LEGISLATIVE UPDATE JUNE 11, 2012

Federal Budget, Spending & Taxes

• No Budget: Tuesday, June 12 marks the 1140th day since the Senate has passed a budget under the leadership of Harry Reid (D-NV).
• Difference in Debt: Some of you may have noticed the media claiming that the CBO recently said that our federal debt would reach 70% of GDP sometime this year. But those of us paying attention noted that our debt passed 100% of GDP in December of 2011. So why the difference? The CBO is NOT counting intragovernmental debt. There is publicly held debt (debt held by bondholders, etc.) and debt held by government agencies. The CBO’s numbers only reflect the debt held by the public – they do not account for the debt held by the government! But it’s all debt that we are responsible for paying back, so the accurate number is the one that shows the debt exceeding 100% of GDP.
• Blame Game: The Democrats are now trying to say that the Republicans and the Tea Party have sabotaged the economy in order to win an election. This will be the new narrative for a while, so think about how you would like address it and respond to it.
• Meaning of Austerity: Watch this video of Veronique de Rugy discussing the different types of austerity. Also read her article about how European fiscal austerity doesn’t mean spending cuts.  And don’t forget to read the report by Harvard academics about how cutting spending and raising taxes has a historically bad track record, & how spending cuts only are the way to go.
• Tripled: Also in that CBO report was the fact that the debt is on track to TRIPLE in one generation! Now, remember they only looked at publicly held debt, so you can imagine how much worse it really is when we take into account the intragovernmental debt.

Regulations and Jobs

• REIN-ing in the Regulators:  Last December the House passed the REINS Act, which would have required Congress to vote “on a resolution of approval concerning every “major” regulation (with an economic impact of $100 million or more).” The Senate, of course, is useless when it comes to doing anything. Obama has threatened to veto the REINS Act should it reach his desk. This could be a great campaign issue in 2012 – ask your candidates about where they stand on it. Read more about the REINS Act here.
• Not Hiring:  Read about the personal stories of business owners who are afraid to start hiring again because of the regulatory adventurism of this administration, and the uncertainty of future tax rates.
• 3 Lies:  Read about the three lies of government statistics on unemployment - Remember this when you hear Obama’s Department of Labor crowing over some less-than-stellar unemployment numbers. And be sure to pass this on to anyone who you talk to that thinks the numbers are looking good. Apparently some people think that adding 69,000 jobs in one month is pretty darn impressive.
  Horrible Recovery:  In light of Obama’s comment about the private sector “doing fine,” check out this graph from the RSC to see how “fine” the private sector is really doing. Hint: waaaaaaaaaaay below average.

Obamacare

Thank you to the Alexandria Tea Party for collecting these links.

• Religious Freedom Rallies in 49 States
• House Takes Up Job-Killing Device Tax (& it passed this past week)
• Medical Loss Ratios Threaten Insurer Viability
• Home Tax Clobbers Middle Class
• Cost Curve Bent Upwards, Not Down
• Study Finds that Exchanges Won’t Work as Advertised
• High Deductible Plans Lead to Lower Spending
• Obamacare Diagnosed as Quackery
• Does Obama Already Know the SCOTUS Decision?
• Physician Survey – Doctors Not Happy With Obamacare

Property Rights & Sustainability

• Alabama Outlaws Agenda 21 – more info here
• House Defunds Two Egregious Ocean Policies
• UN Wants to Tax America
• Good Article from Tom DeWeese
• VIDEO: Rand Paul on His Bill to Curb the FDA’s Power
• See Agenda 21 Happening in Detroit

Illegal Immigration

• A Bill to Stop the DOJ from Suing States Over Their Immigration Laws

House of Representatives



Weekly summary and look-ahead provided by the RSC. Posting information from the RSC does not imply TPP endorsement of the RSC.


Weekly Wrap Up

• Partial Obamacare Repeal — Last Thursday, the House approved H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act, by a vote of 270-146. The legislation combines four bipartisan bills that would remove harmful limitations put in place by Obamacare. This will result in saving up to 47,000 jobs, supporting medical innovation, reducing health care costs, and providing Americanfamilies more choice and flexibility. The bill repeals the 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices scheduled to take place in 2013; repeals the limitation on reimbursement of the over-the-counter medications from health savings account (HSA), flexible spending arrangement (FSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), or medical savings accounts (MSA) that took effect in 2011; and allows 33 million consumers of health FSAs to “cash out” unused funds (capped at $500) at the end of the year. Finally, the bill eliminates exchange subsidy overpayments (the subsidies—refundable tax credits—are determined based on the most recent tax return, thus an overpayment could occur when actual incomes exceed subsidy eligibility thresholds). The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 436 reduces the deficit by $6.7 billion over the 2013-2022 period. Conservatives remain committed to the full and total repeal of Obamacare, especially in light of the looming Supreme Court decision. Many conservatives worry that partial repeal and “fix-it” bills will divide and distract the coalition for repealing Obamacare and restarting on conservative health care reform.
• Transportation Spending – Last week, conservatives used a procedural vote called a “motion to instruct conferees” to force a debate and vote on transportation spending. These motions are used to send a message to the conference committee—this time on the highway bill—regarding the prerogatives of one chamber of Congress. Although not binding, conservatives hope that these motions will highlight conservative priorities on transportation The first motion, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake (AZ), stipulates that states must receive back from the federal government at least 95% of the revenue they pay into the Highway Trust Fund. Under the current system, some states are unfairly rewarded at the expense of other states. The motion passed 259-154. The second motion, offered by Rep. Paul Broun (GA), states that federal highway spending cannot exceed the user fee revenues of the Highway Trust Fund. Currently, highway spending exceeds the revenues of the trust fund and borrows from the general fund. Conservatives have long argued that federal highway spending should not spend money that does not come from the Highway Trust Fund. Unfortunately, this motion was rejected82-323.

NOTE: 145 Republicans voted AGAINST this bill that would have forced federal highway spending to operate within the existing revenue. See the votes here, meaning they voted FOR irresponsibility and higher spending - even when the money isn't there.

• Energy and Water Appropriations — Last Wednesday, the House approved H.R. 5325, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act of 2013, by a vote of 255-165. The bill provides a total of $32.09 billion in non-emergency, discretionary budget authority for the agencies and programs funded through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. Budget authority in the bill is a reduction of $965 million, or 3 percent below, the spending level requested by the President for FY 2013. Unfortunately, the bill is also $87 million, or 0.2 percent, above the FY 2012 funding level.

