Tom Ganley Advances to ‘On the Radar’

Ohio Candidate Takes First Step Toward ‘Young Gun’ Status. Washington- The National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) has officially announced Tom Ganley (OH-13) as an ‘On the Radar’ candidate, an important first step in its Young Guns program. Founded in the 2007-2008 election cycle by Reps.

Eric Cantor (R-VA), Kevin McCarthy (R-CA), and Paul Ryan (R-WI), the Young Guns program is a member-driven organization dedicated to electing open-seat and challenger candidates nationwide. Ganley is running in Ohio’s Thirteenth Congressional District against Democrat incumbent Betty Sutton.

The Young Guns program is designed to assist Republican candidates for the U.S. House of Representatives achieve goals and benchmarks throughout the election cycle focused on the fundamentals of a winning campaign. By achieving ‘On the Radar’ status, Ganley has already proven his ability to build a successful campaign structure and achieve important fundraising goals.

“The NRCC is committed to working with Tom Ganley as he continues to meet the rigorous goals of the Young Guns program,” said NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions. “Tom is an accomplished job creator and an independent leader who will fight to put Northeast Ohioans back to work. I am confident that Republicans will be successful in our effort to defeat Betty Sutton, who is an out-of-touch politician solely focused on her party’s big-government, big-spending agenda that has failed to turn our economy around.”

As a lifelong resident of Ohio and a proven entrepreneur, Ganley knows what it takes to create jobs and build a successful business from the ground up. Ganley, who is now the President of the Ganley Automotive Group, began his career with one dealership in Euclid and now runs the largest automotive group in Ohio. His local business includes 32 dealerships and more than 1,000 employees. Ganley has served as a leader of his state and region and has been actively involved in various charitable organizations.

Having achieved certain benchmarks to place him on the road to victory, Tom Ganley now faces a new set of rigorous goals that will help him advance to the next level of the Young Guns program and help him build a competitive, effective and winning campaign. ###

National Republican Congressional Committee, 320 First Street SE · Washington, DC 20003 (202) 479-7000

Tom Ganley for Congress, 137 E. State Street, Columbus, OH 43215, 614-722-1000

Bill Brady Wins Official GOP Nomination for Illinois Governor VIDEO

Bill Brady has officially captured the GOP nomination for Illinois governor.

Uploaded on April 28, 2009 by bradyforillinois, All rights reserved

The State Board of Elections declared Brady the winner of the Republican gubernatorial primary, and Sen. Kirk Dillard officially conceded. Brady thanked and congratulated his primary opponents and the supporters who backed him in a closely contested primary. Sen. Brady now turns his attention to the campaign ahead. TEXT and VIDEO CREDIT: Bill Brady for Illinois

Congressman Parker Griffith Weekly Republican Address 03/06/10 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Congressman Parker Griffith Weekly Republican Address 03/06/10 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT.

Weekly remarks by Republican Rep. Dr. Parker Griffith as provided by the Republican National Committee.

Hello, I’m Dr. Parker Griffith, and I have the great privilege to represent Alabama’s 5th Congressional District. In the next 10 days, Democrats in Washington will try and jam through a massive government takeover of healthcare. It would raise taxes, slash Medicare benefits and destroy American jobs.

It would put federal bureaucrats in charge of medical decisions that should be made by patients and doctors. And it must be stopped.
The American people have said loudly and clearly that they do not want this job-killing government takeover of care. They want us to start over with a clean sheet of paper and a step-by-step approach focused on lowering costs for families and small businesses.

But President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid refuse to listen to the American people. For them, healthcare reform has become less about the best reforms and more about what best fits their ‘Washington knows best’ mentality – less about helping patients and more about scoring political points.

This is no idle observation. I’ve witnessed it firsthand.

You see, two Januarys ago, I was sworn into office as an independent, conservative Democrat. But like so many Americans, I became increasingly concerned that the policies being pushed by Democrats in Washington were dangerous for our country and out of step with our values.

Instead of working across the aisle and focusing on creating jobs, Democratic leaders pressed ahead with their partisan, big-government agenda of taxing, spending, and borrowing from our children and grandchildren. The trillion-dollar ‘stimulus,’ the ‘cap-and-trade’ national energy tax, I voted against them.

Still, even as Democrats lost their way, I held out hope that things would be different with healthcare reform, but I was wrong.

Even as public opposition continued to rise, Democrats refused to let up, stuffing these bills with sweetheart deals for lawmakers and giveaways to Washington special interests.

Given all that’s at stake, I realized that being a voice of dissent and a vote of conscience was not enough. Shortly before Christmas, after much thought and prayer, I decided to align myself with House Republicans, who have stood on principle to fight this big-government agenda and offer better solutions to the challenges facing our country.

Republicans understand that the right way to fix healthcare is with a step-by-step approach focused on lowering costs. Only Republicans have proposed the kind of healthcare reforms we can afford during this economic downturn, like allowing small businesses to group together to purchase healthcare plans at reasonable costs just as unions do.

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has confirmed that the Republican bill would lower premiums for families and small businesses by up to 10%. All of the details are available at HealthCare.GOP.gov.

You know, before coming to Congress, I spent 30 years practicing medicine in North Alabama. The worst thing we could do is have the federal government decide what policies and what procedures would be done in hospitals or in physicians’ offices, what would be paid for, what would not be paid for. This will only cause premiums to rise and the quality of care to go down.

I’ve also run a small business, and I can tell you that healthcare costs have everything to do with the ability to maintain a payroll and hire new workers. The mere threat of this healthcare bill being enacted is freezing employers in their tracks and destroying much-needed jobs.

To get a final bill through without public or bipartisan support, Democrats would have to use a toxic, controversial legislative scheme known as ‘reconciliation.’ Reconciliation would allow Democrats to make a few last-minute backroom deals and rely on only Democratic votes.

Reconciliation is by no means a cure-all that would permit drastic changes to improve the bill. For instance, reconciliation would not address the loophole in the Senate-passed healthcare bill that would lead to taxpayer funding of abortion for the first time in more than 30 years.

