Press Release
February 25, 2009
Congressman Patrick McHenry (NC-10) released the following statement regarding H.R. 1105, the fiscal year 2009 omnibus appropriations bill.
“Last evening, we heard President Obama talk about the need to “make the hard choices to bring down the debt.” The President seemingly understands that a $2 trillion federal deficit will prolong and deepen the economic crisis.
“On the heels of the so-called $787 billion stimulus bill, the Democrat majority in Congress has not made the tough choices necessary, but are increasing discretionary spending at its highest rate since the Carter Administration. Worse, the omnibus spending bill includes 8,696 earmarks to fund the pet projects of politicians at a cost of $11 billion. This is money that taxpayers do not have and cannot afford.
“The Democrat majority refuses to heed the advice of their President and countless economists who warn against such gluttonous use of the public purse. Unless they stop spending as though we’re playing with Monopoly money, taxpayers will be left with catastrophic inflation and tax increases like we’ve never seen before in this country.”
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Myrick Statement on 2009 Omnibus Appropriations
Press Release
February 25, 2009
(Washington, DC) – US Representative Sue Myrick has released the following statement regarding her vote on the 2009 omnibus appropriations bill passed today in the House of Representatives:
“When is this out-of-control spending going to stop? The 2009 omnibus appropriations bill that passed today – without my support – contains billions of dollars in additional funding for agencies and government programs that have already received billions of dollars this month from the stimulus. One agency‘s funding even increased 91% from last year. How can we call this fiscal responsibility? How are we going to rebuild the economy, reduce the deficit and pay down our debt if the government is determined to spend over a trillion dollars that we don’t have?”
February 25, 2009
(Washington, DC) – US Representative Sue Myrick has released the following statement regarding her vote on the 2009 omnibus appropriations bill passed today in the House of Representatives:
“When is this out-of-control spending going to stop? The 2009 omnibus appropriations bill that passed today – without my support – contains billions of dollars in additional funding for agencies and government programs that have already received billions of dollars this month from the stimulus. One agency‘s funding even increased 91% from last year. How can we call this fiscal responsibility? How are we going to rebuild the economy, reduce the deficit and pay down our debt if the government is determined to spend over a trillion dollars that we don’t have?”
Foxx: Huge Spending Bill Passes House, National Debt Increases
Foxx votes against $410 billion bill, votes for increased earmark transparency
Press Release
February 25, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) today voted in opposition to a massive spending bill (H.R. 1105) that once again increases federal government spending at a time of record budget deficits. H.R. 1105, which completes the funding process for the federal government for fiscal year 2009, spends $410 billion, 8.3 percent more than 2008.
“The federal budget is growing by 8.3 percent, while family budgets are shrinking,” Foxx said. “At a time when Americans are tightening their belts, Washington is on a reckless spending spree. This is irresponsible.”
When the spending legislation passed before the end of 2008 is factoring in, federal discretionary spending will reach $1.01 trillion for 2009. This is the first time in U.S. history that the federal discretionary budget has passed the $1 trillion mark. Additionally, federal agencies lucky enough to get money from both this spending legislation and the recently-enacted stimulus bill are about to see their funding jump by 80 percent—nearly doubling some agencies’ budgets in a single year.
“Congress has jacked up the federal debt limit four times in the past 17 months in order to accommodate Washington’s profligate spending,” Foxx said. “Thanks to this new massive bill it is just a matter of time until we take out yet another mortgage on our children’s future earnings.” ...
Click here to read the full release...
Press Release
February 25, 2009
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Virginia Foxx (NC-05) today voted in opposition to a massive spending bill (H.R. 1105) that once again increases federal government spending at a time of record budget deficits. H.R. 1105, which completes the funding process for the federal government for fiscal year 2009, spends $410 billion, 8.3 percent more than 2008.
“The federal budget is growing by 8.3 percent, while family budgets are shrinking,” Foxx said. “At a time when Americans are tightening their belts, Washington is on a reckless spending spree. This is irresponsible.”
When the spending legislation passed before the end of 2008 is factoring in, federal discretionary spending will reach $1.01 trillion for 2009. This is the first time in U.S. history that the federal discretionary budget has passed the $1 trillion mark. Additionally, federal agencies lucky enough to get money from both this spending legislation and the recently-enacted stimulus bill are about to see their funding jump by 80 percent—nearly doubling some agencies’ budgets in a single year.
“Congress has jacked up the federal debt limit four times in the past 17 months in order to accommodate Washington’s profligate spending,” Foxx said. “Thanks to this new massive bill it is just a matter of time until we take out yet another mortgage on our children’s future earnings.” ...
Click here to read the full release...
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, Part 3
Is President Obama playing a shell game with his promises to cut the deficit? Study the numbers and judge for yourself.
Obama's Deficit Charade
By Terence Jeffrey
Townhall
February 25, 2009
President Obama posed as a fiscal conservative Monday when he hosted a "fiscal responsibility summit."
Close inspection reveals that what he is actually proposing, however, is a massive increase in government debt -- thus raising the already unsustainable burden of government that is certain to fall on our children unless the welfare state is somehow curtailed. ...
President Obama said Monday that his "administration has inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit" for fiscal 2009.
The extraordinary size of that deficit is due, of course, to what one would have hoped were passing circumstances and one-time policies: a recession, a $700 billion bailout of the banking industry and that part of the $787 billion "stimulus" President Obama signed last week that will actually be spent in this fiscal year.
"And that's why today I'm pledging to cut the deficit we inherited in half by the end of my first term in office," President Obama said at his summit.
But what does that mean? The administration says President Obama's promise to "cut the deficit we inherited in half" means he will reduce it from $1.3 trillion in fiscal 2009 to $533 billion in fiscal 2013.
This $533 billion deficit -- that President Obama vows will be the lowest annual deficit he runs in any of the next four years -- is larger than any deficit the profligate President Bush ran before this recessionary year.
In fact, President Obama's planned $533 billion deficit for fiscal 2013 is more than twice as large as the $248.1 billion deficit Bush ran in 2006 and more than three times as large as the $162 billion deficit Bush ran in 2007.
In other words, President Obama is planning to permanently increase the scale of government borrowing -- even before we are hit by the fiscal tidal wave that will come when the bulk of the baby boom generation retires and begins collecting Social Security and Medicare benefits.
The truth is this: Our federal government has been wading ever deeper into red ink for a full half-century, and President Obama is now planning to wade deeper and faster than any president who has gone before him. ...
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, Part 2
What is the President really planning to do? You may be justifiably confused if you listen to what he says and compare it to what he does.
Editorial: Obama's proposal, goals don't line up
He promises fiscal discipline and expensive new initiatives
The Detroit News
February 25, 2009
Credit President Barack Obama for heeding calls to strike a more hopeful tone in his address to Congress and the nation Tuesday night. Americans needed a break from the relentless predictions of economic doom and to instead hear that things will indeed get better.
But the programs, policies and promises laid out in his speech are a mess of contradictions that the president will have to reconcile if he hopes to keep the public's confidence.
An overriding theme of the address was fiscal responsibility. Obama repeated his promise to halve the federal deficit, now well in excess of $1 trillion, by the end of his first term. Even if he does that, it will merely take the deficit back to where it was before the stimulus spending began late last year. Overspending revenues by a half-trillion a year doesn't shout fiscal discipline. ...
And pledging a tax hike on those Americans who invest the most private money in the economy would seem to work against the president's stated goal of creating jobs by stimulating private investment.
For a guy who claimed not to believe in bigger government, Obama promised to make it much bigger with an array of new initiatives from energy to education. Financing those programs will require higher taxes on a far broader swath of Americans than the 2 percent of wealthiest citizens he said he would limit the tax punishment to. ...
The lack of a detailed financial plan from the administration is eroding investor faith in its ability to handle the job and is contributing to the ongoing stock market decline. ...
The president ought to simplify. All Americans want him to do right now is get the economy moving. Policies that work at cross-purposes won't accomplish that goal.
Say What You Mean, Mean What You Say, Part 1
Polls and pundits are praising President Obama for his speech last night as audiences gave the President high marks for his delivery. But was it the President's plans or his rhetoric that people were approving? They may not be the same thing.
Conservative words for a liberal agenda
By John F. Harris and Jonathan Martin
Politico
February 25, 2009
In his programs and promises, President Barack Obama Tuesday night offered the nation by far the most expansive agenda for the national government in decades.
In his words and mood, however, Obama presented this breathtakingly ambitious vision in a way intended to convey caution, moderation, sobriety.
The 52-minute address outlined more commitments by the public sector, more intervention into the private economy, and more spending than anything Washington has undertaken at least since the Great Society and more likely the New Deal.
The substance reflected Obama’s bet that the country—alarmed by the economic crisis, repelled by the failures of the president who preceded him—is ready to move in a decisively more liberal direction.
The rhetoric, by contrast, reflected his apparent belief that most Americans remain instinctually conservative, leaving him and his agenda acutely vulnerable to backlash. ...