The following amendments to the Energy & Water Appropriations bill should be of interest to conservatives.


o McClintock (R-CA) – Cuts the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program by $1.45 billion. Rejected 113-275.
o Chaffetz (R-UT) – Cuts the Advanced Manufacturing Program by $74 million, to FY 2011 levels. Rejected 140-245.
o Broun (R-GA) – Cuts the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program by $335 million. Rejected on voice vote.
o McClintock (R-CA) – Eliminates nuclear energy research subsidies (saves $514 million). Rejected 106-281.
o Connolly (D-VA) – Eliminates oil shale research and development subsidies (saves $25 million). Passed 208-207-1.
o Chabot (R-OH) – Eliminates funding for the regional commissions, such as the Appalachian Regional Commission (saves $99.3 million). Rejected 141-276.
o Kucinich (D-OH) – Prohibits funding for loan guarantees under Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (this is the program that funded Solyndra). Rejected 136-282.
o Blackburn (R-TN) – 1% across the board cut to discretionary spending (would cut $321 million). Rejected 157-261.
o Mulvaney (R-SC) – Would bring the bill toward RSC budget levels by cutting $3.1 billion. Rejected 125-293.
o King (R-IA) – Prohibits funding of Davis-Bacon union wage requirements. Rejected 184-235.
o Jordan (R-OH) – Prohibits loan guarantees for renewable energy systems, electric power transmission systems, or leading edge biofuel projects—aka Solyndra. Passed by voice vote.
o Landry (R-LA) – Prohibits funds being used for a national media campaign on green technologies. Passed by voice vote.
o Schweikert (R-AZ) – Prohibits funds being used to enforce federal shower head regulations. Passed by voice vote.
o Flake (R-AZ) – Across the board spending cut that would keep funding at FY 2012 levels ($87.5 million savings). Rejected 144-274.

• Homeland Security Appropriations — Thursday, the House approved H.R. 5855, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2013, by a vote of 234-182. The bill provides $39.1 billion in discretionary budget authority for programs funded through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Fiscal Year 2013. Unlike previous years, funding for the Coast Guard’s support of the Global War on Terror/Overseas Contingency Operations are not included in the bill and are instead provided via transfer of $254 million from Department of Defense, Navy, Operations & Maintenance. Discretionary budget authority in the bill is $484 million, or 1.2 percent, less than last year and $393 million, or 1 percent, below the President’s request.

The following amendments to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill should be of interest to conservatives.


o Broun (R-GA) – Reduces administrative expense accouns by 3% (saves $500,000). Rejected 140-273.
o Broun (R-GA) – Eliminates all funding for TSA (saves $5.041 billion). Rejected by voice vote.
o Flake (R-AZ) – Cuts $412.9 million from FEMA state and local programs (a reduction to FY 2012 levels). Rejected by voice vote.
o Black (R-TN) – Prohibits funding for the position of Public Advocate within Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Passed by voice vote.
o King (R-IA) – Prohibits funding to enforce an executive order which mandates the Department of Homeland Security to use languages other than English. Passed 224-189.
o King (R-IA) – Prohibits funding to enforce “Morton Memos” concerning administrative amnesty. Passed 238-175.
o Blackburn (R-TN) – Prohibits funding to provide TSA employees badges, shields, or uniforms with epaulets or a badge tab. Rejected 131-282.
o Blackburn (R-TN) – Prohibits funding for TSA employees outside of airports. Rejected 204-210.
o Sullivan (R-OK) – Prohibits funds from being used to prevent state and local law enforcement from enforcing immigration laws. Passed 250-164.
o Barletta (R-PA) – Prohibits funding for sanctuary cities. Passed by voice vote.
o Polis (D-CO) – 2% across the board cut to the bill. Rejected 99-316.

• Legislative Branch Appropriations — Friday, the House approved H.R. 5882, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of FY 2013, by a vote of 307-102. The bill provides a total of $3.33 billion in discretionary budget authority for all non-Senate Legislative Branch activities, which is $34 million, or 1 percent, below last year’s levels and $189 million, or 5.4 percent, below the President’s requested level. The House and Senate traditionally determine their own funding separately and concur with each other’s bill in a conference committee. According to House Report 112-511, which accompanies the legislation, the Senate appropriations estimate is $956.1 million. When House and Senate appropriations are combined, total Legislative Branch funding would be $4.28 billion. According to the Appropriations Committee, since Fiscal Year 2010, the spending overseen by the Legislative Branch Subcommittee has been cut by 10.5 percent.

The following amendments to the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill should be of interest to conservatives.

o Gosar (R-AZ) – Reduces funding for the U.S. Botanic Garden to FY 2009 levels (saves $1.235 million). Passed 213-193.
o Broun (R-GA) – Reduces funding for the Congressional Research Services to FY 2012 levels (saves $878,000). Passed 214-189.

o Scalise (R-LA) – Eliminates all funding for the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund (saves $1 million). Passed 204-203.
o Moran (D-VA) – Prohibits House food service facilities from buying Styrofoam. Rejected 178-229.
o Flake (R-AZ) – Prohibits Members of Congress from using official funds to buy advertisements on non-official sites (like Facebook, etc.). Rejected 148-261.

Check out these weekly updates from caucuses, task forces, working groups, and special projects of the RSC!

• Budget and Spending Task Force – A weekly roundup of budget and spending news in the House from a conservative perspective.
• Money Monitor – The only document that tracks the cost of bills as the pass the House.
• National Security Working Group – Periodic updates on national security and defense issues in the House from a conservative perspective.
• Financial Services Working Group – Provides conservative analysis of financial services issues, including Dodd Frank, GSE’s, and the Fed.
• Health Care Working Group – The latest news on Obamacare and conservative health care solutions.
• 10th Amendment Task Force – Highlights legislation and initiatives that moves power out of Washington and back to the states.
• Repeal Task Force – A weekly bill is highlighted that repeals an entire law (ie. Obamacare, Dodd Frank, Davis Bacon).
• Sunset Caucus – A weekly bill is highlighted that sunsets a federal program or agency.
• Questionable Constitutional Authority Statement – The most egregious examples of the misuse and misapplication of the House’s constitutional authority statement rule.
• If Democrats Controlled The House… - The worst examples of liberal legislation that could be considered if Democrats were in the majority.
• Weekly Updates from the Chairman – To sign up for these weekly updates—usually sent on Monday—from Chairman Jordan highlighting conservative Members, issues, and activities in the RSC, please go here.

The Week Ahead

The House is in recess this week.
 
Senate

• The Senate resumes consideration of the motion to proceed to a five-year farm bill, although amendment votes are not expected before Tuesday.
• The first vote of the week will be in connection with the confirmation of Andrew D. Hurwitz for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Two Senate Appropriations subcommittees — Labor-HHS-Education and Financial Services— mark up their draft fiscal 2013 spending bills. Later in the week, the full Appropriations panel is expected to consider both measures.
• Environment and Public Works holds a confirmation hearing on two Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominations: Allison M. Macfarlane, who has been tapped to replace Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko, and incumbent Commissioner Kristine L. Svinicki.
• MONDAY: Convenes 2 p.m., Roll call votes expected S 3240 — Farm bill and Nomination — Andrew D. Hurwitz for a judgeship on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

TUESDAY AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK:
S 3240 — Farm bill

Fact Check: Obama off on Thrifty Spending Claim

The White House is aggressively pushing the idea that, contrary to widespread belief, President Barack Obama is tightfisted with taxpayer dollars. To back it up, the administration cites a media report that claims federal spending is rising at the slowest pace since the Eisenhower years.