If Speaker Pelosi has her way, the loophole will become law as is, so the final battle will be here in the House of Representatives. ###

Chris Christie New Jersey League of Municipalities VIDEO

Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno attend the meeting of the Governor's Council of Economic Advisors at the Woodrow Wilson School on Princeton University Campus in Princeton, N.J. on Tuesday, March 2, 2010. (Governor Photos/Tim Larsen)

Mar. 5, 2010 - In Case You Missed It - New York Post - 'We Have No Choice' For Immediate Release: Contact: Michael Drewniak. Date: Friday, March 5, 2010 609-777-2600, By Governor Chris Christie. New York Post. Last Updated: 4:35 AM, March 5, 2010. Adapted from Gov. Chris Christie's remarks to about 200 mayors at a meeting of the New Jersey League of Municipalities. When I started in office, I had to close a $2.3 billion shortfall in the $29 billion annual budget -- and only $14 billion was left.

Of that $14 billion, $8 billion could not be touched -- because of contracts with public-worker unions, bond covenants and commitments the state made in accepting federal stimulus money.

We had to find a way to save $2.3 billion in a $6 billion pool of money. The treasurer's office presented me with 378 possible freezes and lapses to balance the budget; I accepted 375 of them.

While public pay booms, private-sector work is tough to find: Waiting to speak to recruiters at a Rutgers job fair earlier this year.

There's a great deal of discussion about me doing that by executive action. Every day that went by was a day where money was going out the door such that the $6 billion pool was getting less and less. Something needed to be done -- and the people didn't send me here to talk; they sent me here to do.

As we look ahead three weeks to my fiscal year 2011 budget address, you all need to understand the context from which we operate.

Our citizens are already the most overtaxed in America. You mayors know that the public appetite for ever-increasing taxes has reached an end.

So we're going to reduce spending at the state level -- because we have no choice.

We also have an obligation to work with the Legislature to give mayors the tools to reduce spending at the municipal level. The pension and benefit reform package just passed in the Senate is only a beginning. We need to change the rules of arbitration to level the playing field. The ever-increasing raises being given to public-sector workers as a result of the arbitration system tells us that.

By the same token, I'm tired of hearing superintendents and school-board members complain that there are no other options than raising property taxes. There are other options.

After a two-year negotiation, Marlboro gave teachers a five-year contract with 4.5 percent annual salary increases -- with zero contribution to health-care benefits. Yet I'm sure there are people in Marlboro who've lost their jobs, who've had their homes foreclosed on, who can't keep a roof over their family's head.

There's something wrong.

At some point, there has to be parity between what's happening in the real world, and what's happening in the public-sector world. The money doesn't grow on trees outside government buildings. It comes from the hardworking people of our communities who are hurting right now.

In this instance, the political class (of which all of us here are members) is lagging behind the public. The public is ready to hear that tough choices have to be made.

They're not going to like it. But they're tired of hearing, "Don't worry. I can spare you from the pain." They've been hearing that for a decade, as we have borrowed and spent and taxed our way into oblivion.

State government has done every quick fix in the book. Now we're left holding the bag.

All of you know in your heart that what I am saying is true. You know that we can't afford these raises that are being given to public employees of all stripes. You know the state can't continue to spend money it doesn't have. And you know that the appetite for tax increases among our constituents has come to an end.

So the path to reform and success is clear. We just have to have the courage to go there.

What we're doing is showing people that government can work again for them, not for us. It has worked for the political class for much too long.

There's no time left. We have no room left to borrow. We have no room left to tax.

Forget about the next election, the next newspaper editorial, the next angry letter or phone call from someone who wants something for nothing. It's time for us to show courage and resolve.

We can do it -- because we are from New Jersey. And I have never, in all my travels around the country, met a group of tougher people.

Chris Christie is New Jersey's governor.

State of New Jersey, 1996-2010 Office of the Governor PO Box 001 Trenton, NJ 08625
609-292-6000

Scott Brown Delivers Floor Speech On His Immediate Tax Relief for America's Workers Amendment VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Scott Brown (R-MA) introduced his "Immediate Tax Relief for America's Workers" Amendment on the floor of the U.S. Senate. Below are his remarks as prepared for delivery.

Mister President – I come to the floor of the Senate today to give my first speech as a United States Senator from Massachusetts. First, let me say that I am deeply honored to have been elected and allowed to serve in this great and historic chamber.

In addition, I am pleased to have the opportunity to address my colleagues and the American people for the first time about legislation I am introducing called the “Immediate Tax Relief for America’s Workers” Amendment.

Mr. President, families in Massachusetts, and across this great nation, are suffering during these tough economic times. One year after this Congress passed the stimulus package, Americans are still struggling to pay their bills, save money for college, or buy groceries to put on their kitchen tables.

But in Washington, the federal government is driving up our debt and creating government waste on projects that don’t create private sector jobs or provide immediate relief for American workers.

The hundreds of billions we spent, and continue to spend, on the stimulus package have not created one new net job.

Most Americans believe that Washington is not using this money effectively enough, especially while many Americans are suffering and needing immediate and real relief.

In fact, the federal government is sitting on roughly $80 billion of so-called “stimulus” funds that are either unused or unobligated to specific projects as of this date. That’s $80 BILLION in taxpayer money – stuck in a virtual Washington slush fund potentially used for special interest or so-called “pork” projects.

Mr. President – it’s time to put this money back to work and back into the pockets of the hardworking American families – so they get the help they need, provide for their families, save for their future, and put real money back into the struggling economy.

Providing immediate across-the-board tax relief to working families is not complicated economic policy – it’s simple and common economic sense.

Leaders on both sides of the political aisle – from Presidents John F. Kennedy to Ronald Reagan – have taught us that the best way to get our economy moving again is by returning money directly to the American people.

I believe that the individual citizen knows better how to spend their own money than the federal government does.

The “Immediate Tax Relief for American Workers” amendment would cut payroll taxes and provide across-the-board tax relief for almost 130 million American workers.

That number again, Mr. President – 130 MILLION people in the American work force, including more than 3 million in my home state of Massachusetts.

130 million workers would receive immediate and direct tax relief. By turning the estimated $80 billion dollars in unobligated stimulus accounts over to the American people, our workers could see their payroll taxes lowered by nearly $100 per month, saving them more than $500 over a six month period.

Working couples could receive a tax cut worth more than $1000.