NCGOP in the News: National Committeewoman and Comm. Director on Viewpoints with Lockwood Phillips
Lockwood Phillips hosted NCGOP National Committeewoman Dr. Ada Fisher and NCGOP Communications Director Brent Woodcox last night on Viewpoints for WTKF 107.1FM/1240AM in Morehead City. You can listen to their conversation about the future of the Republican Party, the "stimulus" plan, the litany of issues facing state government, and the possibility of a marriage amendment finding its way to the ballot this session.
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Live Blog/Tweet of President's SOTU
Americans can do anything. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:37 PM
We will fight for the principles we share and fight for you to ensure that we see another American recovery. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:36 PM
Over the last few years, Republicans lost your trust and rightly so... Our party is determined to regain your trust. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:35 PM
Democrats look for hope in government. We place our hope in you - the American people. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:34 PM
Reinvent education to promote parental choice. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:33 PM
Energy solutions: conservation, efficiency, alternative and renewable fuels, nuclear power, and increased drilling. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:32 PM
Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have on things we do not need? Democrats. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:30 PM
The strength of America is not found in its government. It's found in the compassionate hearts of our citizens. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:29 PM
Finally, someone who actually did some good people for the people after Katrina. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:28 PM
Jindal; My father would tell me: "Bobby, Americans can do anything." I still believe that today. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:26 PM
Alright, stay tuned for Gov. Jindal. It will be worth it. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:10 PM
Don't quit. We never have before. We weren't planning on it now. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:09 PM
Sorry I'm not replying to more of you following. Typing as fast as I can. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:08 PM
No school is hopeless because no student is hopeless. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:06 PM
Hold on. Bank CEOs can be generous? It's nice to finally hear a true story of generosity instead of feigned populism. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:05 PM
Amen. We must take care of those who return home after taking care of us across the world. Thank you, veterans. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:00 PM
Time until first mention of ongoing American conflicts around the world: 57 minutes. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:58 PM
Funny how when we talk about wasteful spending, Republicans mean discretionary domestic spending. Democrats mean defense spending. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:56 PM
How can you reduce the national debt when you are spending money faster than we can print it? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:53 PM
Deficit you inherited? How about the one you just created? Ring a bell at all? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:53 PM
"Responsibility for our children's education must begin at home." Well said. Let's hope for more than words on that. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:52 PM
Bravo, Mr. President. Shout out to charter schools. Weak applause from Democrats. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:51 PM
If the President really wanted to go for bipartisan boldness, he'd tout parental choice in education in front of this audience. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:48 PM
Our kids aren't failing our schools. Our schools are failing our children. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:47 PM
Alright, I think I am ready to hear from Gov. Jindal now. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:45 PM
Republicans are for universal access to affordable health care but against universal government-run healthcare. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:45 PM
Ever notice how Democrats love to use the phrase "we can't afford" right before they ask you to pay for something? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:43 PM
This is America. We don't what's easy. We do what I say. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:42 PM
Government stumbled onto good ideas already in existence and found a way to claim credit. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:38 PM
Bold action and big ideas don't usually come from politicians and bureacrats. They come from the people, the innovaters. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:37 PM
The President knows the issues we need to tackle. We just have different philosophies on how to solve them. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:36 PM
Wrong when Bush did it and Obama was campaigning. Now when it's his mess to clean up, Obama ready to give the banks money. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:34 PM
"Bank bailouts are cool now because I'm doing it." Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:33 PM
The daily "sky is falling" rhetoric isn't doing much for consumer confidence. Mix in a glass half full statement now and then. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:30 PM
Small businesses can't be started, jobs can't be created without banks lending. Hope new loans can help them create good jobs. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:29 PM
I am happy about recovery.gov as a tool for accountability. I just hope the real truth is seen there with real transparency. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:27 PM
Oversight effort will be substantial. Rest assured, we'll be watching in NC. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:26 PM
How can the President possibly know what jobs the private sector will create? Isn't that the difference between public/private?#nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:24 PM
"I don't believe in bigger government" I think some Democrats just said HUH?!?#nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:24 PM
Grow the economy, not the government. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:22 PM
Talking about the challenges most of the folks in the room haven't solved. Hold on. Wasn't Obama in Congress to fix those problems too? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:21 PM
Strength lies with people, entreprenuers, families. Notice he didn't mention bureacrats or politicians. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:20 PM
We will emerge stronger than before. I agree. I'd clap too. But how do we get there? #sotu #nsotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:19 PM
Here comes Debbie Downer, the commander in chief. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:18 PM
The applause may one day die down. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:16 PM
"Madame Speaker, the President of the United States" #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:10 PM
Awaiting the President's speech.
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 5:48 PM
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:37 PM
We will fight for the principles we share and fight for you to ensure that we see another American recovery. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:36 PM
Over the last few years, Republicans lost your trust and rightly so... Our party is determined to regain your trust. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:35 PM
Democrats look for hope in government. We place our hope in you - the American people. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:34 PM
Reinvent education to promote parental choice. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:33 PM
Energy solutions: conservation, efficiency, alternative and renewable fuels, nuclear power, and increased drilling. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:32 PM
Who among us would ask our children for a loan, so we could spend money we do not have on things we do not need? Democrats. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:30 PM
The strength of America is not found in its government. It's found in the compassionate hearts of our citizens. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:29 PM
Finally, someone who actually did some good people for the people after Katrina. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:28 PM
Jindal; My father would tell me: "Bobby, Americans can do anything." I still believe that today. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:26 PM
Alright, stay tuned for Gov. Jindal. It will be worth it. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:10 PM
Don't quit. We never have before. We weren't planning on it now. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:09 PM
Sorry I'm not replying to more of you following. Typing as fast as I can. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:08 PM
No school is hopeless because no student is hopeless. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:06 PM
Hold on. Bank CEOs can be generous? It's nice to finally hear a true story of generosity instead of feigned populism. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:05 PM
Amen. We must take care of those who return home after taking care of us across the world. Thank you, veterans. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 7:00 PM
Time until first mention of ongoing American conflicts around the world: 57 minutes. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:58 PM
Funny how when we talk about wasteful spending, Republicans mean discretionary domestic spending. Democrats mean defense spending. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:56 PM
How can you reduce the national debt when you are spending money faster than we can print it? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:53 PM
Deficit you inherited? How about the one you just created? Ring a bell at all? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:53 PM
"Responsibility for our children's education must begin at home." Well said. Let's hope for more than words on that. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:52 PM
Bravo, Mr. President. Shout out to charter schools. Weak applause from Democrats. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:51 PM
If the President really wanted to go for bipartisan boldness, he'd tout parental choice in education in front of this audience. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:48 PM
Our kids aren't failing our schools. Our schools are failing our children. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:47 PM
Alright, I think I am ready to hear from Gov. Jindal now. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:45 PM
Republicans are for universal access to affordable health care but against universal government-run healthcare. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:45 PM
Ever notice how Democrats love to use the phrase "we can't afford" right before they ask you to pay for something? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:43 PM
This is America. We don't what's easy. We do what I say. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:42 PM
Government stumbled onto good ideas already in existence and found a way to claim credit. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:38 PM
Bold action and big ideas don't usually come from politicians and bureacrats. They come from the people, the innovaters. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:37 PM
The President knows the issues we need to tackle. We just have different philosophies on how to solve them. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:36 PM
Wrong when Bush did it and Obama was campaigning. Now when it's his mess to clean up, Obama ready to give the banks money. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:34 PM
"Bank bailouts are cool now because I'm doing it." Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:33 PM
The daily "sky is falling" rhetoric isn't doing much for consumer confidence. Mix in a glass half full statement now and then. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:30 PM
Small businesses can't be started, jobs can't be created without banks lending. Hope new loans can help them create good jobs. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:29 PM
I am happy about recovery.gov as a tool for accountability. I just hope the real truth is seen there with real transparency. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:27 PM
Oversight effort will be substantial. Rest assured, we'll be watching in NC. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:26 PM
How can the President possibly know what jobs the private sector will create? Isn't that the difference between public/private?#nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:24 PM
"I don't believe in bigger government" I think some Democrats just said HUH?!?#nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:24 PM
Grow the economy, not the government. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:22 PM
Talking about the challenges most of the folks in the room haven't solved. Hold on. Wasn't Obama in Congress to fix those problems too? #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:21 PM
Strength lies with people, entreprenuers, families. Notice he didn't mention bureacrats or politicians. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:20 PM
We will emerge stronger than before. I agree. I'd clap too. But how do we get there? #sotu #nsotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:19 PM
Here comes Debbie Downer, the commander in chief. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:18 PM
The applause may one day die down. #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:16 PM
"Madame Speaker, the President of the United States" #nsotu #sotu
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 6:10 PM
Awaiting the President's speech.
Posted by Brent Woodcox at 5:48 PM
Live-Blogging/Tweeting the State of the Union Tonight
I will be live blogging the #sotu tonight at 9PM. Follow @NCGOP on Twitter or visit our blog www.ncgop.blogspot.com. Join the conversation.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Where is the ACLU When You Need It?