"Federal spending since I took office has risen at the slowest pace of any president in almost 60 years," Obama said at a campaign rally Thursday in Des Moines, Iowa.


The problem with that rosy claim is that the Wall Street bailout is part of the calculation. The bailout ballooned the 2009 budget just before Obama took office, making Obama's 2010 results look smaller in comparison. And as almost $150 billion of the bailout was paid back during Obama's watch, the analysis counted them as government spending cuts.



It also assumes Obama had less of a role setting the budget for 2009 than he really did.

Obama rests his claim on an analysis by MarketWatch, a financial information and news service owned by Dow Jones & Co. The analysis simply looks at the year-to-year topline spending number for the government but doesn't account for distortions baked into the figures by the Wall Street bailout and government takeover of the mortgage lending giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

The MarketWatch study finds spending growth of only 1.4 percent over 2010-2013, or annual increases averaging 0.4 percent over that period. Those are stunningly low figures considering that Obama rammed through Congress an $831 billion stimulus measure in early 2009 and presided over significant increases in annual spending by domestic agencies at the same time the cost of benefit programs like Social Security, Medicare and the Medicaid were ticking steadily higher.

A fairer calculation would give Obama much of the responsibility for an almost 10 percent budget boost in 2009, then a 13 percent increase over 2010-2013, or average annual growth of spending of just more than 3 percent over that period.

CONTINUED:  http://www.newsmax.com/Newsfront/Obama-Spending-Fact-Check/2012/05/26/id/440358?s=al&promo_code=F07C-1#ixzz1w1c2n6qq

TPP Legislative Update & Newsletter: December 5, 2011

Passion to Action

 Call your Representative and ask them to support the REINS Act today!!!

Federal Budget & Spending

 Today is the 951st day since the Senate has passed a budget under the leadership of Harry Reid (D-NV).
 Federal spending has increased 5% in the first nine months of this year alone, contrary to claims that Congress or the President has cut spending.
 What do you think of this line-item veto proposal by Rep. Paul Ryan, who says it will help control wasteful spending? Read more about his “Legislative Text of H.R. 3521 - The Expedited Line-Item Veto and Rescissions Act of 2011.”
 Senate Democrats are trying to roll a payroll tax break extension into an increased tax rate for wealthier Americans, known as a ”millionaire surtax.” Republicans have now released their payroll proposal. Read about it here. What do you think?
 Eric Cantor is working to rescind the automatic cuts to defense that are scheduled as a result of the so-called “Super Committee” failing to agree on a deal. He’s offering House Democrats a deal that would pass their payroll tax break extension, an extension of jobless benefits, other spending measures that Democrats want, and a Medicare reimbursement rate for physicians in exchange for fewer cuts to defense.
 Obama and the Democrats are upping the ante with their class warfare rhetoric. Watch out for this and think about how you can go on the offensive against this divisive and dangerous strategy.

Regulations & Jobs

 Check out the Mercatus Center’s research summary titled, “Ready, Fire, Aim!': A Foundational Problem with Regulations.” You might also want to look at their Regulatory Report Card.
 The REINS Act, a bill that seeks to restrain the overreach and unbearable cost of regulatory adventurism, is the result of one Tea Party Patriot who decided to do something. Read about this tea party victory here.
 REINS Act — This week the House will consider H.R. 10, the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Geoff Davis (KY). The bill would restore Congressional accountability for the regulatory process, requiring Congress to take an up-or-down, stand-alone vote, and for the president to sign off on all new major rules—those with an annual economic impact of $100 million or more—before they can be enforced on the American people, businesses, or state and local governments.
 The Republicans in the House have passed 25 bills to help job creators start creating jobs. All 25 of these bills are stuck in the Senate, left there to die by Harry Reid.

Obamacare

 Over the last couple of weeks, the following states have accepted federal money to implement the Obamacare exchanges:
o Alabama, $8.5 million
o Arizona, $29.8 million
o Delaware, $3.4 million
o Hawaii, $14.4 million
o Idaho, $20.3 million
o Iowa, $7.7 million
o Maine, $5.8 million
o Michigan, $9.8 million
o Nebraska, $5.4 million
o New Mexico, $34.2 million
o Tennessee, $1.5 million
o Vermont, $18 million
o Rhode Island, $58.5 million

 GET READY FOR DEATH PANELS. Read about what this caller told Mark Levin. The basis of this is that government is going to be writing strict policies that do not take into account each individual. When government has to create universal policies for the entire country, there will be a lot of dehumanizing effects. This is the exact same thing that England has done since the 1940's to save on costs since it is a government-run system.

 Obamacare incentivizes employers to shove sicker employees off of private insurance and into the taxpayer subsidized exchanges. Make sure to frequently check out the Galen Institute for great up-to-date information about Obamacare.

 An Obamacare “bomb” exploded on December 2 when the HHS rule went into effect that requires private insurance companies to spend “80% of the consumers’ premium dollars they collect — 85% for large group insurers — on actual medical care rather than overhead, marketing expenses and profit.” Private insurers will not be able to sustain this sort of business model and will implode under this ruling. So while Obama may have removed the “public option” from the final legislation, this was his backdoor method of destroying private health care.

Education

 Read: How Replacing the Worst 7% of American Teachers Could Improve Education.
 Think back to your own school days when that extra special teacher had such a great influence on your life. Did that teacher inspire you to try harder and to reach for the stars? More and more studies are demonstrating a direct link between excellent teachers and improved student performance.
 At TEA for Education, we believe that the failure of public education is nothing less than child abuse. Competition through school choice will help weed out the worst teachers and reward those who truly care about the kids. Parents should have a full menu of options and opportunities from which to choose: school choice = freedom.
 Want to help? Contact Bruce Gardner at bruce@teaforeducation.com or Beverly Elliott at beverly@teaforeducation.com
 or visit our website at http://www.teaforeducation.com/  today!

Agenda 21

 Read about how the threat of coal mining shut downs are becoming a reality due to the EPA.
 Volunteers still needed in the following four counties in Tennessee to fight against Regional Smart Growth/Agenda 21 takeover: Meigs, Sequatchie, Bledsoe, and Marion. Please contact Karen Bracken at karenbracken5@gmail.com to volunteer.
 Rep. Joe Walsh has drafted a bill that would block US funding to the United Nations if the UN seeks to impose gun control on US citizens. No bill # yet.
 Information about the unconstitutionality of the International Baccalaureate program.
 The Labor Department is changing the rules about child labor on farms, making it impossible for farm children 16 and under to work on family farms.
 Watch out for a “Community Bill of Rights” initiative in your area next year. One leftist group has put out a template for Occupy groups to rally around and utilize in initiatives during next year’s elections. Here’s the template, here’s the Google doc, and a PDF. These are very bad, so stay on alert in your local community.
 Heritage Foundation writes about the threat of Agenda 21 here.

Illegal Immigration

 Remember, if you are interested in participating in the Tea Party Immigration Coalition’s weekly phone call, please send an email to berksteaparty@berksteaparty.org, expressing your interest.

