Congressman Paul Ryan (R-WI) Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 06/25/10

Video of the address will be available here once the embargo is lifted. Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST

Washington (Jun 25) In the Weekly Republican Address, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) says Washington Democrats’ unprecedented decision to cancel this year’s budget will wreak havoc on our economy and make it even harder to put people back to work. The House Budget Committee’s top Republican, Ryan says Democrats’ plan to continue their out-of-control ‘stimulus’ spending spree and raise taxes on middle-class families is a “recipe for disaster.” He also challenges President Obama and Washington Democrats to stop running out the clock and “make the tough choices they promised they would, put moral obligation before political expedience, and focus on what’s in the best interests of the next generation, not the next election.”

With economists saying immediate fiscal discipline is needed to create jobs, Ryan notes that Republicans have already identified $1.3 trillion in specific spending cuts that could be implemented right now. Rep. Ryan is in his sixth term representing the people of Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District. President Obama will visit Southeast Wisconsin next week to discuss the economy. Text of the address follows; Full Text Transcript of the address follows;

Uploaded on June 25, 2010 by republicanconference

“Hello – I’m Paul Ryan – I work for the people of Wisconsin’s 1st Congressional District and I serve as the top Republican on the House Budget Committee. Yes, Congress does have a budget committee, but I’m afraid it hasn’t been very busy this year. “In fact, this week the House Majority Leader announced that Democrats are canceling this year’s budget.

Instead of reining in out-of-control spending that has pushed our national debt past $13 trillion, Democrats have made clear their intention to raise taxes on middle-class families to fuel their continued spending spree.

“Talk about a recipe for disaster: Democrats are offering no budget, no priorities, and no restraints – yet all their taxing, borrowing, and spending continues unchecked.

“With this budget failure – a first in the modern era – Democrats are missing a critical opportunity to provide the fiscal discipline economists say is needed to create private-sector jobs and boost our economy. This unprecedented budget collapse also sends a clear signal to American families struggling to meet their own budgets that Washington still doesn’t recognize the severity of its spending problem.

“Democrats say their decision is about what’s best for the future of our country. It’s not. With the political season upon us, Democratic leaders believe it’s better to take a pass than to pass a budget. While Americans ask ‘where are the jobs?,’ they seem content to simply run out the clock and let their borrowing binge continue to drain resources from our economy.

“The debt is on track to exceed the size of our entire economy in the next 18 months. We have run out of road to kick the can down. If this is really about the future of our country, then leaders should make the tough choices they promised they would, put moral obligation before political expedience, and focus on what’s in the best interests of the next generation, not the next election.

“This is a time to make tough choices, not run from them. To that end, Republicans on the Budget Committee have already identified $1.3 trillion in specific spending cuts we would implement right now to make Washington do more with less and help small businesses put people back to work. These are specific, common-sense ideas, such as canceling unspent TARP bailout funds and ‘stimulus’ money, that would help us focus on creating more jobs, not more debt. We also propose reducing federal employment and freezing government pay. Instead of growing government, we need to restart the engine of economic growth.

“Of course, this is just a starting point. Much more needs to be done to set our nation on a sustainable economic course. We need to start reining in unnecessary spending now so that we can boost the economy and work together to address our nation’s long term fiscal challenges.

“It is our shared responsibility to take on the challenges before us to make sure that our kids and our grandkids have a better life. Let’s begin this important work today. Let’s make certain we do not simply retreat to the same failed policies. Let’s make the tough, forward-looking choices that will restore the promise and prosperity of this exceptional nation - and let’s do it together.

“Thanks for listening.”

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

Letter from Governor Janice K. Brewer to President Barack Obama VIDEO

Three weeks ago. June the 3d, President Obama in an Oval Office meeting promised Governor Brewer to present details on border security matters within two weeks. I guess it's just not a priority like the President's Department of Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis telling people You Have the Right to Be Paid Fairly Whether Documented or Not.

June 23, 2010

The Honorable Barack Obama The President of the United States The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

Thank you for the opportunity to visit with you in person during my recent trip to Washington, D.C. As you know, the issue of border security is foremost in the thoughts of many Arizonans and Americans alike, and I appreciated the chance to personally relate to you my concerns and outline my proposed solutions.

Mr. President, the need for action to secure Arizona's border could not be clearer. Recently, my office received a number of calls from constituents concerned at reports of new sign postings in interior counties of Arizona warning residents not to access federal lands due to criminal activity associated with the border. These warnings signal to some that we have handed over portions of our border areas to illegal immigrants and drug traffickers. This is unacceptable. Instead of warning Americans to stay out of parts of our own country, we ought to be warning international lawbreakers that they will be detained and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. We ought to be establishing measures to ensure that illegal traffic of any sort is kept to an absolute minimum, and that Americans are safe and secure within our own borders.

President Barack Obama meets with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer in the Oval Office, June 3, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

When we visited, you committed to present details, within two weeks of our meeting, regarding your plans to commit National Guard troops to the Arizona border and expend $500 million in additional funds on border security matters. You also discussed sending members of your senior staff to Arizona to discuss your plans. While I am pleased the 28th has been set for a meeting time and we have reviewed a copy of the Department of Homeland Security's "Southwest Border Next Steps" Press Release,

I am still awaiting details on National Guard deployments and how the proposed additional border security funding will specifically affect Arizona (and the other Border States). As I mentioned to you on June 3rd, it is very difficult to have much of a dialogue without specific details regarding your proposals. I strongly urge you to request your staff provide us with missing details of your proposals prior to the meeting on the 28th.

While we await the specific details of your border security plans, I wanted to take the time to reemphasize some of what I shared with you and respond further to some of what we discussed. In essence, I have proposed a four-point Border Surge strategy, as outlined in my recent letter to Senator Charles Schumer, summarized as follows:

FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT: Letter from Governor Janice K. Brewer to President Barack Obama

Governor Chris Christie Unedited interview with the N.J. governor VIDEO

Governor Chris Christie Unedited interview with the N.J. governor.

DISCLOSE Act Passes House 219 to 206 Will “Shred Our Constitution for Raw, Ugly, Partisan Gain” Roll Call Vote

What now seems to be a daily erosion of civil liberties continues.

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

GOP Leader: “With this misguided bill, Democrats would restrict free speech and violate the First Amendment." H R 5175 RECORDED VOTE 24-Jun-2010 4:29 PM QUESTION: On Passage BILL TITLE: Democracy is Strengthened by Casting Light on Spending in Elections Act or the DISCLOSE Act FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 391

Washington (Jun 24) House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the Democrats’ unconstitutional bill designed to silence their political opponents:

“The First Amendment says ‘Congress shall make no law … abridging the freedom of speech.’ It’s first for a reason. Freedom of speech is the basis of our democracy. The purpose of this bill, plain and simple, is to allow Democrats to use their Majority in this House to silence their political opponents. This is a backroom deal to shred our Constitution for raw, ugly, partisan gain.

“With this misguided bill, Democrats would restrict free speech and violate the First Amendment. But not for everyone. This bill would muzzle small businesses but protect labor unions. It allows the Humane Society to speak freely, but not the Farm Bureau. It would protect the AARP’s rights, but not 60-Plus. And lastly it would protect the National Rifle Association but not the National Right to Life. The NRA is carved out and gets a special deal in this bill. The NRA is all about protecting the Second Amendment, but apparently its leaders don’t care about protecting the First Amendment. That’s very disappointing.

“Since the Supreme Court’s decision to uphold the First Amendment, Democrats have maintained their bill would ‘apply equally across the board’ to corporations, labor unions and advocacy organizations alike. Instead, they produced a bill full of loopholes designed to help their friends while silencing their political opponents. We in this House take an oath to ‘preserve, protect, and defend our Constitution.’ A vote for this bill violates that oath.”