Now, some people or groups in Washington might not think that is a lot of money – but families in Massachusetts, and across the country, know what a dollar is worth. For most American families, $100, $500 – and $1000 – is a lot of money that will help during tough times – pay for oil, food, medical bills or everyday basic needs.

The American people need this relief, Mr. President, they deserve this.

Families would immediately get the help they need to pay their bills – provide for their families – and put real money back into the economy, helping spark a true recovery.

And unlike tax cuts of years past, this one will be paid for entirely. It will not increase the deficit and could be implemented in about 60 days.

It would be paid for using the roughly $80 billion dollars in unused and unobligated stimulus funds that is currently sitting in a slush-fund in Washington D.C. – doing nothing to stimulate our struggling economy.

To not do this, Mr. President, would be a mistake and a disservice to the people who pay the bills – the US taxpayers.

Let me be clear -- my amendment would not add one penny to our federal deficit.

And let me remind my colleagues in this chamber – Bipartisanship is a two-way street.

Last week, I crossed party lines without hesitation to support a bill that would put people back to work in Massachusetts and throughout the country. I took some heat for it, but held firm and looked at the bill with open eyes – it wasn’t perfect, but it was a good first start.

As I have said before, when I see a good idea, I will support it, whether it comes from a Republican or a Democrat, and the American people have made it clear they expect the same from their elected officials.

So now, here is our chance to show the American people that the partisan bickering is over. We can help people now.

With so many American families struggling – now is not the time for political gamesmanship. It is time to do the people’s business and we CAN do better!

When the “Immediate Tax Relief for America’s Workers” amendment comes to a vote – my colleagues have a very clear choice…. Support a measure that will immediately put money back into the pockets of all of your hardworking constituents.

OR – you can support business-as-usual in Washington – and leave the $80 Billion in unused stimulus funds in a Washington slush-fund – that will just create more bureaucracy and fewer private sector jobs in the years to come. The choice is pretty clear.

I would hope that my colleagues on both sides of the aisle would come together to support this common sense measure and not use procedural points of order to delay action on the economic emergency facing America’s workers. This amendment will help hardworking families – and boost our struggling economy.

After all, that is what we were sent here to do.

Thank you Mr. President. I yield back the balance of my time. ###

Rand Paul on Jim Bunning in the Senate VIDEO

Rand Paul on Rick's List discussing Senator Jim Bunning blocking the passage of a bill that will add to the deficit weeks after the Senate passes a Pay-As-You-Go rule.

Rangel Removal a First Step in Restoring House Rule of Law

Congressman John Carter

(WASHINGTON, DC) – The resignation of U.S. Rep. Charlie Rangel (D-NY) as Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee over multiple ethics and tax evasion charges is a critical first step in restoring the Rule of Law in the House of Representatives and the nation at-large, according to House Republican Conference Secretary John Carter. "I take no joy and in fact have great personal sadness over Charlie Rangel’s resignation from the chairmanship of Ways and Means," says Carter. "Even though we disagree on many political issues, Congressman Rangel is one of the most well-liked Members of the House by his colleagues,

and has a record of service to this country that should never be forgotten, from his wartime sacrifices in Korea to his many years of work here in the House. But we cannot allow the chairman of the committee that oversees the IRS to continue in that position with the kind of violations of House and IRS rules that Congressman Rangel has admitted to and been charged with. When Americans see influential elected officials apparently getting away with breaking the law, while they themselves are held to the letter, we risk losing respect for the rule of law altogether."

Carter says he will continue his efforts to ensure that Rangel and U.S. Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner pay the customary penalties and interest for their admitted tax violations, or else grant all Americans the same tax immunity.

The former Texas judge will also continue floor efforts against the Administration’s appointment of "czars" without Senate approval; against House censorship of Members of Congress communicating with their constituents; in support of restoring the 72-hour reading-time rule before bills can be brought to a vote; elimination of political favoritism in federal bailouts and tax policies; and prevention of Member’s improper involvement in stimulus fund allocations.

Official website of the 31st Congressional District of Texas

U.S. Senator Jim Bunning Democrats Continue The Hypocrisy VIDEO

U.S. Senator Jim Bunning issued the following statement after Senate Democrats used a procedural gimmick to oppose the Bunning amendment that would have paid for the unemployment extension legislation and other federal programs.

"Democrats tonight showed their true colors by going back on their word on the agreement I had reached with Majority Leader Reid to have an up-or-down vote on my amendment to fully pay for the unemployment extension and other federal programs. Instead, Senate Democrats used a procedural gimmick so they would not have to vote on my pay-for amendment. What are they so afraid of?

"For too long Congresses controlled by both Republican and Democrat majorities have not done a good enough job of controlling the spending of the taxpayers’ money. My stand over the last couple of days was not against those Kentuckians who are on the unemployment line. I support the underlying legislation and support those who are out of work and need a helping hand. What I do not support is the hypocrisy displayed by Senate Democrats. Just over a month ago Democrats passed pay-go legislation and then turned around and waived it for the next two major pieces of legislation that were considered by the Senate. What was the point of passing pay-go legislation? If Democrats continue to ignore their own rules I will oppose future legislation that is not paid for."

Washington, DC Tuesday, March 2, 2010

Start Over on Health Care Reform Petition VIDEO

Preamble: President Obama's initial attempt to seize control of one-sixth of the U.S. economy by nationalizing the American health care system has failed. But serious issues continue to plague our health insurance system, and they must be addressed. Now is the time to start over on health insurance reform and do it right.

Petition: We ask that President Obama and Congressional Democrats join with Republican leaders to start over on health insurance reform.

We ask that they help craft sensible reforms designed to lower costs and expand access without violating individual rights or the integrity of the market.

We ask that they enact medical liability reform and put an end to frivolous lawsuits that drive up the cost of medicine.

We ask that they allow individuals and small businesses to pool together to purchase high-quality affordable health care coverage.

We ask that they allow Americans to shop for health care coverage from coast to coast and purchase insurance policies across state lines.

We ask that they create new incentives to save for current and future health care needs by allowing people to use their health savings accounts funds to pay premiums for high deductible health plans.

We ask that they guarantee individuals with pre-existing conditions or past illnesses access to affordable coverage through the expansion of state-based, high-risk pools, and reinsurance programs.

