In the wake of the much-discussed release of President Obama's long-form birth certificate, Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle had this to say:
"Instead of wasting so much ink on this birther story, the press should be giving a lot more attention to the many real disasters of the Obama administration. The Libertarian Party recently released a list of '20 Obama problems, 20 Libertarian solutions.'
"Of course, President Obama and the Democrats in Congress are only part of the problem equation. The Republicans deserve an equal share of the blame, for their unwillingness to cut military spending or entitlements, their addiction to government programs like farm subsidies, and their big-spending compromise bills of December 2010 and April 2011.
"I wonder if Obama and the Republicans might just be conspiring to keep this birther stuff alive, to distract everyone from all the real problems they're causing. The president might have been worried that the birther talk was about to die down.
"When you consider that we're involved in three foreign wars, our entitlement state is crumbling, we have record-level spending and deficits, unemployment is high, and inflation is growing, the president's birth certificate seems less significant somehow.
"We need to be more focused on the fact that massive debt is driving our government toward bankruptcy -- something Republican birther Donald Trump would know a lot about.
"Nearly two years ago, one of our junior staffers mocked this very issue:
Socialized healthcare is on the horizon. The DHS, NSA, TSA police state is expanding, the Drug War is still being pursued by an arrogant, ignorant government and Obama is expanding the war in Afghanistan! Frankly we have got bigger problems to pursue than blogging endlessly about where the President was born.
"Hopefully Americans will worry less about long-form birth certificates, and more about thousand-page spending bills."
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Showing posts with label spending. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spending. Show all posts
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Libertarians call spending compromise "travesty"
Libertarian Party Executive Director Wes Benedict issued the following statement today (April 15):
"Just in time for Tax Day, the Republicans and Democrats in Congress have joined hands to clobber American taxpayers.
"According to the Associated Press, the 2011 spending compromise will 'cut federal outlays from non-war accounts by just $352 million through Sept. 30....When war funding is factored in the legislation would actually increase total federal outlays by $3.3 billion relative to current levels.'
"This is happening at a time when federal spending and deficits are at unprecedented high levels. Federal spending this year is expected to be about 5 percent higher than last year. This is a travesty.
"In 2000 under Bill Clinton, federal spending was $1.79 trillion. This year it's expected to be at least $3.63 trillion.
"Neither Democrats nor Republicans have made any serious proposals to change the course of the federal government. In particular, both President Obama's and Congressman Ryan's 2012 budget proposals are absurd. I fear that America will soon be overtaken by events. Inflation, high interest rates, high unemployment, and probably other unforeseen problems will start to force everyone's hand. One way or another, people aren't going to get what they have been led to expect.
"Unless American voters stop supporting Republicans and Democrats very soon, and start supporting Libertarians and Libertarian policies, I believe our future, and the future of our children and grandchildren, will be bleak."
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"Just in time for Tax Day, the Republicans and Democrats in Congress have joined hands to clobber American taxpayers.
"According to the Associated Press, the 2011 spending compromise will 'cut federal outlays from non-war accounts by just $352 million through Sept. 30....When war funding is factored in the legislation would actually increase total federal outlays by $3.3 billion relative to current levels.'
"This is happening at a time when federal spending and deficits are at unprecedented high levels. Federal spending this year is expected to be about 5 percent higher than last year. This is a travesty.
"In 2000 under Bill Clinton, federal spending was $1.79 trillion. This year it's expected to be at least $3.63 trillion.
"Neither Democrats nor Republicans have made any serious proposals to change the course of the federal government. In particular, both President Obama's and Congressman Ryan's 2012 budget proposals are absurd. I fear that America will soon be overtaken by events. Inflation, high interest rates, high unemployment, and probably other unforeseen problems will start to force everyone's hand. One way or another, people aren't going to get what they have been led to expect.
"Unless American voters stop supporting Republicans and Democrats very soon, and start supporting Libertarians and Libertarian policies, I believe our future, and the future of our children and grandchildren, will be bleak."
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Thursday, November 11, 2010
New Congress Should Remove Restrictions on Flexible Spending Accounts to Help Consumers
/PRNewswire/ -- Save Flexible Spending Plans today called on the new leaders in Congress to follow through on their campaign promises to fix problems with the health care reform law, including restrictions on employer-provided flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act includes several restrictions on FSAs, which were incorporated to pay for a portion of the health reform bill. First, starting on January 1, 2011, participants will need a doctor’s prescription in order to use their FSAs to pay for over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as allergy medicine and cough syrup. Second, beginning on January 1, 2013, contributions to FSAs will be capped at $2,500 per year.