House of Representatives

 Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act — Last week, the House approved H.R. 3094, the Workforce Democracy and Fairness Act, by a vote of 235-188, pushing back on yet another overreach of Big Labor and the Obama Administration.
 Eliminating Taxpayer Financing of Presidential Elections and the Election Assistance Commission — Also last week, the House passed H.R. 3463 by a vote of 235-190. The bill eliminates the Presidential Election Campaign Fund (PECF), terminates public financing of presidential campaigns, and returns PECF funds to the general treasury for deficit reduction.
 Regulatory Flexibility — Also last week, the House approved H.R. 527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act, by a vote of 263-159. This bill closes loopholes that agencies are exploiting to avoid the requirement that they analyze the effect new regulations would have on small businesses.
 Regulatory Accountability — Again, last week, the House passed H.R. 3010, the Regulatory Accountability Act, by a vote of 253-167. The bill defines “major rule,” “high-impact rule,” “guidance,” and “major guidance” to broaden the definitions of rules that will be impacted by the bill.
 Farm Dust — This week, the House will consider H.R. 1633, The Farm Dust Regulation Prevention Act—offered by RSC Member Rep. Kristi Noem (SD). The bill would prohibit the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from issuing any new National Ambient Air Quality Standards for coarse particulate matter (aka dust) for at least one year from the date of enactment of the legislation.

 FROM THE RSC: With two weeks of session left before Congress adjourns for the year, a number of items remain outstanding. Some of the items you may be interested in include:

o A “megabus” spending bill will likely be on the floor the week of the December 12, reportedly containing the nine remaining un-passed spending bills. Many conservatives believe that we should not spend more than the House-passed budget level and that any spending package should at least include policy provisions that protect life, defund Obamacare, and remove barriers to economic growth.
o It is also likely that a package that includes an unemployment benefits extension and a payroll tax cut extension will be on the floor that week.
o We may also consider an extension package of expiring tax provisions (AMT patch, expiring credits/deductions, etc.) and the “Doc Fix” (which adjusts the way that physicians are reimbursed under Medicare). If not considered in 2011, any package considered in 2012 would likely be retroactive.

Senate

 The Senate has votes planned on five judgeship nominees. The schedule for the remainder of the week is less clear, as senior lawmakers work behind the scenes to reach agreement on year-end spending and revenue measures.

U.S. Drops to 9th Place in Economic Freedom!

- The Foundry: Conservative Policy News. - http://blog.heritage.org -

Posted By Conn Carroll On January 12, 2011


Morning Bell: The Government Spending Threat to Economic Freedom

This morning, The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal [1] released the 2011 Index of Economic Freedom [2], and while the news is good for many countries, it is depressing for the United States. All told, 117 countries, mainly developing and emerging market economies, improved their Economic Freedom Index score. Meanwhile the U.S. dropped to 9th place, remaining “mostly free,” weighed down by the burden of President Obama’s spending spree.

Of course, we should all celebrate the improving lot of many impoverished people across the globe. The data [3] in this year’s Index again confirm [4] the strong correlation not just between economic freedom and higher per capita incomes but between higher economic freedom and overall well-being (which takes into account such factors as health, education, security, and personal freedom) as well. The Index shows that freer societies reduce poverty at nearly twice the rate as less free societies do.

The United States, however, is no longer “the Land of the Free” economically. Our Economic Freedom Index score fell to 77.8, moving us down to 9th internationally [5] behind such countries as Denmark, Canada, and first-place Hong Kong. What drove America’s decline? Huge increases in government spending. Despite obvious past failures of Keynesian spending policies in countries like Japan, the U.S. government undertook a massive government spending spree designed to combat unemployment and spur economic growth. This Keynesian stimulus has proved to be an abject failure: Unemployment is still above 9 percent for a post–World War II record 20th month in a row, and economic growth has not returned as strong as the Obama Administration predicted [6].

This spending, more than any market factor, poses the greatest risk to American economic dynamism. Relying on government spending to create growth not only has failed to reduce unemployment but has also prolonged the crisis by hampering private sector investment. Bloated government debt has turned the economic slowdown into a fiscal crisis, with economic stagnation fueling a long-term employment crisis. And the Index shows that this truth applies to many other countries as well: Index data show that countries with the highest levels of government spending had growth rates 4.5 points lower, on average, than countries where government spending was under control [4].

But there is still hope. Across the world voters are beginning to reject big government spending ways and embrace economic freedom. In the United Kingdom, which has dropped all the way down to 16th place from the top 10 in only two years, voters tossed out the profligate Labour Party in favor of Prime Minister David Cameron’s austerity-promising government. And here at home, the Tea Party movement has said “enough,” electing a Republican House of Representatives that has promised to rein in the Obama Administration’s reckless spending.

Over the past 30 years, freer economies have fueled unprecedented economic growth around the world. From 1980 to 2008, the world economy achieved real GDP expansion of around 145 percent, lifting hundreds of millions of people out of poverty. Globally, poverty has fallen by 40 percent since 1990. The United States can continue to be a leader of this prosperous free world, but first we have to get our own bad spending habits under control.

Copyright © 2008 The Heritage Foundation. All rights reserved.

SEE VIDEO:
http://blog.heritage.org/2011/01/12/morning-bell-the-government-spending-threat-to-economic-freedom/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

111th Congress Added More Debt Than First 100 Congresses Combined

111th Congress Added More Debt Than First 100 Congresses Combined: $10,429 Per Person in U.S.

Monday, December 27, 2010

By Terence P. Jeffrey

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi holds one of the pens used by President Barack Obama to sign the health care bill, Tuesday, March 23, 2010, in the East Room of the White House in Washington.
(CNSNews.com) - The federal government has accumulated more new debt--$3.22 trillion ($3,220,103,625,307.29)—during the tenure of the 111th Congress than it did during the first 100 Congresses combined, according to official debt figures published by the U.S. Treasury.

That equals $10,429.64 in new debt for each and every one of the 308,745,538 people counted in the United States by the 2010 Census.

The total national debt of $13,858,529,371,601.09 (or $13.859 trillion), as recorded by the U.S. Treasury at the close of business on Dec. 22, now equals $44,886.57 for every man, woman and child in the United States.

In fact, the 111th Congress not only has set the record as the most debt-accumulating Congress in U.S. history, but also has out-stripped its nearest competitor, the 110th, by an astounding $1.262 trillion in new debt.

During the 110th Congress—which, according to the Clerk of the House, officially convened on Jan. 4, 2007 and adjourned on Jan. 4, 2009--the national debt increased $1.957 trillion. When that Congress adjourned less than two years ago, it claimed the record as the most debt-accumulating Congress in U.S. history. As it turned out, however, its record did not last long.

The $3.22 trillion in new federal debt run up during the 111th Congress exceeds by 64 percent the $1.957 trillion in new debt run up during the 110th.

Although the 111th Congress cast its last vote on Dec. 22, it will not officially adjourn until next week.

Democrats controlled both the House and Senate in the 110th and 111th Congresses.

