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.”
In the Weekly Republican Address, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker calls for getting America's "fiscal house on track and...our economy back in order" saying that "more big government is not the answer as the President contends. Instead, we need to confront the powerful special interests in Washington and put the hard working taxpayers back in charge of our government." Furthermore, Governor Walker says, "we need to think more about the next generation than we do about the next election.
A full text transcript of the address follows:
“Hi. I'm Scott Walker from Wisconsin.
“Last fall, my wife Tonette and I had a chance to visit Independence Hall. It was quite an experience. You see, as a kid, I loved history and thought of our Founders as being well, bigger than life...almost like super heroes...so looking at the desks and the chairs where they sat was really pretty amazing.
“Standing there it dawned on me that those who had assembled in these chambers were ordinary citizens who did something quite extraordinary. They didn't just risk their political careers or their business ventures; they risked their lives for the freedoms we hold dear today.
“It reminded me that what has made America great, what has made us exceptional for more than two centuries, what has made the United States arguably the greatest country in the history of the world; is that in moments of crisis—be they economic or fiscal, be they military or spiritual—there have been men and women of courage who thought more about the future of their children and grandchildren than they thought about their own political destiny. We need leaders like that today.
“Sadly, the President and many of his allies seem to measure success by how many people are dependent on government programs. Those policies have failed. In contrast, I and many other Republicans define success in just the opposite way—by how many people we can free from government dependence by growing the private sector.
“Now that doesn't mean we want to throw folks off of unemployment. Instead, we want people no longer dependent on government because they have a job. When more of our fellow citizens have work in the private sector there will be more freedom and more prosperity in our country. That’s a good thing…a very good thing.
“In Wisconsin, we faced one of the biggest budget deficits ever when I first took office last year. During the three years prior to my tenure, my state lost more than 100,000 jobs and the unemployment rate was above 9 percent.
“Today, Wisconsin has a budget surplus. For the first time in history, we’re able to put money into our state’s rainy day fund for two years in a row. Since taking office, Wisconsin has gained more than 41,000 private sector jobs and the unemployment rate; well it's below 7 percent for the first time since 2008. My state used to be ranked in the bottom ten of the best and worst states to do business in. Now, we’re in the top 20…and climbing.
“In Wisconsin, we made the tough decisions to tackle our economic and fiscal crises. Now it is time to do the same for America.
“We can do it. We can do it—because we've done it before.
“Thirty years ago, the national unemployment rate was 10.8 percent, but once President Ronald Reagan's reforms went into effect, we saw one of the greatest economic booms in U.S. history.
“We need that kind of bold leadership again today to get our fiscal house on track and to get our economy back in order. But more big government is not the answer as the President contends.
“Instead, we need to confront the powerful special interests in Washington and put the hard working taxpayers back in charge of our government. We need to think more about the next generation than we do about the next election.
“That kind of courage may be rare in politics but I see it every day in the moms and dads I meet at factories and farms and small businesses all across my state. These moms and dads work hard for a living for more than just a pay check. They work hard for the same reason my wife, Tonette, and I do: we want our kids to have a better life.
“Isn’t that what this is all about? I don’t know about you, but I want my two sons, Matt and Alex, to inherit an America at least, at least as great as the America I grew up in.
“The good news is that we can still do something about it. We’ll have to make some tough choices—but there is no doubt that it is worth it. Let this be the moment in history where we can tell our children and our grandchildren that we helped restore our country’s greatness again. I believe we can because I believe in America.”
Mitt Romney For President Releases Television Ad, "Doing Fine?" FULL VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT
Location: Boston, MA, United States
Today, Romney for President released a new television advertisement titled “Doing Fine?” Last week, with millions out of work, homes falling into foreclosure, and the middle class getting squeezed more and more every day, President Obama inexplicably said “the private sector is doing fine.” If President Obama can’t see that our economy is broken, how can he fix it?
To View “Doing Fine?” AD FACTS: Script For “Doing Fine?”
VIDEO TEXT: “June 8, 2012”
VIDEO TEXT: “23.2 Million Americans Are In Need Of Work”
23.2 Million Americans Are Unemployed, Underemployed, Or Have Stopped Looking For Work. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 6/4/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “40 Straight Months Over 8% Unemployment”
Under President Obama, Unemployment Has Remained Above 8% For 40 Straight Months. (Bureau Of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, 6/4/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “Middle-Class Struggles Deepen Under Obama”
Since President Obama Took Office, Median Household Income Has Declined By $4,300. “Yet real median household income in March was down $4,300 since Obama took office in January 2009 and down $2,900 since the June 2009 start of the economic recovery, according to an analysis of census data by Sentier Research, an economic- consulting firm in Annapolis, Maryland.” (Mike Dorning, “Obama Fails To Stem Middle-Class Slide He Blamed On Bush,” Bloomberg, 4/30/12)
Median Family Net Worth Has Hit A Two-Decade Low. “The Great Recession shrank Americans' wealth so much that in 2010 median family net worth was no more than it had been in 1992 after adjusting for inflation, the Federal Reserve reported Monday. Median net worth declined from $126,400 in 2007 to $77,300 in 2010, a Fed survey of family finances found. The median marks the point where half had more and half had less.” (Martin Crutsinger, “Fed Report: Middle Class Net Worth Tumbles,” The Associated Press, 6/12/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “Millions Of Homeowners Underwater On Mortgages”
Millions Of Homeowners Are Underwater On Their Mortgages. “Despite rising home prices, more than 30% of borrowers, or close to 16 million homeowners, were underwater on their mortgage during the first quarter, according to Zillow. The percentage of borrowers who owed more on their home than it was worth increased to 31.4% during the quarter, up slightly from 31.1% three months earlier, according to Zillow.” (Les Christie, “More Than 30% Of Mortgage Borrowers Still Underwater,” CNN Money, 5/24/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “The President’s Response?”
VIDEO TEXT: “June 8, 2012”
VIDEO TEXT: “11:01 am”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine.”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine.” (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, Washington, DC, 6/8/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “The Private Sector Is Doing Fine?”
VIDEO TEXT: “June 8, 2012”
VIDEO TEXT: “11:01 am”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine.”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine.” (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, Washington, DC, 6/8/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “How Can President Obama Fix Our Economy…”
VIDEO TEXT: “If He Doesn’t Understand It’s Broken?”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine.”
PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “The private sector is doing fine.” (President Barack Obama, Press Conference, Washington, DC, 6/8/12)
MITT ROMNEY: “I’m Mitt Romney and I approve this message.”
###
Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (GPS) today announced new TV issue ads in Missouri, North Dakota, and Ohio – urging action to fight wasteful spending, government debt and ObamaCare. The ads, backed by a $2 million total buy, continue Crossroads GPS’s advocacy of its New Majority Agenda to fix the broken economy.
The new ads start today and will run for two weeks on broadcast and cable networks in Missouri, North Dakota, and Ohio. They can be viewed below:
The Missouri ad, titled “Spending,”
The North Dakota ad, titled “Change,”
The Ohio ad, titled “Cheap,”
“We’re turning up the heat on Washington to fix the debt mess and stop President Obama’s destructive health care takeover,” said Nate Hodson, Crossroads GPS Director of State and Regional Media Relations. “These ads alert citizens to where policymakers stand and equip them to advocate for the practical solutions contained in the New Majority Agenda.”
The ads encourage viewers to support the “New Majority Agenda,” which includes a plank on reducing the national debt. For more information about the six major policy initiatives detailed in the plan, visit www.newmajorityagenda.org.
