in Afghanistan. He returned from the front lines only to face a new fight to get the medical care he needs – and he has surely earned. As I told David, I believe that to those who put everything on the line, we owe everything they need.
America’s veterans deserve a lot better than long lines and reduced benefits. And, as President, I’m going to make sure they get it.
As a candidate for President, I’ve had the privilege of meeting people like Norm and David.
Their stories are inspiring. But I’ve also met people who are really hurting in this stagnant Obama Economy – and their stories are heart-breaking.
Some have lost their jobs, others work two jobs just to get by. Some used to be middle class, but now they are struggling again, right back where they started. The prices for gas and food and clothing keep going up, but their paycheck stays the same.
President Obama keeps telling these Americans that the recovery is here. But, for them, the recession isn’t over.
From generation to generation, Americans have always known that the future would be brighter and better. Americans have always believed in a tomorrow full of possibility and prosperity.
That deep confidence in a better tomorrow is the basic promise of America. Today, that promise is being threatened by a faltering economy and a failed presidency.
To the millions of Americans who look around and can only see jobs they can’t get and bills they can’t pay, I have a message: You have not failed. This President has failed you.
President Obama said he would create jobs. For 36 months, unemployment has been above 8%.
He said he would cut the deficit in half. He’s doubled it.
Today, our debts are too high and our opportunities are too few. And we’ve seen enough of this President over the last three years to know that we don’t need another five.
This President is out of ideas. He’s running out of excuses. And, in 2012, he’ll be out of office.
President Obama seems to believe he is unchecked by our Constitution. He is unresponsive to the will of our people; he operates by command instead of by consensus. In a second term, he would be unrestrained by the demands of re-election. And if there is one thing we can’t afford, it is four years of a Barack Obama with no one to answer to.
These days, the President and his team keep telling us that things are getting better. 24 million Americans are still struggling for work, and they are high-fiving each other in the West Wing.
But, my friends, the truth is this: 8% unemployment is not the best America can do; it’s just the best this administration can do. When I am President, the American economy will not be lagging behind; it will be leading the world.
For this administration, the unemployment number is just another inconvenient statistic standing in the way of a second term. But those numbers are more than data on a spreadsheet; they are worried families and anxious faces. And tonight, I’d like to say to each of them: You have not been forgotten. We will not leave you behind. Our campaign is on the move. And real change is finally on the way.
Times may be tough, but our citizens still believe in the promise of America. And they deserve a President who believes in them.
That’s why our campaign is about more than just replacing a President. It is about restoring America’s promise.
We won’t settle for this President’s “new normal.” I am offering a real choice and a new beginning. And I have a plan that will deliver more jobs, less debt, and smaller government.
President Obama raised the national debt. I will cut, cap, and balance the budget.
He passed Obamacare. I’ll repeal Obamacare.
He lost our AAA credit rating; I’ll restore it.
He rejected the Keystone Pipeline. I’ll approve it. He has stalled domestic energy production. I will open up our lands for development, so we can finally get the energy we need at a price we can afford.
When it comes to the economy, my highest priority will be worrying about your job, not saving my own. I have a pro-growth tax plan that will jumpstart the economy.
President Obama wants to raise your taxes. I will cut them. That starts with an across-the-board, 20% rate cut for every American. I will repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax – and I will finally abolish the death tax.
He’s proposed raising taxes for job creators. I will cut taxes for job creators.
He wants to raise taxes on savings and investment. I will help middle class families save and invest tax-free.
President Obama doesn’t have a single serious proposal for saving Medicare or Social Security. I have a plan that saves and strengthens both – and I have the courage to put it on the table.
As President, I will get our economy back on track – and get our citizens back to work. And, unlike President Obama, I actually have the experience to deliver on that promise.
I spent 25 years in business. I have been the steward of an Olympics and the leader of this great state. I’ve cut taxes 19 times. I’ve turned a budget shortfall into a surplus. I know how government kills jobs – and, yes, how it can help create them. I stand ready to lead our Party to victory – and our nation to prosperity.
I have said before – and I firmly believe – that this campaign is about saving the soul of America. And it is driven by the unshakable optimism that lies within our American hearts.