We reject any attempt by the federal government to force any American to purchase an unwanted insurance plan.

We reject any attempt to implement a government-run insurance program.

We reject individual mandates, rationing, and special deals for any state.

We reject a separate set of rules for government and private sector health insurance purchases.

We oppose any plan that betrays our senior citizens by cutting Medicare coverage, or that allocates taxpayer funds to pay for abortion.

We reject any proposal that authorizes a government takeover of any portion of our health care system.

We ask that Congress and the President above all pledge to ensure the constitutionality of any health insurance reform legislation considered by the federal government.

We implore the President and his allies to listen to the will of the American people and start over on health insurance reform.

Sign the Petition Here

Jim Foster 'WITHOUT VISION PROGRAMS PERISH'

The President has shown an amazing insensitivity towards those who allowed the United States to be the only nation to reach to the Moon and beyond. It is an outrage that he would announce budget cuts to NASA on the seventh anniversary of the Columbia shuttle disaster in which seven brave astronauts were killed. The President's new NASA budget puts questionable global warming research above the need to keep a manned presence in space. His freshman attempt at putting together a budget depends on RUSSIA to take our astronauts to the International Space Station.

This policy is dangerous, short sighted, and shows his total lack of understanding of world affairs. We will count on Russia to help us get to the ISS when we couldn't count on them LAST YEAR to help us keep Nuclear Weapons from IRAN? Nonsense!!!

What we are witnessing is the direct result of not having a clear VISION for NASA! Rather than seeing the National Security role of NASA, the Missile Defense role of NASA, the Covert Spy Capability of NASA, the Commercial and Military Satellite Operational role of NASA, the Science Exploration role of NASA, the Innovations and Invention Producing role of NASA, our government has allowed NASA to become nothing more in the eyes of many people than a high priced attempt to find little green men on other planets.

Instead of looking for life on other planets, we should be focused on using NASA to improve life here on earth!!! We are seeing the incremental dismantling of NASA because the American people have not been told just how much NASA benefits their daily lives.


Here is my FOSTER CARE PLAN for a NEGLECTED NASA!!

1. Congress must REJECT the President's budget.
2. The Defense Dept., National Science Foundation, N.O.A.A., the CIA, the National Air and Space Museum, and other agencies who benefit from manned space flight should be strongly urged to make up some of the slack in NASA funding caused by the Presidents budget.
3. I urge NASA to begin a Public Relations campaign aimed at laying out a NEW and realistic vision for the next generation of manned space flight.
4. NASA should immediately expand their research into the oceans of the world. The same technology that is used to build space vehicles can be used to build underwater vessels.
5. I challenge inventors, scientists, and even back yard tinkers to think big and find new uses for the products NASA creates to equip their vehicles.
6. NASA should produce a prime time network television program that would follow the daily work and mission of our brave astronauts. This would build interest in NASA and help people understand their role.
7. We must expand diplomatic talks with other countries who share our vision for manned space flight. We need to co-ordinate our efforts and work together to fund and carry out the mission of NASA.

I do not have all of the answers for NASA. What I do have is what the USA once had, the ability to dream big, think outside of the box, to go where no one has dared go before. NASA has NOT failed us - we have failed NASA.

TEXT and PHOTO CREDIT: Jim Foster for Congress

Sandy Adams Fights to Save Space Shuttle and 7,000 Jobs

Uploaded on October 13, 2009 by sandy adams © All rights reserved.

Article: The Orlando Sentinel reported that several Space Coast community leaders are fighting to save the space shuttle and its 7,000 attendant jobs: “With 7,000 Florida jobs in the balance and no word on what President Barack Obama will decide about NASA's future, a last-ditch campaign to save the space shuttle is taking shape, seeking to save the aging orbiters and their work force before the final mission launches later this year. A few members of Congress, some NASA contractors and even senior space-agency managers have started pushing for measures ranging from keeping the fleet flying until 2015 to adding just one more flight.” (Mark Matthews and Robert Block, “Some won't give up on trying to save shuttle,” Orlando Sentinel, 1/20/10)

But Rep. Suzanne Kosmas is not one of them: “U.S. Rep. Suzanne Kosmas, whose district includes KSC, says she doesn't want to back more shuttle flights if it ‘ties the hands’ of the administration to begin a more-ambitious program to explore the inner solar system. A White House decision is due soon. ‘None of us want to let go of the shuttle program,’ said the New Smyrna Beach Democrat. ‘But at the end of the day, we are going to enter a new phase of exploration, so we have to be advancing that.’” (Mark Matthews and Robert Block, “Some won't give up on trying to save shuttle,” Orlando Sentinel, 1/20/10)

Sandy Adams will fight to protect your jobs and our economy:

“Suzanne Kosmas doesn’t understand this issue. It’s not only about exploration – it’s about jobs, national security, research and the economy. America must continue to be the world leader in space exploration which includes keeping our space shuttle program solvent. As a State Representative I have worked to protect the thousands of jobs that fuel our regional economy and advocate for the research and development built on NASA technologies. I will continue to do that as your U.S. Representative.”

“It is kind of Representative Kosmas to be concerned about tying the hands of the administration but where is her concern for the thousands of hands of families in this district. Florida cannot afford Suzanne’s solutions.” – Sandy Adams.

TEXT CREDIT: Sandy Adams for Congress PO Box 1566 Orlando, FL 32802

Bob Coggins 'Constellation is dead'

Bob Coggins

"Constellation is dead," an external White House advisor told AFP on Friday, referring to the program that envisioned using the Moon as a base for manned expeditions to Mars. Under a new plan, Obama will propose boosting the development of commercial rockets and other vehicles that can ferry US astronauts to the International Space Station (ISS). NASA is estimated to have already spent a little over nine billion dollars on Constellation, including 3.5 billion on the Ares 1 and 3.7 billion on Orion.

The Obama administration plans to hike NASA's budget by 5.9 billion dollars over five years to boost commercial development, with the goal of a first commercial flight to the ISS launching by 2015, the advisor said.

In the meantime, NASA will rely on Russia's Soyuz spacecraft to ferry US astronauts to the orbiting space station after the shuttle program is retired. (Source: AFP news service)

This means the White House does not care about jobs here in Florida, nor does he care
about keeping America the leading space nation. Cancelling the Constellation program would allow the Chinese and Russian space programs to catch up and surpass the United States in Space exploration. The thought of spending billions of dollars on a noble endeavour only to kill it halfway through is not the American way I remember.