Erik Paulsen Weekly Republican GOP Address on Repealing ObamaCare to Protect Jobs & Our Economy 06/09/12 VIDEO PODCAST TEXT - DOWNLOAD MP3 for PODCAST || Download Video .mpeg4 ||
Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-MN) highlights the House’s focus on jobs as the president’s policies continue to make our economy worse. “His health care law may well be the worst offender, driving up costs and making it harder for small businesses to hire workers,” Rep. Paulsen says. “It's making things worse in our economy, and it needs to be fully repealed.” A measure passed by the House this week, and sponsored by Rep. Paulsen, repeals an ObamaCare tax on medical device manufacturers that provides yet another vivid illustration of how this health care law is hurting small businesses. The text and audio of the Weekly Republican Address are available immediately; the video will be ready to view and download after the embargo is lifted 06/09/12 at 6:00 a.m. ET.
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT: “Hello, I’m Congressman Erik Paulsen from the great state of Minnesota.
“Last week the U.S. Department of Labor gave Americans some very bad news. Only 69,000 jobs were added in May, and the unemployment rate is 8.2 percent – far above the level the Obama administration promised it would be by now when the president’s “stimulus” spending bill was enacted.
“It’s clear that getting our economy going again should be job number one for everyone in Washington. Too many Americans are still having a hard time finding jobs, small businesses are struggling to create them, and there’s little mystery as to why. The president’s policies are standing in the way of a stronger economy. His health care law well may be the worst offender, driving up costs and making it harder for small businesses to hire workers. It's making things worse in our economy, and it needs to be fully repealed.
“Republicans remain focused on removing government barriers to job creation so we can build a stronger economy for all Americans. In the coming weeks, through our Plan for America’s Job Creators, the House will act on measures to boost domestic energy production and stop the massive tax hike on small businesses that is scheduled for January 1st. This is on top of the more than 30 jobs bills the House has passed that are stalled in the Democratic-run Senate.
“One of those initiatives, passed just this week, repealing a massive job killing tax increase on medical device manufacturers that is in the president’s health care law. Repealing this job-crushing tax is a critical step, also worthy of the Senate’s support. And, it’s a vivid demonstration of why we need to fully repeal this health care law.
“The medical technology industry is an American success story that accounts for more than 423,000 jobs in our country, many of which are in my home state of Minnesota. It’s made up of America’s best innovators, entrepreneurs, manufacturers, engineers and doctors, who are improving and saving lives. In other words, this unique industry brings the wonders of technology to bear on the toughest challenges of life. We’re talking about small businesses, those with less than 50 employees that are already struggling. This new $29 billion tax has not even taken effect yet, but already employers are canceling plans to expand…they are moving their operations overseas…and they are cutting research and development.
“Worse yet, I’ve heard from business leaders who say that this new tax is already forcing them to lay off workers and they may even have to shut their doors completely. We cannot afford to lose these – or any – American jobs.
“Promises that this law would lower health care costs have also fallen well short. Health insurance premiums for the average American family spiked nine percent last year – triple the increase seen the year before.
“Clearly we can’t go on like this. The health care law’s one-size-fits-all approach is unsustainable and unaffordable, and soon, the Supreme Court may rule it unconstitutional. Republicans are ready to act on patient-centered reforms that protect Americans’ access to the care they need. Families should be able to make their own choices, and see their own doctor. Those decisions should not be made from Washington.
“The bottom line is this: the president’s health care law is driving up health care costs and hurting small businesses, and for the sake of our economy, it must fully be repealed.
John Cornyn Weekly Republican GOP Address On Jobs And Tax Reform 06/02/12 VIDEO
Texas Senator John Cornyn delivers the Weekly Republican Address on the need to prevent the largest tax increase in American history, saying, "The bipartisan consensus is simple: We should lower the rates and broaden the base... but we won't get real tax reform until we get real Presidential leadership." Republicans are working to help create a better environment for job creation, protect family incomes, and strengthen the economy. As Senator Cornyn says, "The time for action is now. The longer that President Obama dithers, the greater the harm to our economy."
Category: News & Politics. Tags: John Cornyn, Texas, Republican. License: Standard YouTube License.
Delivering the Weekly Republican Address on Memorial Day weekend, Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-KS) honors America’s fallen heroes and talks about how best to ensure our servicemembers come home to a strong, growing economy. With Americans continuing to ask ‘where are the jobs?,’ Rep. Jenkins touts Republicans’ Plan for America’s Job Creators and the nearly 30 House-passed jobs bills that are stalled in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Several of these jobs bills call for an ‘all-of-the-above’ strategy that removes government barriers to domestic energy production, which Republicans highlighted this week as part of the House Energy Action Team’s (HEAT) 2012 American Energy and Jobs Tour.
The text and the audio of the Weekly Republican Address are available immediately; the video will be ready to view and download after the embargo is lifted tomorrow at 6:00 a.m. ET.
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
“Hi, I’m Lynn Jenkins, I represent the Second Congressional District of Kansas, home to Fort Leavenworth, the oldest active Army post west of our nation’s capital, Fort Riley, home of the Big Red One, the 190th Coyotes at Forbes Field; and nearly 12,000 National Guard and Reserve members.
“It’s an honor to speak with you on Memorial Day weekend, a time to pause and thank the brave men and women of our Armed Forces who have died in the defense of our country. As we honor the fallen, we pray for our sons and daughters who are risking their lives so that we may live in freedom and security.
“Of course, we owe it to our service members to do everything we can to ensure they come home to a strong, growing economy that creates jobs and opportunities. Unfortunately, roughly 22 million of our fellow citizens are struggling to find a good-paying full-time job in President Obama’s economy. Higher prices on everything from gas to groceries has added to the strain on families and small businesses.
“Americans are clamoring for optimistic leadership and a positive agenda to help get people back to work, which is what Republicans’ Plan for America’s Job Creators provides. The Republican jobs plan is built around small businesses, not big government, and instead of short-term ‘stimulus,’ our plan emphasizes long-term growth.
“This week, as part our jobs plan, my Republican colleagues and I spread out across the country to highlight the economic potential of our domestic energy resources. As part of this American Energy & Jobs Tour, I visited an oil well in Girard, Kansas – a small town whose proud energy workers make a big contribution to our region’s economy. Ours is a state that would be part of the Keystone XL pipeline, a job-creating project the president has repeatedly blocked. An overwhelming majority of the American people and a bipartisan coalition in Congress supports Keystone, but right now it is stuck in a House-Senate conference committee due to opposition from the president and his allies in the Senate Democratic leadership. Republicans are holding strong for Keystone by insisting it should be included in any transportation legislation Congress sends to President Obama.
“Because while the President demonizes home grown energy and pursues tax policies that advantage foreign energy over domestic, Republicans are working to make the United States the largest energy producing nation in the world, creating hundreds of thousands of jobs right here at home.
“Our energy workers are the best around – they can do this, if we remove government barriers to all forms of domestic energy production.
“Our small businesses can thrive – if we rein in the red tape and costly regulations that bog them down and keep them from investing and hiring new workers.
“Our college graduates can enter the workforce with confidence – if we repeal the health care law that is raising costs and making it harder to hire new workers.
“Our children can grow up without the crushing burden of government debt – if Washington stops spending money we don’t have and starts operating on a real budget.
“Through the Republican jobs plan, the House has voted to take these common-sense steps to sustained job growth and prosperity. Right now, there are nearly 30 House-passed jobs bills awaiting action in the Democratic-controlled Senate, giving President Obama a serious to-do list to tackle. Republicans continue to stand ready and willing to work with him on these priorities.
“On Memorial Day, as we consider the sacrifices our service members and their families have made, we are reminded to never squander the blessings of liberty. That is why helping to create jobs and grow our economy will continue to be Republicans’ focus in the weeks and months ahead. Thank you for taking time to listen. God bless the United States of America.”