TEXT CREDIT: House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) H-204 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-4000 F (202) 225-5117

Americans Target IRS ObamaCare Enforcers

I know this is a priority issue for most Americans, lets spend billions to hire more IRS agents, it'll end the war, economic recession, global warming, illegal immigration and the leak. If only we we'd been in time to save Al Gore's marriage. Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement in support of this week’s YouCut vote to save $5 to $10 billion by prohibiting new funding to the IRS for the purpose of enforcing the unconstitutional individual mandate in ObamaCare.

“Spending $10 billion to hire thousands of new IRS agents is not health care reform,” said Chairman Price. “It’s just an expansion of government power. How Democrats can equate health care reform with a more powerful IRS is a mystery. If ObamaCare was actually good for patients, they would not need an unconstitutional mandate enforced by a horde of new tax agents.

“The American people have cast more than one million YouCut votes in the last six weeks. And if not for the intense opposition of House Democrats, the winning initiatives could have already saved $100 billion. The Democrats’ failure to support common sense spending cuts goes hand-in-hand with their failure to budget. They cannot tackle a $1.5 trillion deficit if they balk at the first few steps.”

Note: According to the Congressional Budget Office, over the next ten years the IRS will require between $5 billion and $10 billion in funding to implement ObamaCare. ###

Republican Study Committee (RSC) - The Caucus of House Conservatives: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6.24.2010

Bobby Jindal federal judge’s ruling to grant an immediate injunction on President Obama’s deepwater drilling moratorium was welcome news.VIDEO

The Governor reiterated his support for the court’s ruling yesterday to lift the moratorium and also noted that for the first time BP said today they will not be paying for any moratorium-related losses.

Governor Jindal said, “The federal judge’s ruling yesterday to grant an immediate injunction on President Obama’s deepwater drilling moratorium was welcome news. We absolutely agree with the judge’s conclusion that the Administration’s six-month, or longer, shut down of deepwater drilling was ‘arbitrary and capricious.’

“Not only does the moratorium threaten thousands of direct jobs in our state, it also jeopardizes many other industries that supply our oil and gas industry and the entire communities that depend on them. It is also deeply concerning that the President’s moratorium was enacted against the judgment of the Department of the Interior’s own expert advisors and scientists.

“The Administration now says that they will immediately appeal the ruling. They just don’t seem to understand that you can’t just turn a switch on and off with these rigs. When they leave our coast to produce oil in other parts of the country or the world, the jobs that support them go too. We absolutely do not want another spill or one more drop of oil on our coast or in our water, but thousands of Louisianians should not have to lose their jobs because the federal government can’t adequately do their job of ensuring drilling is done safely.

“The federal government has an entire agency dedicated to monitoring safe drilling. It shouldn’t take them six-months or longer to ensure safety measures are in place and their laws and regulations are being followed. Instead of an arbitrary moratorium, the Administration should listen to their own experts and enact the specific recommended steps from their own experts to ensure proper oversight and safe drilling.

“As Judge Feldman stated in his preliminary injunction ruling yesterday, ‘…the Secretary’s determination that a six-month moratorium on issuance of new permits and on drilling by the thirty-three rigs is necessary does not seem to be fact-specific and refuses to take into measure the safety records of those others in the Gulf. There is no evidence presented indicating that the Secretary balanced the concern for environmental safety with the policy of making leases available for development. There is no suggestion that the Secretary considered any alternatives: for example, an individualized suspension of activities on target rigs until they reached compliance with the new federal regulations said to be recommended for immediate implementation.’”

The Governor added, “The Commission that was supposed to study the moratorium for the President for six months now says they won’t have their first meeting until mid-July and they won’t finish their report until next year.

“I want to be very clear on this point. Each month that the work of the Commission is delayed means another month that thousands of Louisiana people won’t be able to work. Each month that the work of the Commission is delayed, we expect additional energy companies to move existing deepwater rigs to other parts of the world and/or to plan new deepwater drilling capacity for other parts of the world in lieu of the Gulf – further extending and expanding job losses in Louisiana. Each month that the work of the Commission is delayed will result in the loss of approximately $65 to 135 million in Louisiana wages.

“Moreover, the $100 million set aside by BP to offset the wage losses of deepwater rig workers will cover only a few weeks of lost wages for those workers – and these funds will do nothing to offset the hundreds of millions in wage losses for workers in support industries that count on deepwater drilling activity for their livelihood. Today, BP told us for the first time that they will not pay for moratorium-related losses above the $100 million.”

TEXT CREDIT: Office of the Governor || PO Box 94004, Baton Rouge, LA 70804 || Contact the Governor||

VIDEO CREDIT: BobbyJindal2007

Gov. Jindal to Feds: No Time for More Studies, Act Now & Restart Dredging Operations so LA Can Win this War against the Oil Spill

NEW ORLEANS – Today, Governor Bobby Jindal called on the federal government to immediately restart dredging operations at the Chandeleur Islands after the federal government ordered the operations there to shut down last night. The Governor landed on the sand-berms today at the Chandeleur Islands today to highlight the progress already made in the state’s dredging project to block the oil from hitting Louisiana’s coast.

Governor Jindal called the federal government’s decision to shut down dredging absurd and requested they immediately allow contractors to get back to work building sand-berms to protect the state’s coastline.

Governor Jindal said, “We got word yesterday that federal officials were going to shut down our dredging operations on the North Chandeleur Islands and those operations were indeed stopped under the federal government’s command at 6PM last night.

“Our request here today is simple. We are again calling on the federal government to allow us to continue these dredging operations as we mobilize pipe for another two miles – which will take around just seven more days. Getting this pipe in place without stopping the dredging operations will allow us a seamless transition as we move the dredge to a new borrow site. After this pipe is in place, our dredger can disconnect and move to the next site where it can then resume dredging operations in just one day.

“We have told Col. Lee of the Army Corps of Engineers and every federal agency that we are in an emergency situation here. This is a disaster for our state. Days count. Hours count. We cannot wait for more conference calls and meetings for discussions. We need to adapt to the situation on the ground and continue our dredging operations for as long as possible until we can move to the next borrow site and continue to create sand boom.

To date, more than 690,000 cubic yards of material have been transported for the eastern and western reaches of the sand berm project on the North Chandeleur Islands. This includes approximately 90,000 cubic yards on the western side. A total of 5,000 feet of sand berm has been created at the site. The state has also dredged over 2.5 miles on East Grand Terre.

The Governor added, “We have jumped through every hoop that the federal government has placed in front of us since this spill started. On May 2, we submitted our initial boom plan to the Incident Command Post since there was not a plan. When BP and the Coast Guard were unable to provide the appropriate boom resources, we began developing innovative solutions like Tiger Dams, air-dropping sand bags, Hesco baskets, opening all freshwater diversions, vacuum barges and many other alternatives.

“On May 11th, we submitted a proposal to the regulatory agencies, BP and the Coast Guard to approve our sand berms. It took almost a month for the federal government to approve the plan and make BP pay for the work. Meanwhile, we had millions of gallons of oil covering our wetlands, killing our wildlife and forcing our people out of work.”

At a press conference following the tour of the dredging site, the Governor highlighted a picture of the Chandeleur Islands from 2001 to 2005 that shows the erosion of the area. Governor Jindal noted that The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service own these islands and they are supposed to be a wildlife refuge.

Governor Jindal said, “People used to live on these islands. It was a fishing community and even had some farming. From the mid-90s until recently, the islands lost up to 300 feet per year under U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service management. Now, this same agency has concerns that we are not being sensitive to the islands by wanting to continue to dredge for seven more days to ensure a smooth transition? They have not invested a penny in this area and are allowing it to erode at extraordinary rates. Meanwhile, they invest millions in other refuges in other parts of the country.

“Louisiana's coast is one our most important resources. That is why we are fighting so hard to protect our wetlands, protect our fisheries and birds and to protect our way of life from this oil spill – with these sand booms.