“It was never a good idea to fund health reform on the backs of hard-working Americans who use flexible spending accounts to manage and contain health costs,” said Joe Jackson, chairman of Save Flexible Spending Plans and CEO of WageWorks, Inc., a benefits provider based in San Mateo, CA. “To improve and fix the health reform law, Congress should quickly repeal the requirement starting January 1, 2011 that a doctor’s prescription is needed for consumers to use their flex accounts to purchase over-the-counter medications, including Claritin, Zyrtec and Tylenol. This provision will not only drive up health care costs, but it is an utter waste of consumers’ and physicians’ limited time.”
Jackson recommends Congress preserve the usefulness of FSAs by taking the following actions:
Repeal the OTC Prescription Requirement
Employee benefits providers and retailers expect that the new OTC medication prescription requirement will blindside consumers and create an administrative nightmare. The new rule will also increase costs to the health care system since additional office visits will be required for patients seeking prescriptions to use their spending accounts for OTC medications.
If Congress can’t find a way to remove the restriction altogether, then it should at least follow the recommendation of leading industry groups, including the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, who have requested a delay in implementation of the provision in order to give providers and retailers an opportunity to educate consumers and develop applicable compliance procedures.
Remove the “Use it or Lose it” Provision
Today, FSA participants are required to spend their entire annual election before the end of the calendar year (or, in some cases, an extension deadline), or those funds are forfeited and returned to their employers. This “use it or lose it” rule often discourages individuals from utilizing FSAs to save on their health care expenses for fear that they will lose any remaining balance. Additionally, this forfeiture rule is no longer necessary now that an FSA contribution cap is set to go into effect on January 1, 2013.
Rather than forcing consumers to forfeit or spend unused money at the end of a plan year, Congress should revise the rule to allow participants each year to roll over up to $500 or cash-out unused FSA funds. With participants paying taxes on those funds or rolling over dollars into the next year, either solution would generate additional revenue for the federal government.
Increase the Contribution Cap
The future cap on FSA contributions will force approximately seven million hard-working Americans who use their FSAs to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses that exceed the $2,500 limit to pay higher taxes and health care costs. Sadly, Americans with the highest out-of-pocket health care costs – those with chronic conditions or children with special needs – will be hit the hardest by this restriction. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, individuals and families with chronic illnesses incur annual out-of-pocket expenses that average $4,398 per year, which significantly exceeds the proposed $2,500 cap.
A more appropriate response is for Congress to set a cap at $5,000.
“FSAs are a lifeline for working Americans, often making the difference between staying afloat and going into debt over health care needs, and sometimes between getting necessary treatment and avoiding it altogether because of the cost. They enable participants to play an active role in managing their health care and should be preserved,” added Jackson.
About Save Flexible Spending Plans
Save Flexible Spending Plans is a national grassroots advocacy organization that protects against the restricted use of flexible spending accounts. The campaign is sponsored by the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), www.ecfc.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of private employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis. To learn more, take action and read the personal stories of FSA participants, please visit www.savemyflexplan.org.
The Patient Protection and Affordable Health Care Act includes several restrictions on FSAs, which were incorporated to pay for a portion of the health reform bill. First, starting on January 1, 2011, participants will need a doctor’s prescription in order to use their FSAs to pay for over-the-counter (OTC) medications, such as allergy medicine and cough syrup. Second, beginning on January 1, 2013, contributions to FSAs will be capped at $2,500 per year.
“It was never a good idea to fund health reform on the backs of hard-working Americans who use flexible spending accounts to manage and contain health costs,” said Joe Jackson, chairman of Save Flexible Spending Plans and CEO of WageWorks, Inc., a benefits provider based in San Mateo, CA. “To improve and fix the health reform law, Congress should quickly repeal the requirement starting January 1, 2011 that a doctor’s prescription is needed for consumers to use their flex accounts to purchase over-the-counter medications, including Claritin, Zyrtec and Tylenol. This provision will not only drive up health care costs, but it is an utter waste of consumers’ and physicians’ limited time.”