Crossroads GPS ad spotlights failure of President Obama’s policies Airs in ten states for three weeks starting Wednesday 05/22/12 VIDEO
New ad spotlights failure of President Obama’s policies to turn economy around; focuses on young people moving in with parents for lack of work. Airs in ten states for three weeks starting Wednesday.
WASHINGTON – Today, Crossroads Grassroots Policy Strategies (Crossroads GPS) announced a new $9.7 million issue ad that will run for three weeks on TV to frame the national debate on jobs, the economy, taxes and government debt.
The new ad, “Basketball,” details the Obama Administration’s poor results on fixing the troubled economy, cutting the debt, keeping taxes low and other key issues. The initial television buy includes network affiliates in Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, North Carolina, New Hampshire, Nevada, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia.
The new spot will start airing Wednesday, May 23 and run for three weeks with a rotation of :60 and :30 second versions. The spot can be viewed here, and is available for high resolution download upon request.
“This ad drives home the impact President Obama’s policies are having on American families and why those policies need to be changed,” said Steven Law, president of Crossroads GPS. “We want there to be a serious debate on the real issues people are facing in this country, and this ad expresses the human element of that debate.”
The ad urges citizens to support the “New Majority Agenda.” For more information about the six major policy initiatives detailed in the plan, visit www.newmajorityagenda.org
Since President Obama took office in January 2009, the national debt has increased by more than $5 trillion, 45% more people are on food stamps, gas prices have doubled, and job growth is anemic, leaving record numbers of Americans to simply give up looking for work and leave the workforce. Obama and his advisors promised that his economic “stimulus” legislation would prevent the unemployment rate from rising above 8%, but it has been above 8% for every month of Obama’s presidency since February 2009, and the real unemployment rate is considered much higher by economists, due to the large number of discouraged workers who have left the workforce since Obama took office.
Crossroads GPS is a policy and grassroots advocacy organization that is committed to educating, equipping and mobilizing millions of American citizens to take action on the critical economic and legislative issues that will shape our nation’s future in the years ahead.
Ron Johnson Weekly Republican GOP Address On Dems' Failure To Offer A Budget 05/20/12 TEXT VIDEO In the Weekly Republican Address, Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson discusses Senate Democrats' refusal to pass a budget.
Sen. Johnson says: "It has been over 3 years since the Senate passed a budget. Think about that. Even though families and most businesses produce budgets to help control their finances, the largest financial entity in the world is operating without one. Why? Because Democrats in the Senate refuse to be held accountable. They either don't have a plan, or they simply do not want their fingerprints on one."
He adds: "For his part, President Obama has done nothing to encourage the Senate to pass a budget. Just this week in the Senate, the President's budget lost by a vote of 0 - 99. Last month, it failed in the House by a vote of 0 -- 414. And last year, his budget lost 0 - 97 in the Senate. This is a stunning repudiation of his leadership."
He concludes: "We can do better than this. America should do better. It is time to return to the values and principles that made this country great. I grew up in an America that valued hard work and celebrated success. America became the economic engine of the world, not because of government, but because millions of Americans had the freedom to pursue their dreams. We can reclaim this heritage once again and build a society where hard work is rewarded and every American has the opportunity to succeed. Republicans are ready, willing, and able to lead this noble effort."
Category: News & Politics. License: Standard YouTube License
TEXT IMAGE and VIDEO CREDIT: Published on May 19, 2012 by gopweeklyaddress
Dave Camp: Mitt Romney has released a bold, aggressive plan on tax reform. The President, well, he finally released a “framework” for partial reform.
Chairman Dave Camp (R-MI) Remarks: Federal Policy Group’s 2012 Tax, Budget, and Legislative Policy Seminar Thursday, May 17, 2012 (Remarks as prepared)
As I prepared for today’s remarks, I looked back on the comments I made last year when I spoke to you. Whether it was looming tax hikes that still hang over this weak economy, stalled trade deals that have since been signed into law, or the debt limit crisis, which the Budget Control Act pushed off until at least the end of this year or early 2013, last year dealt us a lot of challenges.
Some we dealt with better than others. For example, the payroll tax conference committee, despite the December theatrics, was resolved ahead of schedule – the deal was announced two weeks prior to the February 29 deadline. Others, like the Supercommittee, well…let’s not go back there.
The bottom line is this: America is still in crisis. Unemployment remains high, while participation in the workforce is at a 30-year low. While the Budget Control Act took the first step towards reducing out-of-control spending in Washington, we are but a few short months from yet again hitting our nation’s debt limit. Worse yet, the small businesses we’re counting on to move our economy forward and virtually every worker in America is facing the prospect of higher taxes starting January 1.
Of the challenges that still remain, there is one simple unifying thread that is woven through each of them – jobs.
If we are to unlock new opportunities for job creation and strengthen the economy, then we must take even larger steps toward comprehensive tax reform. At the Ways and Means Committee, we have established a framework for comprehensive reform that brings the corporate and the individual rate in line at a top rate of 25 percent on both sides.
As you know, every Republican Member of the Ways and Means Committee signed a letter to the Budget Committee detailing these policies and the House has adopted this approach as part of this year’s budget resolution. Not only will we cut rates, we:
• Collapse the six rates on the individual side to two rates of 10 and 25 percent;
• Eliminate the AMT, which should have been named the “alternative maximum tax;” and
• Move from an outdated worldwide system of taxation to a more competitive territorial system.
Moving to a territorial system, along with a lower corporate rate, is critical to ensuring that we are an attractive destination for other countries looking for new places to do business. It is equally important that we – once-and-for-all – have a tax system that encourages our companies doing business abroad to bring profits back home instead of leaving them stranded around the globe.
American companies should be free to invest their global earnings in their American operations – not once, not once every few years, but each and every year. It is time America’s tax code put the American economy first.
That is the cornerstone of the territorial draft the Committee released last fall. I know many of you have been actively engaged in helping us refine that proposal, and I thank you for your advice and practical knowledge of how the rules Washington sets can impact business and workers in the real world.
So, what do we have to show for all of this? Where do we really stand on tax reform? Well, two-years ago, when I was the Ranking Member of the Committee, no one was seriously talking about tax reform. Today, House Republicans have made it a centerpiece of our platform. Mitt Romney has released a bold, aggressive plan. The President, well, he finally released a “framework” for partial reform.
Clearly, progress has been made. This isn’t just some Dusty Springfield song, and we aren’t just sitting around “wishing and hoping and thinking and praying,” that tax reform will get done.
Over the last month, I and Pat Tiberi, Chairman of the Select Revenue Measures Subcommittee, in coordination with Kevin McCarthy and Peter Roskam – our Whip Team – hosted tax planning sessions with House Republicans. As a result of those meetings, I can firmly say our goal is: One, block massive, job-killing tax increases; and, two, enact – not just pass – comprehensive tax reform.
And, there is strong support to use the expiration of the 2010 compromise as leverage to force action in 2013 on comprehensive tax reform. How? Simple: in addition to extending current low-tax policies originally enacted in 2001 and 2003, we should enact fast track procedures to compel comprehensive tax reform next year. There are 34 examples of fast track already in law. The one most of us recognize is TPA – Trade Promotion Authority.
This is an idea House Republicans support, the Speaker endorsed it earlier this week, and I urge the Senate and the President to get behind it as well. Doing so would send a clear, strong message to the markets, to employers and families that Washington is serious about reforming our tax code and putting us on a path to sustained economic growth.
Now, as Chairman, it should come as no secret to any of you that I have tended to run things differently than my predecessors – both Republican and Democrat. I am not fond of putting out a bill and expecting that the support will come. Nor do I prefer the “take it or leave it” approach to legislating that has become too common over the years. It simply does not yield the results and the growth that this country so deeply needs.