We know that our future is brighter and better than these troubled times. We have been knocked down. We have been tested. But we don’t accept an America of limits. We know that America is a land of opportunity. We still get up each day and thank God that we’re Americans. And we know that with hard work and strong leadership, our greatest days are ahead.
Tonight we’ve taken one more step toward restoring the promise of America. Tomorrow we wake up and we start again. And the next day we do the same. And so it will go, day by day, step by step, door to door, heart to heart.
There will be good days and bad days, always long hours and never enough time. But, on November 6th, we will stand united – not only having won an election, but having saved a future.
It is time we believe in ourselves. It is time to Believe in America.
I’m asking you to join our cause. We need your energy and your conviction and your commitment.
I’m asking for you to pledge your support at mitt-romney-dot-com. We need your voice and your vote in this campaign.
I’m asking you to join in the fight for our freedom – and ensure that tomorrow will be better than today.
Let’s go forward together and restore the promise of America! Together, let’s fight for the country we love.
IMAGE CREDIT: Description: English: States holding caucuses on Super Tuesday, 2012. Date: 5 March 2012. Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Transfer was stated to be made by User:Isthmus.
Permission: (Reusing this file) Released into the public domain (by the author). I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
LIVE: Super Tuesday: Ten state primaries are being held today. Watch CNN.com/live tonight for coverage from campaign headquarters. Source: CNN.com Live
Super Tuesday Map
IMAGE CREDIT: Description: English: States holding caucuses on Super Tuesday, 2012. Date: 5 March 2012. Source: Transferred from en.wikipedia; Transfer was stated to be made by User:Isthmus.
Permission: (Reusing this file) Released into the public domain (by the author). I, the copyright holder of this work, release this work into the public domain. This applies worldwide. In some countries this may not be legally possible; if so: I grant anyone the right to use this work for any purpose, without any conditions, unless such conditions are required by law.
Doc Hastings Weekly Republican Address on Jobs & Gas Prices 03/03/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. ||
Washington (March 2) ***EMBARGOED UNTIL 3/3/12, 6:00 A.M. EST***
Washington (Mar 3) In the Weekly Republican Address, House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Doc Hastings (R-WA) highlights Republican efforts to help create jobs and address rising gas prices. This weekly address is the latest step in a coordinated campaign to highlight Republicans’ ‘all-of-the-above’ energy policy and hold Washington Democrats accountable for policies that have contributed to higher gas prices. The audio of the Weekly Republican Address is available immediately; the video will be available for viewing and downloading after the embargo is lifted tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. ET.
“Hi, I’m Congressman Doc Hastings from the state of Washington. I chair the House Natural Resources Committee, which handles several issues relating to job creation, including American energy production.
“As you’ve painfully noticed, gas prices are rising quickly, already topping four dollars a gallon in some areas. On average, prices at the pump are more than double what they were when President Obama took office.
“Americans are right to worry that no relief is in sight. The president, who campaigned on a promise to address rising gas prices, now talks as if they’re largely beyond his control. This week, when the president’s Energy Secretary was asked whether the administration’s goal is to lower gas prices, the secretary’s answer was ‘no.’ Incredibly, one Democrat leader in the Senate actually suggested we push Saudi Arabia to produce more oil, thereby increasing our dependence on the Middle East.
Like you, Republicans take this issue seriously, because high gas prices hurt us all, and not just at the pump. Local governments are forced to make cutbacks to police patrols and other essential services. Schools run fewer buses. The cost of groceries go up. The cost of running a business goes up, and that means less to invest in hiring new workers. Rising gas prices are a huge drain on our economy, plain and simple.
“As part of our Plan for America’s Job Creators, Republicans continue to pursue an ‘all-of-the-above’ approach that utilizes the natural resources we have right here at home. When we responsibly develop these resources, we don’t just address rising energy costs – we also help create good-paying jobs and improve our energy security, right now and over the long term. This common-sense approach enjoys bipartisan support, and has been endorsed by the president’s own jobs council.
“Though the president now claims to support ‘all-of-the-above,’ he has consistently blocked American energy production, most recently by rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline. In addition to that, he has restricted drilling in offshore areas while encouraging other countries, including Brazil, to expand their own exploration. And while the president says oil production alone can’t solve our problems, his administration has proposed costly regulations that would hurt the supply of other domestic sources. Instead of placing his bet on American-made energy and the workers who produce it, President Obama has wasted taxpayer dollars on Solyndra and other unproven technologies.