Jackson recommends Congress preserve the usefulness of FSAs by taking the following actions:
Repeal the OTC Prescription Requirement
Employee benefits providers and retailers expect that the new OTC medication prescription requirement will blindside consumers and create an administrative nightmare. The new rule will also increase costs to the health care system since additional office visits will be required for patients seeking prescriptions to use their spending accounts for OTC medications.
If Congress can’t find a way to remove the restriction altogether, then it should at least follow the recommendation of leading industry groups, including the National Association of Chain Drug Stores, who have requested a delay in implementation of the provision in order to give providers and retailers an opportunity to educate consumers and develop applicable compliance procedures.
Remove the “Use it or Lose it” Provision
Today, FSA participants are required to spend their entire annual election before the end of the calendar year (or, in some cases, an extension deadline), or those funds are forfeited and returned to their employers. This “use it or lose it” rule often discourages individuals from utilizing FSAs to save on their health care expenses for fear that they will lose any remaining balance. Additionally, this forfeiture rule is no longer necessary now that an FSA contribution cap is set to go into effect on January 1, 2013.
Rather than forcing consumers to forfeit or spend unused money at the end of a plan year, Congress should revise the rule to allow participants each year to roll over up to $500 or cash-out unused FSA funds. With participants paying taxes on those funds or rolling over dollars into the next year, either solution would generate additional revenue for the federal government.
Increase the Contribution Cap
The future cap on FSA contributions will force approximately seven million hard-working Americans who use their FSAs to pay for out-of-pocket health care expenses that exceed the $2,500 limit to pay higher taxes and health care costs. Sadly, Americans with the highest out-of-pocket health care costs – those with chronic conditions or children with special needs – will be hit the hardest by this restriction. According to the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, individuals and families with chronic illnesses incur annual out-of-pocket expenses that average $4,398 per year, which significantly exceeds the proposed $2,500 cap.
A more appropriate response is for Congress to set a cap at $5,000.
“FSAs are a lifeline for working Americans, often making the difference between staying afloat and going into debt over health care needs, and sometimes between getting necessary treatment and avoiding it altogether because of the cost. They enable participants to play an active role in managing their health care and should be preserved,” added Jackson.
About Save Flexible Spending Plans
Save Flexible Spending Plans is a national grassroots advocacy organization that protects against the restricted use of flexible spending accounts. The campaign is sponsored by the Employers Council on Flexible Compensation (ECFC), www.ecfc.org, a non-profit organization dedicated to the maintenance and expansion of private employee benefit programs on a tax-advantaged basis. To learn more, take action and read the personal stories of FSA participants, please visit www.savemyflexplan.org.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Outrage over Public Pay and Benefits Reaches Fever Pitch
/PRNewswire/ -- A growing movement against outrageous government spending is sweeping the nation. Millions of new activists are joining tea party movements and grassroots organizations to advocate for tighter reins on out-of-control spending. One advocacy group, The Free Enterprise Nation (FEN) is gaining influence and membership as it raises a voice in the economic debate.
FEN launched nearly a year ago to educate the public on the hidden dangers of government pay and benefits and now has thousands of corporate and individual members. As the group celebrates its first anniversary, it is taking advantage of the growing public unrest. FEN's founder and CEO James MacDougald's book, "UNSUSTAINABLE: How Big Government, Taxes and Debt are Wrecking America," has climbed several best-seller lists.
"UNSUSTAINABLE" exposes how governments at every level hide the exorbitant pay and benefits they provide to themselves. Over the summer, the book reached #7 on Amazon's "Hot New Releases" for the Kindle version and #11 for print. The book also ranks in the top 50 of the economics category. The book has become the rallying cry for citizens outraged over lavish government salaries.
For example, the city of Bell, Calif., recently made news headlines because the city manager makes $787,637 a year. However, FEN collects examples like this in every state and the trend is truly disturbing. At TheFreeEnterpriseNation.org, there are thousands of examples of pay, benefits and pension abuse for every state in the Union. The database is searchable by topic, state or keyword and has become the most popular feature on the organization's website.
"Stories of outrageous government spending should not be limited to local news," said MacDougald. "We have found that the problem is systemic of government at every level."
The new attention to country's economic woes has enabled MacDougald to take the organization's message to the airwaves. He regularly appears on national cable news channels such as FOX News, MSNBC and CNBC. MacDougald also brings economic sensibility to the talk radio circuit and contributes to opinion columns.
"Regardless of political affiliation, everyone must be aware of the cresting economic crisis looming over our nation," said MacDougald. "We can and must preserve American businesses and the people they employ. We have to rein in spending and unleash free enterprise."