The 108th Congress ($1.159 trillion in new debt) and 109th ($1.054 trillion in new debt) take third and fourth place among all U.S. Congresses for accumulating debt. In both these Congresses, Republicans controlled both the House and Senate.

Still, the $3.22 trillion in new debt accumulated during the record-setting 111th Congress is more than three times the $1.054 trillion in new debt accumulated by the last Republican-majority Congress (the 109th) which adjourned on Dec. 8, 2006.

Historically, according to the U.S. Treasury, the federal debt did not reach $3.22 trillion until September 1990, during the 101st Congress. Between the first Congress, which adjourned in 1791 leaving behind approximately $75 million in debt, and the convening of the 101st Congress, which occurred on Jan. 3, 1989, the national debt grew to $2.684 trillion.

During the Rep. Nancy Pelosi’s (D-Calif.) tenure as speaker, which commenced on Jan. 4, 2007, the federal government has run up $5.177 trillion in new debt. That is about equal to the total debt the federal government accumulated in the first 220 years of the nation's existence, with the federal debt rising from $5.173 trillion on July 23, 1996 to $5.181 trillion on July 24, 1996.

In her inaugural address as speaker, Pelosi vowed that Congress would engage in no new deficit spending.

"After years of historic deficits, this 110th Congress will commit itself to a higher standard: Pay as you go, no new deficit spending,” she said in an address from the speaker’s podium. “Our new America will provide unlimited opportunity for future generations, not burden them with mountains of debt."

Senator Denounces Federal Budget Bill as 'Trojan Horse' to Fund New Health Care Law

A Republican senator on Thursday denounced the $18 billion in provisions added to a catchall spending bill to keep the government running through next year, saying they're a "Trojan horse to fund the new federal health care law."


The Senate will decide the fate of the $1.2 trillion budget bill that narrowly passed the House Wednesday night and would keep the government running through September of next year. But Senate Democrats are planning to add more money, including thousands of pet projects sought by lawmakers.

Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., noted that the Senate version would provide $19 million to the IRS for dictating health insurance under the new law; $6.25 billion to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for new health reform programs, and $210 million to the Health Resources and Services Administration for public health workforce programs.

"Using the end-of-the-year spending bill as a Trojan horse to fund the new federal health care law is hardly the mandate from the November elections," Coburn said in a written statement to FoxNews.com. "Yet this is what Congress is doing through the must-pass spending bill to fund government operations."

Coburn noted that the bill spends $12 million on an unelected panel of bureaucrats that Coburn says "will issue costly mandates, make coverage decisions for all Americans, and could deny patient choice under the guise of 'prevention.'"

"We already know the health law isn't working," he said. "Members who supported it are guilty of misleading advertising. During the last six months we have seen health insurance premiums increase, not decrease, because the new law. It's time for Congress to extend current tax rates, pass a clean spending bill -- a 'continuing resolution' -- without extraneous and vague health care provisions, and go home."

Sen. Daniel Inouye, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, added the nearly $20 billion in provisions to the bill, backed by Democratic leaders.

Representatives of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat in the upper chamber, did not return messages seeking comment.

A spokesman for Democrats on the Appropriations Committee could not immediately respond.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., opposes Inouye's move, but GOP members of the Appropriations Committee, such as Sens. Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and George Voinovich of Ohio are open to the idea.

Coburn isn't the only one unhappy with the bill. Attorney General Eric Holder wrote a letter to Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell opposing a provision in the bill that prohibits the transfer of detainees from the Guantanamo Bay detention facility to the U.S. for civilian trials. Holder called the provision "extreme and risky encroachment on the authority of the Executive branch to determine when and where to prosecute terrorist suspects."

"It would therefore be unwise, and would set a dangerous precedent with serious implications for the impartial administration of justice, for Congress to restrict the discretion of the Executive branch to prosecute terrorists in these venues," he wrote. "The exercise of prosecutorial discretion has always been and must remain an Executive branch function."

The underlying House bill would provide the Pentagon $513 billion for core operations, which is a 1 percent increase to cover pay and health care, but $17 billion less than Obama requested in February.

The Homeland Security Department would see its budget frozen rather than rising almost 3 percent, as Obama sought.

Foreign aid programs, however, would receive a $2.2 billion -- more than 4 percent -- increase to fund counterinsurgency programs by the Pakistani government, help stabilize Iraq and meet long-standing commitments to Israel and Egypt.

The bill also contains $624 million to implement the nuclear weapons treaty with Russia, known as New START, that's pending before the Senate.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/12/09/senator-denounces-federal-budget-trojan-horse-fund-new-health-care-law/

Time to put the U.S.A. up for Sale

Anyone who hasn’t just landed on Earth or been in a Democrat induced comma knows that the Federal government is deep in dept.

The gross public debt as a percentage of the GDP (Gross Domestic Product) was 83.29% in 2009 and is projected to be 94.27% for 2010. Those are not good numbers. With the Republicans back in control of the purse strings, we hope that they will tighten them hard, we know that history shows that politicians can’t stop the spending. But, just in case the House decides to not increase spending by .16 cents of every dollar they bring in, they should also think about selling off U.S. Government assets.  Read more: 
http://triangle.ncfreedom.us/2010/11/time-to-put-the-u-s-a-up-for-sale/

MORNING BELL: Get to Work Getting Control of Government

The federal government is out of control. Congress must immediately reestablish legislative accountability by posting complete legislation, ending earmarks, reviewing all unauthorized programs and respecting constitutional limits on government.

Remember when Rep. Phil Hare (D-IL) was asked to identify what part of the Constitution empowers the federal government to force Americans to buy health insurance, and he replied: “I don’t worry about the Constitution on this to be honest.” Remember when Rep. Pete Stark (D-CA) told his Hayward, Calif., constituents that “The Federal government can, yes, do most anything in this country.” And remember when Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), famously said of Obamacare: “We have to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”


The progressives that controlled the 111th Congress simply had no respect for the limitations on federal government power that the Founders placed in the U.S. Constitution. That is why 56% of last week’s voters told the national exit poll that “government is doing too much.” That is why progressives no longer control the House. But there are still progressives in the White House. In just the past year, the federal agencies under President Barack Obama’s control have already promulgated 43 new rules which the Obama administration itself estimated will cost the U.S. economy $26.5 billion a year. And President Obama is just getting warmed up. The 2,319 page financial regulation bill requires 243 new formal rule-makings by 11 different federal agencies. The 2,700 page Obamacare bill contains more than 1,000 instances where Congress instructed HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to regulate the health care industry. And the Federal Communications Commission is considering implementing, for the first time in the history of the Internet, “net neutrality” regulations that will undermine investment incentives, thereby robbing the nation of much-needed broadband upgrades.

The federal government is out of control. Congress must immediately reestablish legislative accountability by posting complete legislation, ending earmarks, reviewing all unauthorized programs and respecting constitutional limits on government. Congress must check executive branch overreach with aggressive oversight, roll back recent government interventions, stop unnecessary administrative regulations and sunset new ones, restrict bureaucrats’ rulemaking authority and override expansive executive orders.
Specifically, Congress must:

•Provide Legislative Text: Each House of Congress must adopt a rule requiring the public posting of the text of each bill and major amendment not less than 72 hours before floor debate on that bill or amendment.