“We have said from the beginning that we would backfill any dredging that would adversely affect these islands. That commitment still stands. Shutting down dredging operations while oil continues to hit our shores and the oil continues to flow into the Gulf is absolutely absurd. We need to act now.

“The area where the state was dredging remains within the area permitted by the federal government. When the dredging contractor began operations, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service voiced objections to the location of the dredge. In an effort to prevent delay to the project, we worked out an agreement that would provide for backfilling the dredge site and the movement of the dredge vessel to a new location. The state remains committed to moving the dredge to another location within the permitted area and backfilling the first dredge site.”

TEXT and PHOTO CREDIT: Office of the Governor || PO Box 94004, Baton Rouge, LA 70804 || Contact the Governor||

John McCain’s remarks with Lieberman and Graham regarding President Obama’s decision to appoint General Petraeus commander in Afghanistan VIDEO

“We applaud the decision of the President of the United States to ask General Petraeus to go serve again in defense of our nation. We think there is no one more qualified or more outstanding leader than General Petraeus to achieve a successful conclusion of the Afghan conflict. We praise the service of General McChrystal and thank him for his service to our nation and wish him well, every success in the future. We are confident that General Petraeus' leadership will have a very positive effect on the situation in the region.”

“We know there's tough sledding ahead. … The concern that we have is, and the issue that will be raised in General Petraeus' confirmation hearings is, exactly what is meant by ‘withdrawal in the middle of 2011,’ whether that is ‘etched in stone’ as the President's spokesperson … stated or whether it will be conditions based. Obviously, we feel strongly it needs to be condition based because if you tell the enemy when you are leaving, then obviously it has an adverse effect on your ability to succeed. So that is a major concern and there's a great deal of ambiguity about that issue. I'm convinced that we can succeed in Afghanistan with the leadership and the talent of the young men and women who are serving, but we have to send the message that we will do whatever is necessary in order to achieve success. ... The withdrawal of U.S. troops must be based on conditions at the time, not on an arbitrary date.” – Senator John McCain

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

VIDEO CREDIT: SenatorJohnMcCain

Howard P. “Buck” McKeon's Statement on President Obama's decision to relieve General Stanley McChrystal

Washington, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Howard P. “Buck” McKeon (R-Calif.), the Ranking Member of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, today released the following statement in response to the President’s decision to relieve General Stanley McChrystal of command in Afghanistan and replace him with General David Petraeus, the current commander of U.S. Central Command:

“We are at a critical time in our Afghanistan campaign with our troops engaged in tough fighting throughout the country. While the current situation is unfortunate, our focus must remain on the mission at hand: defeating al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and their extremist allies.

“The counterinsurgency strategy our troops are implementing in Afghanistan remains strong. I believe the appointment of General Petraeus will ensure continuity in this effort. In Iraq, he proved that a counterinsurgency campaign can work and is well prepared to do the same in Afghanistan.

“Now is the time for the President, as Commander-in-Chief, to exert stronger leadership over the course of the war. By focusing more on the effort, everybody—from the top commanders and diplomats to the warfighters and civilian professionals in the field—will know that he is engaged and singularly focused on winning.

“I encourage the President to recommit his entire Afghanistan-Pakistan team to the seriousness of purpose at hand. This will allow the President to reassure our troops and diplomats, and their families, that he has a cohesive team committed to providing the time and resources they need to win in Afghanistan.

“Finally, I would be remiss if I didn’t thank General McChrystal for his decades-long service to our country and for his counsel to Congress on both Iraq and Afghanistan.” ###

TEXT and PHOTO CREDIT: June 23, 2010 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Lindsey Mask Washington, D.C. Office Congressman Howard P. Buck McKeon U.S. House of Representatives 2184 Rayburn HOB Washington, D.C. 20515 ph: (202) 225-1956 fax: (202) 226-0683

Obama’s Chicago Network VIDEO

Lite summer fare Youtube mashup from the Republican National Committee.

Obama’s Chicago Network brings the hottest, most drama-filled political intrigue to a national audience. President Obama brought to the White House both seasoned actors of the Chicago Way Rahm Emanuel, Valerie Jarrett, and David Axelrod, and fresh new faces Robert Gibbs and Jim Messina. Together they’re bringing Chicago-style politics to the biggest stars in DC. You may be sitting at home, but thanks to Obama’s Chicago Network, you’ll feel like you’re watching from the Wrigley bleachers eating a hot dog…except this dog gives you indigestion.

Paid for by the Republican National Committee Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee. www.GOP.com

House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) Statement on New U.S. Military Leadership in Afghanistan

Uploaded on December 3, 2009 by House GOP Leader © All rights reserved.

"Every one of you carries a marshal's baton in his knapsack; It is up to you to bring it out". - Napoleon Washington (Jun 23) House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) issued the following statement on the leadership changes for the U.S. military in Afghanistan announced today:

“Our fight in Afghanistan is critical to the security of the American people, and nothing should distract us from our goal of defeating al-Qaeda, the Taliban, and Islamic terrorists and denying them safe haven in the region. Afghanistan is a tough operating environment, and our military, intelligence, and civilian personnel are doing a tremendous job. We need to focus our efforts on supporting their efforts and providing them with all the resources they need, and that means Congress should pass its troop funding bill without any further delay. House Republicans stand ready to work with the President to ensure our troops have all the resources and support from Congress they need to complete their mission successfully.

“I have great respect for General McChrystal and the job he’s done in Afghanistan and elsewhere in service of our country, but I respect the decision of our Commander-in-Chief. I thank General McChrystal for the sacrifices and enormous contributions he has made on behalf of our country. General Petraeus has also dedicated his career to this country and he deserves great credit for his leadership in helping to stabilize Iraq and bring it to a critical transition point this summer. I believe he is the right person take over this command.”

TEXT CREDIT: House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) H-204 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-4000 F (202) 225-5117

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates Issues Statement on McChrystal Profile VIDEO

Gates on McChrystal 22 June 2010. Defense Secretary Robert Gates issued a statement June 22 regarding GEN Stanley McChrystal's comments in a Rolling Stone magazine story.

WASHINGTON, June 22, 2010 – Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates issued a statement today regarding a profile article on Army Gen. Stanley A. McChrystal, commander of the International Security Assistance Force and U.S. forces in Afghanistan.

Here is the secretary’s statement:

"I read with concern the profile piece on Gen. Stanley McChrystal in the upcoming edition of ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine. I believe that Gen. McChrystal made a significant mistake and exercised poor judgment in this case. We are fighting a war against al Qaeda and its extremist allies, who directly threaten the United States, Afghanistan, and our friends and allies around the world. Going forward, we must pursue this mission with a unity of purpose. Our troops and coalition partners are making extraordinary sacrifices on behalf of our security, and our singular focus must be on supporting them and succeeding in Afghanistan without such distractions. Gen. McChrystal has apologized to me and is similarly reaching out to others named in this article to apologize to them as well. I have recalled Gen. McChrystal to Washington to discuss this in person."

From a Defense Department News Release.

Steny Hoyer : ‘No’ to a Budget, ‘Yes’ to Middle Class Tax Hikes

It’s clear from the harsh partisan rhetoric that President Obama, his administration and Democratic leaders in both houses have run out of excuses for their broken promises

Uploaded on November 5, 2009 by House GOP Leader © All rights reserved.

Washington (Jun 22) House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) released the following statement on House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer’s budget speech this morning: “In his speech today, Majority Leader Hoyer admits that House Democrats will not do a budget this year, for the first time in modern history. He also admits that he supports raising taxes on the middle class to pay for more government spending.

“That is the ideology of Washington Democrats: just keep spending taxpayers’ money - with no plan, no discipline, and no accountability. Every American knows that our country is going through tough times. Unemployment is near ten percent nationwide. In my home state of Ohio, it’s even higher. Every American family also knows what Washington Democrats can’t seem to grasp: in tough times it’s more important - not less - to have a budget, to set priorities, and to live within your means.