“Actions speak louder than words. Republicans have followed through on our ‘all-of-the-above’ approach and passed through the House bipartisan reforms that break down government barriers to our natural resources.
“While the president has closed off new areas for offshore drilling, the House has passed legislation that would open the most promising areas offshore to exploration and production.
“While the President has delayed leases and withdrawn over a million acres in the Rocky Mountains to oil shale development, the House has passed legislation to set clear rules and require additional leases to be issued.
“While the president opposes energy production in ANWR, the House has passed legislation to make available three percent of the land in this Arctic coastal plain, which is known to be abundant in natural resources.
“The House has also voted to remove regulatory barriers to the development of renewable energy sources and require approval of the Keystone pipeline, a project that even President Clinton says we should embrace.
“Again, this approach has been endorsed by the president’s own jobs council.
“A meeting at the White House this week provided a glimmer of new hope that the President and the Democratic-controlled Senate may finally act on some bipartisan energy bills that have been passed by the Republican-led House.
“That’s welcome news, because Washington D.C. needs to have a sense of urgency about this. The reality is, prices will only climb higher if we don’t take action now to improve our energy security and develop our own natural resources.
“Republicans are ready to continue moving forward with an ‘all-of-the-above’ energy plan, and we hope the president will live up to his rhetoric. Hardworking taxpayers can’t wait to have the pain at the pump addressed.
RUSH: What does it say about the college co-ed Sandra Fluke, who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex, what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute. She wants to be paid to have sex. She's having so much sex she can't afford the contraception. She wants you and me and the taxpayers to pay her to have sex. What does that make us? We're the pimps. (interruption) The johns? We would be the johns? No! We're not the johns. (interruption) Yeah, that's right. Pimp's not the right word. Okay, so she's not a slut. She's "round heeled." I take it back.
“The president is required by law to respond to the Medicare Trustees’ annual warning, and—as a matter of fundamental leadership—is duty-bound to do so. Meanwhile, the Democratic leaders in the Senate refuse to bring a budget plan to the floor for the third straight year. The livelihoods, savings, and futures of millions of hardworking Americans are at stake, but the president and his party’s leaders can’t even be bothered to fulfill their most basic obligations in a time of crisis.”
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL), Ranking Member of the Senate Budget Committee, and U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), Chairman of the House Budget Committee, issued the following joint statement today after sending a letter to President Obama about his refusal, for the fourth year in a row, to submit a legislative plan responding to the funding warning from the Medicare Trustees—despite a clear legal requirement to do so:
“Within fifteen days of presenting his budget plan, the President is required by law to send a legislative proposal to Congress to address Medicare’s looming insolvency. For four straight years, this ‘Medicare trigger’ has been issued. And for four straight years, President Obama has ignored the alarm and fled his post. America’s debt, as measured by the International Monetary Fund, is now worse than Greece on a per-capita basis. The course President Obama has laid out leads to fiscal ruin. His budget plan raises taxes by $2 trillion, increases the debt by $11 trillion, and increases spending by $1.6 trillion.
“The President’s unserious approach to Medicare will have serious consequences for seniors. President Obama continues to ignore his legal and moral obligations to protect the health security of America’s seniors. While he refuses to advance credible solutions to strengthen Medicare, the President’s health-care law does great harm to this critical program – raiding Medicare by over $500 billion to fund a new open-ended entitlement, while leaving the fate of seniors’ care to a board of 15 unelected bureaucrats in Washington. There is a growing bipartisan consensus on how best to preserve the Medicare guarantee, but the President won’t join this discussion. The President is required by law to respond to the Medicare Trustees’ annual warning, and – as a matter of fundamental leadership – is duty-bound to do so.
“Meanwhile, the Democratic leaders in the Senate refuse to bring a budget plan to the floor for the third straight year. The livelihoods, savings and futures of millions of hardworking Americans are at stake, but the President and his party’s leaders can’t even be bothered to fulfill their most basic obligations in a time of crisis.”
The Sessions/Ryan letter is available FULL PDF here.