I find it odd, and more than a little suspect that the Obama administration suddenly started caring about jobs and the budget deficit once Scott Brown won Sen. Kennedy's vacant seat in Massachusetts. The whole agenda of our new president's first year was the Stimulus Bill, Cap and Trade, and Socialising Health Care. Interestingly enough, now that the democrats are feeling vulnerable due to their poor governance, they have switched gears and are pretending to care about the people instead of their own legacies. I don't buy it for a second. And as your Senator I will continue the fight to keep America the leaders in space, and to keep jobs here in Florida.

TEXT CREDIT: Bob Coggins for Senate

PHOTO CREDIT: Bob Coggins on Facebook

Senator Tom Coburn Weekly Republican Address 02/27/10 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Senator Tom Coburn Weekly Republican Address 02/27/10 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Remarks by Senator Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), as provided by the Republican National Committee:

Hello, I’m Dr. Tom Coburn, a practicing physician from Oklahoma and a member of the United States Senate.

This week I had the opportunity to join President Obama and my Democrat and Republican colleagues for a summit on health care. We had a respectful and constructive discussion.

While we listened to one another, I’m concerned that the majority in Congress is still not listening to the American people on the subject of health care reform. By an overwhelming margin, the American people are telling us to scrap the current bills, which will lead to a government takeover of health care, and we should start over.

Unfortunately, even before the summit took place the majority in Congress signaled its intent to reject our offers to work together. Instead they want to use procedural tricks and backroom deals to ram through a new bill that combines the worst aspects of the bills the Senate and House passed last year.

The American people have rejected the majority’s plan for good reason. Their plan includes half a trillion dollars in new tax increases, a half a trillion dollars in cuts to Medicare, job-killing penalties for employers, taxpayer funded abortion and new boards that will ration care to American citizens. At its core, their plan continues a government-centered approach that has...

...made health care more expensive. Federal and state governments already control 60 percent of health care. If more government spending and control was the answer we could have fixed health care long ago.

Republicans in Congress have a different vision for reform. We have put forward several proposals that lay out a common sense step-by-step path to reform. Our solutions are patient-centered, not government-centered. We believe in expanding options, not government; increasing access, not taxes; and reducing costs, not quality. Most importantly, we believe that no one has the right to step between you and your doctor.

I introduced a health care bill called the ‘Patients’ Choice Act’ last May along with Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina and Representatives Paul Ryan of Wisconsin and Devin Nunes of California that includes several step-by-step ideas for reform. The ‘Patients’ Choice Act’ and other Republican plans accomplish all of the President’s goals, including expanding coverage, without raising taxes, bankrupting the country or rationing care.

Our ideas address the core problem in our health care system – skyrocketing costs – by using the only force that ever lowers cost – competition and consumer choice. Health care is so expensive today because third-parties – government and insurance company bureaucrats – have stepped between you and your doctor.

Our solutions restore the doctor-patient relationship and put you – not your insurance company, your boss or the government – in charge of your health care dollars and decisions. The ‘Patients’ Choice Act,’ for instance, provides generous tax credits that let you buy, and keep, the plan of your choice. We also limit lawsuit abuse which causes doctors to order costly tests that protect themselves rather than you, the patient.

Our proposals to rein in the massive amount of fraud, waste and duplication in our health care system drew widespread praise from Democrats at the summit, including the President. One in three dollars in our more than $2 trillion health care system does not do anything to help people get well or prevent them from getting sick. Democrats and Republicans agree that eliminating waste and inefficiency would lower costs and improve access tomorrow.

The majority now has a choice. We can continue to make progress like we did at the summit. Or, they can try to ram through a partisan bill that will divide and bankrupt America.

I wholeheartedly share President Obama’s desire for more civility and bipartisanship in Washington and I’m proud of the work that we did together when he was a member of the Senate. True civility, however, is measured by actions, not words.

I was disappointed the President rejected my suggestion that he host another summit. The President himself proposed that such meetings be televised more than a year ago. Last year, dozens of Democrat-only summits were held in secret behind closed doors and produced many unsavory deals. Had those meetings been open and bipartisan, I believe Congress could have passed a bipartisan health bill months ago.

If the President and the leaders in Congress are serious about finding common ground they should continue this debate, not cut it off by rushing through a partisan bill the American people have already rejected. If the majority agrees to work together they will find many Republicans ready to help them pursue our common goals of helping all Americans access quality and affordable health care for themselves and their families.

Thank you so much for listening.

John Boehner at Health Care Summit: “The American People Want Us to Scrap This Bill” VIDEO TEXT TRANSCRIPT

GOP Leader: “The thing I have heard more than anything over the last six or seven months is that the American people want us to scrap this bill. They have said it loud. They have said it clear."

Washington, Feb 25 - During today’s White House summit, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) called on President Obama and Washington Democrats to scrap their costly, job-killing government takeover of health care and start over with a clean sheet of paper and a step-by-step approach focused on lowering costs. This isn’t the Republican view; it’s the view of the American people. Boehner also outlined how Democrats’ health care proposals contain job-killing tax hikes, deep cuts to Medicare, unconstitutional mandates on individuals, federal funding for abortion, and vast new powers for the federal bureaucracy.

“American families are struggling with health care. We all know it. The American people want us to address this in a responsible way. So I really do say thanks for having us all here.

“I think our job on behalf of our constituents, and on behalf of the American people, is to listen. And I spend time in my district. I spend time a lot of places. I have heard an awful lot. I can tell you the thing that I have heard more than anything over the last six or seven months is that the American people want us to scrap this bill. They have said it loud. They have said it clear. Let me help understand why.

“The first thing is we’ve heard from the two budget directors about our fiscal condition. We have Medicare that's going broke. We have Social Security going broke. We have Medicaid that's bankrupting not only the federal government but all the states and yet, here we are having a conversation about creating a new entitlement program that will bankrupt our country. And it will bankrupt our country. It's not that we can't do health insurance reform to help bring down costs to help save the system. This bill, this 2,700-page bill will bankrupt our country.