•Stop Earmarks: Congress must permanently end the earmarking process which favors local pork projects over the national interest.

•End Automatic Funding: Any program (other than for physical protection of Americans) that Congress has not reauthorized must be suspended for review. Committees must not be permitted to create new programs with automatic funding or that specify minimum funding levels to circumvent the appropriations process.

•Reassert Constitutional Limits: Rather than deferring to courts, Congress must promptly repeal any unconstitutional legislation enacted by previous Congresses, consider the constitutionality of pending bills and assert constitutional limits on the size and scope of government.

•Stop Unnecessary Regulations: Congress must use the Congressional Review Act to stop new and unnecessary regulations. If the President blocks such action, Congress must use appropriations riders to prohibit agencies from adopting such rules.

Conservatives must pay close attention to what this Congress does and be prepared to hold leaders accountable. That is why The Heritage Foundation has created the Solutions for America: Get to Work checklist. Getting Control of Government is one of the five essential tasks Congress must complete to fulfill its electoral mandate. You can download and print all of the “Get to Work” fact sheets and checklist here.

http://blog.heritage.org/2010/11/10/morning-bell-get-to-work-getting-control-of-government/?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

Chuck Norris

$200,000 for Capitol Hill Bottled Water?

The Congressional Budget Office just reported that in the past two years since President Barack Obama took office, federal spending is up 21.4 percent.


The national deficit was $1.29 trillion in 2010 (second to the $1.4 trillion in Obama's first year in office, 2009), which means that for every $1 the federal government spent this past year, it borrowed 37 cents of it!

The feds will tell you that their outrageous spending habits were necessary to pull our economy out of its recession. But would their same rationale justify the fact that the money Congress spends on itself has soared 89 percent over the past decade, more than three times the U.S. inflation rate?

It's true. In 2000, the feds spent $2.87 billion to run Capitol Hill. In fiscal year 2010, they almost doubled the amount, to an enormous $5.42 billion. From 2000-10, while inflation went up 26 percent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Capitol expenses went up 89 percent.

Were all those expenditures necessary to pull the economy out of a recession, too? Will the Obama administration again blame former President George W. Bush for its contemptible spending habits in its first two years?

According to Capitol News Connection and the congressional watchdog groups Sunlight Foundation and LegiStorm, here are just some of the itemized personnel costs of your legislative branch of government, including their comparative increases from 2000:

--Congress members' salaries and benefits: $126 million, up 23.5 percent.
--Expense allowances for Senate leaders: $180,000, up 99 percent.
--Senate officers: $178.98 million, up 99 percent.
--House leadership offices: $25.88 million, up 82 percent.
--Other House officers: $198.30 million, up 120 percent.
--Senators' personal offices: $422 million, up 75 percent.
--Representatives' personal offices: $660 million, up 62 percent.
--Architect of the Capitol salaries: $106.78 million, up 118 percent.
--Capitol Police salaries: $265.18 million, up 237 percent.
--Capitol Police general expenses: $63.13 million, up 860 percent.

Other items:

--Senate inquiries and investigations: $140.5 million, up 96 percent.
--Capitol grounds upkeep: $10.97 million, up 102 percent.
--Capitol building maintenance: $33.18 million (not listed separately in 2000).
--Senate office buildings: $74.39 million, up 16 percent.
--House office buildings: $100.46 million, up 169 percent.
--Capitol Visitor Center: $22.45 million (didn't exist in 2000).
--Congressional Budget Office: $45.16 million, up 72 percent.
--Government Accountability Office: $556.84 million, up 47 percent.
--Library of Congress: $446.15 million, up 73 percent.

--Congressional Research Service: $112.49 million, up 57 percent.

And if you don't think those costs are reflective of a nation in economic peril and government run amok, consider momentarily how critical these following costs are to running our country -- or are they?

--Since Democrat Nancy Pelosi took over the position of speaker of the House in January 2007, funding for her office soared 62 percent, from $2.9 million to $4.7 million. For a single office?!

--And taxpayers paid an enormous printing bill of $93.76 million, up 212 percent. (How many copies of the 1,000-plus-page Obamacare bill do you think that bought the feds? In a computer age of paperless transactions, don't you think they could save a few dollars here by learning what PDF files are?)

--According to the Sunlight Foundation, $4.28 million was spent on student loan repayments during the first quarter of this year as one of the congressional staff member employment perks.

--Pension costs continue to soar as congressional members enjoy the $60,000 annual benefit when they retire at age 62 after only having five years of congressional service. More than 400 former members receive average pensions of $60,000 a year.

--Taxpayers also forked out $3.27 million for Capitol Hill office supplies, as well as $628,332 for food. In addition, we spent $51.05 million on electricity and $4.63 million on sewer and water services in the Capitol building.

--And that water bill doesn't include the bottled water, which the House offices alone spent nearly $200,000 on during just the first quarter of 2010!

Friends, this next election fight is not for the weak at heart. Those elected next will either plummet our country into a fiscal abyss by maintaining the present course or deliver our economy from utter ruin by turning sharply to avoid economic disaster.

If our country is to survive, we must elect only those who show proof of fiscal discipline, refuse under all circumstances to increase our national deficit, disdain special interests, are willing to radically cut spending, and commit to pass and live under a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget. (Please join the movement to pressure Congress to do so, by signing BBA Now's petition for a Common Sense Balanced Budget Amendment. And for a voter guide detailing where candidates in your state stand on issues, go to http://www.christianvoterguide.com/.)

With the present elective battle at hand, I call upon the great battalion of patriots to get out and vote Nov. 2 in the same spirit in which George Washington admonished his army in 1776: "The hour is fast approaching, on which the Honor and Success of this army, and the safety of our bleeding Country depend. Remember officers and Soldiers, that you are Freemen, fighting for the blessings of Liberty -- that slavery will be your portion, and that of your posterity, if you do not acquit yourselves like men."

(I also encourage everyone to check out the trailers to two new patriotic films playing near you, "I Want Your Money" and "Battle for America.")

Chuck Norris is a columnist and impossible to kill.



TOWNHALL DAILY: Sign up today and receive Chuck Norris and Townhall.com's daily lineup delivered each morning to your inbox.
http://townhall.com/columnists/ChuckNorris/2010/10/26/$200,000_for_capitol_hill_bottled_water/page/1

Chuck Norris

8 Steps To Rebuild America's Economy (Part 3)

The White House's wish almost came true last week. It was hoping most of us and even the mainstream media would miss the release of the Congressional Budget Office's preliminary report on the 2010 federal fiscal year. And most did.


The Wall Street Journal, however, exposed why the White House was being so secretive about its results: The CBO concluded that federal government spending has skyrocketed 21.4 percent in just the past two years since President Barack Obama took office!

The White House's actions remind me of President Ronald Reagan's words: "We could say they spend money like drunken sailors, but that would be unfair to drunken sailors. It would be unfair because the sailors are spending their own money."