“As the Obama Administration’s Office of Management and Budget Director flees the rising tide of red ink, it’s time to be honest with the American people. To tell them how much their federal government is spending, how much it owes, and how big a bite it will take out of their paychecks this year and in years to come. Struggling small business owners can’t save, invest, and hire if Washington Democrats won’t even tell them how much they’ll owe in taxes next year.

“Economists have told us a fiscally-responsible budget will help create jobs, and the American people know they’re right. House Republicans have offered better solutions to cut spending now, and impose real spending caps in the future. We know that higher taxes, higher deficits, and more debt are not the answer. That’s why the Majority Leader is dead wrong about the future of this country, and what we need to do - right now - to make sure the American dream is alive and well for our kids and grandkids.”

NOTE: On June 10, a group of more than 100 economists sent a letter saying that failing to offer a budget this year would, “mark a massive missed opportunity to help our economy grow and create private-sector jobs.” House Republican Leader Boehner gave a copy of that letter to President Obama at the White House.

TEXT CREDIT: House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) H-204 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-4000 F (202) 225-5117

Steny Hoyer Permanent Middle Class Tax Cuts Too Expensive VIDEO

The other shoe drops for desperate Dems. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) announced that the House will not pass a budget blueprint this year.

Leader: House Won’t Pass Budget Resolution Boozman says ‘failure to govern’

Since the implementation of current budget rules in 1974, the House of Representatives has never failed to pass a budget resolution – until now. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) today announced that the House of Representatives will not pass a budget blueprint this year.

This “is a failure by the Majority to govern at its most basic level,” U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) said in a speech on the House Floor. During his remarks, Boozman said Washington needs to make difficult financial decisions just like hardworking Arkansas families are forced to do.

The following is a transcript of Boozman’s comments:

Mr. Speaker when hardworking Arkansans receive their paychecks they are forced to make difficult decisions about their finances and how they spend their money. Arkansas families are forced to tighten their belts in this economic climate and change their spending habits and they expect Washington to do the same.

It is the job of Congress to be responsible stewards of taxpayer money, but not passing a budget is far from responsible, it is a failure by the Majority to govern at its most basic level.

The level of discretionary increases and spending in the past year is unsustainable. Failing to produce a budget only places future burdens on our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

We need fiscal discipline and a balanced budget that controls the national debt, does not raise taxes and achieves lower deficits. Not passing a budget for the first time in modern history demonstrates how out of touch Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Hoyer are with the American people and shows the lack of leadership. We owe it to the American people to do better.

I yield back the balance of my time.

TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Representative John Boozman (R-AR) Washington D.C. Office: 1519 Longworth HOB Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-4301 Fax: (202) 225-5713

VIDEO CREDIT: BoozmanPressOffice

Federal judge grants injunction, blocks Obama administration's drilling moratorium

Martin Leach-Cross Feldman federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana granted the motion for preliminary injunction, blocking the offshore drilling moratorium imposed by President Barack Obama's administration after BP Gulf oil spill.

This case asks whether the federal government’s imposition of a general moratorium on deepwater drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico was imposed contrary to law. Before the Court is the plaintiffs’ motion for preliminary injunction. For the following reasons, the motion is GRANTED.

The plaintiffs in this case provide a myriad of services to support offshore oil and gas drilling, exploration, and production activities in the Gulf of Mexico’s Outer Continental Shelf.1 They challenge the six-month moratorium on offshore drilling operations of new and currently permitted deepwater wells that was imposed on May 28, 2010 by the Department of the Interior and the Minerals Management Service.

FULL TEXT IN PDF FORMAT, Gulf Oil Spill Moratorium Decision (Hornbeck v. Salazar CA 10-1663)

Martin Leach-Cross Feldman (born 1934) is a United States federal judge.

Feldman was born in St. Louis, Missouri. He received a B.A. from Tulane University in 1955. He received a J.D. from Tulane Law School in 1957. He was in the United States Army Reserve Captain, JAG Corps from 1957 to 1963. He was a law clerk, Hon. John Minor Wisdom, U.S. Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit from 1957 to 1959. He was in private practice in New Orleans, Louisiana from 1959 to 1983.

Feldman is a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Feldman was nominated by President Ronald Reagan on September 9, 1983, to a seat vacated by Jack M. Gordon. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on October 4, 1983, and received his commission on October 5, 1983. Biographical Directory of Federal Judges
Feldman, Martin Leach-Cross

Senator George LeMieux Avoid Reliance on Russians; Add Shuttle Flights

Of all the "missteps" that the President has taken, we find the discontinuation of the manned space program to be the most revealing of his methods and motives. WASHINGTON - U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) today issued the following statement in response to comments by former astronaut and U.S. Senator John Glenn in support of additional Space Shuttle flights.

Senator LeMieux said:

"I fully support Senator John Glenn's call for additional Shuttle flights. Relying solely on the Russians for access to space is irresponsible. President Obama's ill-conceived plans for NASA will cost Florida thousands of jobs while dismantling a critical workforce and national capability. I look forward to working with Senator Glenn and other leaders in space exploration to correct the Obama Administration's misguided plans to outsource human space exploration to the Russians." ###

June 21, 2010 United States Senate, 356 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Main: (202) 224-3041, Toll free: (866) 630-7106 Fax: (202) 228-5171, TTY: (407) 254-5548

Secretary of State Beth Chapman Pleased with Recount Process in Alabama Republican gubernatorial primary election

former state Senator Bradley Byrne • 1 June 2010: Received 28% in the primary. Proceeds to 13 July runoff. state Representative Robert J. Bentley • 1 June 2010: Received 25% in the primary. Proceeds to 13 July runoff.

MONTGOMERY, AL – Secretary of State Beth Chapman was pleased, but not at all surprised, to hear that last week’s recount from the unprecedented Republican gubernatorial primary election resulted in virtually no change in the original vote count from June 1. “It’s good to know the democratic process is still safe and secure in Alabama,” Chapman said. “Every legally qualified vote in the Republican primary election for governor was counted. Then they were recounted, proving the system was sound and accurate from the start.” “This unprecedented situation was properly managed and is solid confirmation that the integrity of the ballot box is still intact in Alabama,” Chapman continued.

According to Chapman, the voting machines used in Alabama are 99.9% accurate and all of them must count 10 million marked ballots without a single error in order to be certified for use in an election.

“I am grateful to the Republican Party and the election officials in all 67 counties for the excellent job they did with the recount,” Chapman said. “It is reassuring that the numbers show two clear first and second place winners once again and we can now move forward with the runoff election to be held on July 13th.”

Chapman certified the ballots on June 11th and because of the timely certification the run-off ballots will be printed and sent to absentee voters without any undue delay. ###

For more information, visit Secretary of State Beth Chapman’s Web Site: www.sos.alabama.gov/

Pelosi’s Deficit Desires Hold us Hostage but "The Times They Are A-changin'"

Speaker Pelosi hasn't got the message "Don't block at the doorway Don't block up the hall" she must feel "The chance won't come again" she is tough and resourceful but "The Times They Are A-changin'"

Washington, Jun 21 - Congress’ inability to find a permanent fix to the scheduled 21 percent cut in Medicare reimbursements is forcing an increasing number of physicians to stop participating in Medicare.

Yet on Friday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she would prevent the House from voting on a fully paid-for bill to delay the reimbursement cut unless the Senate first passes legislation that would create tens of billions of dollars in new debt. Republican Study Committee Chairman Tom Price (R-GA) issued the following statement in response.

