Tom Coburn on Fox News Sunday 04/17/11 VIDEO

(Sunday, April 17 2011) Chris Wallace discusses Obama's speech this week on our debt crisis with Dr. Coburn and Representative Van Hollen.

Dr. Coburn’s Statement on Standard and Poor’s Decision to Lower its Outlook for U.S. Credit Rating

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) released the following statement today regarding the decision by Standard and Poor’s to lower its outlook for our nation’s long-term credit rating to “negative” from “stable.”

“Today’s warning from S&P highlights the dangers of waiting for the perfect political moment to tackle our debt crisis. Waiting until the next election puts our fiscal and national security at risk. It’s time for both sides to drop their partisan talking points and decide what we can do together while we still control our own destiny. If we refuse to negotiate within our own government, we will soon find ourselves negotiating with foreign governments and the international financial community on terms far less favorable than we enjoy today,” Dr. Coburn said.


VIDEO CREDIT: SenatorCoburn

TEXT CREDIT: Tom Coburn, M.D., United States Senator from Oklahoma Washington D.C.:
172 Russell Senate Office Bldg. Washington, DC 20510 Main: 202-224-5754 Fax: 202-224-6008

Rand Paul on CNN State of the Union 4/17/11 VIDEO TEXT

Rand Paul and Candy Crowley discuss the upcoming debt ceiling vote.

TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

When congress returns from its Easter recess it faces must-do legislation to raise the debt ceiling so the U.S. can pay its loan obligations. Here to talk about that and what Americans can expect for the rest of the session is conservative freshman Senator Rand Paul, a member of the Tea Party. Senator, thank you so much for joining us.

Let's talk about that debt ceiling bill. As you know, the U.S. will not be able to pay its bills unless you all agree to raise the debt ceiling. Are you willing to send the president a clean bill that just doesn't attach anything you want to it, just says, OK, raise the debt ceiling?

PAUL: Well, I don't think it should be an either/or situation, you know. There is another alternative, and that is that we send the message to the president through legislation that says, you know what, Mr President? Don't default, but pay the interest out of the revenue.

We bring in about $200 billion a month. There's no reason to default ever. I don't want default. But I also don't want to just keep giving an irresponsible government more money.

You know, if we give them a trillion dollar increase in the debt limit, it will be gone by November. It's out of control and someone needs to stand up and say, the emperor has no clothes. We have no money. We are borrowing to the tune of trillions of dollars and I don't think we can sustain this.

CROWLEY: Well, if you use existing money and revenues that are in the U.S. Treasury, then you're not going to be paying for something else. So, in effect, you are saying, let's cut something.

PAUL: Yeah. And interestingly, if you didn't raise the debt ceiling, you'd be passing a balanced budget. And really what we need to do is balance our budget.

The problem is, see, the president came out with a plan, his budget, about a month ago and it's supposed to add $11 trillion to the debt over 10 years. Well, he decided that was a nonstarter himself and he's now coming out -- but what's tricky about all these numbers, he's saying he's going to cut $4 trillion from the debt. No, he's going to cut $4 trillion from his proposed increase of $11 trillion in debt.

So really the numbers get a bit confusing. But the bottom line is this year, we will spend more money than last year and this year our deficit will be greater than last year. We aren't reforming the system. We're still heading headlong towards a debt crisis.

CROWLEY: Are you willing to filibuster a bill that would raise the debt ceiling without any of the things that you're asking for?

PAUL: I think that's yet to be determined. What I've said is there is a circumstance where I will vote for it, but I do harken back to the president's words. The president's changed a lot of his words since he was a senator. He said that to raise the debt ceiling was irresponsible at that time and only gave credence to bad policy, only gave credibility to people who were doing a bad job with controlling the deficit. So I harken back to those same words.

And I would say I would vote to raise the debt ceiling if we passed a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution and say from here on out, this is the last time we're doing it, we are going to act responsibly.

But I see nothing going on in Washington that leads me to believe that they are spending our money wisely. They can't even balance the budget in the Pentagon. The Pentagon tells us they are too big to be audited. I think that's really a sad state of affairs.

CROWLEY: I want to just add that the president has said in recent interviews that his vote against raising the debt ceiling was a political vote by a novice senator and he regrets it.

But moving you along here, if -- it just seems completely unlikely to me that there will be a vote for a constitutional balanced budget amendment. It seems unlikely to me that the president would agree to just use existing funds to pay off the interest on the debt. Seems to me that the only way this is going to go is that there will be the prediction (ph) of a bill to raise the debt ceiling.

So if there is that, could you see yourself just voting no and letting it go at that, or would you stop at any means?

PAUL: I think we haven't yet determined what our strategy will be, but I can tell you that the people of Kentucky elected me to shake things up. They didn't elect me to raise the debt ceiling. They didn't elect me to pass budgets that add -- you know, the president's budget will add $7 trillion to the debt if you believe his numbers.

But whatever the numbers are, our government and our leaders are still adding enormous amounts of debt, heaping this burden on our kids and our grandkids. It is precisely why I was elected, to oppose this type of behavior.