Mukasey is law school speaker
By Rachel Coleman
Daily Tar Heel
February 20, 2009
Former Attorney General Michael Mukasey has been chosen as the UNC School of Law’s 2009 commencement speaker, a decision that is already sparking controversy. …
Both law students and professors have spoken against the pick, saying his political views do not match those of many students.
“I am concerned that his refusal to investigate and prosecute the use of waterboarding was a failure to execute responsibilities of attorney general and resulted in the United States’ violation of domestic and international law,” said law professor Tamar Birckhead.
In 2008, Mukasey was chosen as commencement speaker at Boston College’s School of Law, creating similar opposition and protests from students and faculty.
Some at UNC were aware of last year’s controversy. They also said they were surprised by the decision to have him as speaker.
Law student Liz Troutman said in a written statement that choosing Mukasey as the commencement speaker “gives validation to Mukasey’s egregious point of view, which is contrary to the professional and educational ideals of this University.” …
Controversy reigns over the selection of former Attorney General Michael Mukasey as commencement speaker at UNC School of Law. The selection of Mukasey was by the UNC Student Bar Association. Now students and professors are arguing that his political views "do not match those of many students." Of course, as an institution of higher learning, one would expect to encounter people of varied views spanning the entire political spectrum.
It would be an interesting project to study recent commencement speakers throughout the UNC system and across the nation in order to number the liberals and conservatives who were selected to give addresses at our universities. It seems likely there would not be a strong contest for which views are represented most often. Yet how many times do we hear stories of conservative students and faculty up in arms about the selection of a commencement speaker?
We must answer the question in our university communities: Do we value free speech or not? Are we serious about upholding the values of tolerance and diversity or it all just high minded lip-service designed to apply only to the people with whom we agree? Free speech has costs. It means that conservatives have to learn to sit through commencement addresses given by liberal speakers who represent views we are doing everything we can to oppose. It also means that liberal students and professors need to stop their protesting long enough to consider whether the First Amendment is worth the cost of admission.
Who knows? If we quiet the protests long enough to listen, we might actually learn something. At our institutions of higher education, wouldn't that be the point?
Memo to Democrats: Stop Naming Czars
Whether it be Governor Perdue
or President Obama
If Democrats really want to calm conservative fears that they are seizing unprecedented power through their massive expansion of government, they should probably stop naming "czars."
North Carolina Governor Beverly Perdue told a crowd of more than 900 at the NC Council for Entrepreneurial Development’s Biotech 2009 event yesterday that she would appoint a “Czar,” to monitor and invest money the state receives from the Congressional stimulus bill.
or President Obama
New York lawmakers want President Obama to rehire the World Trade Center health czar let go by the Bush administration.
Czar Daschle was to be Obama's point man in Congress on health care reform.
If Democrats really want to calm conservative fears that they are seizing unprecedented power through their massive expansion of government, they should probably stop naming "czars."
NCGOP in the News: Longtime Administrator Holds Purse Strings to N.C.'s Stimulus Money
Longtime administrator holds purse strings to N.C.'s stimulus promise
By James Romoser
Winston-Salem Journal
February 22, 2009
More than $6 billion is about to come gushing into North Carolina -- and with it, about 6 billion bureaucratic headaches.
Dempsey Benton knows how to deal with bureaucratic headaches.
Benton, who was tapped by Gov. Bev Perdue last week to handle the distribution of federal stimulus money in North Carolina, has spent his entire career managing money and supervising government programs.
"I looked at three or four resumes, quite frankly, and I think he brings the best overall skill set," Perdue, a Democrat, said Tuesday as she announced her appointment of Benton to run the newly created Office of Economic Recovery & Investment. ...
Linda Daves, the chairwoman of the N.C. Republican Party, criticized Perdue's appointment of Benton, saying that Perdue is breaking a hiring freeze in state government in order to create a job for a political crony. Benton will make $98,500 a year in what has been described as a temporary position.
Indeed, some observers have questioned the need for a new government office to handle the stimulus money when North Carolina already has a budget office that keeps track of government spending. ...
Click here for the full article...
By James Romoser
Winston-Salem Journal
February 22, 2009
More than $6 billion is about to come gushing into North Carolina -- and with it, about 6 billion bureaucratic headaches.
Dempsey Benton knows how to deal with bureaucratic headaches.
Benton, who was tapped by Gov. Bev Perdue last week to handle the distribution of federal stimulus money in North Carolina, has spent his entire career managing money and supervising government programs.
"I looked at three or four resumes, quite frankly, and I think he brings the best overall skill set," Perdue, a Democrat, said Tuesday as she announced her appointment of Benton to run the newly created Office of Economic Recovery & Investment. ...
Linda Daves, the chairwoman of the N.C. Republican Party, criticized Perdue's appointment of Benton, saying that Perdue is breaking a hiring freeze in state government in order to create a job for a political crony. Benton will make $98,500 a year in what has been described as a temporary position.
Indeed, some observers have questioned the need for a new government office to handle the stimulus money when North Carolina already has a budget office that keeps track of government spending. ...
Click here for the full article...
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Quote of the Day
At yesterday's N.C. Republican Joint Caucus press conference, N.C. House Minority Leader Paul "Skip" Stam (R-Wake) took a moment to discuss the efficacy of tax credits as incentives to outfit government buildings with green technology but also made a statement that refers to government meddling in many areas of the private sector.
"If it saves energy it doesn't need an incentive or tax credit, it just makes sense. It's only things that don't make sense that require credits."
To view the full Joint Republican Press Conference, click here, here, and here.
"If it saves energy it doesn't need an incentive or tax credit, it just makes sense. It's only things that don't make sense that require credits."
To view the full Joint Republican Press Conference, click here, here, and here.
ICYMI: Local Republicans Slam Obama on Census
Call for help from NC Congressional Delegation
Local and Western North Carolina Republicans are demanding that President Obama not move the authority over the United States Census from the Commerce Department to the White House and is calling on North Carolina's congressional delegation to resist the president's efforts by legislative and legal means, if necessary.
11th District Republican Party Chairman Stephen G. Duncan released an official resolution today on behalf of the leadership of all fifteen counties in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, which voted unanimously in support of the resolution at its monthly meeting on Monday, February 9.
"This is clearly a power grab by the president and his minions to change the rules of the game," said Duncan. "Asking Rahm Emmanuel to be in charge of the Census is like trusting Bernie Madoff with your grandmother's Social Security check. Not only is it foolish, it's downright dangerous. In a democracy, you can't trust partisans to fairly apply the rules; it's an attack on the very integrity of the system."
The U.S. Census, which is conducted every ten years by mandate of the United States Constitution, is essential in determining how congressional districts are drawn and how federal funds are allocated.
Republicans across the country have expressed outrage at the president's actions, causing even Senator Judd Gregg to withdraw his nomination in protest to be President Obama's new Secretary of Commerce. House Republican leaders have also threatened to take the matter to court if Obama does not reconsider.
Local and Western North Carolina Republicans are demanding that President Obama not move the authority over the United States Census from the Commerce Department to the White House and is calling on North Carolina's congressional delegation to resist the president's efforts by legislative and legal means, if necessary.
11th District Republican Party Chairman Stephen G. Duncan released an official resolution today on behalf of the leadership of all fifteen counties in North Carolina's 11th Congressional District, which voted unanimously in support of the resolution at its monthly meeting on Monday, February 9.
"This is clearly a power grab by the president and his minions to change the rules of the game," said Duncan. "Asking Rahm Emmanuel to be in charge of the Census is like trusting Bernie Madoff with your grandmother's Social Security check. Not only is it foolish, it's downright dangerous. In a democracy, you can't trust partisans to fairly apply the rules; it's an attack on the very integrity of the system."
The U.S. Census, which is conducted every ten years by mandate of the United States Constitution, is essential in determining how congressional districts are drawn and how federal funds are allocated.
Republicans across the country have expressed outrage at the president's actions, causing even Senator Judd Gregg to withdraw his nomination in protest to be President Obama's new Secretary of Commerce. House Republican leaders have also threatened to take the matter to court if Obama does not reconsider.
Media Watch: Are Workers Facing Intimidation in the Workplace?
Groups rally for, against union-organizing bill
WRAL.com
February 17, 2009
...The Employee Free Choice Act would amend federal labor laws to allow for greater use of "card checks" to form unions. Under the proposal, the National Labor Relations Board would have to certify a union without ordering a secret-ballot election if a majority of the workers in a plant signed authorization cards.
President Barack Obama supports the legislation, but critics say the bill would make it harder for workers to reject a union.
"It's not about whether we want unions," (Americans for Prosperity Spokesman Dallas) Woodhouse said. "Everyone should be free to join a union or not, but they shouldn't be coerced into joining a union by having union cards shoved in their face."