Instead, I intend, as I have said since the first hearing of this Congress, to run the Committee in a way that not only allows stakeholders at all levels the opportunity to share their thoughts – but makes clear that they are expected to do so as well.
Simply put, I intend to continue taking an open approach to tax reform, because I believe Congress wants and needs to hear from a variety of voices. We need to hear from families who have struggled too long under a maze of complexity that leaves them unable to understand how to make sense of a tax code that is ten times the size of the Bible – with none of the Good News.
We want to hear from small businesses who for too long have been living in fear because they are worried they will be used as the next “pay for” on something like a student loan bill.
And, we need to understand how our larger corporate businesses will be hurt when their long-term investment and planning decisions are waylaid because they are hit by a new tax or left in a lurch because they aren’t the politically-favored flavor of the week over at the White House.
In other words, we need you – all of you.
It has been said that when it comes to the legislative process in Washington that, “If you are not at the table, then you are on the menu.” Well, let me be clear – you are all at the table. We want you there, and we need you there. And if you, your industry, your association, or your advocacy group thinks otherwise, then I encourage you to look again. There is a place card with your name on it, so pull up a chair. I strongly urge you not to turn away from this opportunity.
I’ve already heard from a number of different industries regarding items they believe must be preserved as we embark on tax reform. My response has been and will continue to be the same to each and every one: tax reform cannot be achieved if everyone retreats to their four corners. That has happened too many times, and it’s why we are now struggling under the weight of a tax code that bears significant responsibility for the sluggish economic recovery.
So, come to the table – with your ideas, your thoughts, and a desire to work with your job-creating colleagues, and the men and women you employ, so that we can create a path for comprehensive tax reform that is worthy of the people we live and work with every day.
Given that I am currently serving as a conferee on the Highway bill, I hope that you will pardon the pun when I say that the pathway to comprehensive tax reform is not an express lane.
Instead, there are a few stops we need to make on the way.
So, before I close, please allow me to talk about one of those stops – tax extenders. In 2010, and mostly as a result of negotiations behind closed doors, 73 provisions expired. I was there, and I didn’t enjoy it.
Washington should not operate in the dark. Congress is a public body and must conduct itself in public. That is why I have tasked Chairman Tiberi with an open review of the tax extenders, something that neither Ways and Means nor Senate Finance has done since 2005.
If extenders are beneficial and are helping the economy, then they should be seriously considered. On the other hand, if an extender has outlived its value, and if it is not producing the economic benefits it once was, then we need to determine whether there is merit in continuing that provision.
Those are not easy choices to make, and matters are only further complicated by the fact that we are trying to bridge to tax reform and we are still dealing with the combination of a weakened economy and historic levels of debt and deficits. That said, Washington must make these choices – it is what the American people sent us here to do.
I know this may make some people nervous. Don’t be; no decisions have been made. And, I know there are rumors that Chairman Tiberi and the Select Revenue Subcommittee will be doing more work in this area. Let me put that rumor to rest – they will be. Before any decisions are reached there will be another hearing, and I expect that will happen early in June.
Yes, these are big tasks and big goals, but I’ve learned in life to set the bar high. Frankly, setting the bar low only guarantees you will trip over it.
So, while overhauling our outdated tax code is an ambitious goal, it is also necessary. If the United States is to be a beacon for attracting new investment, then we must take steps that provide an opportunity for all job creators – small, medium, and large – to be a part of that economic renaissance. And that begins with all of us working together.
I thank you for providing me this opportunity to speak with you today, and I look forward to our continued work together.
Following is the full text, as prepared for delivery, of House Speaker John Boehner’s (R-OH) address to the Peter G. Peterson Foundation’s 2012 Fiscal Summit on efforts to put our nation back on a path to prosperity and economic growth by cutting government spending, preventing job-crushing tax hikes, and making long-term changes to entitlement programs. In the address, Boehner renews his commitment to the principle that any increase in the nation’s debt limit must be accompanied by spending cuts and reforms larger than the amount of the debt limit hike. Failing to again meet this standard – dubbed the “Boehner principle” by Stanford economist John B. Taylor – in conjunction with the next debt limit increase means pushing American prosperity and job growth farther away.
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
It’s truly an honor to be with you in the historic Mellon Auditorium. It was here in the spring of 1949 that the United States and our closest allies gathered to sign the North Atlantic Treaty, giving birth to NATO.
On that occasion, President Truman declared that people ‘with courage and vision can still determine their own destiny. They can choose freedom or slavery.’
In our time, all of these great nations face a grave threat to freedom, one from within, and that is debt. It is shackling our economies and smothering the opportunities that have blessed us with so much.
Once again the world looks to the United States for what it always has: an example. It is the example of a free people whose hard work and sacrifice make up the sum total of thriving towns and a vibrant economy. It’s a humble government that lives within its means and unleashes the potential of first-rate ideas and world-class products. It’s a nation never content with the status quo and always on the make.
I got a glimpse of this example growing up working at my dad’s tavern just outside Cincinnati, and then lived a piece of it running my own small business.
Instead of this shining example, what does the world now see?
A president on whose watch the United States lost its gold-plated triple-A rating for the first time in our history;
A Senate, controlled by the president’s party, that has not passed a budget in more than three years;
And, earlier this month, another unemployment report showing that the world’s greatest economy remains unable to generate enough jobs to spur strong and lasting growth.
If you should know one thing about me, it’s that I’m an optimist.
Yes, times are tough, but our future doesn’t need to be dark. We don’t have to accept a new normal where the workplace looks more like a battlefield and families have to endure flat incomes, weak job prospects, and higher prices in their daily lives.
We have every reason to believe we can come out of this freer and more prosperous than ever. And we will, if we confront our challenges now while we still have the ability to do so.
For the solution to what ails our economy is not government – it’s the American people.
The failure of ‘stimulus’ – a word people in Washington won’t even use anymore – has sparked a rebellion against overspending, overtaxation, and overregulation.
Americans, who take pride in living on a budget, recognize we can’t go on spending money we don’t have, and that our economy is stuck in large part because it’s stuck with debt.
Nationwide, we’re seeing a groundswell of support for bold ideas that reject small politics, cast off big government, and return us to common sense and first principles – the kind of ideas that will restore prosperity and substantially improve the trajectory of our economy.
In March, as part of our Plan for America’s Job Creators, the House passed an honest budget with real spending cuts, pro-growth tax reform, and serious entitlement reform. It’s a far-reaching effort to control government’s worst habits and capitalize on the American people’s best. This budget gets our fiscal house in order AND promotes long-term growth. Far from settling for stability, it offers a true path to prosperity.
Various bipartisan commissions and coalitions have devised ambitious plans as well. The math and the mix are different, but the goals are mainly the same.
And of course, there are summits like these that bring together people who just get it. Of course, while I’m happy to be here and I’m sure we all enjoy each other’s company, we can also agree that we’ve talked this problem to death.
It’s about time we roll up our sleeves and get to work.
For all the focus on Election Day, another date looms large for every household and every business, and that’s January 1, 2013.
On that day, without action by Congress, a sudden and massive tax increase will be imposed on every American – by an average of $3,000 per household. Rates go up, the child tax credit is cut in half, the AMT patches end, the estate tax returns to 2001 levels, and so on.
Now, it gets a little more complicated than that. What will expire on January 1 is cause for concern – as is what will take effect. That includes:
Indiscriminate spending cuts of $1.2 trillion – half of which would devastate our men and women in uniform and send a signal of weakness;
Several tax increases from the health care law that is making it harder to hire new workers;
As well as a slate of energy and banking rules and regulations that will also increase the strain on the private sector.