FEN launched nearly a year ago to educate the public on the hidden dangers of government pay and benefits and now has thousands of corporate and individual members. As the group celebrates its first anniversary, it is taking advantage of the growing public unrest. FEN's founder and CEO James MacDougald's book, "UNSUSTAINABLE: How Big Government, Taxes and Debt are Wrecking America," has climbed several best-seller lists.
"UNSUSTAINABLE" exposes how governments at every level hide the exorbitant pay and benefits they provide to themselves. Over the summer, the book reached #7 on Amazon's "Hot New Releases" for the Kindle version and #11 for print. The book also ranks in the top 50 of the economics category. The book has become the rallying cry for citizens outraged over lavish government salaries.
For example, the city of Bell, Calif., recently made news headlines because the city manager makes $787,637 a year. However, FEN collects examples like this in every state and the trend is truly disturbing. At TheFreeEnterpriseNation.org, there are thousands of examples of pay, benefits and pension abuse for every state in the Union. The database is searchable by topic, state or keyword and has become the most popular feature on the organization's website.
"Stories of outrageous government spending should not be limited to local news," said MacDougald. "We have found that the problem is systemic of government at every level."
The new attention to country's economic woes has enabled MacDougald to take the organization's message to the airwaves. He regularly appears on national cable news channels such as FOX News, MSNBC and CNBC. MacDougald also brings economic sensibility to the talk radio circuit and contributes to opinion columns.
"Regardless of political affiliation, everyone must be aware of the cresting economic crisis looming over our nation," said MacDougald. "We can and must preserve American businesses and the people they employ. We have to rein in spending and unleash free enterprise."
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Libertarians oppose record federal spending levels
The White House's Office of Management and Budget (OMB) recently released its Mid-Session Review. On reviewing the report, Libertarian Party Chair Mark Hinkle called the report's spending projections "disappointing and troubling."
According to the report, federal spending was 24.7% of GDP in 2009, and is expected to be 24.6% this year, rising to 25.1% in 2011. (All years are fiscal years.)
Hinkle commented, "The federal government is commanding a larger percentage of our economy than it has at any time in American history, except a few years during World War II. Instead of free citizens making our own economic decisions, the federal government is making those decisions for us."
Hinkle added, "At the beginning of the twentieth century, the federal government spent less than five percent of GDP."
The report projects that federal spending will still be over 23% of GDP in the year 2020. "In other words," said Hinkle, "the White House is admitting that its spending will be at record-high levels as far as the eye can see. That's great for special interests who get their money from the federal government, but it's very bad news for the rest of us.
"I'm seeing visions of low economic growth and high dependence on government. Future generations are facing economic hardship instead of prosperity.
"The current crop of politicians in Washington simply don't have what it takes to reverse this damage. Democrats and Republicans have proven decade after decade that they are incapable of doing anything but grow government. In just the last ten years, they have worked together to give us two costly wars, a giant Medicare expansion, and the TARP bailouts, among many other massive new expenses.
"It's time for American voters to start thinking outside the box, and electing Libertarians to office."
According to the report, federal spending was 24.7% of GDP in 2009, and is expected to be 24.6% this year, rising to 25.1% in 2011. (All years are fiscal years.)
Hinkle commented, "The federal government is commanding a larger percentage of our economy than it has at any time in American history, except a few years during World War II. Instead of free citizens making our own economic decisions, the federal government is making those decisions for us."
Hinkle added, "At the beginning of the twentieth century, the federal government spent less than five percent of GDP."
The report projects that federal spending will still be over 23% of GDP in the year 2020. "In other words," said Hinkle, "the White House is admitting that its spending will be at record-high levels as far as the eye can see. That's great for special interests who get their money from the federal government, but it's very bad news for the rest of us.
"I'm seeing visions of low economic growth and high dependence on government. Future generations are facing economic hardship instead of prosperity.
"The current crop of politicians in Washington simply don't have what it takes to reverse this damage. Democrats and Republicans have proven decade after decade that they are incapable of doing anything but grow government. In just the last ten years, they have worked together to give us two costly wars, a giant Medicare expansion, and the TARP bailouts, among many other massive new expenses.
"It's time for American voters to start thinking outside the box, and electing Libertarians to office."