"Everyone should be free to join a union..." This is a statement of opinion. It is not a statement of fact that must be backed up with quantifiable data. It is simply an opinion. A valid one, I believe, but an opinion nonetheless. The story goes on to say....Supporters of the bill say the legislation would restore a balance of power between workers and employers.
"Workers have faced a significant level of intimidation in the workplace, and (bill opponents) want to preserve that system," said Will Cubbison, labor caucus chairman of the Young Democrats of North Carolina. "Workers needs more rights. They need better representation, and with the Employee Free Choice Act, the playing field would be leveled and they'd have a better opportunity for that." ...
This is a statement of fact. It is either true or untrue. Are there any facts to back up this statement? Can the speaker document even one case of workplace intimidation in North Carolina? Unfortunately, we'll never know because no one asked those questions.
There used to be a day in journalism when reporters were expected to ask who/what/when/where/why/how questions when someone made a statement of fact. There used to be a day when the goal of a journalist was to get at the truth.
Maybe those days are gone, but I think they can be revived. The goal of a news story should not be to just get two talking heads with differing opinions to give their version of events. It should be to get at the truth. If journalists don't go behind speakers and check their facts, those people will just be emboldened to say anything with no regard to veracity of their claims. That doesn't serve journalism well, it doesn't serve politics well, and it certainly doesn't serve the people well.
"Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence." John Adams
NCGOP in the News: Stimulus Will Have an Uncertain Impact in N.C.
Stimulus will have an uncertain impact in N.C.
By Ryan Teague Beckwith
The News & Observer
February 18, 2009
The White House estimated that the $787 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday afternoon would create or save 105,000 jobs in North Carolina over the next two years. Nationally, it estimated 3.5 million jobs.
But the math behind those estimates is a patchwork of best guesses, historical analogies and academic theories. ...
Mark Vitner, a senior economist with Wachovia bank, said the estimates are probably a little high, but still within reason because they are not "wildly optimistic." He said there's no real way to know how many new jobs there will be because of the stimulus effort. ...
It did not release the exact calculations used to produce the estimates. The analysis it cited was from January and was based on a hypothetical stimulus package, not the one actually passed by Congress.
"It should be understood that all of the estimates presented in this memo are subject to significant margins of error," the authors of the analysis wrote.
Among the problems they cited: The model was not based on the final bill, the actual effects of the spending can't be known ahead of time, and the current recession is unusual in its size and causes. ...
Mike Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University, said he thinks Obama's advisers are overestimating the number of secondary jobs created by new spending on things such as roads and schools.
He said the extra work may be offset by the effects of massive government borrowing on Wall Street. The debt incurred by the stimulus package, he argued, could "crowd out" private borrowing that would otherwise create jobs.
The White House also released estimates of jobs created in each congressional district.
Brent Woodcox, a spokesman for the N.C. Republican Party, said that was clearly motivated by politics and not economics.
But he warned it could backfire if the promised jobs don't actually materialize by the 2010 congressional elections.
"Putting that kind of specific number on a promise of jobs is very dangerous for the president," he said. ...
Click here to read the full article...
By Ryan Teague Beckwith
The News & Observer
February 18, 2009
The White House estimated that the $787 billion stimulus package that President Barack Obama signed into law Tuesday afternoon would create or save 105,000 jobs in North Carolina over the next two years. Nationally, it estimated 3.5 million jobs.
But the math behind those estimates is a patchwork of best guesses, historical analogies and academic theories. ...
Mark Vitner, a senior economist with Wachovia bank, said the estimates are probably a little high, but still within reason because they are not "wildly optimistic." He said there's no real way to know how many new jobs there will be because of the stimulus effort. ...
It did not release the exact calculations used to produce the estimates. The analysis it cited was from January and was based on a hypothetical stimulus package, not the one actually passed by Congress.
"It should be understood that all of the estimates presented in this memo are subject to significant margins of error," the authors of the analysis wrote.
Among the problems they cited: The model was not based on the final bill, the actual effects of the spending can't be known ahead of time, and the current recession is unusual in its size and causes. ...
Mike Walden, an economics professor at N.C. State University, said he thinks Obama's advisers are overestimating the number of secondary jobs created by new spending on things such as roads and schools.
He said the extra work may be offset by the effects of massive government borrowing on Wall Street. The debt incurred by the stimulus package, he argued, could "crowd out" private borrowing that would otherwise create jobs.
The White House also released estimates of jobs created in each congressional district.
Brent Woodcox, a spokesman for the N.C. Republican Party, said that was clearly motivated by politics and not economics.
But he warned it could backfire if the promised jobs don't actually materialize by the 2010 congressional elections.
"Putting that kind of specific number on a promise of jobs is very dangerous for the president," he said. ...
Click here to read the full article...
Monday, February 16, 2009
What About the Schools We Already Have?
Over at Dome, Democrat Congressman Bob Etheridge is patting himself on the back for the funding he placed in the final version of the "stimulus" bill which will go to constructing new schools in North Carolina.
Put aside for the moment the unintended irony of touting "stimulus" funds as being "for the kids" when it is, of course, our children and grandchildren who be shouldering the load of the debt incurred in this package. We still have one question for Congressman Etheridge.
What about the schools we already have?
The schools that are failing to get one in three high school students to graduate. What will we do to fix those? A first-class education for every North Carolina child should be our goal in our pursuit of a bright future for our children. Self-congratulatory press releases don't addres the fundamental needs of the North Carolina educational system.
Put aside for the moment the unintended irony of touting "stimulus" funds as being "for the kids" when it is, of course, our children and grandchildren who be shouldering the load of the debt incurred in this package. We still have one question for Congressman Etheridge.
What about the schools we already have?
The schools that are failing to get one in three high school students to graduate. What will we do to fix those? A first-class education for every North Carolina child should be our goal in our pursuit of a bright future for our children. Self-congratulatory press releases don't addres the fundamental needs of the North Carolina educational system.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Media Watch: Washington Post Blaming Republicans for Lack of Jobs in Stimulus?
President Obama initially claimed that his "stimulus" plan would create 4 million new jobs. However, in light of actual reality, economists studying the plan have revised that figure as low as 2.5 million jobs. The Washington Post, never known as the best friend of Republicans, takes the opportunity to insinuate that it is Republicans' fault that the jobs figures in the plan have failed to live up to the initial hype.
Of course, in reality, Democrats have been at the helm of crafting this legislation from the very beginning. Any cuts that have been made have been made because Democrats wanted those cuts. If $100 billion in cuts cost 1.5 million jobs, one has to wonder if Democrats cut only jobs and left other spending untouched in the bill. After all, the final “jobs” bill reportedly funds things like $30 million for mouse habitat in San Francisco, $2.5 million for a water slide and wave pool in Indiana and $300 million for hybrid cars for government workers, including golf carts for federal workers. These things could have went toward bringing the overall cost of the bill down without costing more than a million jobs.
For more waste to be cut without losing jobs, Democrats could have looked here and here.
"But congressional negotiators have since trimmed billions of dollars from the package to satisfy Senate Republicans, diminishing its potential for job creation along with its overall cost. With the House poised to vote as early as today on the measure, analysts are slashing their estimates of its ability to counteract a deepening recession, with several prominent economists now saying the package will save or create fewer than 2.5 million jobs by the end of next year."
Of course, in reality, Democrats have been at the helm of crafting this legislation from the very beginning. Any cuts that have been made have been made because Democrats wanted those cuts. If $100 billion in cuts cost 1.5 million jobs, one has to wonder if Democrats cut only jobs and left other spending untouched in the bill. After all, the final “jobs” bill reportedly funds things like $30 million for mouse habitat in San Francisco, $2.5 million for a water slide and wave pool in Indiana and $300 million for hybrid cars for government workers, including golf carts for federal workers. These things could have went toward bringing the overall cost of the bill down without costing more than a million jobs.
For more waste to be cut without losing jobs, Democrats could have looked here and here.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Number of the Day
225,429
The amount of money spent per job in the Democrat "stimulus" package.
The total package will put taxpayers on the hook for $789 billion in new spending. Democrats claim it will create 3.5 million new jobs over a period of years. Even if these numbers are accurate, that leaves the "stimulus" plan at $225,429 per job.
To see the Republican alternative plan that would create twice the jobs at half the cost, visit here.
Republicans want more jobs, less debt.
Question for President Obama
Larry Elder suggested seven questions for reporters to ask President Obama in his article at Townhall.com today. The full article is worth a read but his point is particularly salient about the current recession and its similarity to the one faced by President Reagan in the 1980s.
"2) Mr. President, this is a two-part question. In your opening statement, you called today's economic situation 'the most profound economic emergency since the Great Depression' and later 'the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression.' But in the 1981-82 recession, unemployment reached 10.8 percent in 1982 versus 7.6 today. Reagan inherited an annual inflation rate of 13.5 percent, while you, sir, came in with a 0.1 percent inflation rate. Prime interest rates reached 21.5 percent at the end of 1980, compared with 3.25 percent at the end of 2008. Reagan did not ask for a 'rescue' or 'bailout' package. He cut taxes and slowed the rate of domestic spending. Unemployment, inflation and interest rates went down. The Treasury collected more revenue than ever. First, how then -- at least so far -- is this the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression? And second, given Reagan's success, why not cut taxes, reduce domestic spending, and leave taxpayers and consumers with more money to save, spend and invest?"