But … it gets even more complicated than that.
Sometime after the election, the federal government will near the statutory debt limit.
This end-of-the-year pileup, commonly called the ‘fiscal cliff,’ is a chance for us to bid farewell – permanently – to the era of so-called ‘timely, temporary, and targeted’ short-term government intervention.
For years, Washington has force-fed our economy with a constant diet of meddling, micromanagement, and manipulation. None of it has been a substitute for long-term economic investment, private initiative, and freedom
Previous Congresses have encountered lesser precipices with lower stakes, and made a beeline for the closest lame-duck escape hatch.
Let me put your mind at ease. This Congress will not follow that path, not if I have anything to do with it.
Having run a business, I know that failing to plan is planning to fail. The real pain comes from doing nothing … ‘austerity’ is what will become necessary if we do nothing now. We’ll wake up one day without a choice in the matter.
There’s also no salvation to be found in doing anything just to get by, just to get through this year.
‘Nothing’ is not an option, and ‘anything’ is not a plan. To get on the path to prosperity, we have to avoid the fiscal cliff, but we need to start today.
To show my intentions are sincere, I’ll start with the stickiest issue, and that of course is the debt limit.
On several occasions in the past, the debt limit has been the catalyst for budget agreements. Last year, however, the president requested a quote-unquote ‘clean’ debt limit increase – business as usual.
Well I’ve run a business, and that’s no way to do it. It’s certainly no way to run a government either, especially one that has run up a debt bigger than the entire economy. Business as usual will no longer do.
So last year around this time, I accepted an invitation to address the Economic Club of New York. I went up there and said that in my view, the debt limit exists in statute precisely so that government is forced to address its fiscal issues.
Yes, allowing America to default would be irresponsible. But it would be more irresponsible to raise the debt ceiling without taking dramatic steps to reduce spending and reform the budget process.
We shouldn’t dread the debt limit. We should welcome it. It’s an action-forcing event in a town that has become infamous for inaction.
That night in New York City, I put forth the principle that we should not raise the debt ceiling without real spending cuts and reforms that exceed the amount of the debt limit increase.
From all the way up in Midtown Manhattan, I could hear a great wailing and gnashing of teeth. Over the next couple of months, I was asked again and again if I would yield on my ‘position,’ what it would take, if I would budge…
Each and every time, I said ‘no’ … because it isn’t a ‘position’ – it’s a principle. Not just that – it’s the right thing to do.
When the time comes, I will again insist on my simple principle of cuts and reforms greater than the debt limit increase. This is the only avenue I see right now to force the elected leadership of this country to solve our structural fiscal imbalance.
If that means we have to do a series of stop-gap measures, so be it – but that’s not the ideal. Let’s start solving the problem. We can make the bold cuts and reforms necessary to meet this principle, and we must.
Just so we’re clear, I’m talking about REAL cuts and reforms – not these tricks and gimmicks that have given Washington a pass on grappling with its spending problem.
Last year, in our negotiations with the White House, the president and his team put a number of gimmicks on the table. Plenty of thought and creativity went into them – things like counting money that was never going to be spent as savings.
Maybe in another time, with another Speaker, gimmicks like these would be acceptable.
But, as a matter of simple arithmetic, they won’t work.
They won’t work, and as I told the president, we’re not doing things that way anymore.
What also doesn’t count as ‘cuts and reforms’ are tax increases. Tax hikes destroy jobs – especially an increase on the magnitude set for January 1st. Small businesses need to plan. We shouldn’t wait until New Year’s Eve to give American job creators the confidence that they aren’t going to get hit with a tax hike on New Year’s Day.
Any sudden tax hike would hurt our economy, so this fall – before the election – the House of Representatives will vote to stop the largest tax increase in American history.
This will give Congress time to work on broad-based tax reform that lowers rates for individuals and businesses while closing deductions, credits, and special carveouts.
Eyebrows go up all over town whenever I talk about this, but when I say ‘broad-based’ tax reform, I mean it. We need to do it all … deal with the whole code, personal and corporate it’s fairer and more productive for everyone.
That’s why our bill to stop the New Year’s Day tax increase will also establish an expedited process by which Congress would enact real tax reform in 2013. This process would look something like how we handle Trade Promotion Authority, where you put in place a timeline for both houses to act.
The Ways & Means Committee will work out the details, but the bottom line is: if we do this right, we will never again have to deal with the uncertainty of expiring tax rates.
We’ll have replaced the broken status quo with a tax code that maintains progressivity, taxes income once, and creates a fairer, simpler code.
And if we do THAT right, we will see increased revenue from more economic growth.
Again, change doesn’t need to be sudden or painful.
Last fall, when I addressed the Economic Club of Washington, I said that making relatively small changes now can lead to huge dividends down the road in terms of debt reduction. As we approach the issue of the debt limit again, we need to continue to bear this in mind.
As you know, we could eliminate all of the unfunded liabilities in Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid tomorrow, and the effect within the Congressional Budget Office 10-year window could be minimal.
That’s because changes to these programs take time and are phased-in slowly.
For example, when Congress last increased the retirement age for Social Security, the increase – a mere two years – was scheduled to fully take effect 40 years after the law was enacted.
Another example: take the House Budget Resolution and its assumptions for Medicare reform. Those would not even begin until after 2022.
Smart and modest changes today mean huge dividends down the line.
Now, I can already hear the grumbles … partisans getting all worked up or people saying, eh, let’s wait until after the election.
We can’t wait. Employers large and small are already bracing for the coming tax hikes and regulations, which freeze their plans. The markets aren’t going to wait forever; eventually they’re going to start reacting.
We now know that we ignore these warnings at our own peril.
That’s why the House will do its part to ease the uncertainty surrounding the fiscal cliff. And I hope the president will step up, bring his party’s Senate leaders along, and work with us.
Because if there’s one action-forcing event that trumps all the rest – even the debt limit – it’s presidential leadership.
Ladies and gentlemen, I believe President Obama cares about this country and knows what the right thing to do is. But knowing what’s right and doing what’s right are different things.
The difference between knowing what’s right and doing what’s right is courage, and the president, I’m sorry to say, lost his.
He was willing to talk about the tough choices needed to preserve and strengthen our entitlement programs, but he wasn’t ready to take action.
As it turned out, he wouldn’t agree to even the most basic entitlement reform unless it was accompanied by tax increases on small business job creators.
We were on the verge of an agreement that would have reduced the deficit by trillions, by strengthening entitlement programs and reforming the tax code with permanently lower rates for all, laying the foundation for lasting growth.
But when the president saw his former colleagues in the Senate getting ready to press for tax hikes, he lost his nerve. The political temptation was too great. He moved the goalposts, changed his stance, and demanded tax hikes.
We ended up enacting a package with cuts and reforms larger than the hike. But it could have been so much more.
The letdown was considerable. And, in turn, our nation’s credit rating was downgraded for the first time.
Well it should also be the last time that happens, which is why I came here today.
If the president continues to put politics before principle – or party before country, as he often accuses others of doing – our economy will suffer and we may well miss our last chance to solve this crisis on our own terms.
But if we have leaders who will lead … if we have leaders with the courage to make tough choices and the vision to pursue a future paved with growth, then we can heal our economy and again be the example for all to follow.
I’m ready, and I’ve been ready. I’m not angling for higher office. This is the last position in government I will hold. I haven’t come this far to walk away.
All my life, I’ve operated by a simple code: if you do the right thing for the reasons, good things will happen.
Well, NOW is the time to do the right thing.
Let’s do it for the right reasons – we don’t need to be dragged kicking and screaming. That’s not the American way. Let’s summon the courage and vision to choose freedom, to choose prosperity, and to determine our destiny.