It's no new revelation that Washington has lost its way from our Founders' vision and fiscal frugality. But in the past two years, it has become a financial runaway train. And it is only we the people who can save it from completely derailing our country and all of us on board.

Last week, I discussed the first five steps to regain control of Washington's insane spending and rebuild America's economy. Though I encourage readers who didn't read it to do so to get the details, I will summarize the first five points before I move on to the last three.

First, Washington should immediately stop any thought, form or legislation that would lead to more federal borrowing or bailouts -- no exceptions.

Second, Washington should downsize the federal government by enacting tough spending caps and making across-the-board mandatory 10 percent cuts -- no exceptions.

Third, Washington should immediately revise the 2011 federal budget to align with those priority reductions and eliminate absolutely all earmarks -- no exceptions.

Fourth, Washington should engage in only non-debt-building actions and legislation that would immediately encourage Main Street and augment entrepreneurial incentives, including a commitment to never increase taxes for anyone for any reason but cut more taxes, which would provide immediate relief and increase revenues for everyone.

Fifth, Washington should discuss ways to encourage and equip interstate commerce and more collaboration among neighboring states, counties and communities -- to brainstorm their own solutions to increase revenue and productivity in their own regions.

Sixth, we the people should hold Washington representatives accountable to our Founders' fiscal prudence and federal frugalities, both by our vote and their passing and living under a constitutional amendment for a balanced federal budget, which would require them to live within their means. A balanced budget amendment also would cut up big daddy's credit card in Washington with its unlimited credit limit.


Seventh, because we the people need to ensure our future economic stability and growth, we should seek to elect (or re-elect) only fiscally sound representatives who show proof of fiscal discipline, demonstrate a pay-as-you-go lifestyle and leadership, refuse under all circumstances to increase our national deficit and debts, disdain special interests, commit to live under a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget, understand how to grow jobs and the economy, and are willing to make the most difficult economic decisions.

We need to elect only leaders who would slash government spending and refuse to pay for programs that we cannot afford. We all must fight (once and for all) to elect fiscally prudent politicians like our Founders, those like Thomas Jefferson, who brought down the national deficit even though he made the Louisiana Purchase and engaged the U.S. in a war with Tripoli.

Jefferson's warning about government debt and taxes is more apropos now than ever before: "To preserve (the) independence (of the people), we must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt. We must make our election between economy and liberty, or profusion and servitude. If we run into such debts as that we must be taxed in our meat and in our drink, in our necessaries and our comforts, in our labors and our amusements, for our callings and our creeds, as the people of England are, our people, like them, must come to labor sixteen hours in the twenty-four, give the earnings of fifteen of these to the government for their debts and daily expenses, and the sixteenth being insufficient to afford us bread, we must live, as they now do, on oatmeal and potatoes, have no time to think, no means of calling the mismanagers to account, but be glad to obtain subsistence by hiring ourselves to rivet their chains on the necks of our fellow-sufferers."

This brings me to my eighth critical step in reining in and controlling the federal government's spending and rebuilding America's economy. We must return to a pay-as-you-go government and nation. It's our last resort for an out-of-control economy and government. As Jefferson once said, "the maxim of buying nothing but what we had money in our pockets to pay for (is) a maxim which, of all others, lays the broadest foundation for happiness."

Friends, it's not too late, but the window is closing fast. We likely have one more chance to drop our partisan divides and elect only those who would be strict constitutionalists and preservers of our Founders' vision, principles and fiscal prudence, before the American economy and government collapse.

It is the last hour before the election, and we patriots need to reawaken our friends and neighbors to vote, as I called on Americans to do in my recent comical production "Trigger The Vote."

For a voter guide detailing where candidates in your state stand on issues and the pros and cons of key propositions, go to http://www.christianvoterguide.com./

Most of all, we patriots need to fight with all our might to ensure the election on Nov. 2 of those across this land who firmly believe, as Reagan did, that "government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem."

(I also encourage everyone to check out the trailers to two new patriotic films playing near you, "I Want Your Money" and "Battle for America.")


http://townhall.com/columnists/ChuckNorris/2010/10/19/8_steps_to_rebuild_americas_economy_part_3/page/2

Please carefully consider these outrages before voting for any Democrat!

Outrages to Remember Before Voting on November 2

Before voting for any Democrat on November 2, voters who really care about the future of America need to reflect on the old adage which holds that, “Power Corrupts and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.”
That truth has never been more in evidence than over the past two years, during which time America has been in the hands of an ultra-liberal Democrat in the White House and equally far-left Democrats presiding over majorities in both chambers of Congress.

The results of the Obama, Reid, and Pelosi deadly stranglehold on our precious nation are ugly, indeed.  The Ugliest of the ugly include:

( ) Refusal to protect all U.S. citizens, regardless of race.
( ) Out of control federal spending, soaring deficits, record unemployment, and an economy that has grown steadily worse since Democrats took charge in 2009;
( ) Lack of commitment to winning the war in Afghanistan, even while American soldiers continue to die there;
( ) Legal actions taken against the sovereign state of Arizona for protecting its citizens from foreign criminals; siding with Mexico in its rhetoric against the rule of law in Arizona;
( ) Refusal to accept the fact that Islam is the major source of terrorism in the world and that America is indeed at war with Islam.

All of the calamities identified could have been averted, or their impact at least minimized, had the U.S. Congress fulfilled it constitutional obligation to provide oversight of the Executive Branch.

Under the partisan leadership of Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, oversight was a forgotten (ignored!) virtue.

As a result, Executive incompetence, overreaching, and blatantly anti-American misbehavior were never challenged, except when Pelosi or Reid sought even greater liberal excesses.Again, “Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.”

Although the list of atrocities committed by the unholy trifecta of Obama, Reid, and Pelosi is nearly endless, there are a few that are particularly outrageous and should serve as a wake-up call to anyone considering a vote for any Democrat.

The list of particularly grievous atrocities follows:

Refusal to Provide Equal Protection for All
This outrage is so unbelievable that it continues to stun and amaze.
On November 4, 2008, voters in Philadelphia were intimidated by members of the New Black Panther Party while attempting to cast ballots.

Before President Bush left office in January of 2009, his Department of Justice (DOJ) filed a lawsuit under the Voting Rights Act against the New Black Panthers Party.  However, once Obama appointees to the DOJ took over, charges against the New Black Panther members were dropped.

On September 24, 2010, former Justice Department prosecutor Christopher Coates, in testimony at a U.S. Civil Rights Commission Hearing, shocked the nation when he revealed that the voter intimidation case was dropped because the suspects were black and their alleged victims were white.

“They have not pursued the goal of equal protection of the law for all people,” Coates reportedly said.
Repeat: According to a former Justice Department prosecutor, our federal government refused to prosecute claims when the plaintiffs were white.

People of color: Take no solace in this injustice. In this case, the victims of government bias are white people.
But what about next time? Will it be YOUR race or nationality or cause that the Obama administration arbitrarily refuses to protect?