Full text of the letter follows:
March 1, 2012
President Barack Obama 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Mr. President:
Following last year’s Medicare Trustees’ report, we wrote to you expressing our concern about the impending insolvency of the program’s Hospital Insurance Trust Fund. We also asked that, in accordance with current-law requirements, your Administration submit to Congress a proposal to address the Medicare funding warning issued in last year’s Trustees’ report. To date, we have received neither a response nor solution.
The law requires you to submit a legislative proposal to Congress following a warning by the Medicare Trustees triggered by a determination in two consecutive years that general revenues will account for more than 45 percent of Medicare’s outlays for the current fiscal year or any of the next six fiscal years. Specifically, Section 1105 of Title 31 of the U.S. Code requires:
If there is a Medicare funding warning under section 801(a)(2) of the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003 made in a year, the President shall submit to Congress, within the 15-day period beginning on the date of the budget submission to Congress under subsection (a) for the succeeding year, proposed legislation to respond to such warning.
Last year marked the sixth consecutive finding of excessive general-revenue funding and the fifth consecutive funding warning. During recent testimony before the House Budget Committee, Medicare’s Chief Actuary suggested that it is likely this year’s Trustees report will issue its seventh consecutive such finding. As if this weren’t a clear enough call to action, your own Secretary of Health and Human Services testified last year before the same committee that “the traditional Medicare Fee-For-Service program is unsustainable.”
Mr. President, the Medicare Trustees, Medicare’s Chief Actuary, and your own Administration have all sounded the alarm about Medicare’s financial distress. Yet, the budget you submitted to Congress this month continues to punt on addressing the foremost fiscal threat to seniors, physicians, and the national balance sheet. Not only does this violate the statutory obligations laid out under current law, but it also threatens the sustainability of health care security for today’s seniors and future Medicare beneficiaries.
You have often asked for Congress to “put politics aside” and solve the pressing issues facing our country. We would ask that you join us in this challenge and put a plan on the table. We look forward to receiving legislation to address the Medicare funding warning in the near future.
Very truly yours, Senator Jeff Sessions Representative Paul Ryan
Committee on the Budget: U.S. House of Representatives 207 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515 Contact: Conor Sweeney, Gerrit Lansing (202) 226-6100
Chairman Rogers Statement on the Retirement of Appropriations Committee Ranking Member Norm Dicks
Washington, Mar 2 - House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers released the following statement on the announcement today by Appropriations Ranking Member Norm Dicks on his retirement from Congress.
“Norm Dicks and I have been friends and colleagues for many years, and I have rarely had the chance to work with someone of his decency, strong work ethic, jovial character, and honesty. He has served this institution with dignity and a true dedication to the people of the 6th District of Washington. Despite our ideological differences, Norm has never hesitated to work together to maintain the comity and spirit of bipartisanship that is the hallmark of the Appropriations Committee. I look forward to working side by side with Norm over the next few months, and will truly miss his presence in the next Congress. I wish him all the best in this next stage of life.”
WASHINGTON – Today, Chairman Frank Lucas announced a series of field hearings on the 2012 Farm Bill to take place throughout March and April. The first one is scheduled for upstate New York with other stops slated for Illinois, Arkansas and Kansas. The hearings will give Members of the House Agriculture Committee the opportunity to hear firsthand how U.S. farm policy is working for farmers and ranchers in advance of writing legislation.
The field hearings are the next step in the farm bill development. Last June, Chairman Lucas began the effort when the Agriculture Committee held 11 audit hearings on agriculture programs to look for ways to improve programs for farmers, increase efficiency, and reduce spending. The information gained from the audits combined with perspective from the field will serve as a useful reference for Committee Members.
"Field hearings represent one of the best parts of writing the farm bill because it gives us a chance to see the countryside and visit with folks who are directly impacted by our policy decisions in Washington. Agricultural policy affects every American; ensuring that our farmers and ranchers have the necessary tools they need to continue to produce an affordable and stable food supply is as important to our country as national defense. It's critical to all of us that we get it right. I look forward to hearing from our producers and from those who live and work in rural America," said Chairman Frank Lucas.