CROWLEY: As you know, there is a so-called gang of six on the Senate side, three Republicans, three Democrats, trying to come together to come up with a bill that could pass, that would deal with the debt that you're talking about here. Because the president has a plan, House Republicans have a plan, there's not a lot of middle ground there other than everybody thinks -- everybody says we've got to cut the deficit.

I want to read you something that Senator Tom Coburn, a fellow Republican from Oklahoma said about these negotiations and about how to bring down the deficit -- the debt. And he said. "I agree that we ought to cut spending. But will we ever get the spending cut to the level that we need without some type of compromise?" He's talking tax increases here. Can you see yourself agreeing to a tax increase to help with this debt that you're so concerned about?

PAUL: Yeah. I think there is a compromise. But the compromise is not to raise taxes, the compromise is for conservatives to admit that the military budget's going to have to be cut. We've doubled military spending. I believe in a strong national defense, but conservatives will have to compromise and we will have to cut military spending. Liberals will have to compromise and we will have to cut domestic welfare. The compromise is where we cut, not where we raise taxes.

The problem is, if you give them more money in Washington, they're not to be trusted. I mean, there was $100 billion in last year's budget that is unaccounted for. They don't even know where the money was spent. Recently when we bailed out the banks in our country, guess who got bailed out? The Libyan National Bank. It was a pass-through. AIG became a pass-through for foreign banks. We don't know where all of our money is going to be spent.

When I want to turn in money for my office, I want to turn a couple hundred thousand dollars back in that I'm not going to spend? It is unclear where that money goes. We cannot even be confident that the couple hundred thousand I want to give back goes towards the debt.

Our government is out of control. They don't need more money, we need to give them less money.

CROWLEY: Senator Rand Paul, thank you so much for joining us this morning. We appreciate the time.

PAUL: Thank you.

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: SenatorRandPaul

TEXT CREDIT: State of the Union with Candy Crowley

Jim DeMint I will oppose any attempt to vote to raise the limit on our $14 trillion debt until Congress passes the balanced budget amendment. PODCAST

Jim DeMint The Don and Roma Show" on WLS, MP3 for PODCAST 4/18/11



"The debt ceiling is a law that keeps us from spending more than we're bringing in, at least indefinitely. We waived that law 10 times in the last 10 years and this is the fourth time President Obama has asked us to waive the law not to borrow more money. We have got to stop,"

By Senator Jim DeMint All Rights Reserved

U.S. Senator Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), chairman of the Senate Steering Committee, made the following remarks in response to the President’s latest budget speech: “The President made it absolutely clear today that Democrats will cling bitterly to deficit spending until our nation is bankrupt. After offering an unserious budget just a few months ago, the President offered new platitudes but the same old policies.

He’s still pushing for trillion dollar tax increases that would destroy jobs and cripple our economy. He still wants to add trillions in new spending to our $14 trillion mountain of debt without a credible plan to ever balance the budget. This failed tax & spend Democrat agenda stands in stark contrast to the serious and detailed plans that Republicans have offered to save entitlement programs before they go bankrupt, cut wasteful Washington spending, and reform our tax code so our economy can grow and create jobs. The President admitted we have a spending problem, but his solution is always the same: spend more, tax more, borrow more. Americans have rejected this failed Democrat spending agenda, and Republicans will continue to lead the way back to American prosperity.

“Every Senate Republican supports a balanced budget amendment that would end our dependence on foreign borrowing by lowering spending, not raising taxes. I will join with Republican colleagues to demand passage of the balanced budget amendment before a vote to raise our debt ceiling. The balanced budget amendment is the only way to force President Obama and Democrats to stop the rhetoric and get serious about tackling our out of control spending and debt.”

All 47 Senate Republicans recently cosponsored the balanced budget amendment that limits government spending to 18 percent of the gross domestic product, the average rate of tax receipts since World War II, and requires a two-thirds majority to raise taxes.

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AUDIO CREDIT: WLS 890AM

TRXT CREDIT: United States Senator Jim DeMint

Tom Coburn Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 04/16/11

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R-OK) released the following weekly Republican address. The address is available in both audio and video format and is embargoed until 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, April 16, 2011.

Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW

“Hello. I’m doctor, and U.S. Senator, Tom Coburn from Oklahoma.

“This was a historic week in Washington. For the first time in more than 15 years, Congress, under leadership of the House Republicans, is making significant spending cuts. While these cuts aren’t nearly enough, the American people should be encouraged. You have fundamentally changed the debate in Washington. Instead of increasing spending, Congress is now cutting spending. That is a monumental shift for Washington.

“Republicans have also changed the culture of Congress. Earmarks like the Bridge to Nowhere and the Woodstock Museum are a thing of the past. Just five years ago, Congress passed 14,000 pork projects worth $29 billion. This year, we’re on pace to have zero earmarks.

“These changes could not have come soon enough. Our nation is facing a $14.3 trillion national debt that our own military leaders call the greatest threat to our national security. In these challenging times, we need real leadership to bring us together. As Americans, there is not a problem that we can’t solve if we are together. And unfortunately, in his speech this week on the deficit, President Obama took us three steps backwards.

“Instead of describing the threat and bringing both sides together, the president attacked those who have a different vision of the government.