Abandoning American Citizens in Favor of Foreign Invaders
The Democrat party has been the “illegal alien” party for a number of years. This is so because liberals can no longer rely on reasonable Americans for votes and power.

Thus, the need for advocating on behalf of millions of uneducated, poor illegal invaders who are easily persuaded provided the free benefits (health care, education, welfare, etc.) are doled out in sufficient quantities.

True to their sinister disregards for the rule of law, American sovereignty, and preservation of American culture and language, Democrats consider invading criminals to be “Newly Arrived Refugees,” and, more importantly, future Democrats.

This betrayal of America and American citizens reached a new low in 2010 as President Obama ordered his administration to file suit against Arizona because of SB 1070, the state’s attempt to protect citizens from the ravages of foreign invaders.

Unbelievable! The United States government suing an American state for resisting invasions from foreign criminals!

Even more outrageous was the betrayal of America by Congressional Democrats on May 19, 2010, when all Democrats in the House and Senate gave Mexican President Felipe Calderon a standing ovation for his condemnation of Arizona and law SB 1070!

Remember: On May 19, all Democrats in the U.S. Congress stood to cheer a foreign leader who had just condemned Arizona law makers for protecting American citizens.

How can any reasonably-patriotic American vote for any Democrat after such vile and treasonous behavior?

Playing Politics with American Lives in Afghanistan
In his book titled, “Obama’s Wars” journalist Bob Woodward exposes the fact that winning the war in Afghanistan has never been much of a priority to Obama or the Democrats.

Which is why Obama insisted on a time table for withdrawal, a carefully crafted commitment that would bring the troops home in time for the 2012 presidential election.

How can any thinking American vote for any Democrat when the Democrat Commander-in-chief uses American troops as pawns in a deadly game of political chess?
Use of Bribery & Political Sleight of Hand to Pass ObamaCare
The notion that the United States Congress provides “Honest, Open Government” to legislate and govern was blown all to hell by the political chicanery, cheating, and behind the scenes bribery used by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid, with considerable help from Obama, to pass a Marxist form of health care called ObamaCare.

ObamaCare was, and is, opposed by most Americans, and for good reasons.  To begin with, ObamaCare mandates that American citizens purchase health care or face the travails of dealing with the IRS for non-compliance.

In addition, the assumptions and projections behind ObamaCare have already proven to be faulty at best, criminal at worst.

How can any thinking American vote for any Democrat knowing that this party has taken away freedom of choice from Americans when it comes to health care, and has used bribery and sleight-of-hand to pass legislation that America does not need or want?

These four outrages are the most irritating and anger-provoking to me. There are hundreds more.
The bottom line is that the Democrat Party no longer operates with the best interests of the American people in mind. A lust for power and an obsession with socialism makes Democrats completely out of mainstream America.

Please carefully consider these outrages before voting for any Democrat!

Again, “Power Corrupts, and Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely.”

http://canadafreepress.com/index.php/article/28840

Still time to come to a Spending Revolt stop near you

Spending Revolt Educates Voters in Districts of General Assembly Leaders

Four-day tour hosts 17 rallies and town halls across North Carolina

The new Spending Revolt coalition – made up of taxpayers, families, business owners, and policy organizations – is working to educate citizens about how mounting federal spending is jeopardizing America’s future, and engage them in taking action against this reckless spending.

The Spending Revolt National Bus Tour is rolling across North Carolina for through Wednesday, Sept. 29th. There's still time to come to one of our stops!

The tour will highlight excessive spending by state legislative leaders by visiting the districts of: State House Majority Leader Hugh Holliman (Lexington), House Speaker Joe Hackney (Chapel Hill), and Senate President Pro Tem Marc Basnight (Washington) and Vice Chairman of the Appropriations Committee, Represenative Jimmy Love. (Sanford)

“Our General Assembly passed billions in new taxes to support their out of control spending habits, and it is important people speak out to stop the spending madness,” said Dallas Woodhouse, North Carolina State Director for Americans for Prosperity. “The high taxes from the out-of-control spending will make it difficult for families to afford to raise children or for entrepreneurs to open businesses in North Carolina.”

This rate of spending is irresponsible and unsustainable. It limits our economic growth and our ability to create new jobs. If we allow our elected officials to continue their spend-first, pay-later habits, we will face higher taxes, a higher cost of living, and a stagnant economy.

The Spending Revolt coalition seeks to permanently transform government spending through individual activism. Families across the country have been forced to make tough economic decisions. It is time for our elected officials to do the same.

“We urge everyone concerned about the loss of jobs and their family's financial well-being to attend this event. It's important that we express our displeasure with what politicians are doing to us,“ Lloyd Jennings, Chairman of AFP--Lee County, said.

WHAT: Spending Revolt National Bus Tour – Rally & Bus Signing Events

WHO: Dallas Woodhouse, state director, Americans for Prosperity – North Carolina

*See below for additional speakers at each location

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

1:30 - 2:30 p.m. — Pittsboro

N. Masonic & East Sts. (US 64 East, one block from Courthouse Cir.), Pittsboro, NC 27312
Speakers: Francis De Luca, President, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

3:30 - 4:30 p.m. — Sanford

K-Mart, 2515 Horner Blvd., Sanford, NC 27332
Speakers: Francis De Luca, President, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

7 - 8:30 p.m. — Raleigh

Kerr Scott Building, NC State Fairgrounds, 1025 Blue Ridge Rd., Raleigh, NC 27607
Speakers: Francis De Luca, President, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

Wednesday, Sept. 29, 2010

6 - 9:20 a.m. — Wilmington

Captain Bill’s Banquet Facility, 4240 Market Street, Wilmington, NC 28403
Speakers: Brian Balfour, Budget and Tax Policy Analyst, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

11 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. — Jacksonville

Marina Café, 110 S. Marine Blvd., Jacksonville, NC 28540
Speakers: Brian Balfour, Budget and Tax Policy Analyst, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

1:30 – 2:30 p.m. — New Bern

Harley-Davidson of New Bern, 1613 Highway 70 East, New Bern, NC 28564
Speakers: Brian Balfour, Budget and Tax Policy Analyst, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

3:30 – 4:30 p.m. — Kinston

1506 W. New Bern Road (Highway 70), Kinston, NC 28504
(Vacant parking lot on the service road beside Stapleford Marine)
Speakers: Brian Balfour, Budget and Tax Policy Analyst, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

6:00 – 7:00 p.m. — Washington

Festival Park, E. Water & S. Bonner Sts. (beside the Estuarium), Washington, NC 27889
Speakers: Brian Balfour, Budget and Tax Policy Analyst, NC Civitas
Jon Sanders, Associate Director of Research, John Locke Foundation
Tracy Walsh, breast cancer survivor and spokesperson for Patients First

Visit Spending Revolt online at http://www.spendingrevolt.com/. Spending Revolt is a broad coalition of taxpayers, families, women, business owners, and policy organizations committed to real and permanent spending reform in Washington. The coalition is composed of organizations such as Americans for Prosperity, The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW), Concerned Women for America, and 60 Plus Association.

Americans for Prosperity® (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual's right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 1,000,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 55,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org