Thursday, June 10, 2010
CARE to Obama: Take Wildlife Refuge Cuts Off the Table
/PRNewswire/ -- In a letter delivered to President Obama today, a national coalition of wildlife conservation and sporting organizations has asked the President to take cuts to the National Wildlife Refuge System's budget off the table as he considers cutting federal agency spending by five percent in FY 2012. The coalition called the proposed cuts "wrong and inappropriate" at a time when refuges and the species they protect are dealing with potentially one of the largest environmental disasters in U.S. history in the Gulf of Mexico.
"It is neither the time nor the place to propose funding cuts for the National Wildlife Refuge System or for the Fish and Wildlife Service," said Evan Hirsche, Chair of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE). "Agencies are already spread thin responding to the belching oil in the Gulf of Mexico, and the President's proposed five percent budget cut would have dire consequences in the Refuge System's ability to help wildlife recover. The survival of species like the brown pelican, which was only recently removed from the endangered species list, is now looking more bleak than it did just a year ago."
National wildlife refuges protect a host of species that are being decimated in the Gulf of Mexico, including sea turtles, manatees and numerous migratory birds. The FWS is projecting that 20% of its nationwide staff will be deployed to the Gulf at some point to address the ongoing crisis, making it difficult for the agency to address ongoing refuge needs or future emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, and forest fires. Should the proposed funding cuts occur, the problems will be magnified ten-fold. Understaffed wildlife refuges will be forced to make difficult decisions to cut programs that protect wildlife, such as vital scientific monitoring programs. Ultimately, the cuts will compromise the System's congressionally mandated conservation mission.
The Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) is a diverse coalition of 22 conservation, sporting, and scientific organizations representing more than 15 million members and supporters. According to a recent CARE report on Refuge System funding needs, the Refuge System currently faces a $3.7 billion operations and maintenance backlog.
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"It is neither the time nor the place to propose funding cuts for the National Wildlife Refuge System or for the Fish and Wildlife Service," said Evan Hirsche, Chair of the Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE). "Agencies are already spread thin responding to the belching oil in the Gulf of Mexico, and the President's proposed five percent budget cut would have dire consequences in the Refuge System's ability to help wildlife recover. The survival of species like the brown pelican, which was only recently removed from the endangered species list, is now looking more bleak than it did just a year ago."
National wildlife refuges protect a host of species that are being decimated in the Gulf of Mexico, including sea turtles, manatees and numerous migratory birds. The FWS is projecting that 20% of its nationwide staff will be deployed to the Gulf at some point to address the ongoing crisis, making it difficult for the agency to address ongoing refuge needs or future emergencies such as floods, hurricanes, and forest fires. Should the proposed funding cuts occur, the problems will be magnified ten-fold. Understaffed wildlife refuges will be forced to make difficult decisions to cut programs that protect wildlife, such as vital scientific monitoring programs. Ultimately, the cuts will compromise the System's congressionally mandated conservation mission.
The Cooperative Alliance for Refuge Enhancement (CARE) is a diverse coalition of 22 conservation, sporting, and scientific organizations representing more than 15 million members and supporters. According to a recent CARE report on Refuge System funding needs, the Refuge System currently faces a $3.7 billion operations and maintenance backlog.
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Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Uncle Sam Down and Out as Congress Prepares to Raise Debt Ceiling
/PRNewswire/ -- Today the Employment Policies Institute's (EPI) "Defeat the Debt" campaign will station eleven destitute Uncle Sams in New York City's Times Square to beg for $12 trillion from taxpayers. The appearance comes one day before Congress is scheduled to begin debate on raising the debt ceiling, as the nation's $12.3 trillion debt is coming dangerously close to the current $12.4 trillion limit.
The "Defeat the Debt" campaign aims to highlight the threat posed by unsustainable borrowing and spending by the federal government. Additionally, EPI has placed two adjoining billboards on the corner of 45th and Broadway that also feature a bedraggled Uncle Sam.
The campaign includes a national television commercial, which has aired on CNN, Fox News, and CNBC. Throughout September and November, EPI also placed 17 homeless Uncle Sams on the streets of Washington, New York City, and Chicago to beg for $12 trillion from taxpayers. In addition, EPI's website DefeatTheDebt.com was developed in order to educate the public about the enormous federal debt.
Through its ads and website, the "Defeat the Debt" campaign strives to put into perspective the size of a multi-trillion dollar debt. For example, using the passage of time as a reference, a million seconds will elapse in 12 days, while a trillion seconds is equivalent to more than 30,000 years.