“Seniors’ access to health care is being held hostage to the Democrats’ deficit spending addiction,” said Chairman Price. “Every year, more and more physicians leave Medicare because the reimbursements do not cover their costs. A 21 percent cut will turn this steady flow into a deluge. Unlike Washington, doctors’ offices cannot operate with enormous annual deficits. Slashing Medicare reimbursement rates will make it incredibly difficult for seniors to get the care they need. We owe it to every generation to find a permanent and fiscally responsible solution to the Medicare reimbursement crisis. The American people are tired of politicians looking for leverage when they should be providing leadership.” ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 6.21.2010 House Republican Study Committee 424 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 226-9717 Fax: (202) 226-1633

John Koster Rick Larsen's Anti-Palin Rant an Amazing Display of Hypocrisy

Arlington, WA. - In an amazing display of hypocrisy and hyperbole, Rick Larsen's anti-Sarah Palin rant in a press release on Tuesday may have provided voters with a preview of how the 5 term incumbent intends to conduct his campaign against John Koster for Washington's 2nd Congressional district.

Larsen referred to Palin's supporters as "radicals" targeting Democrats across the country, and criticized Koster for "opening his campaign war chest to a potential landslide of out-of-state contributions that will fund his campaign to eliminate the help seniors are getting to pay for prescription drugs, privatize Social Security, and protect the lax regulations that led to the BP oil spill."

Larsen did not mention that 65% of his campaign war chest ($736,671 as of March 31) has come from political action committees (including $1000 from BP), nearly all of whom list addresses from out of state. In comparison, Koster raised $168,717 (as of March 31) with 97% coming from individual donors from Washington State.

"It appears to me that Rick Larsen is suffering from a case of Washington D.C. beltway hypocrisy and arrogance," said Larry Stickney, Koster's campaign manager. "The symptoms include condemning your opponent for doing something you are doing, and then expecting to get away with it because you're an entrenched incumbent with special privileges."

"If Rick Larsen has a problem with the Koster campaign picking up a few bucks from out of state, he should return the hundreds of thousands he has received from the Washington D.C. PAC's and special interests from around the country," Stickney continued.

"For Larsen to beat up on Sarah Palin for endorsing John Koster and call her supporters 'radicals' and insinuate that they want to mistreat senior citizens and protect polluters is laughable."

"This is the same Rick Larsen who ignores the will of his constituents and votes yes for government run health care, yes for the budget busting $787 billion stimulus package, yes for the economy stifling cap-and-trade legislation, yes to increase the national debt limit by $1.9 trillion, and yes on funding the anti-American disaster ACORN. All in all, he's voted 98% of the time with Nancy Pelosi, earned a "0% rating from the American Conservative Union , and received an "F" from the National Taxpayers Union. Who's the radical?"

TEXT and PHOTO CREDIT: Koster for Congress

Kevin Costner Testifies Before Senate Small Business Committee VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

It looks like at D plus 2 months 1 or 2 of Kevin's machines have finally hit the waters of the gulf, the lack of urgency on the parts of the Obama Administration and BP borders on the unbelievable, interesting answer, american entrepreneurship.

Ocean Therapy Solutions Founding Partner Kevin Costner told lawmakers on capitol hill that now is the time to require safeguards, like OTS centrifuge machines, for a safe and clean oil industry. "I would ask this committee to consider the multi-dimensional role that this technology can play in safeguarding the water and putting people back to work," he told members of the Senate Small Business Committee. "When there is a spill anywhere, we suffer everywhere. Our machine represents a common ground. Common sense. And the absolute reality that we can and must protect those resources we share."

SMALL BUSINESS & ENTREPRENEURSHIP COMMITTEE UNITED STATES SENATE TESTIMONY

Kevin Costner Founder, CINC Co-Founder / Partner, Ocean Therapy Solutions, WestPac Resources.

RELATED:

• BP Gulf Oil Cleanup Solution VIDEO, UPDATE 06/09/10
• Kevin Costner House Energy and Environment Subcommittee
• Kevin Costner House Energy and Environment Subcommittee FULL VIDEO 3 hours, 14 minutes

Madam Chairwoman, Members of the Committee, thank you for inviting me.

We're here today because there are now some 60,000 barrels of oil gushing into the Gulf.

We're here today because a carefully crafted plan designed by the oil industry and rubber stamped by MMS, claimed it could handle spills of up to 250,000 barrels a day, but turned out not to be a plan at all.

We're all here.

And now the whole world is watching as America fumbles its way through the greatest environmental disaster in history. And I find myself here because 17 years ago I thought I could play a part in this recurring nightmare. I have come here with a technology that was developed for this very moment we find ourselves in, as a people, as a nation, as a neighbor to every country that shares the precious Gulf of Mexico.

I am a private entrepreneur, a dreamer if you will, who saw a problem and committed to a big idea. I took a technology from the Department of Energy in 1993. It was about six inches tall. It was developed to separate metals but what if? What if we extrapolated that idea, took this little machine and scaled it up to separate large volumes of oil from water?

I believed that we could manufacture and deploy a rugged and portable machine under harsh conditions. We would create five different sizes with the largest able to handle up to 200 gallons per minute with both oil and water outputs at 99.9 percent purity.

In 2 years the dream moved from research and development to a commercially viable product ready to be deployed anywhere in the world. This was done without the help of outside investors, or government grants. The price tag would be over $20 million dollars. And I would pay it.

The need was clear. Any industry that would operate year round, 24 hours a day, in or near any body of water, at the depths and complexities that our modern oil industries are working in is going to experience spills, on a daily basis, large or small, accidental or otherwise, reported or not.

I started a business without a guaranteed market. Did I expect the oil industry to open its arms when I presented an oil-water separator, a solution to their single greatest liability? Yes. Did I expect thoughtful leaders here and abroad to recognize the importance of protection where we profit? Yes. I did.

But I was wrong. The list of government agencies, foreign and domestic oil companies who saw our technology more than a decade ago reads like a who's-who of those who needed it, those who should have been looking for it, and probably more to the point, those who should have been developing it themselves.

So what was the problem? Was it too small? Too portable? Was there already something like it in the big plan? I don't know. My big idea has been sitting quietly for ten years in a modest Nevada facility.

Then two days ago I got a call from Doug Suttles, COO of Exploration and Production for BP. He was pleased. He was excited. He told me that the machine worked. He told me it was working against the dispersants. That it was handling the variations of oil mixtures and thickness present in the Gulf. He ordered 32 machines and told me that this represented the beginning of us working together not only for this spill, but going forward so that we have a legitimate response in the future.

Am I proud that this technology can be part of the solution for the Gulf? Yes to a certain extent. To be completely honest, I feel vindicated. I think I'm gonna call my Mom. But this is not a Hollywood ending for me. The path to arrive at this moment was steep and formidable. That's why I've been called to testify before this committee. To explain why 21st century technology has sat idly on a shelf for ten years, when it could have been deployed as a first and most efficient responder to mitigate the Deepwater Horizon catastrophe.

The business of oil spill clean up is not pretty. It's not sexy. Safety never is. It's not a profit center. It's perfectly clear that oil companies have not invested in clean up technology to match their 21st century appetite and operations.

In the last two weeks, my company began an exciting collaboration with Edison Choest, the largest oil servicer in the Gulf. We are in the final stages of engineering emergency response ships that would be staged strategically throughout the Gulf with the ability to be on site within two hours of incident.

Together we are fashioning a more comprehensive plan that we would like to present before the lifting of the moratorium. It would fundamentally change the world's approach to oil spill recovery. But we haven't stopped there.

Ocean Therapy Solutions, continues to push the envelope of progress, once again footing the bill for R&D without help from industry or government.

I believe there are other small companies out there in the private sector just like us. How do we let them in? How do we create an environment that fosters and encourages investment in critical technologies? I leave that to this body. But you should know, that negotiating your way, as a small business, through the bureaucratic maze that presently exists is like playing a video game that no one can master. It's like trying to get to a next level that doesn't exist.