“Secondly, Mr. President, I'd point out that this right here is a dangerous experiment. We may have problems in our health care system, but we do have the best health care system in the world, by far. And having a government takeover of health care – and I believe that's what this is – is a dangerous experiment with the best health care system in the world that I don't think we should do.

“So why did I bring this bill today? I'll tell you why I brought it. We have $500 billion in new taxes here over the next ten years. At a time when our economy is struggling, the last thing we need to do is to be raising taxes on the American people. Secondly, we've got $500 billion worth of Medicare cuts here. I agree with Kent Conrad. We need to deal with the problem of Medicare, but if we are going to deal with a problem of Medicare and find savings in Medicare, why don't we use it to extend the life of the Medicare program as opposed spending that $500 billion creating a new entitlement program.

“But it's not just the taxes, Mr. President, or the Medicare cuts. You’ve got the individual mandate here, which I think is unwise and I do believe is unconstitutional. You’ve got an employer mandate here. It says that employers: you’ve got to provide health insurance to the American people or you're going to pay this tax. It's going to drive up the cost of employment at a time when we have over 10 percent or near 10 percent unemployment in America.

“And beyond that, a lot of employers are going to look at this and say, well, I'll pay the tax and they are going to dump their employees into the so-called exchange because in five years every American is going to have to go to the exchange to get their health care. And who's going to design health care bill offered under this exchange under this bill? The federal government's going to design every single health care bill in America within five years once this bill were to pass. I could go on and on and on.

“Let me just make one other point. For 30 years, we've had a federal law that says that we're not going to have taxpayer funding of abortions. We have had this debate in the House. It was a very serious debate. But in the House, the House spoke. The House upheld the language we have had in law for 30 years that there will be no taxpayer funding of abortions. This bill that we have before us, and there was no reference to the issue in your outline, Mr. President, begins – for the first time in 30 years – allows the taxpayer funding of abortion.

“So Mr. President, what we have been saying for a long time is, let's scrap the bill. Let's start with a clean sheet of paper on those things that we can agree on. If we bring down the cost of health insurance, we can expand access.

“Mr. President, I told you, the day after – maybe it was the day you were sworn in as president – that I would never say anything outside of the room that I wouldn’t say inside the room. I have been patient. I have listened to the debate that’s gone on here, but why can’t we agree on those insurance reforms that we have talked about? Why can’t we come to an agreement on purchasing across states lines? Why can’t we do something about the biggest cost driver, which is medical malpractice in the defensive medicine that doctors practice. Let’s start with a clean sheet of paper, and we can actually get somewhere, and we can get it into law in the next several months.”

Lamar Alexander to President Obama: Premiums Will Rise Under Democratic Health Bill VIDEO

During the White House Summit on health care, Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, and President Obama disagreed as to whether the Democratic health care bill would cause premiums to rise. Fox News' Jim Angle found Senator Alexander was right.

Keywords: Lamar Alexander CBO Barack Obama health care summit insurance premiums

Lamar Alexander Gives Republican Health Care Remarks at White House Summit TEXT TRANSCRIPT VIDEO

Outlines Republican Steps to Fix Health Care, Challenges Democrats to Take Reconciliation Off the Table.

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.), chairman of the Senate Republican Conference, today delivered the following opening remarks on behalf of Republican members of Congress attending the White House health care summit:

“Mr. President, thank you very much for the invitation. Several of us were a part of the summits that you had a year ago, and so I've been asked to try to express what Republicans believe about where we've gotten since then. As a former governor, I also want to try to represent governors’ views, because they have a big stake in this; I know you met with some governors just in the last few days. We also believe that our views represent the views of a great number of the American people who have tried to say in every way they know how – through town meetings, through surveys, through elections in Virginia and New Jersey and Massachusetts, that they oppose the health care bill that passed the Senate on Christmas Eve.

“And more importantly, we believe we have a better idea. And that's to take many of the examples that you just mentioned about health care costs and make that our goal: reducing health care costs. We need to start over and go step by step toward that goal. And we would like to briefly mention –others will talk more about it as we go along—what those ideas are.

“I would like to begin with a story. When I was elected governor, some of the media went up to the Democratic leaders in the legislature and said, ‘What are you going to do with this new young Republican governor?’ And they said, ‘We’re going help him, because if he succeeds, our state succeeds.’ And they did that—that’s the way we worked for eight years. But often, they had to persuade me to change my direction to get our state where it needed to go. I would like to say the same thing to you. I mean, we want you to succeed. Because if you succeed, our country succeeds. But we would like respectfully to change the direction you're going on health care costs, and that's what I want to mention here the in next few minutes.

“I was trying to think if there were any kind of event that this could be compared with. And I was thinking of the Detroit Auto Show, that if you had invited us out to watch you unveil the latest model that you and your engineers had created, and asked us to help sell it to the American people. When we look at it, it’s the same model we saw last year. We didn't like it, and neither did they, because we don't think it gets us where we need to go, and we can't afford it. As they also say in Detroit, ‘We think we have a better idea.’

“Your stories are a lot like the stories I heard when I went home for Christmas after we had 25 days of consecutive debate and voted on Christmas Eve on health care. A friend of mine from Tullahoma, Tennessee, said, ‘I hope you'll kill that health care bill.’ Then before the words rattled out of his mouth, he said, ‘But, we've got to do something about health care costs. My wife has breast cancer. She got it 11 years ago and our insurance is $2,000 a month. We couldn't afford it if our employer weren't helping us do that. So we've got to do something.’ That's where we are, but to do that, we have to start by taking the current bill and putting it on the shelf and starting from a clean sheet of paper.

“Now, you have presented ideas. There's an 11-page memo—I think it’s important for the people to understand that there's not a presidential bill; there are good suggestions and ideas on the web. It’s a lot like the Senate bill. It has more taxes, more subsidies, more spending. So what that means is, when it's written, it will be 2,700 pages, more or less. It will probably have a lot of surprises in it. It means it will cut Medicare by about half a trillion dollars and spend most of that on new programs, not on Medicare and making it stronger, even though it's going broke in 2015. It means there will be about a half trillion dollars of new taxes in it. It means that for millions of Americans, premiums will go up, because when people pay those new taxes, premiums will go up, and they will also go up because of the government mandates. It means that from a governor's point of view, it’s going to be what our Democratic governor calls the ‘mother of all unfunded mandates.’