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Sen. Burr on with Bill LuMaye Yesterday
Yesterday, Senator Burr called in to talk to Bill LuMaye on WPTF-AM in Raleigh. They talked about the ongoing debate about the economic “stimulus” legislation and other possible alternatives on how to deal with the current economic troubles. To listen to the entire interview, please click on the links below:
Part 1
Part 2
Part 1
Part 2
They Said It! Schumer: Americans Don't Care About Pork
Every North Carolina Republican's favorite Democrat Senator, New York's Chuck Schumer, took some time on the Senate floor yesterday to explain to us what it is that the American people do and do not care about. See the video below.
If you would like to reach Sen. Schumer and tell him how North Carolinians really feel about pork in the "stimulus" package, you can reach his Washington, D.C. office at 202-224-6542.
If you would like to reach Sen. Schumer and tell him how North Carolinians really feel about pork in the "stimulus" package, you can reach his Washington, D.C. office at 202-224-6542.
ICYMI: Zero-Based Budget
Editorial
Winston-Salem Journal
February 9, 2009
When the state is short billions of dollars to meet the budgets for both this year and next, the General Assembly should be looking under every rock to find savings.
Unfortunately, the legislative leadership does not appear ready to do that.
Another session has opened and for another year the legislature will not be undertaking zero-based budgeting, a process in which lawmakers scrutinize every program to determine whether it fulfills its purpose and is still a priority. Zero-based budgeting takes budget writers back to square one with every program and asks one question: Do we need this?
The lack of enthusiasm among legislative leaders for zero-based budgeting comes despite a recent report that puts the state's budget gap for next fiscal year at $2.1 billion.
When speaking to capitol reporters at the start of the session, House Speaker Joe Hackney said that every item in the budget will be reviewed this year. But that's not zero-based budgeting.
As John Blust, a Greensboro Republican, says, "We only look at our proposed changes to the governor's proposed changes in the budget." The legislature goes on "auto pilot" when it looks at the budget, Blust told the Journal, "and we need to start flying on manual." ...
The continuation budget covers spending needed to maintain current government services but adjusted for inflation and population growth.
True zero-based budgeting would look not just at whether a program's cost needs to grow at the level the governor projects but also at whether the program is needed any longer. ...
There's no doubt that legislators will balance the budget. They always do. What is not certain, however, is how, without zero-based budgeting, North Carolinians can be sure legislators cut the most appropriate programs.
Winston-Salem Journal
February 9, 2009
When the state is short billions of dollars to meet the budgets for both this year and next, the General Assembly should be looking under every rock to find savings.
Unfortunately, the legislative leadership does not appear ready to do that.
Another session has opened and for another year the legislature will not be undertaking zero-based budgeting, a process in which lawmakers scrutinize every program to determine whether it fulfills its purpose and is still a priority. Zero-based budgeting takes budget writers back to square one with every program and asks one question: Do we need this?
The lack of enthusiasm among legislative leaders for zero-based budgeting comes despite a recent report that puts the state's budget gap for next fiscal year at $2.1 billion.
When speaking to capitol reporters at the start of the session, House Speaker Joe Hackney said that every item in the budget will be reviewed this year. But that's not zero-based budgeting.
As John Blust, a Greensboro Republican, says, "We only look at our proposed changes to the governor's proposed changes in the budget." The legislature goes on "auto pilot" when it looks at the budget, Blust told the Journal, "and we need to start flying on manual." ...
The continuation budget covers spending needed to maintain current government services but adjusted for inflation and population growth.
True zero-based budgeting would look not just at whether a program's cost needs to grow at the level the governor projects but also at whether the program is needed any longer. ...
There's no doubt that legislators will balance the budget. They always do. What is not certain, however, is how, without zero-based budgeting, North Carolinians can be sure legislators cut the most appropriate programs.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Not to Say We Told You So
Nobody likes it when someone says, "I told you so." But N.C. Republicans really did forewarn of an impending budget crisis.
Told us so?
By Mark Binker
Capital Beat
Back last summer, I wrote this story on the budget, the one that now has a big ol' gap in it that Bev Perdue is trying to fix.
Rep. John Blust wrote to ask me about it the other day, because he was trying to remember the quote he gave me at the time:
Rep. John Blust, a Greensboro Republican pointed to a line in the budget document that estimates how much revenue the state would earn next year.
"Those that vote yes on this budget in just a few minutes are
making a big bet that that number is going to hold up," Blust said.
As he points out, that line didn't hold up.
Sen. Phil Berger, a Rockingham County Republican, also had a salient quote at the time:Opponents, mainly Republicans, say there's increasing evidence that the slowing economy will mean less revenue to spend than budget writers expect.
"What we're doing is setting ourselves up, or rather we're setting up next year's legislature for a serious problem," said Phil Berger, a Rockingham County Republican and the Senate minority leader. He likened the pending budget to one passed in 2000 that plunged the state into deficit just as Easley took office.
"Those memories are still pretty vivid to me," Berger said. ...
Live Blogging the Obama Townhall in Ft. Myers
12:12 PM: Obama takes the stage and thanks local officials.
12:13 PM: Obama makes the point that people have to make the decisions how to balance tight budgets and prioritize spending everyday.
Too bad we don't expect government to live within a budget. How do you think we got into this situation?
12:16 PM: Ft. Myers has been brutally hit by the recession. Massive layoffs and unemployment aren't just numbers, they represent real people who are being affected by a stagnant economy.
The question is: how does spending money on a bill that costs $250,000 per job created helping these people? This has to be done more efficiently.
12:19 PM: Obama "If we don't act immediately, millions more jobs will disappear."
Doing the wrong thing quickly doesn't make it right. Doing the wrong thing quickly doesn't bring jobs back.
12:20 PM: Obama "You sent us there to change things."
Yeah, because government spending money on wasteful pork projects is brand new in Washington.
12:22 PM: Obama "We have to put people back to work."
You know who does that? Small business. They are creating 4 out of 5 North Carolina jobs right now. Unfortunately, small businesses will be largely overlooked in this government expansion bill.
12:26 PM: Obama "90% of these jobs will be in the private sector."
First, will someone please fact check this number. Anyone in the media interested in making him defend this number? Second, how exactly does the government create a private sector job and how can you estimate how many jobs the private sector will create in response to a government plan?
12:29 PM: Obama "A failure to act will only worsen the problem. ... You didn't send me to Washington to do nothing."
A failure to take appropriate corrective measures will also worsen the problem. We sent you to Washington to do what we say. That's what democracy is about.
12:30 PM Obama labels debate about the bill "bickering in Washington."
Formula for success. 1) Scare people. 2) Blame Republicans. 3) Demand immediate action with little debate.
12:32 PM Obama preparing for questions.
12:34 PM First question about higher education.
Higher education, helping kids make the choice to go to college, school construction. All of these are noble goals. But I thought this bill was about stimulating the economy and creating jobs quickly. Every time Obama says "long term" or "over time," he undercuts his own argument.
12:35 PM Obama wants to "use this crisis" to stengthen the economy long term.
We don't want you to "use" the crisis. We want you to fix it.
12:40 PM Question "Where does your priority lie with health care reform?"
Stimulus? Anywhere? Bueller? Bueller?
12:42 PM Obama makes argument that we have to bail out state governments to save jobs.
Come on. The only jobs that are saved are the politicians'.
12:44 PM UPDATE: Senate passes stimulus bill.
Well, since this debate is basically moot now and the President is not talking about stimulus anyway, I'm done.
If you've been joining our first live blog, thanks for following. Let me know your thoughts.
12:13 PM: Obama makes the point that people have to make the decisions how to balance tight budgets and prioritize spending everyday.
Too bad we don't expect government to live within a budget. How do you think we got into this situation?
12:16 PM: Ft. Myers has been brutally hit by the recession. Massive layoffs and unemployment aren't just numbers, they represent real people who are being affected by a stagnant economy.
The question is: how does spending money on a bill that costs $250,000 per job created helping these people? This has to be done more efficiently.
12:19 PM: Obama "If we don't act immediately, millions more jobs will disappear."
Doing the wrong thing quickly doesn't make it right. Doing the wrong thing quickly doesn't bring jobs back.
12:20 PM: Obama "You sent us there to change things."
Yeah, because government spending money on wasteful pork projects is brand new in Washington.
12:22 PM: Obama "We have to put people back to work."
You know who does that? Small business. They are creating 4 out of 5 North Carolina jobs right now. Unfortunately, small businesses will be largely overlooked in this government expansion bill.
12:26 PM: Obama "90% of these jobs will be in the private sector."