Then we’ll not only have succeeded in solving this crisis – we’ll be worthy of that success.
“We will continue to take leadership positions, win delegates, and carry a strong message to the Republican National Convention that Liberty is the way of the future.” – Ron Paul
LAKE JACKSON, Texas – 2012 Republican Presidential candidate Ron Paul issued the following statement to supporters and the general public concerning the continuation of his historic bid for the GOP nomination.
The statement tees up forthcoming information the campaign will release concerning its fruitful delegate-attainment strategy still occurring at delegate-selection events such as state conventions ahead of the Republican National Convention in Tampa.
Ron Paul issued the following statement concerning his 2012 Presidential campaign FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT Below please find comments from Congressman Paul:
Ron Paul with 3,000 Texas voters — at Texas A&M University. April 10
“As I reflect on our 2012 Presidential campaign, I am humbled by the supporters who have worked so hard and sacrificed so much. And I am so proud of what we have accomplished. We will not stop until we have restored what once made America the greatest country in human history.
“This campaign fought hard and won electoral success that the talking heads and pundits never thought possible. But, this campaign is also about more than just the 2012 election. It has been part of a quest I began 40 years ago and that so many have joined. It is about the campaign for Liberty, which has taken a tremendous leap forward in this election and will continue to grow stronger in the future until we finally win.
“Our campaign will continue to work in the state convention process. We will continue to take leadership positions, win delegates, and carry a strong message to the Republican National Convention that Liberty is the way of the future.
“Moving forward, however, we will no longer spend resources campaigning in primaries in states that have not yet voted. Doing so with any hope of success would take many tens of millions of dollars we simply do not have. I encourage all supporters of Liberty to make sure you get to the polls and make your voices heard, particularly in the local, state, and Congressional elections, where so many defenders of Freedom are fighting and need your support.
“I hope all supporters of Liberty will remain deeply involved – become delegates, win office, and take leadership positions. I will be right there with you. In the coming days, my campaign leadership will lay out to you our delegate strategy and what you can do to help, so please stay tuned.
Ron Paul 2012 Presidential Campaign Committee. 8000 Forbes Place, Suite 200. Springfield VA 22151. Headquarters Phone (Toll-Free): 1-855-886-9779
Headquarters Phone (Local): 1-703-563-6620 Headquarters Fax: 1-703-563-7330
WASHINGTON - The Republican National Committee (RNC) released a new web video "Empty Promises: Debt and Deficits" demonstrating President Obama's repeated broken promises when it comes to spending. Barack Obama promised to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term but has run trillion dollar deficits every year since. Now, as he's campaigning for a second term, he's making the same empty promises he made four years ago.
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
"President Obama has broken his promise over and over when it comes to reining in Washington's out of control spending," said RNC Chairman Reince Priebus. "During the campaign, he lambasted the growing debt and, once elected, he pledged to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term.
"Yet, President Obama's record has been to double-down on Washington's out of control spending by running trillion dollar deficits every year he's been in office. His serial disregard of the nation's finances is mortgaging our children's future, guaranteeing that the next generation will not be better off.
"Barack Obama is right--the American people are tired of politicians who talk the talk but don't walk the walk when it comes to fiscal responsibility. After four years of lip-service on spending, it is clear that Barack Obama is just a typical politician, saying one thing to get elected and doing another once in office."
Paid for by the Republican National Committee Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee www.GOP.com Republican National Committee 310 First Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 info@gop.com p 202.863.8500 || f 202.863.8820
Kristi Noem Weekly Republican GOP Address Pitches GOP Jobs Plan as Gift for Moms & College Grads 05/12/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO - DOWNLOAD MP3 for PODCAST || Download Video .mpeg4 ||
Washington (May 11) - Delivering the Weekly Republican Address on Mother’s Day weekend, Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) says that in the wake of last week’s disappointing unemployment report, Republicans continue to focus on the economy and the pro-growth Plan for America’s Job Creators. Rep. Noem notes that President Obama is “ignoring the tough choices and trying to distract from the real issues,” pointing to his recent politicization of women’s health and student loan rates. Rep. Noem, who received her bachelor’s degree last weekend, highlights how more than half of young college graduates are either unemployed or underemployed due to policies like the president’s health care law that make it harder to hire new workers. “If the president is truly serious about doing what’s best for women, young people, and all Americans,” Rep. Noem says, he should work with Republicans to help get our economy back on track.
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
“Hello, I’m Kristi Noem from the great state of South Dakota. I’m a proud wife, mother, rancher, and a member of the United States House of Representatives. Last week, I took on another title, ‘college graduate.’ When I was 22, I had to leave school to help run our family farming and ranching operation after my dad died in an accident on our farm. After many years, I returned to school in 2008, and was grateful to walk across the stage at South Dakota State University last Saturday with my political science degree in hand.
“Commencements are happy occasions, of course, but I couldn’t help but think about the challenges that this year’s graduates will face. Last week’s disappointing unemployment figures were a sobering reminder that our economy continues to struggle. Over half of the recent college graduates cannot get a job in President Obama’s economy. One of the reasons is that policies like the president’s health care law, they make our economy worse by making it harder for small businesses to hire new workers.
“The president claims to be leading us ‘forward’ but his policies have us stuck. Instead of working with Republicans to rebuild the economy, the president is ignoring the tough choices and trying to distract from the real issues.
“When the House recently passed legislation to prevent student loan rates from doubling, the president falsely claimed that by targeting an ObamaCare slush fund to pay for our fix, that Republicans were slashing support for women’s health. Independent news organizations quickly debunked these allegations. What’s more, the president has twice cut money from this very same slush fund, most recently in his own budget. This is just further proof that he is politicizing this issue to distract the American people.
“The challenges young people and women face in this economy need to be addressed, not exploited for political gain. Like any mother, I want to know our kids and grandkids will have even greater opportunities than we had, and that the free and prosperous America that we grew up in is still going to be there for them.
“That’s why Republicans are focused – we’re focused on helping put Americans back to work through our ‘Plan for America’s Job Creators.’ In the House, we’ve passed several ‘all of the above’ energy bills to address high gas prices and help create jobs. We’ve passed a budget to lift the crushing burden of debt that’s hurting our economy and is threatening our future. We’ve passed small business tax cuts and bills reining in red tape so we can get government out of the private sector’s way. All told, more than two dozen House-passed jobs bills are awaiting action in the Democratic-controlled Senate. If the president is truly serious about doing what’s best for women, young people – and all Americans – working on these jobs bills should be our focus.
“One of the main reasons I finished school was to set an example for my children. That’s as good of a reason as any for leaders in Washington to put aside this nonsense, focus on the real issues and work together to get our economy back on track. Action on a real jobs plan that preserves the American Dream is a gift every mother would appreciate for her child.
“Happy Mother’s Day, and thank you for listening.”
Image Caption: On April 25, I testified before the House Oversight Committee’s hearing on how to protect taxpayers from Medicaid fraud
Bachmann Statement on Withdrawal of Dual Swiss Citizenship "I want to make it perfectly clear: I am a proud American citizen"
Washington, May 10 - Congresswoman Michele Bachmann (MN-06) issued the following statement today about her decision to withdraw her dual Swiss citizenship:
"Today I sent a letter to the Swiss Consulate requesting withdrawal of my dual Swiss citizenship, which was conferred upon me by operation of Swiss law when I married my husband in 1978. I took this action because I want to make it perfectly clear: I was born in America and I am a proud American citizen. I am, and always have been, 100 percent committed to our United States Constitution and the United States of America. As the daughter of an Air Force veteran, stepdaughter of an Army veteran and sister of a Navy veteran, I am proud of my allegiance to the greatest nation the world has ever known."