“As leaders we have a moral obligation to tell the country the truth. The truth is, is we could face a serious debt crisis sooner than anyone expects. We face an unsustainable debt and unsustainable entitlement programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. All of which will collapse if they’re not reformed.

“Just this week, the International Momentary Fund warned our country to get our fiscal house in order quickly before investors lose faith in our ability to repay our debts. If investors dump our bonds, which finance our deficit spending on everything from Social Security benefits and to the military spending, our economy could go into a tailspin. We would see interest rates skyrocket, which would harm consumers and add hundreds of billions of dollars to our debt every year.

“We’ve already seen Pimco, the world’s largest bond mutual fund, sell all of its holdings of U.S. Treasury bills. We’re also seeing troubling signs of inflation, and energy prices continue to rise.

“What we need to avert a debt crisis is real leadership and specific solutions, not campaign style political attacks.

“Unfortunately, the president failed to put a serious proposal on the table.

“And for instance, his plan includes a so-called ‘debt failsafe’ that fails to actually target the debt. Entitlement spending alone accounts for more than 80 percent of our long-term debt burden but the president’s plan exempts these programs from reform. By pretending that Medicare and Medicaid and Social Security are sound financially when they are not, the president is jeopardizing the benefits for the very Americans he says he wants to protect.

“He also proposed expanding his failed health care law that will cost Americans now over $2.6 trillion between now and the next 10 years. That makes our debt problem much more difficult to solve. The president wants to strengthen a board of unaccountable Medical Czars and give them more power to impose price controls and ration care.

“House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, who seemed to be the real target of the president’s speech, has charted a different course. His plan, which saves $6.2 trillion over ten years, outlines a path to prosperity, not austerity. He would save Medicare by giving all beneficiaries, beginning with those now under 55, access to high-quality health plans, similar to the plans that members of Congress enjoy.

“Also under Mr. Ryan’s plan, Medicaid’s safety net for the poorest patients would be strengthened by transitioning to block grants that empower states to provide care.

“As a physician I know first-hand that Medicaid, as it is currently structured, is often times a disaster for patients. Nearly half of physicians don’t accept Medicaid patients because the reimbursement rates set by bureaucrats in Washington are so low. Not surprisingly, patients on Medicaid have poorer health outcomes, higher rates of infant mortality and more complications after major surgery than individuals with no health insurance at all.

“In the America I know we liberate citizens from failing programs that deny them choice, dignity and care. The president’s plan, on the other hand, forces 24 million Americans into a failing Medicaid program that routinely denies care to patients who have no other options.

“The president also underestimated how much we could save by going after waste, fraud and abuse. In just six years of oversight in my office alone, we have identified more than $350 billion in annual waste in the federal government. The president says he wants to use a scalpel, but as a physician, let me tell you, when it comes to waste and duplication at the federal government level, we don’t need a scalpel. We need a chain saw.

“Finally, on the issue of tax reform, the president walked away from serious bipartisan compromise on tax reform reached by his very own deficit commission on which I served. Our blueprint lowered tax rates for everyone, and reduced the deficit by stimulating real economic growth. The president’s plan undermines our bipartisan agreement by calling for rate increases that will slow the economic growth that he so much wants.

“As someone who has spent most of my 63 years outside of politics, I know there isn’t a problem we can’t solve if we do it together. But the only way we can solve them is to put our political careers on the line and stop engaging in petty political attacks. To my Republican colleagues I often ask: What good is the Republican Party without a republic? And to my Democrats colleagues I ask: What good are your promises without an economy to sustain them?

“This week showed how far we have come but also how far we have to go. As long you – We the People – stay engaged and hold Washington accountable I have no doubt we’ll address the challenges ahead and secure the blessings of liberty for future generations. May God bless you, and our great country.”


TEXT and AUDIO CREDIT: Republican National Committee 310 First Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 info@gop.com p 202.863.8500 | f 202.863.8820

VIDEO CREDIT: gopweeklyaddress

Paul Ryan: “This is our generation’s defining moment”

U.S. House of Representatives Advances The Path to Prosperity April 15, 2011 WASHINGTON – The U.S. House of Representatives passed a budget today that puts the government’s budget on a path to balance and puts the nation on a path to prosperity. With today’s vote, the House turned the page on the politics of the past and offered a fresh, optimistic view of a prosperous future – a future of robust economic growth, a debt-free nation, and a government that lives within its means.

H. Con. Res. 34, the Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Resolution, passed the House by a vote of 235 - 193

House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan issued the following remarks on the House floor in advance of the historic vote:

“We must choose this path. We must not be the Congress that failed to fulfill the American legacy of leaving a better nation to our children.

“We must not leave this nation in decline. We must not be the first generation in this country to leave the next generation worse off.

“Decline is antithetical to the American Idea. America is a nation conceived in liberty, dedicated to equality, and defined by limitless opportunity. Equal opportunity, upward mobility, prosperity – this is what America is all about.

“In all the chapters of human history, there has never been anything quite like America. This budget keeps America exceptional, and preserves its promise for the next generation.

“Colleagues: This is our defining moment. We must choose this path to prosperity.”