For me, advancing the technology for oil spill clean up was a dream, not a business. It wasn't about improving my margins. I wasn't even trying to stay in the black! We were trying to be about something more.

If we can find oil thousands of feet in the ground, at depths that boggle the mind, then surely we have the technology to clean up our own mess. To find through photo imaging, the giant black clouds of oil, hidden, ranging like death in the Gulf poised to land on our beaches or escape to the Atlantic. Without a doubt the oil industry has the resources to create ships to hunt these down and drain their killing capacity. They have the technology and intellect to take this head on. We can all be about something more.

I can see that these spills are our collective problem but they are not our collective responsibility. The economic burden falls squarely on the oil industry.

For them to get over the bar of safety, and pay the price is not too much to ask. It is not too much to have them put in place the safeguards, the redundancy, and muster the sheer will to throw an overwhelming response at the problem now and in the inevitable future. Anything less is dangerous, unacceptable and the American people deserve better.

We have a special moment in time. We have to get this right.

40,000 men and women in the oil industry are out of work through no fault of their own.

Fishermen have been sidelined.

Service industries are paralyzed.

Families that have survived on the plentiful resources of the Gulf do not now know the quality of life that awaits them.

I would ask this committee to consider the multi-dimensional role that this technology can play in safeguarding the water and putting people back to work.

The oil industry does not have time to evolve a plan. They have to act.

This is an absolute tool. It creates an efficiency where there are inefficiencies. It represents a legitimate response to accidents that are going to happen. And clears a path to lift the moratorium, if that's what the country wants.

We are in a fight to protect our jobs, our way of life and an ecosystem that cannot protect itself. We can put Americans back to work and bring an entire industry into the 21st Century of oil spill response.

It's important to remember that when there is a spill anywhere, we suffer everywhere. Our machine represents a common ground. Common sense. And the absolute reality that we can and must protect those resources we share.

Thank you.

Senator Roger Wicker Weekly Republican Address TEXT VIDEO 06/18/10

6/18/10 - Senator Roger Wicker (R-MS) Delivers Weekly GOP Address On The Gulf Oil Spill.

Sen. Wicker meets with members of Mississippi State University's "Challenge X" team to talk about the award-winning hybrid SUV they designed.

Hello, I am Senator Roger Wicker from Mississippi. As we enter the third month of the Deepwater Horizon disaster, we continue to learn more and more disturbing information about gross negligence on the part of BP -- and about some proposals from the Obama Administration that will do more harm than good.

From the Oval Office Tuesday night, President Obama attempted to recover from a widespread perception that he has not made this crisis a priority.

The public outcry about the President’s inattention has been loud and it has been bi-partisan.

I’m glad President Obama is finally putting this catastrophe at the top of his agenda, but his response has been too slow. He was slow in listening to state and local leaders, slow in....

...getting skimmers to the Gulf, slow in understanding the seriousness of this crisis, and slow in taking ownership and responsibility for the recovery. Many of his actions have actually taken us in the wrong direction.

Earlier this week the President came to the Gulf Coast. After visiting with him in Mississippi, I was optimistic that he was removing politics from this disaster and focusing solely on fixing the problem.

Republicans in Congress and at the state level looked forward to participating in a bipartisan, non-political solution to the many challenges this disaster has brought.

Unfortunately, we were disappointed. In less than a day, we were reminded of Rahm Emanuel’s theory of never letting a good crisis go to waste.

In his speech Tuesday night, President Obama made it clear that he intends to exploit this crisis to push his liberal agenda for a cap-and-tax scheme. This is a disservice not only to the victims and their families but also to the millions of Gulf Coast residents who are struggling in the wake of the spill.

Americans increasingly reject the cap-and-tax proposal because it would drive up the cost of energy and force American jobs overseas.

The President spent more than a third of his address advocating this national energy tax, revealing his true priorities. Now is not the time to push a controversial, job-killing, partisan agenda through Congress.

In addition to devastating our economy, this proposal would do nothing to fix the disastrous leak or clean up our beaches, marshes, and waters.

Another idea that takes us in the wrong direction is the Democratic plan to increase oil cleanup fees and raid those funds to pay for unrelated programs. These funds are needed to clean up spills, not to satisfy Senator Reid and Speaker Pelosi’s desire to raise federal spending.

In addition, the administration’s moratorium on deepwater drilling has the potential to become the third wave of this disaster. If left in place, the moratorium will permanently eliminate thousands of jobs and drive up the cost of energy for all Americans. You don’t have to take my word for it. Earlier this week democratic strategist James Carville said the moratorium was [quote] “wrecking the economy” of the Gulf Coast.

Along with the spill’s devastation to our fisheries and the administration’s decision to halt our drilling, one of the greatest threats to the economy of the Gulf Coast is the loss of tourism. Our hotels and restaurants have seen business decrease by as much as 70%.

At a brief press conference on Monday, President Obama pointed out that there are a lot of beaches that are not affected and will not be affected. I was hoping the President would make this important point to the larger audience Tuesday night, but since he didn’t, I’ll say it again. The vast majority of Gulf Coast beaches are clear, beautiful and safe.

BP CEO Tony Hayward recently said he wanted his life back and later correctly apologized. BP put dollars before safety, and we are all paying the price. We have been told that BP will be held accountable and pay all damages.

But what we in the Gulf states really need is to have our way of life back. We want our jobs back, our economy back, and we need our tourists back.

So please come and visit us. You deserve a vacation, and we could use the business. Thank you. ####

Governor Jan Brewer Learns of President’s Directive to Sue Arizona via Hillary Clinton Ecuadorean Television Interview VIDEO

Opps, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton just cann't help herself as she upstages President Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder by stating the obvious. Governor Jan Brewer denies the Emperor's New Clothes. "We Will Meet Them In Court, and We Will Win"

PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer said she was stunned and angered to learn during an Ecuadorean television interview with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the Obama Administration had decided to sue Arizona over its recently passed anti-illegal immigration law, SB1070. Video of the interview can be seen at Governor Brewer’s Arizona Border Security Information website: www.azgovernor.gov/AZBorderSecurity.asp

Secretary Clinton announced during the interview on June 8th that President Obama has directed the U.S. Justice Department to “bring a lawsuit against the Arizona law.”

“This is no way to treat the people of Arizona,” said Governor Brewer. “To learn of this lawsuit through an Ecuadorean interview with the Secretary of State is just outrageous. If our own government intends to sue our state to prevent illegal immigration enforcement, the least it can do is inform us before it informs the citizens of another nation.”

Governor Brewer said, “I just visited with the President in the Oval Office about our differences over immigration policy, and the one firm understanding we had was that within two weeks he would provide details of his commitment to deploy National Guard troops to the border. While I am grateful that communications have taken place about a possible visit by Administration staff before the end of the month, there is not yet a confirmed date. More importantly, no information about additional troop and border security enhancements has been provided by the Obama Administration to the citizens of Arizona.”

Governor Brewer recently announced the creation of a legal defense fund for private contributions in defense of Arizona’s illegal immigration enforcement measures – www.keepazsafe.com. Over $22,000 in contributions have been made to the border legal defense fund since its announcement yesterday evening. Over $26,000 had previously been sent unsolicited to the Governor for legal defense of Arizona, for an approximate total of $48,000 in the fund. ###

State of Arizona Janice K. Brewer Office of the Governor Main Phone: 602-542-4331 Governor 1700 West Washington Street, Phoenix, AZ 85007 Facsimile: 602-542-7601 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: June 17, 2010 Paul Senseman (602) 542-1342 psenseman@az.gov

RAND PAUL How Not To Handle A Crisis

Rand laying it all out like it is. Recently, the President disturbingly noted he was studying the crisis in the Gulf in an attempt to find our “whose *ss to kick.” I’ll move past the obvious problem with the appropriateness of the comment to just say this: Look in the mirror Mr. President.