"This campaign is all about getting people to understand the frightening reality of the massive federal debt," said EPI Executive Director Richard Berman. "People do not realize what it will take for our country to get out from under a $12 trillion debt when the government is expected to be adding over $1 trillion in new budget deficits each year. Last year, all of the government's tax revenue was used to cover Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and a few other entitlement programs. Funding for everything else, from the Department of Defense to the National Park Service, went onto the nation's credit card. We're even borrowing to pay the $500 million in daily interest payments we owe on the debt. How insane is that?"
Berman continued, "America's current level of spending is unsustainable. The country has never before been in such a precarious financial position where we are so indebted to foreign governments. The government must defeat the debt now, or we will live to regret it."
The Employment Policies Institute is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to studying public policy issues that affect the American economy.
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The "Defeat the Debt" campaign aims to highlight the threat posed by unsustainable borrowing and spending by the federal government. Additionally, EPI has placed two adjoining billboards on the corner of 45th and Broadway that also feature a bedraggled Uncle Sam.
The campaign includes a national television commercial, which has aired on CNN, Fox News, and CNBC. Throughout September and November, EPI also placed 17 homeless Uncle Sams on the streets of Washington, New York City, and Chicago to beg for $12 trillion from taxpayers. In addition, EPI's website DefeatTheDebt.com was developed in order to educate the public about the enormous federal debt.
Through its ads and website, the "Defeat the Debt" campaign strives to put into perspective the size of a multi-trillion dollar debt. For example, using the passage of time as a reference, a million seconds will elapse in 12 days, while a trillion seconds is equivalent to more than 30,000 years.
"This campaign is all about getting people to understand the frightening reality of the massive federal debt," said EPI Executive Director Richard Berman. "People do not realize what it will take for our country to get out from under a $12 trillion debt when the government is expected to be adding over $1 trillion in new budget deficits each year. Last year, all of the government's tax revenue was used to cover Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and a few other entitlement programs. Funding for everything else, from the Department of Defense to the National Park Service, went onto the nation's credit card. We're even borrowing to pay the $500 million in daily interest payments we owe on the debt. How insane is that?"
Berman continued, "America's current level of spending is unsustainable. The country has never before been in such a precarious financial position where we are so indebted to foreign governments. The government must defeat the debt now, or we will live to regret it."
The Employment Policies Institute is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to studying public policy issues that affect the American economy.
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Sunday, December 13, 2009
NADA Commends the U.S. Senate for Passing Dealers Rights Amendment in Spending Bill
/PRNewswire/ -- The National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) issued the following statement today after the U.S. Senate voted to pass the spending bill, which includes the NADA-backed dealer rights provision:
"NADA commends the Senate and House leaders who fought to keep the dealer rights amendment in the spending bill. We look forward to the President signing this into law soon.
"The dealer rights provision will provide affected General Motors and Chrysler dealers and their respective automakers with a fair arbitration process to resolve ongoing concerns about recent dealership closures. As with any compromise, this is not a perfect solution. However, this is far better than any of the other previous proposals. It's appropriate that Congress addressed the legislation this week that focuses on small business, Main Street and jobs.
"Congressional passage of the dealer rights amendment is the culmination of months of work by NADA and other dealer groups to obtain a fair and meaningful arbitration process for affected dealerships.
"Assistant Senate Majority Leader Richard Durbin, D-Ill.; Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the lead sponsor of the legislation in the Senate; Sen. John D. Rockefeller, D-W.V., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee; and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, deserve a lot of credit for their efforts to gain a fair resolution for dealers.
"Numerous meetings were also held with the House Democratic leadership and amendment sponsors Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Dan Maffei, D-N.Y.; and Frank Kratovil, D-Md, as well as House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., and other committee members who strongly backed the proposal of Rep. Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio. Rep. LaTourette and the House Democratic leadership deserve tremendous credit for their persistent efforts to find a fair resolution for affected dealers.
"During a year with so many other pressing national issues, these House and Senate leaders devoted a significant amount of their time to address the dealer closure issue. And we very much appreciate their efforts."
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"NADA commends the Senate and House leaders who fought to keep the dealer rights amendment in the spending bill. We look forward to the President signing this into law soon.