Key facts about the House-passed Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Resolution – The Path to Prosperity:

SPENDING

* Cuts $6.2 trillion in government spending over the next decade compared to the President’s budget.
* Eliminates hundreds of duplicative programs, reflects the ban on earmarks, and curbs corporate welfare bringing non-security discretionary spending to below 2008 levels.

DEBT AND DEFICITS

* Reduces deficits by $4.4 trillion compared to the President’s budget over the next decade.
* Puts the budget on the path to balance and pays off the debt.

TAXES

* Keeps taxes low so the economy can grow. Eliminates roughly $800 billion in tax increases imposed by the President’s health care law. Prevents the $1.5 trillion tax increase called for in the President’s budget.
* Calls for a simpler, less burdensome tax code. Lowers tax rates for individuals, businesses and families. Improves incentives for growth, savings, and investment.

GROWTH AND JOBS

* Creates nearly 1 million new private-sector jobs next year and results in 2.5 million additional private-sector jobs in the last year of the decade.

Unleashes prosperity and economic security, yielding $1.1 trillion in higher wages and an average $1,000 per year in higher income for each family.

IMAGE CREDIT: c-span.org

TEXT CREDIT: Committee on the Budget: U.S. House of Representatives 207 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515

Tim Pawlenty Discusses Entitlement Reform And The President's Agenda VIDEO

Gov. Tim Pawlenty discusses entitlement reform, 2012, and the president's agenda on Fox & Friends, April 13, 2011

Governor Pawlenty Statement on Budget Vote.

"Today's speech was nothing more than window dressing. President Obama's lack of seriousness on deficit reduction is crystal clear when you look at the budget deal he insisted on to avoid a government shutdown. The more we learn about the budget deal the worse it looks. When you consider that the federal deficit in February alone was over $222 billion, to have actual cuts less than the $38 billion originally advertised is just not serious. The fact that billions of dollars advertised as cuts were not scheduled to be spent in any case makes this budget wholly unacceptable. It's no surprise that President Obama and Senator Reid forced this budget, but it should be rejected. America deserves better."

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VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: GovernorTimPawlenty

TEXT CREDIT: Pawlenty 2012

Newt Gingrich: The Difference Between Conservatives and the Left VIDEO

Newt Gingrich: The Difference Between Conservatives and the Left

Newt contrasts what conservatives and liberals can offer to the American people, particularly the poor.

VIDEO IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: NewtExplore2012

Mitt Romney Discussing President Obama and the Economy with Larry Kudlow VIDEO

Governor Romney Discussing President Obama and the Economy with Larry Kudlow.

Photo from The Kudlow Report discussing jobs and the economy.

IMAGE CREDIT: Photo credit: Jonathan K. Li for CNBC.com

VIDEO and TEXT CREDIT: mittromney

Haley Barbour in New Hampshire VIDEO

Governor Haley Barbour is making more stops... this time in New Hampshire. This is the latest destination for a man who says he may run for President.

VIDEO IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: wapttv

Michele Bachmann Tax Rates are High Enough Already VIDEO

Rep. Michele Bachmann talked to Matt Lauer Tuesday morning on the Today Show about the U.S. tax rate. She said she cannot support raising tax rates because higher taxes, especially on job creators, actually bring in less revenue rather than more. She also talked about how the Republican Budget Proposal will only affect Americans 55 and younger. She said all spending should put on the table for cutting consideration because of our nation's serious budget trouble.

VIDEO IMAGE and TEXT CREDIT: RepMicheleBachmann

Dan Burton statement after watching President Obama’s speech on his “budget do-over”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement after watching President Obama’s speech on his “budget do-over” which included raising taxes on families and small businesses: “In February of this year, President Obama offered an irresponsible budget for Fiscal Year 2012 that would have imposed a job-crushing $1.5 Trillion tax hike and would have added $9.1 Trillion to the debt over the next decade. After watching President Obama’s budget “do-over” speech today, it is painfully evident that he still doesn’t get it. Our country is broke and the American people understand we can’t continue to spend money we do not have.

“In the President’s second attempt to craft a budget, he failed to offer a serious proposal that addresses Washington’s spending and entitlement problem. Instead, he’s relying on minimal cuts to government bureaucracy while raising taxes on families and small businesses. Doing so is unacceptable and is the wrong thing to do get our economy back on track. We need drastic cuts across the board in addition to lowering the tax burden on those who create jobs, not raise them.

“President Obama talked a lot about “shared sacrifice”, but the government should be the first to step up. Consider that in the first ten years of the implementation of Obamacare, it is estimated that it will cost $2.6 Trillion. If the President is truly serious about deficit reduction, would he at least consider delaying or scaling back a massive new entitlement program that is currently being received by no one?

“My Republican colleagues and I are focused on cutting our bloated budget and bringing down our National debt and deficit. Rep. Paul Ryan, Chairman of the Budget Committee, has put forth a responsible budget that focuses on job creation without raising taxes, that seeks to not spend money Washington doesn’t have, and that eases the burden of debt weighing down on our children’s and grandchildren’s future. These are important steps to securing America’s present as well as its future. We absolutely must get our fiscal house in order now.”