Under Swiss law, Bachmann automatically received dual Swiss citizenship when she married her husband, a dual American and Swiss citizen, in 1978.
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TEXT CREDIT: Michele Bachmann Washington Office 103 Cannon HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-2331 Fax: (202) 225-6475
Rick Santorum's Endorsement of Governor Mitt Romney FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT
On Friday, Governor Romney came to Pittsburgh for an over-hour long one-on-one meeting. The conversation was candid, collegial and focused on the issues that you helped me give voice to during our campaign; because I believe they are essential ingredients to not only winning this fall, but turning our country around.
While the issue of my endorsement did not come up, I certainly have heard from many of you who have weighed in on whether or not I should issue a formal endorsement. Thank you for your counsel, it has been most helpful. However, I felt that it was completely impossible for me to even consider an endorsement until after a meeting to discuss issues critical to those of us who often feel our voices are not heard by the establishment: social conservatives, tea-party supporters, lower and middle income working families.
Clearly without the overwhelming support from you all, I never would have won 11 states and over 3 million votes, and we would not have won more counties than all the other candidates combined. I can assure you that even though I am no longer a candidate for president, I will still continue to fight every day for our shared values - the values that made America the greatest country in the history of the world.
Rick Santorum speaks to bloggers at CPAC Bloggers Lounge This photo was taken on February 10, 2011 using a Canon EOS Digital Rebel XSi. License: Copyright All rights reserved by Senator Rick Santorum
During our meeting I felt a deep responsibility to assess Governor Romney's commitment to addressing the issues most important to conservatives, as well his commitment to ensuring our appropriate representation in a Romney administration.
The family and its foundational role in America's economic success, a central point of our campaign, was discussed at length. I was impressed with the Governor's deep understanding of this connection and his commitment to economic policies that preserve and strengthen families. He clearly understands that having pro-family initiatives are not only the morally and economically right thing to do, but that the family is the basic building block of our society and must be preserved.
I also shared with Governor Romney my belief that we cannot restore America as the greatest economic engine the world has ever seen until we return America to being a manufacturing superpower. He listened very carefully to my advice on this matter, and while our policy prescriptions differed, he clearly expressed his desire to create more opportunities for those that are feeling left behind in this economy.
As it is often said, "personnel is policy." I strongly encouraged Governor Romney as he builds out his campaign staff and advisors that he add more conservative leaders as an integral part of his team. And you can be sure that I will work with the Governor to help him in this task to ensure he has a strong team that will support him in his conservative policy initiatives.
Of course we talked about what it would take to win this election. As you know I started almost every speech with the phrase that this was the most important election since the election of 1860 and four more years of President Obama is simply not an option. As I contemplated what further steps I will take, that reality weighed heavy on me. The America we know is being fundamentally changed to look more like a European socialist state than the land of opportunity our founding fathers established.
Freedom and personal responsibility are being replaced with big government dependency. The greatest and most productive workers in the world are being hamstrung by excessive regulations making it impossible to compete. Our healthcare system had been socialized, and the worth of each life dictated by some government bureaucrat. Our allies are insulted while our enemies are appeased. And our religious beliefs and freedom have come under attack.
What is even more troubling is what a second term of an Obama administration could bring. President Obama's admission to the Russians that he will have more flexibility in a second term can only be translated to "if you thought I was liberal in the first four years you haven't seen anything yet!"
The primary campaign certainly made it clear that Governor Romney and I have some differences. But there are many significant areas in which we agree: the need for lower taxes, smaller government, and a reduction in out-of-control spending. We certainly agree that abortion is wrong and marriage should be between one man and one woman. I am also comfortable with Governor Romney on foreign policy matters, and we share the belief that we can never allow Iran to possess nuclear weapons. And while I had concerns about Governor Romney making a case as a candidate about fighting against Obamacare, I have no doubt if elected he will work with a Republican Congress to repeal it and replace it with a bottom up, patient, not government, driven system.
Above all else, we both agree that President Obama must be defeated. The task will not be easy. It will require all hands on deck if our nominee is to be victorious. Governor Romney will be that nominee and he has my endorsement and support to win this the most critical election of our lifetime.
My conversation with Governor Romney was very productive, but I intend to keep lines of communication open with him and his campaign. I hope to ensure that the values that made America that shining city on the hill are illuminated brightly by our party and our candidates thus ensuring not just a victory, but a mandate for conservative governance.
Karen and I know firsthand how difficult the campaign trail can be particularly as governor Romney faces relentless attacks from the democrats. We have been praying for him and his family and will continue to do so in the weeks and months ahead.
I look forward to working together to defeat President Obama this fall and to protect faith, family, freedom and opportunity in America.
Bob Corker Weekly Republican GOP Address Democrats' Failed Fiscal Leadership 05/05/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO - DOWNLOAD MP3 for PODCAST
WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator Bob Corker, R-Tenn., delivered the Weekly Republican Address today, calling for pro-growth tax reform and a long-term plan to reduce our debt and strengthen Social Security and Medicare for the long haul.
The audio of the address is available here, the video is available here and you may download the address here.
“Preserving the principles that have made this country great is the struggle of this generation—free enterprise, personal liberty and a society where everyone has the tools and the opportunity to earn success,” said Corker. “Nothing makes people happier than earning success. Our Founding Fathers understood this and considered the ‘pursuit of happiness’ to be a God-given right. Let’s put in place policies that will enable future generations to earn success. It’s the American Dream.”
A full transcript of the address follows:
“I’m Bob Corker, and I’m proud to represent Tennessee in the United States Senate.
“When I was 25 years old, I saved $8,000 and started my own construction company. I worked hard, and my business expanded. Our country’s free enterprise system gave me the opportunity to earn success and to live the American Dream.
“I became involved in public service to help provide my neighbors with the opportunity to experience the American Dream themselves, and I came to Washington with the same goal.
“But I fear our country is moving to a place where politicians have lost sight of the value of earned success.
“Politicians are bankrupting our country by passing legislation without paying for it and abandoning the free market principles that give people the opportunity to succeed.
“It’s disappointing and, I can assure you, highly frustrating to see what happens here in Washington: More spending and debt and kicking tough decisions down the road, robbing – literally robbing – the next generation of the opportunity to pursue success and live their own American Dream.
“Last Sunday marked three years since the Senate has passed a budget. Three years. Think about that. The federal government, which spends more than $3.5 trillion a year, much of it borrowed from outside the United States, has no guideline for how that money is spent.
“The Democratic Leader of the Senate said it would be ‘foolish for us to do a budget at this stage,’ and he’s even refused to hold a vote.
“When the Democratic chairman of the Senate Budget Committee attempted to hold a markup on a budget, he was stopped at the last minute and pulled a vote from consideration.
“And what about our presidential leadership? President Obama’s budget failed to receive a single ‘yes’ vote in either House of Congress last year. According to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, this year’s presidential budget would actually decrease economic growth over the next decade.
“This kind of Washington mismanagement has put us in a place where over the last three years our debt has increased by more than $4 trillion.
“Failing to accomplish even the most basic responsibility of government is a total failure of leadership and represents everything the American people hate about Washington.
“Just last month, the trustees for Medicare and Social Security reiterated that the programs are on a path towards insolvency and in urgent need of reform.
“Despite every warning sign imaginable, we have no solutions from this Administration or Democratic leadership in the Senate.
“The President punts on almost every tough decision. In fact, as he appeals to college students, his Administration is robbing those same young people of their American inheritance, spending their money on my generation and engaging in nothing short of generational theft.