First, will someone please fact check this number. Anyone in the media interested in making him defend this number? Second, how exactly does the government create a private sector job and how can you estimate how many jobs the private sector will create in response to a government plan?
12:29 PM: Obama "A failure to act will only worsen the problem. ... You didn't send me to Washington to do nothing."
A failure to take appropriate corrective measures will also worsen the problem. We sent you to Washington to do what we say. That's what democracy is about.
12:30 PM Obama labels debate about the bill "bickering in Washington."
Formula for success. 1) Scare people. 2) Blame Republicans. 3) Demand immediate action with little debate.
12:32 PM Obama preparing for questions.
12:34 PM First question about higher education.
Higher education, helping kids make the choice to go to college, school construction. All of these are noble goals. But I thought this bill was about stimulating the economy and creating jobs quickly. Every time Obama says "long term" or "over time," he undercuts his own argument.
12:35 PM Obama wants to "use this crisis" to stengthen the economy long term.
We don't want you to "use" the crisis. We want you to fix it.
12:40 PM Question "Where does your priority lie with health care reform?"
Stimulus? Anywhere? Bueller? Bueller?
12:42 PM Obama makes argument that we have to bail out state governments to save jobs.
Come on. The only jobs that are saved are the politicians'.
12:44 PM UPDATE: Senate passes stimulus bill.
Well, since this debate is basically moot now and the President is not talking about stimulus anyway, I'm done.
If you've been joining our first live blog, thanks for following. Let me know your thoughts.
Friday, February 6, 2009
NCGOP E-Letter - February 5, 2009
MICHAEL STEELE ELECTED RNC CHAIRMAN
NCGOP Press Release
January 30, 2009
RALEIGH—North Carolina Republican Party Chairman Linda Daves released the following statement in response to the historic election of Michael Steele as Chairman of the Republican National Committee.
“I would like to personally congratulate Michael Steele on his historic accomplishment. North Carolina Republicans can be proud to be represented by a man of integrity and vision as our new RNC Chairman. The NCGOP will work closely with Chairman Steele and the RNC to renew our party in North Carolina. We will restore the party of Lincoln by building from the bottom up and reinvigorating our grassroots. As we rebuild the GOP, we will continue to stand on the foundation of conservative principles, continue to advocate for freedom, and continue to stand up for the values that Republicans hold most dear."
So-Called "Modest Differences"
Seeing Red Again
February 2, 2009
President Obama is urging Senators to rush through the process of appropriating $900 million toward alleged economic stimulus. He told the Washington Post, "But what we can't do is let very modest differences get in the way of the overall package moving forward swiftly."
If we are going to put American taxpayers on the hook for nearly a trillion dollars, we should probably take some time to think about how we are spending the money. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office has already confirmed that a large percentage of the money spent in this bill will not filter into the economy until years have passed. In other words, there is no earthly reason to rush through a decision and process as important as this one.
Republicans in the House and the Senate have done their best to encourage President Obama and Democrats on Capitol Hill to consider Republican ideas in the package. Last week, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx passed on news of Congressional Republicans' plan for a smarter, simpler stimulus. She said, "North Carolina’s families and job-creating small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. My Republican colleagues and I have proposed an Economic Recovery Plan that will actually create jobs for the North Carolinians. We believe that the focus of any stimulus package must be on helping working families and small businesses. I hope that you will visit this website and learn more about the House Republican Economic Recovery Plan.”
You can view the plan here.
The Republican plan will create twice the jobs at half the price by investing less in government programs and more in American families and small businesses. As you will see, there are vast differences between the two approaches to stimulus. These differences are of philosophy, of trust, and of confidence. Does our philosophy for stimulus call for short-term, time-limited, project-related jobs created by government or does it call for long-term, secure, strong jobs created by our businesses and entrepreneurs? Do we trust the government to take care of our needs and rescue us in times of trouble or do we trust in self-reliance, personal responsibility, and the perserverance of the American worker? Do we have confidence in D.C. politicians to create the jobs we need and decide how best to spend our money to do so or do we have confidence in our neighbors and hometown employers to create the capital necessary to get the economy going again when government gets out of the way?
These are the differences between the parties and they are anything but "modest."
The "stimulus" package, according to Rep. Virginia Foxx
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx talks about the national debt increasing by $1 trillion in six months--before the so-called 'stimulus' is factored in at $900 billion. Republicans have an alternative economic recovery plan that creates twice the jobs at half the cost.
State Spending Reveals Democrats' Misplaced Priorities
Seeing Red Again
February 4, 2009
In a new report from the Civitas Institute, Brian Balfour breaks down the five year growth rate of state spending by category.
"Three categories of spending have outpaced overall General Fund spending growth:
- Debt service, the money required to pay down the interest and principle of the state’s debt, grew at the fastest rate of any category with a 5-year growth rate of 65 percent
- Natural and Economic Resources (NER), administers a wide variety of endeavors including: environmental protection, corporate welfare and other economic development, agriculture and consumer services, land purchases, museums, aquariums and the state zoo. NER experienced the second highest rate of growth, with a 5-year growth rate of 53 percent
- UNC system appropriations have increased rapidly, with a five year growth rate of 50 percent. This increase, however, doesn’t fully reflect spending growth on the UNC system. Because much of the new building construction on campuses has been debt-financed, spending for new construction is reflected in rising debt service payments"
While the amount of taxpayers' funds we are using to pay down debt, corporate welfare, and pork is rising, the rate of growth is slowest for transportation and K-12 education. Is it any wonder then that our roads and highways have fallen into disrepair and our students are being failed by our public education system? While Medicaid/Health Choice spending is ballooning out of control, the slowest rate of growth is for mental health. Is it any wonder then that mental health care in North Carolina has spiraled out of control?
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. N.C. Democrats may talk about improving education, transportation, and health care, but their misplaced priorities betray their true allegiances.
REPUBLICANS CALL FOR EDUCATION REFORM
Aggressive Agenda Planned
Press Release
February 3, 2009
Senate Republican Leader Phil Berger (R-Rockingham) and House Republican Leader Paul Stam (R-Wake) today announced plans to pursue an aggressive education agenda in the current legislative session. Republican Leaders along with Representative Fred Steen (R-Rowan) pointed to the Report Card on American Education from the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) as a wake-up call for fundamental changes to improve the quality of educational opportunities for North Carolina students.
The ALEC report, released today, ranked North Carolina 30th in the nation based on fourth- and eighth-grade mathematics and reading scores as well as SAT and ACT scores. It was noted that despite public spending increases over the years, measured results remain disappointing.
Specific initiatives supported by these Republican lawmakers include:
- Require the use of national normed testing to provide consistency in measuring academic progress
- Reward our best teachers with merit and differential pay rather than the current system of pay based on longevity and credentials
- Enhance career, technical and vocation programs in high schools
- Eliminate the current cap on charter schools to allow families to exercise greater educational options for their children
Rep. Steen discussed the significance of findings in the ALEC “Report Card” to North Carolina’s educational challenges. He emphasized that extensive data from 1987-88 to 2007-08 indicates there is no direct correlation between public funding and achievement.
“In this time of shrinking financial resources we must seize the opportunity to bring critically needed change to our education system. The initiatives we advocate will not increase education funding, but will significantly improve student achievement as well as provide much needed options for the diverse group of students we serve,” said Stam.
“North Carolina’s graduation rate is abysmal,” said Senator Berger. “When one-in-three students are failing to graduate on time from our public schools, the future economic viability of North Carolina is at risk. This survey confirms that despite huge public expenditures, North Carolina’s schools and North Carolina’s elected leaders are failing our parents and students. Sadly, until we embark on a new direction in public education, we will continue to see the numbers stagnate.”
“As legislators, we should be more accountable to students, parents and taxpayers with education dollars and strive to make education reforms work for North Carolina,” said Rep. Fred Steen II. “The investment in knowledge is the best economic stimulus and that investment must not be wasted.”
These Republican lawmakers will introduce their initiatives over the next few weeks. They reported grass roots support from all across the state is expected to provide an increased sense of urgency for swift enactment.
WHO IS KIRK ROBERT PERKINS?
NCGOP Press Release
January 30, 2009
RALEIGH— Kirk Robert Perkins was the victor last November in the race for a seat on the Soil and Water Conservation Board of Guilford County. There was a problem. He never showed up to claim his seat. Upon further review, it has been learned that "Kirk Perkins" is registered at an address of a commercial building which houses a flea market. In addition, "Kirk Perkins" social security number does not match his name calling into questions whether "Kirk Perkins" is a real name or if such a person even exists.
The Greensboro News & Record issued an editorial on the situation last week.
"He was allowed to file as a candidate because he was a registered voter. No photo identification was required for that. New voters are asked for a driver's license number or the last four digits of a Social Security number and proof of their address, such as a utility bill. Perkins' Social Security number didn't match his name, but that wasn't detected until much later.