The full schedule is below. For those who cannot attend the hearings, the House Agriculture Committee plans to provide a live webcast at this link. Live Audio / Video
Friday, March 9, 2012 – 9:00 a.m. EST. North Country Community College, Sparks Athletic Complex. 23 Santanoni Ave. Saranac Lake, NY 12983
Friday, March 23, 2012 – 9:00 a.m. CDT. Carl Sandburg College, Student Center Building B 2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd. Galesburg, IL 61401
Friday, March 30, 2012 – 9:00 a.m. CDT. Riceland Hall, Fowler Center. Arkansas State University. 201 Olympic Drive. State University, AR 72467
Friday, April 20, 2012 – 9:00 a.m. CDT. Magouirk Conference Center. 4100 W. Comanche. Dodge City, KS 67801
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House Committee on Agriculture 1301 Longworth House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: 202-225-2171 Fax: 202-225-0917 Email: AgRepublicanPress@mail.house.gov
Mitt Romney Acceptance Speech After Winning Michigan and Arizona Republican Presidential Primaries VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
Thank you, Michigan. And thank you, Arizona! A week ago the pundits and the pollsters were ready to count us out. But across Michigan and Arizona I kept meeting moms and dads, students and grandparents, all concerned about what was happening to this great country. I was confident that we would come together today and take a giant step toward a brighter future. Tonight, their efforts have brought our cause a great victory.
Tonight is all the more special because we’re celebrating in the state where I was born, surrounded by Michiganders we consider family. Ann and I want to thank all of you who knocked on doors, made calls, and went to the polls.
And in Arizona, we want to thank Governor Brewer and Senator McCain who are celebrating with our two sons, Craig and Matt.
Our campaign is about restoring the promise of America. Last week, I unveiled a bold economic plan that will jumpstart this economy and help get Michiganders and Americans back to work.
Americans are crying out for more jobs, less debt, and smaller government – and I will deliver.
You know, a lot of people say that if you’re running for office, you can’t speak honestly with the American people. Well, I did – and I will – because this is a decisive moment that requires real leadership.
Times are tough. And we need leaders who will live with integrity, who have the courage to tell the truth, and who have the experience to get our economy back on track. That’s the kind of leader I am. And that’s the kind of President I will be.
Our campaign is about more than replacing a President. It’s about restoring America’s promise.
From generation to generation, Americans have always known that the future would be brighter and better. Americans have always believed in a tomorrow full of possibility and prosperity.
That’s what it means to be a land of opportunity. In America, if you work hard, you can build a better life. If you teach your kids the right values and help them make the right choices, you know their future will be prosperous and secure.
That deep confidence in a better tomorrow is the basic promise of America. Today, that promise is being threatened by a faltering economy and a failed presidency.
Four years ago, we warned that the Presidency was no place for on-the-job training. Today, we have an economy to prove it.
This President likes to remind us that he inherited an economic crisis. But he never mentions that he also inherited a Democratic Congress. With majorities in the House and Senate, President Obama was free to pursue any policy he pleased.
Did he fix the economy? Did he tackle the housing crisis? Did he get Americans back to work? No. He put us on a path toward debt, deficits, and decline. It is time to get off that path and get back on the path to prosperity.
These days, when he’s not spending our money or infringing upon our rights, President Obama is busy running for re-election. He believes he ranks among the top four presidents in history.
He thinks he deserves a second term. He keeps saying, “We can’t wait.” To which I say, “Yes, we can.”
Today, we’re $15 trillion in debt. Real employment stands at 15%.
You’ve heard the saying, “I need a vacation from this vacation?” Well, we need to recover from this so-called “recovery.”
Americans survived a Great Depression. We weathered two world wars. We’ve made it through tough times before. And we have not come all this way to give up now.
We still believe in the hope, the dream, and the promise of America. We know our future is better and brighter than these troubled times.
That unwavering conviction guides our campaign. It has rallied millions of Americans to our cause. And it’s the message we will take to every corner of this country – from Ohio and Idaho to Georgia and Tennessee.
We’ve seen enough of this President over the last three years to know that we don’t need another four. President Obama believes he is unchecked by our Constitution. He is unresponsive to the will of our people. In a second term, he would be unrestrained by the demands of re-election. If there is one thing we cannot afford, it is four years of Barack Obama with nothing to answer to.
His budget foreshadows what lies ahead. Runaway spending and record debt were just the warm-up act. For an encore, he wants to raise taxes on job creators and small businesses and families. We will not let him!