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Joshua Gillespie April 13, 2011 (317) 848-0201

TEXT CREDIT: Dan Burton - Indiana 5th District Washington, DC 2308 Rayburn House Office Building Washington, DC 20515-0001 (202) 225-2276

IMAGE CREDIT: This United States Congress image is in the public domain. This may be because it is an official Congressional portrait, because it was taken by an official employee of the Congress, or because it has been released into the public domain and posted on the official websites of a member of Congress. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image is in the public domain.

Paul Ryan Responds to President Obama Deficit Speech VIDEO

WASHINGTON – House Budget Committee Chairman Paul D. Ryan made the following statement after listening to the President’s speech on deficit reduction:

“When the President reached out to ask us to attend his speech, we were expecting an olive branch. Instead, his speech was excessively partisan, dramatically inaccurate, and hopelessly inadequate to address our fiscal crisis. What we heard today was not fiscal leadership from our commander-in-chief; we heard a political broadside from our campaigner-in-chief.

“Last year, in the absence of a serious budget, the President created a Fiscal Commission. He then ignored its recommendations and omitted any of its major proposals from his budget, and now he wants to delegate leadership to yet another commission to solve a problem he refuses to confront.

“We need leadership, not a doubling down on the politics of the past. By failing to seriously confront the most predictable economic crisis in our history, this President’s policies are committing our children to a diminished future. We are looking for bipartisan solutions, not partisan rhetoric. When the President is ready to get serious about confronting this challenge, we'll be here.”

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Key Facts About the President’s Speech

General:

* Counts unspecified savings over 12 years, not the 10-year window by which serious budget proposals are evaluated.

* Postpones all savings until 2013 – after his reelection campaign.

* Runs away from the Fiscal Commission’s recommendations on Social Security – puts forward no specific ideas or even a process to force action.

* Calls for the appointment of another commission, after mostly omitting from his Fiscal Year 2012 Budget any of proposals submitted by the commission he appointed last year.

* Non-specific framework fails to meet Fiscal Commission's definition of sustainability.

Taxes:

* Proposes to raise taxes on the American people by more than $1 trillion, devastating our fragile economy and stifling job creation.

* Endorsed the Fiscal Commission’s ideas on taxes, which specifically called for lower tax rates and a broader base, but then called for higher tax rates. Which is it?

* Government health and retirement programs are growing at more than twice the speed of the economy. At the current rate of spending, revenue would have to rise “by more than 50 percent” just to keep debt at its current level, according to the Government Accountability Office. That means tax increases across-the-board, now and in the future.

Medicare:

* Instead of proposing structural reforms that would actually reduce health care costs, the President proposed across-the-board cuts to current seniors’ care.

* Strictly limits the amount of health care seniors can receive within the existing structure of unsustainable government health care programs.

* Gives more power to unelected bureaucrats in Washington to determine what treatments seniors should or shouldn’t get, against a backdrop of costs that continue to rise.

* Conceded that the relentlessly rising cost of health care is the primary reason why the nation is threatened by debt, and implicitly conceded that his health care law failed to solve the problem.

* Eviscerates the only competitive element anywhere in health-care entitlement programs – the competition amongst Part D prescription-drug plans – which allowed the drug benefit to come in 41 percent under budget.

Medicaid:

* Acknowledges that the open-ended financing of Medicaid is a crippling financial burden to both states and the federal government, but explicitly rejected the only solution to this problem, which is to give states the freedom they need to design systems that work for the unique needs of their own populations.

Defense:

* Proposes more cuts on top of $78 billion in cuts included in his own defense budget, which he proposed just two months ago – all at a time when he continues to task the military with new missions.

* Secretary Gates has said that the military needs 2 percent – 3 percent real growth just to keep executing the missions that DOD has already been assigned.

* Secretary Gates described deficit reduction plans that let budget targets drive defense policy as “math, not strategy.”

Contact: Conor Sweeney (202) 226-7270

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: VideeWell

TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Congressman Paul Ryan Washington, DC Office. 1233 Longworth House Office Bldg Washington, DC 20515 Phone: (202) 225-3031 Fax: (202) 225-3393

Rob Portman Happy Tax Freedom Day

This year, on average, Ohioans will work 102 days to pay for their tax obligations to the federal, state, and local government. Tax Freedom Day, calculated by the non-partisan Tax Foundation, arrives on April 12th and is the first day that Ohioans can finally begin to reap the rewards of their own hard work. That means that instead of being able to save for your future or pay your child’s tuition, your rent or mortgage, or pay your electric bill, it takes 102 days just to pay taxes.

We seem to be working harder each year to pay for the cost of government. Tax Freedom Day arrived three days later this year than it did last year and almost a full three months later than it did in 1910. This measure of taxation ignores the current year’s deficit, which is at its highest ever – $1.5 trillion. If the IRS actually collected enough taxes to finance all the federal government will spend in 2011, it would have to collect about $1.5 trillion more, moving Tax Freedom Day back to May 23rd instead of April 12th.

Even without including the deficit, Americans will pay more in taxes this year than they will spend on groceries, shelter, and clothing combined.

It’s discouraging that because of the amount of taxes we pay, we don’t start working for ourselves until 102 days into the year. But there is another issue, too, and that is the cost to comply with an increasingly complex tax code. According to an IRS' Taxpayer Advocate Service report, the tax code, “has grown so long that it has become challenging even to figure out how long it is.”