George Gilbert, Guilford County's supervisor of elections, thinks state law should require verification of identity when a candidate files to run.
Absolutely. Safeguards must be enacted to prevent this kind of travesty. The integrity of the election system depends on making sure voters and candidates are who they say."
"Kirk Robert Perkins" remains a registered Democrat in Guilford County according to the State Board of Elections website. It is unknown whether "Kirk Perkins" cast a vote in favor of himself.
Chairman Linda Daves, North Carolina Republican Party, made the following statement:
"This situation illustrates another shameful example of the inadequacy of election safeguards in North Carolina. It is absolutely unconscionable that we do not have laws in place to require that candidates for elected office in North Carolina show proof of identity before they are placed on a ballot. The current landscape of election laws call into question the integrity of the electoral process and cause voters to lose faith in the functioning of our democracy. We cannot afford to perpetuate a system that encourages cynicism toward the voting process as that destroys confidence in government.
We must put in place proper safeguards to ensure that this situation never again repeats itself. Common sense regulations requiring proper identification for candidates who wish to be on the ballot and for voters wishing to cast a ballot should be the law of the land. Identification requirements have not been shown to disenfranchise voters, but they do restore confidence that our electoral processes are functioning correctly. The General Assembly should take up this issue immediately."
Thursday, February 5, 2009
The State of State Government
State Rep. John Blust (R-Guilford) is a good conservative and a legislator always looking to make sure our tax dollars are spent smartly and efficiently. This week, Rep. Blust filed House Bill 75 in the General Assembly. The bill is entitled "Salary Funds/Spend Only for Salaries." The purpose of the bill is to make sure that funds set aside to pay salaries are only spent on salaries. This is where we are in state government, folks. We need to pass laws to make certain that the Democrat leadership spends money on what they say they are spending money on.
ICYMI: Congresswoman Myrick Selected to Serve on House Intelligence Committee
Press Release
February 5, 2009
(Washington, D.C.) – US Representative Sue Myrick (NC-09) has been selected by House Leadership to serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
“With my work on anti-terrorism issues, I’m excited to have been selected to serve on such an esteemed committee,” Rep. Myrick said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the safety of the American public by providing the intelligence community with the proper resources and oversight it needs to effectively execute its goals.” Rep. Myrick is the founder and co-chair of the House Anti-Terrorism Caucus. ...
Click here for the full release...
February 5, 2009
(Washington, D.C.) – US Representative Sue Myrick (NC-09) has been selected by House Leadership to serve on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence.
“With my work on anti-terrorism issues, I’m excited to have been selected to serve on such an esteemed committee,” Rep. Myrick said. “I look forward to working with my colleagues to ensure the safety of the American public by providing the intelligence community with the proper resources and oversight it needs to effectively execute its goals.” Rep. Myrick is the founder and co-chair of the House Anti-Terrorism Caucus. ...
Click here for the full release...
ICYMI: Congresswoman Foxx Hailed as "Fundraising Maestro"
Congresswoman Virginia Foxx is doing her part to back conservative candidates to help Republicans take back control of the U.S. House. She was hailed as a "fundraising maestro" this week by NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions for her efforts.
GOP seeks to win back Gillibrand seat
By Alex Isenstadt & Patrick O'Connor
Politico
February 4, 2009
House Republicans are making a hard push for their colleagues to pony up from their own campaign bank accounts in an effort to put Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand’s former House seat back in Republican hands. ...
With the National Republican Congressional Committee looking to rebuild after a disastrous two cycles, such fundraising matters have center stage early in the 2010 election cycle. Party leaders made no secret they wanted members to pitch in this term.
NRCC Chairman Pete Sessions hailed Virginia Rep. Virginia Foxx as a fundraising maestro, and announced that he was dedicated a suite at NRCC headquarters in her name. Foxx, Sessions noted in the meeting, raised $250,000 more than she was expected to last election cycle. She did this by calling donors individually from the NRCC, not — as most members do — by cutting a check from her reelection account. ...
Pelosi: "500 Million Americans" Will Lose Jobs
Now, finally, we may begin to understand why the Democrat Congressional leadership may be having some trouble with the numbers and figures contained in the "stimulus" package. Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned in a press conference yesterday that 500 million Americans are losing jobs every month without her nearly $1 trillion boondoggle being passed. I'm all for the use of hyperbole as a rhetorical device but 500 million Americans, really? I think Democrats might be getting desperate to push through their liberal grab bag of spending before Americans can begin to get a better look of what they are spending our money on.
Number of the Day
37
Only 37% of Americans support the "stimulus" plan currently under consideration in the U.S. Senate according to a new survey released by Rasmussen Reports. 43% of those surveyed oppose the legislation. Opposition to the plan is growing rapidly as it was at just 34% two weeks ago. Meanwhile, 45% now say they support a tax cut only plan and just 34% would oppose such a plan. President Obama initially proposed $350 billion for tax cuts in the recovery plan, but the congressional Democratic leadership lowered this to $275 billion to make way for more spending. 72% of voters oppose a stimulus plan that includes only new government spending without any tax cuts.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
State Spending Reveals Democrats' Misplaced Priorities
In a new report from the Civitas Institute, Brian Balfour breaks down the five year growth rate of state spending by category.
"Three categories of spending have outpaced overall General Fund spending growth:
"Three categories of spending have outpaced overall General Fund spending growth:
- Debt service, the money required to pay down the interest and principle of the state’s debt, grew at the fastest rate of any category with a 5-year growth rate of 65 percent
- Natural and Economic Resources (NER), administers a wide variety of endeavors including: environmental protection, corporate welfare and other economic development, agriculture and consumer services, land purchases, museums, aquariums and the state zoo. NER experienced the second highest rate of growth, with a 5-year growth rate of 53 percent
- UNC system appropriations have increased rapidly, with a five year growth rate of 50 percent. This increase, however, doesn’t fully reflect spending growth on the UNC system. Because much of the new building construction on campuses has been debt-financed, spending for new construction is reflected in rising debt service payments"
While the amount of taxpayers' funds we are using to pay down debt, corporate welfare, and pork is rising, the rate of growth is slowest for transportation and K-12 education. Is it any wonder then that our roads and highways have fallen into disrepair and our students are being failed by our public education system? While Medicaid/Health Choice spending is ballooning out of control, the slowest rate of growth is for mental health. Is it any wonder then that mental health care in North Carolina has spiraled out of control?
For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. N.C. Democrats may talk about improving education, transportation, and health care, but their misplaced priorities betray their true allegiances.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
N.C. Democrats Making Power Grabs
Apparently, when Democrats don't like the amount of power that voters have given to them, they just change the rules to increase the scope of their power. Two developments from the last week illustrate this point.
First, Senator Doug Berger (D-Franklin) introduces a bill to take authority away from the elected Commissioner of Labor when it comes to the state's occupational safety and health program. Could the fact that the current Commissioner of Labor is Republican Cherie Berry have factored into Berger's decision? Probably. Could the fact that Berger ran unsuccessfully against Berry eight years ago have something to do with his newfound interest in taking authority from her? It seems likely. Memo to Doug Berger: To borrow a phrase from President Obama: She won. That means voters wanted her to do the job, not for you to take her authority away and give it to Democrat Governor Beverly Perdue.
Where else do we elect positions only to give all of that position's authority to the Governor? That's right. Education. At least, as of last week we do. Last week, Governor Perdue "shook up" the educational establishment by appointing a chief educational bureaucrat, Cumberland County Schools head Bill Harrison, to manage the N.C. Department of Education. She said at the time, "This is the most important job in North Carolina. He literally has North Carolina's future in his hands." But that's precisely the point. We elected someone to have education in their hands. Thanks to the taxpayer-financed elections system, we actually paid for the election of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Now that person has no authority, nothing to do, and is reduced to the patronizing position of "ambassador." This comes just as a new report out today shows that North Carolina ranks just 30th in the nation despite increased spending over the last several years and as we continue to face down the problem of one in three North Carolina students failing to graduate high school. Someone will be held accountable for the future of education in North Carolina and that someone will be Governor Perdue.
First, Senator Doug Berger (D-Franklin) introduces a bill to take authority away from the elected Commissioner of Labor when it comes to the state's occupational safety and health program. Could the fact that the current Commissioner of Labor is Republican Cherie Berry have factored into Berger's decision? Probably. Could the fact that Berger ran unsuccessfully against Berry eight years ago have something to do with his newfound interest in taking authority from her? It seems likely. Memo to Doug Berger: To borrow a phrase from President Obama: She won. That means voters wanted her to do the job, not for you to take her authority away and give it to Democrat Governor Beverly Perdue.