In this campaign, I am offering a real choice and a new direction. I have a plan that will restore America’s promise through more jobs, less debt, and smaller government.
President Obama is making the federal government bigger, burdensome, and bloated. I will make it simpler, smaller, and smarter.
He raised the national debt. I will cut, cap, and balance the budget.
He passed Obamacare. I’ll repeal it.
He lost our AAA credit rating; I’ll restore it.
He rejected the Keystone Pipeline. I’ll approve it. I will open up our lands for development, so we can finally get the energy we need at a price we can afford.
When it comes to the economy, my highest priority will be worrying about your job, not saving my own.
President Obama wants to raise your taxes. I will cut them. That starts with an across-the-board, 20% rate cut for every American. I will repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax and abolish the death tax.
He’s proposed tax increases on small businesses and job creators. I will lower the corporate tax rate to 25%. I will make the R&D tax credit permanent to foster innovation. And I will end the repatriation tax to return investment to our shores. Let’s finally have a tax plan that puts people to work.
President Obama’s budget raises taxes on savings and investment. I will help America’s middle class families save and invest tax-free.
President Obama has yet to offer a single serious proposal for saving Medicare or Social Security. I have a plan to save both – and, unlike him, I have the courage to put my plan on the table.
My plans will help create jobs and raise wages. They will strengthen entitlement programs for future generations. And they will not add to our deficit – they will abolish it.
I have a plan to get our citizens back to work – and I have the experience to get our economy back on track. I spent 25 years in business. I have been the steward of an Olympics and the leader of a state. I’ve cut taxes 19 times. I’ve turned a budget shortfall into a windfall. I know how government kills jobs – and, yes, how it can help. And I stand ready to lead our Party to victory – and our nation to prosperity.
This is our time for choosing – and this is a choice we must get right. I have said it before – and I firmly believe – that this campaign is about saving the soul of America.
This election will come down to two very different visions for our future.
It’s a choice between becoming a nation of and by Washington … and remaining a nation of and by a free people.
A choice between an entitlement society … and a land of opportunity.
A choice between squandering America’s promise … and restoring that promise for future generations.
If you want to make this election about restoring American greatness, then I hope you will join us.
If you believe the disappointments of the last few years are a detour, not our destiny, then I need your support.
I’m asking you to get out and vote. I’m asking you to go to mitt-romney-dot-com and pledge your support. I’m asking you to join in the fight for our freedom – and ensure that tomorrow will be better than today.
This election, let’s restore America’s promise. Let’s fight for the country we love.
Rick Santorum 'took one for the team' and voted against his principles during his near two decade career in Washington. He did so for political reasons and abandoned principle.
Category: News & Politics Tags: Rick Santorum, Mitt Romney, 2012, Election, Conservative, GOP, Republican, License: Standard YouTube License.
Verona, PA - The Rick Santorum for President campaign released a second new statewide advertisement in Michigan, contrasting the crony capitalist record of Mitt Romney with the free-market, Made-in-the-USA plan of Rick Santorum.
Hogan Gidley, National Communications Director, said: "The differences between Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney couldn't be greater. Mitt Romney took the unprincipled position of supporting the bailout of his friends on Wall Street while abandoning his 'hometown' of Detroit. Rick Santorum is a principled conservative that believes that free-markets and free-people are what grows our economy. Rick's Made-in-the-USA plan will revive areas like Michigan hardest hit by the Obama Administration's encroachment on freedom."
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT: "Your Side"
Voice Over: Who's on the side of Michigan workers?
Not Romney...he supported the Wall Street bailouts, while turning his back on Michigan workers.
But Rick Santorum's made in the USA plan changes everything. It cuts taxes for Michigan manufacturers to zero, so we can bring back American jobs from overseas.
It also cuts taxes for all workers, and cuts 5 trillion in spending over 5 years, balancing the federal budget.
Rick Santorum, he's fighting for us.
Rick Santorum: I'm Rick Santorum, and I approve this message.
WASHINGTON – House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chairman Darrell Issa, R-Calif., released the following statement on the low ObamaCare enrollment numbers released today.
“The 27,000 enrollments through federally facilitated exchange pale in comparison to the millions of Americans who have lost their health insurance under ObamaCare,” Issa stated.