“Families and state governments are making tough decisions every day in order to make ends meet. And businesses are crying out for clarity on tax rates and regulation. This uncertainty is what’s weighing down the recovery and preventing the investment needed to create jobs in Tennessee and throughout the country. Washington’s lack of courage to deal with out-of-control spending is only adding to the sense of uncertainty among investors and potential small businesses owners.
“At present, our inability to deal with these issues is our greatest enemy. In other words, we are our greatest enemy. But I also believe it can be our greatest opportunity.
“We need pro-growth tax reform. This means simplifying the tax code and doing away with most, if not all, of the $1.2 trillion in loopholes and tax expenditures that Congress has created to try to drive your behavior. This would allow us to broaden the tax base and lower rates for everyone.
“This kind of tax reform combined with a long-term plan to reduce our debt and strengthen Social Security and Medicare so that they are solvent for the long haul would really cause our economy to just take off.
“Growing the private sector, not government, will ensure that we remain the strongest country in the world. Preserving the principles that have made this country great is the struggle of this generation—free enterprise, personal liberty and a society where everyone has the tools and the opportunity to earn success.
“Nothing makes people happier than earning success. Our Founding Fathers understood this and considered the ‘pursuit of happiness’ to be a God-given right. Let’s put in place policies that will enable future generations to earn success. It’s the American Dream.”
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TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Senator Bob Corker 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, D.C., 20510
Kelly Ayotte introduces Mitt Romney at an event in Portsmouth to talk about commercial fishing and their belief that the Obama White House has stifled it and other small business with too much regulation. After her intro, Romney greets the crowd and recognized certain people in the audience, including former N.H. Gov. John Sununu. No mention by either Romney nor Ayotte about speculation concerning Ayotte becoming Romney's running mate.
VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: pbriand3 Published on Apr 30, 2012 by
IMAGE CREDIT: by wmurtv Published on Apr 30, 2012 U.S. Sen. Kelly Ayotte introduces Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Portsmouth. Category: News & Politics Tags: Kelly, Ayotte, Portsmouth, Mitt Romney. License: Standard YouTube License.
Mitt Romney Press | April 30, 2012 Location Boston, MA United States. FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT
Today, Romney for President released a new web video describing President Obama’s failure to rein in spending and reduce the size of government, “Broken Promises: Spending.”
AD FACTS: Script For “Broken Promises: Spending”
VIDEO TEXT: “August 28, 2008”
VIDEO TEXT: “What Barack Obama Promised…”
SEN. BARACK OBAMA: “But I will also go through the federal budget line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less, because we cannot meet 21st century challenges with a 20th century bureaucracy.”
SEN. BARACK OBAMA: “But I will also go through the federal budget line by line, eliminating programs that no longer work and making the ones we do need work better and cost less, because we cannot meet 21st century challenges with a 20th century bureaucracy.” (Sen. Barack Obama, “Remarks,” Denver, CO 8/28/08)
VIDEO TEXT: “2009-2012”
VIDEO TEXT: “What President Obama Delivered.”
VIDEO TEXT: “‘Taxpayer Dollars Were Squandered’ After GSA Officials Spent Nearly $1 Million For A Lavish Conference For Only 300 Attendees.”
“Taxpayer Dollars Were Squandered” After GSA Officials Spent Nearly $1 Million For A Lavish Conference For Only 300 Attendees. “GSA Administrator Martha Johnson admitted in a letter of resignation that her agency had made a ‘significant misstep’ and that ‘taxpayer dollars were squandered.’ A GSA Inspector General's report on the 2010 GSA ‘Western Regions’ training conference in Las Vegas shows the government spent more than $822,000 for the 300 attendees…” (Lesa Jansen, “GSA Head Resigns Over 'Wasteful' Las Vegas Seminar,” CNN, 4/2/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “Obama’s Budget Projects That The Deficit For The Current Year Will Total $1.33 Trillion, The Fourth Straight Year Of Deficits Over $1 Trillion.”
“Obama's Budget Projects That The Deficit For The Current Year Will Total $1.33 Trillion, The Fourth Straight Year Of Deficits Over $1 Trillion.” (“Highlights Of Obama's $3.8 Trillion Budget,” The Associated Press, 2/13/12)
VIDEO TEXT: “Under President Obama, The Nation’s Total Public Debt Has Reached A Record $15.6 Trillion.”
Under President Obama, The Nation’s Total Public Debt Has Reached A Record $15.6 Trillion. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury, www.treasurydirect.gov, Accessed 4/26/12)
Paul Ryan Weekly Republican GOP Address Marks Three-Year Anniversary of Senate Dems’ Last Budget 04/28/12 TEXT PODCAST VIDEO. Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || Download Video .mpeg4 ||
Washington (Apr 28) - Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) discusses Republicans’ Path to Prosperity budget, which cuts government spending to protect hardworking taxpayers, strengthens health and retirement security, and lifts the crushing burden of debt. Sunday marks three years to the day since the Democratic-run Senate last passed a budget, a failure of governing that has contributed to the ‘stimulus’ spending binge that is hurting our economy.
FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:
“Hello, my name is Paul Ryan and I represent the first district of Wisconsin.
“As I go around Southern Wisconsin and visit with Americans across the country about the debt and the economy, people often ask: is it too late to save America from a diminished future?
“It’s a difficult question, it’s one that makes me worry about my children’s future, and I know you’re worried too.
“But the honest answer is this: It’s not too late to save the American Dream.
“You see, we are closer than you think to solutions that will help create jobs and put us back on a path to prosperity.
“Regrettably, this president has failed to lead us, to unite us, and to help us address our defining challenges.
“Last week, leaders in the United States Senate, which is controlled by the president’s own party, announced they would not advance a budget for the third year in a row. Tomorrow, in fact, will mark three years to the day since the Senate last fulfilled this basic governing responsibility.
“This unserious approach to budgeting has dire consequences for American families. The President and his party leaders are now insisting that Washington take trillions of dollars from hardworking Americans in an effort to lock in ever-higher government spending.
“If we’ve learned anything over the last three years, it’s that this approach won’t work.
“The good news is, there’s a better way forward: a budget, recently passed by the House of Representatives, that would lift the debt and free the nation from the constraints of ever-expanding government.
“If enacted, this budget would promote economic growth and opportunity starting today, with bold reforms to the tax code and a credible, principled plan to prevent a debt crisis from ever happening.
“It would support safe, responsible energy exploration here at home to address high gas prices and it would repeal the president’s health care law, which is making it harder for businesses to hire new workers.
“Repealing the President’s health care law would also protect America’s seniors. The law raids over $500 billion from Medicare and empowers a board of 15 unelected bureaucrats to cut Medicare in ways that would deny seniors access to the care they need.
“Our budget saves and strengthens Medicare by proposing to put 50 million seniors, not 15 unaccountable bureaucrats, in charge of their personal health care decisions.
“This budget would also ensure the federal government can make good on its commitment to younger Americans – a stark contrast to the dismal economy and empty promises offered by the President’s policies.
“Our budget expands opportunity for the next generation, saves them from a debt-burdened future, and ensures that the important education programs they rely on are made stronger and more sustainable.
“The President is hunkered down in campaign mode, and seems intent on dividing Americans for political gain instead of offering credible solutions to our most pressing fiscal and economic challenges. And his party leaders in the Senate? They’re about to go another year without a budget.
“By contrast, the Republican-led House has passed a pro-growth budget and nearly 30 jobs bills that are waiting for action in the Senate. This week, we passed four more bills relating to stopping cyberterrorism – which hurts our economy and costs jobs. And we’re working to advance the Keystone XL pipeline, which would bring 20,000 jobs to the United States.
“We will get back on a path to prosperity – it is not too late to get this right. But only with the right leadership in place can we renew the American promise of leaving our children a stronger nation than the one our parents left us.
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.