Where else do we elect positions only to give all of that position's authority to the Governor? That's right. Education. At least, as of last week we do. Last week, Governor Perdue "shook up" the educational establishment by appointing a chief educational bureaucrat, Cumberland County Schools head Bill Harrison, to manage the N.C. Department of Education. She said at the time, "This is the most important job in North Carolina. He literally has North Carolina's future in his hands." But that's precisely the point. We elected someone to have education in their hands. Thanks to the taxpayer-financed elections system, we actually paid for the election of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. Now that person has no authority, nothing to do, and is reduced to the patronizing position of "ambassador." This comes just as a new report out today shows that North Carolina ranks just 30th in the nation despite increased spending over the last several years and as we continue to face down the problem of one in three North Carolina students failing to graduate high school. Someone will be held accountable for the future of education in North Carolina and that someone will be Governor Perdue.
Monday, February 2, 2009
So-Called "Modest Differences"
President Obama is urging Senators to rush through the process of appropriating $900 billion toward alleged economic stimulus. He told the Washington Post, "But what we can't do is let very modest differences get in the way of the overall package moving forward swiftly."
If we are going to put American taxpayers on the hook for nearly a trillion dollars, we should probably take some time to think about how we are spending the money. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office has already confirmed that a large percentage of the money spent in this bill will not filter into the economy until years have passed. In other words, there is no earthly reason to rush through a decision and process as important as this one.
Republicans in the House and the Senate have done their best to encourage President Obama and Democrats on Capitol Hill to consider Republican ideas in the package. Last week, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx passed on news of Congressional Republicans' plan for a smarter, simpler stimulus. She said, "North Carolina’s families and job-creating small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. My Republican colleagues and I have proposed an Economic Recovery Plan that will actually create jobs for the North Carolinians. We believe that the focus of any stimulus package must be on helping working families and small businesses. I hope that you will visit this website and learn more about the House Republican Economic Recovery Plan.”
You can view the plan here.
The Republican plan will create twice the jobs at half the price by investing less in government programs and more in American families and small businesses. As you will see, there are vast differences between the two approaches to stimulus. These differences are of philosophy, of trust, and of confidence. Does our philosophy for stimulus call for short-term, time-limited, project-related jobs created by government or does it call for long-term, secure, strong jobs created by our businesses and entrepreneurs? Do we trust the government to take care of our needs and rescue us in times of trouble or do we trust in self-reliance, personal responsibility, and the perserverance of the American worker? Do we have confidence in D.C. politicians to create the jobs we need and decide how best to spend our money to do so or do we have confidence in our neighbors and hometown employers to create the capital necessary to get the economy going again when government gets out of the way?
These are the differences between the parties and they are anything but "modest."
If we are going to put American taxpayers on the hook for nearly a trillion dollars, we should probably take some time to think about how we are spending the money. In addition, the Congressional Budget Office has already confirmed that a large percentage of the money spent in this bill will not filter into the economy until years have passed. In other words, there is no earthly reason to rush through a decision and process as important as this one.
Republicans in the House and the Senate have done their best to encourage President Obama and Democrats on Capitol Hill to consider Republican ideas in the package. Last week, Congresswoman Virginia Foxx passed on news of Congressional Republicans' plan for a smarter, simpler stimulus. She said, "North Carolina’s families and job-creating small businesses are facing unprecedented challenges. My Republican colleagues and I have proposed an Economic Recovery Plan that will actually create jobs for the North Carolinians. We believe that the focus of any stimulus package must be on helping working families and small businesses. I hope that you will visit this website and learn more about the House Republican Economic Recovery Plan.”
You can view the plan here.
The Republican plan will create twice the jobs at half the price by investing less in government programs and more in American families and small businesses. As you will see, there are vast differences between the two approaches to stimulus. These differences are of philosophy, of trust, and of confidence. Does our philosophy for stimulus call for short-term, time-limited, project-related jobs created by government or does it call for long-term, secure, strong jobs created by our businesses and entrepreneurs? Do we trust the government to take care of our needs and rescue us in times of trouble or do we trust in self-reliance, personal responsibility, and the perserverance of the American worker? Do we have confidence in D.C. politicians to create the jobs we need and decide how best to spend our money to do so or do we have confidence in our neighbors and hometown employers to create the capital necessary to get the economy going again when government gets out of the way?
These are the differences between the parties and they are anything but "modest."
Democrats Reject Bipartisan Appeal for Real Stimulus
By Congressman Patrick McHenry
Opinion Editorial
February 2, 2009
No one doubts the severity of our country’s economic challenges, from my colleagues in Congress to my neighbors in Western North Carolina. Families are having trouble making ends meet and workers are losing their jobs. Action is needed. Unfortunately, the Democrat majority in Congress held a vote last week on a so-called ‘stimulus’ bill that has little to do with stimulating our economy.
When the process of crafting this legislation began, I genuinely believed that Democrats and Republicans would put partisanship aside and work together to the benefit of all Americans. President Obama and House Republicans signaled a willingness to work together on a proposal that would include tax policies that encourage job creation as well as targeted investments in infrastructure projects that would help stimulate the economy.
The President and House Republicans agreed that in order for the bill to have credibility with the American people, it absolutely must not include pork barrel spending. The only way to achieve this was for the legislation to be crafted and debated in an open, thoughtful and bipartisan way.
What followed was a secretive, hasty and partisan process that clearly demonstrates the Democrat majority’s disregard for America’s desire for bipartisan cooperation in this time of crisis. The resulting legislation is a massive spending bill that devotes “tens of billions of dollars to causes that have little to do with jolting the country out of recession,” as described by the Associated Press. The bill allocates billions for the National Endowment for the Arts, new cars and computers for government workers, and ACORN, the liberal political group under federal investigation.
Only 3% of the funds are dedicated to road and highway infrastructure projects. In fact, the only sector of the economy that may see modest job creation is the government. The legislation creates 32 new government programs and spends $646,214 for every government job created. To make matters worse, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports that over half of the money will be spent between 2011 and 2019, after the economy is expected to recover.
All of this wasteful spending is regrettable because it detracts from truly worthy projects which provide both short-term stimulus and lasting economic impact. For example, investments in building broadband infrastructure will create manufacturing and technology jobs in Western North Carolina.
For all the billions in pork barrel spending, the legislation offers next to nothing in the way of tax relief for working families and small businesses, the backbone of our economy. Just 2.7% of the bill is dedicated to small business tax relief, despite the fact that 90% of the new jobs in this country are created by small businesses.
With so many of my constituents struggling to keep their heads above water financially, I could not in good conscience vote for a bill that forces them to bankroll $819 billion worth of deficit spending. I am in agreement with so many economists who predict that this legislation will have disastrous effects on America’s long-term economic security and lead to massive tax increases on working families.
I remain committed to working toward policies that will rebuild our economy and create good jobs without burying generations of Western North Carolina taxpayers in debt.
Opinion Editorial
February 2, 2009
No one doubts the severity of our country’s economic challenges, from my colleagues in Congress to my neighbors in Western North Carolina. Families are having trouble making ends meet and workers are losing their jobs. Action is needed. Unfortunately, the Democrat majority in Congress held a vote last week on a so-called ‘stimulus’ bill that has little to do with stimulating our economy.
When the process of crafting this legislation began, I genuinely believed that Democrats and Republicans would put partisanship aside and work together to the benefit of all Americans. President Obama and House Republicans signaled a willingness to work together on a proposal that would include tax policies that encourage job creation as well as targeted investments in infrastructure projects that would help stimulate the economy.
The President and House Republicans agreed that in order for the bill to have credibility with the American people, it absolutely must not include pork barrel spending. The only way to achieve this was for the legislation to be crafted and debated in an open, thoughtful and bipartisan way.
What followed was a secretive, hasty and partisan process that clearly demonstrates the Democrat majority’s disregard for America’s desire for bipartisan cooperation in this time of crisis. The resulting legislation is a massive spending bill that devotes “tens of billions of dollars to causes that have little to do with jolting the country out of recession,” as described by the Associated Press. The bill allocates billions for the National Endowment for the Arts, new cars and computers for government workers, and ACORN, the liberal political group under federal investigation.
Only 3% of the funds are dedicated to road and highway infrastructure projects. In fact, the only sector of the economy that may see modest job creation is the government. The legislation creates 32 new government programs and spends $646,214 for every government job created. To make matters worse, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reports that over half of the money will be spent between 2011 and 2019, after the economy is expected to recover.
All of this wasteful spending is regrettable because it detracts from truly worthy projects which provide both short-term stimulus and lasting economic impact. For example, investments in building broadband infrastructure will create manufacturing and technology jobs in Western North Carolina.
For all the billions in pork barrel spending, the legislation offers next to nothing in the way of tax relief for working families and small businesses, the backbone of our economy. Just 2.7% of the bill is dedicated to small business tax relief, despite the fact that 90% of the new jobs in this country are created by small businesses.
With so many of my constituents struggling to keep their heads above water financially, I could not in good conscience vote for a bill that forces them to bankroll $819 billion worth of deficit spending. I am in agreement with so many economists who predict that this legislation will have disastrous effects on America’s long-term economic security and lead to massive tax increases on working families.
I remain committed to working toward policies that will rebuild our economy and create good jobs without burying generations of Western North Carolina taxpayers in debt.
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