Individuals and businesses, both small and large, face daunting challenges each year when tax season arrives. Job creators are faced with a choice between adding new workers or paying for the remarkably high costs of complying with an onerous tax code. The Tax Foundation projects that compliance alone will cost over $391 billion in 2011. At a time when our unemployment rate remains stubbornly high, we need to be doing all that we can to reduce the overall tax burden, including the compliance costs on job creators so they can add new employees.

If big-government policies and irresponsible deficit spending continue on the unsustainable path that they are currently on, Tax Freedom Day will likely come on a much later date for future generations, forcing Ohioans to work even longer to pay for a growing government.

Over the past two years, I have traveled to every one of Ohio’s 88 counties and visited over 100 factories, farms and businesses to get input on how to bring jobs back to Ohio. Many cited the burden of taxes, both the amount of tax and the administrative costs to comply with such a complicated tax code. The Job Creation Act, which I introduced on the very first day possible, reduces the burden of taxes on workers and small businesses. Economists estimate the payroll tax section of the Job Creation Act alone would create more than 1.4 million jobs.

In addition, I am working to simplify and reduce rates in the tax code; including reducing the corporate tax rate to 25%, which has the potential to create 5.3 million jobs over ten years; and provide incentives for entrepreneurs to invest in plants, equipment and workers that will help innovation and growth in the United States.

On this Tax Freedom Day, let’s rededicate ourselves to a government that lives within its means and a simpler, more sensible tax code that reduces the burdens for all of us.

TEXT CREDIT: Senator Portman, U.S. Senator for Ohio Washington, DC B40D Dirksen Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: 202-224-3353

IMAGE CREDIT: by SenRobPortman

Mitt Romney announces Exploratory Committee for President of the United States VIDEO

Mitt Romney I am announcing my Exploratory Committee for President of the United States.

It is time that we put America back on a course of greatness, with a growing economy, good jobs and fiscal discipline in Washington.

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: mittromney

TEXT CREDIT: Romney for President Exploratory Committee

Ron Paul The Nanny State Can't Last

Last week, Congress and the administration refused to seriously consider the problem of government spending. Despite the fear-mongering, a government shutdown would not have been as bad as claimed. It is encouraging that some in Washington seem to be insisting on reduced spending, which is definitely a step in the right direction, but only one step.

We have miles to go before we can even come close to a solution, and it will involve completely redefining the role of government in our lives and on the world stage. A compromise was struck at the last minute, but until Democrats agree to rein in entitlement spending, and Republicans back off the blank checks to the military industrial complex, it all amounts to political gamesmanship.

Unfortunately, the compromises always seem to be just the opposite. Instead of the left agreeing to cut social spending and the right agreeing to cut military spending, the right agrees to more welfare and the left agrees to more warfare. In spite of all the rhetoric, we will go deeper in debt, the Fed will print more money, and the value of the dollar will continue to plummet. How long will it be before foreigners stop buying our debt, and hyperinflation arrives?

Throughout history, empires have always overextended themselves through conquests and wealth transfers leading to eventual collapse, from the Roman Empire to the Soviet Union. We are headed in the same direction and it seems only the chaos of the collapse of the dollar will stop the spending spree. Arguing over funding for Planned Parenthood and NPR, though important, only shows that leadership in Washington either won't face reality, or don't understand how serious the problem is.

Of course, an actual government collapse would create serious problems for many people who have come to depend on government payments for healthcare, retirement income, their children's education, and even food and housing. However, these so-called entitlement programs are unconstitutional to begin with and have engendered a culture of dependence on wealth transfer payments that is out of control. It concerns me greatly that instead of dealing seriously with our situation, so many in Washington would rather allow the chaos that will ensue when all of the dependent people are suddenly cut off.

Better to look reality squarely in the face and tell people the difficult truth that government is simply not capable of managing people's lives from cradle to grave as was foolishly promised. We face trillions in deficits with any of the budgets under consideration. Keeping those promises is, sadly, just not one of our options in the long run. Better to admit the nanny state is coming to an end and we are no longer working on "compromises" but a transition - to a sustainable way of life, one that respects the constitution, the rule of law and property rights.

TEXT CREDIT: Ron Paul Texas Straight Talk Washington, DC 203 Cannon House Office Building Washington, DC 20515 Phone Number: (202) 225-2831

IMAGE CREDIT: CongressmanRonPaul

Paul Ryan Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 04/09/11

Podcast of the address: Download MP3 for PODCAST || FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT BELOW. || Download Video MPEG Video || MP4 Video

Paul Ryan Weekly Republican Address TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 04/09/11

Washington (Apr 9)

Delivering the Weekly Republican Address, House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan (R-WI) highlights the Path to Prosperity, the Republican budget that would spur private-sector job growth, stop Washington from spending money it doesn’t have, and lift the crushing burden of debt that threatens our future. Ryan also highlights the bipartisan agreement reached this week on the largest spending cut in history – “good news for job creators in America.” Following is the full text of the address.

“Hello. I’m Congressman Paul Ryan from Janesville, Wisconsin – and Chairman here at the House Budget Committee. “It’s no secret our government has a spending problem – and the problem has gotten so bad it’s threatening our future and hurting our nation’s ability to create jobs.