“Nothing used to make me madder as a governor than when Washington politicians would get together, pass a bill, take credit for it, and send me the bill to pay. That’s exactly what this does, with the expansion of Medicaid. In addition, it dumps 15 to 18 million low-income Americans into a Medicaid program that none of us want to be a part of, because 50 percent of doctors won't see new patients. So it’s like giving someone a ticket to a bus line where the buses only run half the time.

“When fully implemented, the bill would spend about $2.5 trillion a year, and it still has sweetheart deals in it—one is out, some are still in. What's fair about taxpayers in Louisiana paying less than taxpayers in Tennessee? What's fair about protecting seniors in Florida and not protecting seniors in California and Illinois and Wyoming?

“Our view, with all respect, is that this is a car that can't be recalled and fixed, and that we ought to start over. But we’d like to start over. When I go down to the Senate floor, I’ve been there a lot on this issue, some of my Democratic friends will say, ‘Well, Lamar, where's the Republican comprehensive bill?’ And I say back, ‘Well, if it you're waiting for Mitch McConnell to roll in a wheelbarrow with a 2,700-page Republican comprehensive bill, it's not going to happen because we have come to the conclusion Congress doesn’t do comprehensive well.’ We have watched the comprehensive economy-wide, cap and trade; we have watched the comprehensive immigration bill, we have the best Senators we have got working on that in a bipartisan way; we have watched the comprehensive health care bill. And they fall of their own weight.

“Our country is too big, too complicated, too decentralized for Washington to write a few rules about remaking 17 percent of the economy all at once. That sort of thinking works in a classroom, but it doesn't work very well in our big, complicated country. It doesn't work for most of us and if you look around the table -- and I'm sure it's true on the Democratic side -- we have got shoe store owners and small business people and former county judges and we've got three doctors. We've got people who are used to solving problems, step by step.

“That’s why we said 'step by step' 173 times on the Senate floor in the last six months of last year in support of our step-by-step plan for reducing health care costs. I would like to just mention those in a sentence or two:

* First, you mentioned Mike Enzi’s work on the small business health care plan. That’s a good start. It came up in the Senate. He will explain why it covers more people, costs less, and helps small businesses offer insurance.
* Two, helping Americans buy insurance across state lines. You’ve mentioned that yourself. Most of the governors I've talked to think that would be a good way to increase competition.
* Number three, put an end to junk lawsuits against doctors. In our state, half the counties’ pregnant women have to drive to the big city to have prenatal health care or to have their baby, because the medical malpractice suits have driven up the insurance policies so high that doctors leave the rural counties.
* Number four, give states incentives to lower costs.
* Number five, expanding health savings accounts.
* Number six, House Republicans have some ideas about how my friend in Tullahoma can continue to afford insurance for his wife who has had breast cancer; because she has a preexisting condition, it makes it more difficult to buy insurance.

“So there're six ideas—they’re just six steps. Maybe the first six, but combined with six others and six more and six others, they get us in the right direction.

“Now, some say we need to rein in the insurance companies; maybe we do. But I think it's important to note if we took all of the profits of the health insurance companies entirely away, every single penny of it, we could pay for two days of health insurance for Americans. And that would leave 363 days with costs that are too high. So that’s why we continue to insist that as much as we want to expand access and to do other things in health care, that we shouldn't expand a system that's this expensive, that the best way to increase access is to reduce costs.

“Now, in conclusion, I have a suggestion and a request for how to make this a bipartisan and truly productive session. And I hope that those who are here will agree, I’ve got a pretty good record of working across party lines, and of supporting the president when I believe he's right, even though other members of my party might not on that occasion. And my request is this: before we go further today, that the Democratic Congressional leaders and you, Mr. President, renounce this idea of going back to the Congress and jamming your bill through on a partisan vote through a little-used process we call reconciliation.

“You can say that this process has been used before, and that would be right, but it’s never been used for anything like this. It’s not appropriate to use to rewrite the rules for 17 percent of the economy. Senator Byrd, who is the constitutional historian of the Senate, has said that it would be an outrage to run the health care bill through the Senate like a freight train with this process. The Senate is the only place where the rights to the minority are protected, and sometimes, as Senator Byrd has said, the minority can be right.

“I remember reading Alexis de Tocqueville’s book Democracy in America, in which he said that the greatest threat to the American democracy would be the ‘tyranny of the majority.’

“When Republicans were trying to change the rules a few years ago, you and I were both there. Senator McCain was very involved in that – getting a majority vote for judges. Then-Senator Obama said the following, ‘What we worry about is essentially having two chambers, the House and the Senate, who are simply majoritarian, absolute power on either side. That's just not what the founders intended.’ Which is another way to saying that the founders intended the Senate to be a place where the majority didn't rule on big issues.

“Senator Reid in his book, writing about the ‘Gang of 14,’ said that the end of the filibuster requiring 60 votes to pass a bill ‘would be the end of the United States Senate.’ And I think that's why Lyndon Johnson, in the ‘60s, wrote the civil rights bill in Everett Dirksen’s office, the Republican Leader, because he understood that by having a bipartisan bill, not only would pass it, but it would help the country accept it. Senator Pat Moynihan has said before he died that he couldn't remember a big piece of social legislation that passed that wasn't bipartisan.

“And after World War II, in this very house and in the room back over here, Democratic President Truman's Secretary of State, General Marshall, would meet once a week with Senator Vandenberg, the Republican Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and write the Marshall Plan. And General Marshall said that sometimes Van was my right hand, and sometimes he was his right hand.

“And we know how [Congressmen] John Boehner and George Miller did that on No Child Left Behind. [Senators] Mike Enzi and Ted Kennedy wrote 35 bills together; you mentioned that in your opening remarks. You and I and many other others worked together on the America COMPETES Act. We know how to do that – and we can do that on health care as well.