This crisis has been a case study in failure to lead, failure to act, and using a crisis to advance your own agenda rather than solve the problem.

Make no mistake, this is an environmental disaster of epic proportions, and should be treated as such. BP should be held responsible for whatever their negligence was. Congress and the Administration should examine how this happened, and what we can do to prevent this in the future. But it should be noted that offshore drilling of this kind has been in place for 40 years with few problems. It’s wrong for the Administration to use this crisis as a platform not for cleaning up the mess; but rather as one to threaten, bluster and seek to advance parts of their agenda.

If the Administration were serious, they’d be leading, much like Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana. Governor Jindal has had to wait weeks for federal waivers, assistance and supplies. He finally decided he’d had enough and is proceeding, in some cases without assistance or permission. He’s protecting his state while President Obama does photo ops.

That’s why for the people closest to the disaster, over 65% of his constituents approve of Governor Jindal’s handling of the spill, while only 30% approve of President Obama’s inaction.

But this isn’t the whole story. Part of their inaction has also been because of their special interest friends. You see, the Obama Administration could have waived something called the Jones Act, which is a party of a 1920 law that prohibits foreign ships from assisting in this type of crisis. The fact is many foreign countries have technology to clean up oil spills that exceed our own. We should be taking advantage of their offers to help. Now why would we not waive this Act, as was done just 3 days after Hurricane Katrina by President Bush? Because the single biggest proponent of the Jones Act is also the single biggest donors to President Obama and Democrats in Congress – Big Labor.

Then to add insult to injury, the President Obama announced two actions that, instead of helping clean up the mess, will lead to bigger problems.

First, he declared a moratorium on offshore drilling for wells more than 500 feet deep. According to a Senator from his own party, this could cost as many as 330,000 jobs and will surely cost hundreds of millions of dollars in increased costs to consumers and businesses.

According to the Minerals Management Service, Offshore drilling on the Outercontinental Shelf accounts for 27% of our domestic oil production. And that has been shut off, with no plan in mind to deal with the job loss and increased costs that will follow.

And now, he is using the crisis to revive his failed energy Tax/Cap and Trade scheme.

As the White House Chief of Staff said about another crisis “You never want a serious crisis to go to waste — and what I mean by that is it’s an opportunity to do things that you think you could not do before.

So what we have here is inaction and failed leadership, coupled with political opportunism and special interest paybacks. That’s not the kind of leadership Americans need or deserve.

Published on 18 June 2010 by RyanH in Press Releases.

Governor Christie: Day of Reckoning VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

It sounds so simple when Governor Christie says it, you cann't give the government 2 dollars and then get 3 dollars back. More common sense from the New Jersey Governor.

Governor Christie: “Now is the time to not ignore the problems but to confront them.” Governor Christie held a Cap 2.5 Town Hall Meeting in Perth Amboy, N.J. on Tuesday, June 15, 2010. Contact: Michael Drewniak 609-777-2600

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT GOVERNOR CHRISTIE:

A lot of the things that these difficult trying times are bringing into focus for all of us as citizens, as elected officials - that accountability is important now more than ever. And your point that when we appoint people, and I appoint lots of people, by the time I get done with four years I'll probably appoint thousands of people to different things - boards and commissions and authorities around the state, members of my cabinet, judges - a lot of people that I'm going to be responsible for that are going to have my name next to them, for better or for worse for the rest of my life. I understand accountability, and I think you're absolutely right, I think one of the things that that these times have brought into great focus for us is that we have to hold each other accountable. All of us understand, we were taught by our parents I suspect, that you don't get something for nothing in this world - ever. Yet government has tried to sell you over the course of time this idea that - We're not going to give you something for nothing but we're going to give you something and someone else is going to pay for it.

So it's not for nothing but it's for nothing to you. What has happened in our state and in our country over the last couple of years is that those chickens have come home to roost. And we now have a situation where we are in a deep hole and we've got two choices. We can continue to do what we've always been doing before and I don't think we should, because that's crazy, that's what got us here. But the new path and the bolder path is a path that will be lined with resistance from those who are benefiting from the current system and they will attempt to scare you. They'll attempt to scare you about change and they'll attempt to tell you that you're ox is the one that's going to get gored. The same people who are telling you to get something and someone else will pay for it are not going to tell you watch out, because when change comes they're going to take it away from you.

We all know that it's being taken away from us as we speak; our standard of living, our way of life is being challenged by an economy where we have too much debt, too big of government, too much spending and taxes being too high. We all know it in our hearts, depending upon where we are in the political spectrum we may want to admit it more or less but we all know it. We all know it to be true.

And I kind of want to end today where I started with Mayor Diaz. Now we might come at certain issues from different perspectives but we all understand - she and I understand that the day of reckoning is here. Whether you are a Republican, whether you are a Democrat, whether you are an independent; whether you are rich or whether you're poor; whether you're retired or still working; or if you're a young child who's trying to think about what is New Jersey and America going to be like for me? The day of reckoning is here. And there is no more solemn obligation, I believe, that we have as human beings and especially as Americans than to do everything we can to leave this place better for our children and grandchildren than it was left to us.

Now for all of you who are parents out there and grandparents, you know judgment day is coming. And by that I mean, our children and our grandchildren are going to judge us. At the moment where we have the ability to make decisions about how optimistic and hopeful and prosperous their future can be, are they going to look back and say we buried our head in the sand? Ignored the problems. Cared only about our own creature comforts and didn't care about tomorrow.

Or are they going to say that when this day of reckoning came, our generation stood up and said we're going to fix it. We're going to fix it, not just for ourselves but more importantly we're going to fix it for our kids, and for our grandchildren. So that they can live in New Jersey.

We've already had a great New Jersey life. Looking out at the most of us, there's a lot life that has been lived out in this audience. A lot of life. That's a very nice way of saying we're getting old. But there's a lot of life that's been lived out by this audience and we have already had a great New Jersey life. Most of us have, if not all of us in this room.

The question is: will our children have a great New Jersey life?

Or will they have to go to Florida, or Pennsylvania, or Connecticut, or some place even further away. To be able to get a life where they feel as if they can grow, and prosper, and be happy.

Well I'll tell you this, that's not the New Jersey I was born in. An that is not the New Jersey I care to die in.

And so, when people asked me last year why are you running for governor, why do you want to do this? That's why. Because I want my children around to take care of me when I get old. I want to be able to get in a car and drive to a grandson or granddaughter's little league game. I want to be there sitting around the kitchen table for that first birthday party. I don't want to have to see it over the internet. I want to be there. And the only way I'm going to be there is if they're here because I ain't leaving.

And I want them to be here with me. I want to them to experience the same great life that I have been blessed to experience. And I feel like for most of you, you want the very same thing.

And so if we want that, now is the time to get to work. Now is the time to not ignore the problems but to confront them. Now is the time for us to say, we are going to be the people who fix New Jersey's problems.

And then we put our head on the pillow at night, when we pass the torch off to our children and grandchildren, we're going to be able to say to them, we did our job, now it's your turn.

Thank you very much.

# # #

Sarah Palin Says Marijuana Minimal Problem Ron Paul Just nullify all those laws VIDEO

Libertarian philosophy from the right: Sarah Palin "I think we need to prioritize our law enforcement efforts, and if somebody's gonna smoke a joint in their house and not do anybody else any harm, then perhaps there are other things our cops should be looking at to engage in and try to clean up some of the other problems that we have in society."

Dr. Ron Paul "Just nullify all those laws ... useless battle"

The discussion about marijuana starts at the 13:00 mark

Statement by Senate Republican Leader Dean Skelos

Since the Governor proposed his Executive Budget five months ago, Senate Republicans have consistently said that we will not support a budget that includes more taxes, fees and borrowing because we are listening to the people of this state who have simply had enough and don’t want to pay any more.