Republicans made a pledge that we would work to change this if given the opportunity to lead. Since January, we’ve been urging President Obama to listen to the people and work with us to reduce spending. The president started this year by proposing a freeze that would make no cuts at all. But now bipartisan legislation is in sight to enact the largest spending cut in American history.

“This is good news for job creators in America – but much more has to be done to put our nation on a true path to prosperity. Earlier this week, the House Budget Committee advanced a new budget for the United States government that will move the debate in Washington from billions in spending cuts to trillions.

“We did so because it is unconscionable to leave the next generation with a crushing burden of debt and a nation in decline. Washington’s obsession with the next election has come at the expense of the next generation.

“We are calling this budget The Path to Prosperity, because it is more than just a budget.

“It is a commitment to honor the American legacy of leaving the next generation a more prosperous nation than the one we inherited.

“By removing the anchor of debt that weighs down our economy and advancing pro-growth tax reforms, this budget is a jobs budget. It sends signals to investors, entrepreneurs, and job creators that a brighter future is still possible – a future in which America is still an engine of growth that leads the world.

“Right now, that legacy is in grave danger. This nation is going deeper and deeper into debt – and the spending choices we make today will determine the kind of lives our children enjoy tomorrow.

“The facts are these: Washington has not been telling you the truth about the magnitude of the problems we are facing.

“Unless we act soon, government spending on health and retirement programs will crowd out spending on everything else, including national security. It will literally take every cent of every federal tax dollar just to pay for these programs.

“The non-partisan experts have been clear about what this means:

“Each day that Congress fails to act, the government takes one step closer to breaking its promises to current retirees. Each year that policymakers kick this can down the road means trillions of dollars in empty promises are being made to future generations.

“If we stay on the current path, we are heading toward a debt-fueled economic crisis – meaning massive tax increases, sudden cuts to vital programs, runaway inflation, or all three.

“Make no mistake: The prospect of a crisis is casting a shadow on economic activity in this country. Uncertainty is keeping job creators from hiring as fast as they should be. Businesses know that all this borrowing and spending today means higher taxes and lower incomes for their customers down the road.

“Economists agree: Advancing a credible solution to this crisis will begin to restore confidence and create better conditions for job-creation immediately.

“The President’s recent budget proposal is worse than just a commitment to this status quo. It would actually accelerate this country’s descent into a debt crisis.

“It would double the debt held by the public by the end of his term, and triple it in a decade from now.

“It would raise taxes by $1.5 trillion, even though the problem is that Washington spends too much, not that Americans are taxed too little.

“It would permanently enlarge the size of government by sending government spending as a share of the economy skyrocketing to levels that a healthy economy simply cannot sustain.

“And it offers no real reforms to save government health and retirement programs, and no leadership.

“Our budget is very different: Instead of locking in the spending spree of the last two years, our budget cuts $6.2 trillion in spending from the President’s budget over the next ten years.

“This keeps government spending as a share of the economy consistent with the historical average of 20 percent, so that individuals and the economy can be free.

“Instead of letting deficits spiral out of control, our budget keeps borrowing in check and puts us on the path to balance.

“Instead of adding $13 trillion to the debt over the next decade and trillions more in the years to come, this Path to Prosperity lifts this crushing burden of debt that is threatening our economy and our children’s future.

“It is not too late to fix America’s problems. It is not too late to get our country back on track so our kids can also realize the American Dream.

“We can – and we must – preserve this nation’s exceptional promise, because that is exactly what previous generations of Americans worked so hard to do for us.

“It is time for officials in Washington to stop acting like politicians, and to start acting like leaders.

“We have a legacy to fulfill. It is time for all of us to get to work, put an end to the empty promises, and advance a plan to prosperity.”

VIDEO and IMAGE CREDIT: JohnBoehner

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

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

Eric Cantor Statement on Resolution of Disapproval of Net Neutrality Regulations

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA) today issued the following statement on the passage of a resolution of disapproval of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) net neutrality regulations:

"Today, the House took an important step to bring down the FCC’s harmful and partisan plan to regulate the Internet. These regulations give the government unwarranted authority to control broadband networks which ultimately will hinder a thriving industry, harm competition and stifle innovation. Under Republican leadership, the House is focusing on ending anti-growth government regulations, and I thank the House Energy and Commerce Committee and Chairmen Upton and Walden for leading the charge against the FCC's attempt to regulate our nation's broadband industry. Broadband networks are more critical than ever to the success and expansion of the private sector, and we will continue to pursue policies that encourage businessmen and women to innovate and expand to ensure their long-term success. The passage of this resolution is part of House Republicans' pro-growth agenda to give business people in this country the chance to grow, innovate and compete so that people can get back to work."

TEXT CREDIT: Eric Cantor || Majority Leader ||

IMAGE CREDIT: EricCantor

John Boehner We’ve Got to Cut Spending If We’re Serious About Creating Jobs VIDEO

Washington (Apr 8) House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) made the following brief statement following a meeting of the House Republican Conference:

“We just met with all of our Members to try to bring them as up to speed as we can, considering that we’re still in discussions. And I might add that these discussions continue to be respectful, we continue to work together. Most of the policy issues have been dealt with and the big fight is over the spending. You’ve heard me say time and time again that we’ve got to cut spending if we’re serious about creating an environment for job creators in America to do what they do best – and that’s to create jobs.