"The dealer rights provision will provide affected General Motors and Chrysler dealers and their respective automakers with a fair arbitration process to resolve ongoing concerns about recent dealership closures. As with any compromise, this is not a perfect solution. However, this is far better than any of the other previous proposals. It's appropriate that Congress addressed the legislation this week that focuses on small business, Main Street and jobs.
"Congressional passage of the dealer rights amendment is the culmination of months of work by NADA and other dealer groups to obtain a fair and meaningful arbitration process for affected dealerships.
"Assistant Senate Majority Leader Richard Durbin, D-Ill.; Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the lead sponsor of the legislation in the Senate; Sen. John D. Rockefeller, D-W.V., chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee; and Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison, R-Texas, deserve a lot of credit for their efforts to gain a fair resolution for dealers.
"Numerous meetings were also held with the House Democratic leadership and amendment sponsors Reps. Steny Hoyer, D-Md.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Dan Maffei, D-N.Y.; and Frank Kratovil, D-Md, as well as House Appropriations Committee Chairman David Obey, D-Wis., and other committee members who strongly backed the proposal of Rep. Steve LaTourette, R-Ohio. Rep. LaTourette and the House Democratic leadership deserve tremendous credit for their persistent efforts to find a fair resolution for affected dealers.
"During a year with so many other pressing national issues, these House and Senate leaders devoted a significant amount of their time to address the dealer closure issue. And we very much appreciate their efforts."
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Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Boehner Statement on Annual Medicare and Social Security Trustees’ Report
House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) today issued the following statement after the Medicare and Social Security Trustees released a new report highlighting the deteriorating financial condition of the Medicare and Social Security programs and the urgent need for reform:
“The Social Security and Medicare trustees’ report confirms what we already knew: our nation cannot afford to continue this reckless borrowing and spending spree. While on the campaign trail last year, President Obama said, ‘when you’re in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.’ I couldn’t agree more, but his policies are putting our kids and grandkids deeper in that hole, and deeper in debt to China and the Middle East. Not only does the Democrats’ budget double the national debt in five years and triple it in 10, but it does nothing to address the looming crisis in our entitlement programs.
“Our nation is facing a demographic tsunami of nearly 80 million retiring Baby Boomers and rising health care costs, and it is clear that we must reform Medicare and Social Security to preserve the programs’ benefits for future generations of American seniors. The Social Security and Medicare Trustees have repeatedly warned Congress and the American people that the programs must be reformed or future benefits will be threatened, and today’s report is the most dramatic warning yet. Congress can’t sit idly by while these programs go bankrupt; we must act now.”
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“The Social Security and Medicare trustees’ report confirms what we already knew: our nation cannot afford to continue this reckless borrowing and spending spree. While on the campaign trail last year, President Obama said, ‘when you’re in a hole, the first thing to do is stop digging.’ I couldn’t agree more, but his policies are putting our kids and grandkids deeper in that hole, and deeper in debt to China and the Middle East. Not only does the Democrats’ budget double the national debt in five years and triple it in 10, but it does nothing to address the looming crisis in our entitlement programs.
“Our nation is facing a demographic tsunami of nearly 80 million retiring Baby Boomers and rising health care costs, and it is clear that we must reform Medicare and Social Security to preserve the programs’ benefits for future generations of American seniors. The Social Security and Medicare Trustees have repeatedly warned Congress and the American people that the programs must be reformed or future benefits will be threatened, and today’s report is the most dramatic warning yet. Congress can’t sit idly by while these programs go bankrupt; we must act now.”
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Monday, May 11, 2009
Poll: Independents reject Obama, agree with Libertarian Party
Despite a deep financial crisis and the election of a left-wing president, political independents still see “big government” as a greater threat than “big business” by an unchanged two-to-one margin, America’s third-largest party notes today.
“Independent voters believed Candidate Obama when he said he would be mainstream. Their trusting votes gave him a narrow victory,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director. “But now that the real Barack Obama has revealed himself, they’re not following his bootlegger turn toward the radical left. They still believe the same Big Government that Obama promises as our global salvation will be America’s undoing.”
“Only one party in America agrees with independent voters, and that is the Libertarian Party,” said Ferguson. “Republicans spent 14 years fattening government with their ever-escalating budgets. Even the Republican ‘alternative budget’ called for massive deficits and bigger spending.”
“Once again, Libertarians are the only mainstream party in America. Only Libertarians will reduce the size and cost of government. Obama and the Republicans have us spiraling towards national bankruptcy.”
A Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday asked 1,007 adults “which of the following will be the biggest threat to the country in the future –”big business”, big labor or “big government?” Fifty-nine percent (59%) of politically independent Americans viewed “big government” as the greatest threat, virtually unchanged from the 60 percent measured the last time the question was asked in 2006 – before the financial crisis and election of Barack Obama.
Only 30 percent answered “big business” and 8 percent answered “big labor,” both also virtually unchanged from the 26 percent and 10 percent measured in 2006.
Since the question was asked major financial crises have weakened the economy and the White House has been occupied by a president pushing radical expansions of government size and power -- with virtually no effect on independents. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.
The poll was released on the same day the White House released numbers showing the economy performing worse than Obama promised, and the federal budget deficit growing to a size four times larger than the 2008 Bush record. Under Obama, the federal government will borrow nearly 50 cents for every dollar it spends, an unsustainable and inflationary level of borrowing.
In more bad news for Obama, the only Americans buying into his opposition to capitalism are largely those who already voted for him, leaving little room to expand his support.
Democrats in 2006 feared “big government” more than “big business” by a 55 percent to 32 percent margin. Following in lockstep with Obama, they have flipped their views. Now, Democrats fear job creators more than government by a 52 percent to 32 percent margin.
Opposition to “big government” grew among grassroots Republicans, though their party leadership doesn’t seem to share that view, based on their “alternative budget.” In 2006, Republicans feared “big government” more than “big business” by a 68 percent to 18 percent margin. That grew in 2009 to 80 percent to 10 percent.
“Grassroots Republicans oppose Big Government and want a party that agrees with them. Once again, the Libertarian Party is the only party that proposes cutting spending. We don’t follow the still-vibrant Republican tradition of making government bigger and costlier each year,” said Ferguson.
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www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
“Independent voters believed Candidate Obama when he said he would be mainstream. Their trusting votes gave him a narrow victory,” said Donny Ferguson, Libertarian National Committee Communications Director. “But now that the real Barack Obama has revealed himself, they’re not following his bootlegger turn toward the radical left. They still believe the same Big Government that Obama promises as our global salvation will be America’s undoing.”
“Only one party in America agrees with independent voters, and that is the Libertarian Party,” said Ferguson. “Republicans spent 14 years fattening government with their ever-escalating budgets. Even the Republican ‘alternative budget’ called for massive deficits and bigger spending.”
“Once again, Libertarians are the only mainstream party in America. Only Libertarians will reduce the size and cost of government. Obama and the Republicans have us spiraling towards national bankruptcy.”
A Rasmussen Reports poll released Monday asked 1,007 adults “which of the following will be the biggest threat to the country in the future –”big business”, big labor or “big government?” Fifty-nine percent (59%) of politically independent Americans viewed “big government” as the greatest threat, virtually unchanged from the 60 percent measured the last time the question was asked in 2006 – before the financial crisis and election of Barack Obama.
Only 30 percent answered “big business” and 8 percent answered “big labor,” both also virtually unchanged from the 26 percent and 10 percent measured in 2006.
Since the question was asked major financial crises have weakened the economy and the White House has been occupied by a president pushing radical expansions of government size and power -- with virtually no effect on independents. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus three percent.
The poll was released on the same day the White House released numbers showing the economy performing worse than Obama promised, and the federal budget deficit growing to a size four times larger than the 2008 Bush record. Under Obama, the federal government will borrow nearly 50 cents for every dollar it spends, an unsustainable and inflationary level of borrowing.
In more bad news for Obama, the only Americans buying into his opposition to capitalism are largely those who already voted for him, leaving little room to expand his support.
Democrats in 2006 feared “big government” more than “big business” by a 55 percent to 32 percent margin. Following in lockstep with Obama, they have flipped their views. Now, Democrats fear job creators more than government by a 52 percent to 32 percent margin.
Opposition to “big government” grew among grassroots Republicans, though their party leadership doesn’t seem to share that view, based on their “alternative budget.” In 2006, Republicans feared “big government” more than “big business” by a 68 percent to 18 percent margin. That grew in 2009 to 80 percent to 10 percent.
“Grassroots Republicans oppose Big Government and want a party that agrees with them. Once again, the Libertarian Party is the only party that proposes cutting spending. We don’t follow the still-vibrant Republican tradition of making government bigger and costlier each year,” said Ferguson.
-----
www.politicalpotluck.com
Political News You Can Use
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