“But to do that, we'll have to renounce jamming it through in a partisan way. And if we don't, then the rest of what we do today will not be relevant. The only thing bipartisan will be the opposition to the bill, and we'll be saying to the American people—who I've tried to say this in every way they know how -- town halls and elections and surveys—that they don't want this bill, that they would like for us to start over. So if we can do that – start over – we can write a health care bill. It means putting aside jamming it through. It means working together the way General Marshall and Senator Vandenberg did. It means reducing health care costs and making that our goal for now, not focusing on the other goals. And it means going step by step together to re-earn the trust of the American people. We would like to do that, and we appreciate the opportunity that you have given us today to say what our ideas are, and to move forward. Thank you very much.”

White House Health Care Summit FULL STREAMING VIDEO

White House Health Care Summit Part 1, 2 hours, 54 minutes President Obama held a bipartisan meeting at Blair House on health reform legislation. Attendees included House and Senate leadership, chairs and ranking members of committees overseeing health insurance legislation, Vice President Joe Biden, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Nancy-Ann DeParle, director of the Office of Health Reform. They focused on controlling costs, insurance reforms, reducing the deficit, and expanding coverage. White House Health Care Summit Part 2, 3 hours, 24 minutes. National Cable Satellite Corporation. Created by Cable. Offered as a Public Service. Keywords: c-span, cspan, video, congress, washington dc, politics, booknotes, archives, booktv, book-tv

Marlin Stutzman An Original 9 12 Patriot VIDEO

Marlin is a fourth-generation farmer who grew up on a farm in Howe, Indiana. As co-owner with his father, Albert, he runs Stutzman Farms, farming 4,000 acres in the Michiana area. He is also owner of Stutzman Farms Trucking. As a farmer and small business owner, he understands the challenges that Hoosiers face every day.

First elected to the Indiana State House of Representatives in 2002, at the age of 26, Marlin served as the youngest member of the legislature until 2006. Since his election as State Representative and now as State Senator for District 13, he has proven to be an effective voice fighting to reduce wasteful government spending and to bring jobs to Indiana.

Uploaded on February 9, 2010 by gomarlin © All rights reserved.

He has fought for lower taxes, less regulation and balanced budgets. He consistently receives 90% ratings or above from the Chamber of Commerce and other small business associations for his support of pro-business legislation, and in 2008 he won the Small Business Champion Award from the Indiana Chamber of Commerce. He currently serves as the ranking member of the State Senate Utilities and Technology Committee and has helped to pass alternative energy incentive legislation in Indiana.

He stands strong for traditional family values and in 2005 co-authored the first Pro-life legislation to pass in Indiana in twelve years. In 2006 he served as the Chairman of the Public Policy Committee taking strong stands for conservative values on controversial issues. Marlin and his wife, Christy, have two children, an 8-year old son, Payton, and 3 year old son, Preston. The Stutzmans are actively involved in their community.

Christy is the Vice-Regent of her local DAR chapter, and Marlin serves on the board of LaGrange Farm Bureau. They are active members of Community Baptist Church. Marlin also enjoys going on missions trips, and has served in foreign countries including Russia, Haiti, Mexico, and Guatemala. Marlin is a member of NFIB, ARC of Indiana, Indiana Farm Bureau, Howe Community Association, NRA, Northeast Indiana Right to Life and has helped as an assistant coach for his sons Little

KEYWORDS: Marlin Stutzman, US Senate 2010, Indiana, 2010 Elections, Stutzman Campaign, Hoosiers for Stutzman, Tea Party, Indiana, Original Patriot.

TEXT CREDIT: Hoosiers for Stutzman 250 W. 600 N Howe, IN 46746 Email the campaign - info@gomarlin.com Email the candidate - marlinstutzman@gomarlin.com

VIDEO CREDIT: marlinstutzman

Rasmussen Poll: John Hostettler Holds Double Digit Lead Over Democrat Hopefuls

From Rasmussen Reports : “A new Rasmussen Reports telephone survey of likely Indiana voters shows former GOP Congressman John Hostettler leading [Democrat Congressman] Baron Hill 49% to 31% and [Democrat Congressman] Brad Ellsworth 46% to 27%.”

Rasmussen goes on to point out similar head-to-head results:

Former Senator Dan Coats 48% - Democrat Congressman Baron Hill 32%
Coats 46% - Democrat Congressman Brad Ellsworth 32%

Freshman State Senator Marlin Stutzman 41% - Hill 33%
Stutzman 40% - Ellsworth 30%

POLL CREDIT: Rasmussen Reports

TEXT CREDIT: John Hostettler for Senate

PHOTO CREDIT: johnhostettler

Richard Behney files for the US Senate race in Indiana

Indiana's Own Tea Party Conservative Signed Candidacy Declaration Paperwork On 02/18/02 For 2010 Senate Race As Bayh Drops Out February 17, 2010 Indianapolis, IN - With the 4,500 required signatures already submitted, Indiana Tea Party founder Richard Behney filed his candidacy for the US Senate race in Indiana on Thursday February 18 at 2 p.m. in the office of the Indiana Secretary of State. Behney was available for questions from the media immediately following.

As a proponent of smaller government, no bailouts, lower taxes, terms limits for politicians, reduced government spending & debt levels and a return of elected officials working FOR the people that elected them, Behney has captured the essence of a smoldering emotional fire that has prompted millions of Americans to stand up against the encroachment of big government.

Behney announced his grassroots campaign in September of 2009. “Many of the folks at the Tea Parties kept tapping me on the shoulder asking when I was going to run for office.” Behney explained. “The race that was mentioned most often was to compete against Evan Bayh for the Senate seat from Indiana.” Behney says that the GOP is seriously underestimating the grassroots power in the 2010 midterm elections, as evidenced by what he sees as the mandate from the inside the beltway GOP for former Senator Dan Coats to move back to Indiana.

“This past year we saw thousands gather on the State House lawn in Indianapolis, as well as across the state in Tea Parties, rallies and town hall meetings,” Behney adds. “These folks are from all walks of life, and from across party lines. What they lack in big finances, they make up for with passion, time and energy. We will win because of our volunteers and their efforts. We are fired up and ready to win.” Behney, 46, of Fishers, owns AttaBoy Plumbing Company in Indianapolis. Troy Hill Richard Behney for US Senate Media and Communications Coordinator Web: richardbehney.com

News Release FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Troy Hill email: thill@richardbehney.com

TEXT and PHOTO CREDIT: Behney for Senate For more information, you may contact the campaign office at 317.776.1700 or by email at news@richardbehney.com.