Governor Paterson’s comments in radio interviews this morning regarding his preference for tax increases over borrowing to close the budget deficit confirms what I said earlier this week, that New York taxpayers should be prepared for yet another massive tax increase and this is totally unacceptable.

Democrat leaders estimate that as much as 60 percent of the budget has been passed, yet only about one billion dollars in spending has been cut, leaving little room for additional cuts to close the $9.5 billion state budget deficit.

At the leaders meeting yesterday, I warned Governor Paterson, Senator Sampson and Speaker Silver that they are headed towards a budget that relies on more taxes, more fees, more borrowing and more gimmicks to close the budget gap.

If the Governor sticks to the comments he made this morning that he would favor additional taxes but would veto borrowing, it’s makes it even more clear that taxpayers should hold onto their wallets because the Democrats are ready to hit them up for more money.

Last year Democrats approved a disastrous budget that increased taxes by $2400 a year for a family of four. They increased state spending by $13 billion, increased taxes by $8.5 billion and passed a devastating $1.5 billion payroll tax on downstate New Yorkers; all leading to the massive deficit the state faces today. ####

Posted by Dean G. Skelos on Thursday, June 17th, 2010

Bush Crisis Response 14 Times (and counting) Faster than Obama's

The Bush administration's crisis response was 14 times and counting faster than Obama's. No its not just your imagination, have a look at the timeline below, ALMOST beyond belief. Can you imagine the outcry from the lame stream media.

Un-like the Obama administration's claims regarding many other of their problems, the perception of a slow response to the Deepwater Horizon disaster is indeed certainly President Bush's fault.

The Bush response to waive the Jones Act and encourage international help, lets say 4 days.

August 29, 2005 Hurricane Katrina From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The storm weakened before making its second landfall as a Category 3 storm on the morning of Monday, August 29 in southeast Louisiana. Hurricane Katrina From Wikipedia

September 01, 2005 The JOURNAL of COMMERCE ONLINE BYLINE: R.G. Edmonson

WASHINGTON - President Bush has directed Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff to waive the Jones Act requirement for the domestic transportation of petroleum products by sea. U.S. to waive Jones Act for petroleum shipments.(Merchant Marine Act of 1920)

The Obama response not to waive the Jones Act and discourage international help like that of the Dutch on day 3, lets say 56 days and counting.

April 20, 2010 Deepwater Horizon From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

An explosion on the rig killed eleven crewmen. The resulting fire could not be extinguished and, on April 22, 2010, Deepwater Horizon sank, leaving its well gushing and causing the largest offshore oil spill in United States history. Deepwater Horizon From Wikipedia

June 16, 2010 Republicans ask President Obama to waive portions of the Jones Act

There are numerous reports that offers by foreign corporations or governments to send skimmer vessels to the Gulf have been refused as a result of concerns arising from the Jones Act, which, among other things, regulates the use of foreign-owned vessels between U.S. ports. However, your Administration has the authority to waive any bureaucratic barriers that may exist under the Jones Act.” LeMieux_Miller_(JonesActLetter) PDF

Bush Crisis Response 14 Times (and counting) Faster than Obama's. "Michael DeWayne Brown, you're doing a heck of a job,"

Senator George LeMieux Congressman Jeff Miller ask President Obama to waive portions of the Jones Act VIDEO

U.S. Senator George LeMieux (R-FL) and Congressman Jeff Miller (R-Chumuckla) today asked President Obama to waive portions of the Jones Act so as to allow more resources to take part in oil mitigation activities in the Gulf. The lawmakers also called on the president to press British Petroleum to expedite the payment of claims.

The letter states, in part:

“We remain concerned that inadequate resources are being dedicated to containing and removing oil from the Gulf before it reaches our fragile coastline.

“…there are numerous reports that offers by foreign corporations or governments to send skimmer vessels to the Gulf have been refused as a result of concerns arising from the Jones Act, which, among other things, regulates the use of foreign-owned vessels between U.S. ports. However, your Administration has the authority to waive any bureaucratic barriers that may exist under the Jones Act.”

LeMieux and Miller also called attention to the need for BP to expedite their claims process.

“In our conversations with local officials and impacted business-owners and families in the Panhandle of Florida, the issues are clear: BP must fix and enhance its claims process to better address the severe economic stress this spill has caused…”

Senator LeMieux and Congressman Miller will be among the principals meeting with President Obama in Pensacola on Tuesday, to discuss the status of the Gulf disaster and efforts to improve the ongoing operation.

BACKGROUND: The Jones Act provides a federal framework for maritime labor relations and contains provisions requiring ships working in U.S. waters to be U.S. built, owned and operated. Jones Act waivers are administrative decisions that allow the use of vessels and shipping situations that wouldn't normally be legal under the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. One recent example of a waiver of the act occurred in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

Related Documents: LeMieux_Miller_(JonesActLetter) in PDF Format.

Charles Djou urging President Obama to waive the Jones Act VIDEO

Washington, DC —Congressman Charles Djou (HI-01) released the following statement today urging President Obama to waive the Jones Act so that foreign ships will be able to assist in cleaning up the oil spill:

“I agree with the President that our nation’s top priority in addressing the Gulf accident is to stop the leak, clean up the mess and hold BP accountable.

“I am disappointed, however, that the President has failed to waive the Jones Act for foreign ships, who want to assist in the clean-up efforts. There is no good
reason to turn away international help in responding to this environmental
catastrophe.

“Nevertheless, I look forward to working with President Obama to temper the House energy bill and craft a sensible long-term energy strategy for America that makes sense for
our economy.”

The 90-year old Jones Act blocks foreign vessels from operating in U.S. waters. Multiple foreign nations including Mexico, Canada, and Belgium have offered to assist the U.S. in cleaning up the BP oil spill disaster, but have been prevented from doing so because of the Jones Act. European companies with advanced environmental clean-up technologies could dramatically speed the Gulf coast clean up. The prior administration had waived the Jones Act to help with Hurricane Katrina relief efforts. For Hawai‘i residents, the Jones Act has resulted in increased costs for goods.

TEXT CREDIT: Congressman Charles Djou

VIDEO CREDIT: RepCharlesDjou

You never want a serious crisis to go to waste VIDEO

The President continued to follow the advice of his chief of staff Rahm "dead fish" Emanuel as his speech tonignt sought to exploit the gulf oil disaster to advance more taxes and governmental control.

Boehner Statement on President Obama’s Oval Office Address “President Obama should not exploit this crisis to impose a job-killing national energy tax on struggling families and small businesses.”

Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) issued the following statement in advance of tonight’s Oval Office address on the Gulf oil spill:

“While President Obama is speaking tonight, oil will continue to leak from the well and extend its stranglehold on the lives and livelihoods of the people in the affected areas. Even now, nearly two months after disaster first struck, the federal response remains inadequate and disorganized. Americans are rightly angry about this failure of government, and they want to know that their president is focused squarely on stopping this leak, cleaning up this mess, and finding out what went wrong.

“President Obama should not exploit this crisis to impose a job-killing national energy tax on struggling families and small businesses. Both parties should be working together to craft responsible solutions in response to this disaster. There’s nothing responsible or reasonable about a job-killing national energy tax that will raise energy costs and destroy more American jobs.

“President Obama will also reportedly address some of the financial issues surrounding the crisis, including the establishment of an escrow fund. These resources should be used to help the victims of this disaster, and not as a slush fund for trial lawyers or Administration officials seeking to paper over their own misguided decisions. BP should be held accountable for the full cost of this disaster – the taxpayers shouldn’t pay one dime - but that money must be directed to where it can be most effective in stopping this leak and aiding the recovery effort.

“I sincerely hope that the Obama Administration will not try to use a crisis made worse by its own failings to score political points on the backs of American living and working on the Gulf Coast. This is a moment that demands a call to action based on our shared interest in stopping this leak, cleaning up this mess, and finding out what went wrong.”