“It’s been a difficult several weeks. Our intention has been to keep the government open. We have no interest in shutting down the government. That’s why we sent the troop funding bill over to the Senate yesterday and attached to it was a seven day agreement to keep the government open while continuing to cut spending. And I’m hopeful the Senate will take this up.

“I’m also hopeful that we’ll be able to come to some agreement. But we’re not going to roll over and sell out the American people like it’s been done time and time again here in Washington. When we say we’re serious about cutting spending, we’re damn serious about it.”

VIDEO CREDIT: JohnBoehner

TEXT CREDIT: Speaker of the House John Boehner Contact H-232 The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 P (202) 225-0600 F (202) 225-5117

Hal Rogers Continuing Resolution Protects our Troops and Their Families, Prevents Government Shutdown H.R. 1363 FULL TEXT

WASHINGTON, D.C. – House Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers today offered legislation on the floor of the House to prevent a government shutdown by extending federal funding for one additional week. The bill will provide time for House and Senate negotiators to come to a final budget agreement, while funding the Department of Defense – including pay for troops and their families – for the rest of the fiscal year. H.R.1363 -- Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011 FULL TEXT in PDF FORMAT The floor statement by Chairman Rogers follows: “Mr. Speaker, I rise today to support H.R. 1363 - the Department of Defense and Further Additional Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011.

I ask my colleagues support for this bill so we can avoid a government shutdown and provide the necessary time to finally complete negotiations on a final funding agreement for the rest of the 2011 fiscal year.

“This bill funds government operations for one more week, while reducing spending by $12 billion. These cuts include funding rescissions, reductions and program terminations from nearly all areas of the government. Virtually all of these cuts were also included in HR 1, and many were included in the President’s budget requests, the Senate’s alternative to H.R. 1, or the recent OMB CR proposal.

“Most importantly, the bill supports our troops and our national security by providing funding for our national Defense for the remainder of the fiscal year. Our troops and their families deserve to have the financial security we promised them while we continue to work towards a final budget agreement.

“After months of uncertainty, it is high time we provide for our national security in a responsible way. This means common-sense funding that ensures the safety of our war fighters and the success of our missions abroad.

“However, while this legislation points us in the right direction on security and spending cuts, what we all want right now is to wrap up these negotiations, complete the process for 2011 and move our many other important legislative items.

“As I have said many times before, short-term measures are not the preferable way to fund the government. So while no one wants to fund the government in one- or two-week bursts, this short-term CR is what we must do to prevent a government shutdown and allow time to pass a smart and thoughtful bill for the rest of the year.

“Mr. Speaker, coming into this Congress, the Democrats left us with a financial mess – soaring deficits, unchecked spending and no budget or Appropriations bill for 2011. And now that we are more than three months in – and six months into the fiscal year – the Senate Democrats have yet to produce any plan to help clean up this mess.

“Despite all the roadblocks we’ve faced throughout the process, we must continue down the path to fiscal solvency, and this CR both affords us the time required to complete negotiations as well as makes the spending cuts needed to continue to help balance our budgets.

“We are committed to making real spending cuts like these to reduce our deficits both now and in the future. We are determined to complete this work where Democrats failed to do so.

“While answering our constituents’ calls to reduce excessive government spending, this bill provides time to negotiate in an honest way to do what is not only right for our constituents, our nation, and our financial future. Let’s pass this bill, and finally get this leftover work from last year behind us.”

Contact: Jennifer Hing, 202-226-7007

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TEXT CREDIT: Committee on Appropriations H-307, The Capitol Washington, DC 20515 Main Number: (202) 225-2771

IMAGE CREDIT: Congressman Hal Rogers

Overwhelming Bipartisan Majority of Senators Vote to Stop EPA Overreach

64 vote for one or more EPA amendments; McConnell-Inhofe amendment garners most votes, a bipartisan group of 50

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell issued the following statement Wednesday after an overwhelming bipartisan majority of senators voted in favor of proposals to stop job- and economy-destroying EPA regulations:

"An overwhelming bipartisan majority of the Senate today voted to rein in job- and economy-destroying EPA regulations, underscoring the fact that both Republicans and Democrats oppose giving unelected bureaucrats at the EPA the power to impose a new national energy tax on American job creators and families. Altogether, more than 60 senators voted in favor of four amendments that, to one degree or another, would restrain the EPA’s power to regulate carbon emissions from farmers, manufacturers and power plants. I welcome the House’s expected approval today of legislation similar to the McConnell/Inhofe amendment, one of the four amendments voted on by the Senate. McConnell’s amendment garnered 50 votes, significantly more than the other three combined.

We in the Senate will continue to fight for legislation that will give the certainty that no unelected bureaucrat at the EPA is going to make efforts to create jobs even more difficult than the administration already has." IMAGE CREDIT: RepublicanLeader TEXT CREDIT: U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell Washington Office 361-A Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20510 Phone: (202) 224-2541 Fax: (202) 224-2499