Keeping you current and connected.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Tweetable:

RT @PAGOP MUST WATCH: #PAGOP web video “Declined” highlights Obama’s out-of-control spending, broken promises on debt & deficit http://t.co/sDGubrWl

RT @PAGOP Obama is assigning Congress homework when he should be looking over his own ‘Not Done’ list #pagop #ObamaIsntWorking http://t.co/icEtwS44

RT @GOP For every field office the Obama campaign opened in April, Obama added $2,625,937,764 to the national debt. #ObamaEconomics

Top Stories:

New PA GOP Web Video: “Declined”

GOP: Real party of U.S. women
Politico – 14 U.S. House GOP Women

There’s an old joke about a married couple that’s asked about their hobbies … Continue reading »…»

Corbett touts budget in Lehigh Valley visit
Morning Call – Scott Kraus

Standing beside a sleek German sports car Tuesday in Palmer Township, Gov. Tom Corbett warned state lawmakers … Continue reading »…»

Sen. Toomey tours Martin Guitar
WFMZ – Paola Giangiacomo

NAZARETH, Pa. – Senator Toomey has been visiting companies across the state to learn about their … Continue reading »…»

DO-NOTHING DEMOCRATS
Washington Free-Beacon – Andrew Stiles

Senate Democrats are poised to continue their impressive streak of budgetary negligence on Wednesday by unanimously … Continue reading »…»

Obama in history?
Hot Air – Ed Morrissey

If you haven’t gotten enough of Barack Obama lecturing on constitutional law, just wait until you … Continue reading »…»

“Like” Pennsylvania Hispanics for Romney on Facebook!

There’s an old joke about a married couple that’s asked about their hobbies and interests. The husband says he’s focused on “important things” — like the federal budget, health care reform and peace in the Middle East. The wife says she’s focused on the “small things” — like their household budget, their children’s health care and keeping peace within their family.

There’s an important truth here. The things that women focus on and the decisions they make are often unappreciated — but they’re the foundation of our society.

A few facts should give you a better picture: Women account for 85 percent of all consumer purchases; they make 85 percent of all health care decisions; they start two out of three new businesses, and for the first time in history, they’re a majority of the U.S. workforce.

Despite all the challenges that our nation faces — from the economy to health care to the national debt — this is an exciting time for American women. When it comes to our quality of life and the opportunities before us, there has never been a better time and place to be a woman than today in the United States.

That’s what makes the Democrats’ message to American women so strange and unsettling. For the past few months, the Democrats have been accusing Republicans of waging a “war on women” as if some honest disagreements between the parties — over matters like how an “Obamacare” mandate should affect religious institutions or the proper scope of federal law on tribal land — constitute a deliberate GOP campaign to take away women’s rights.

Nothing could be further from the truth, and Republican women have been at the forefront exposing these myths. Let’s face it: Republican women — like us — would never be part of a party that didn’t believe in women’s rights, equal pay for equal work and strong laws against sexual violence. The Republican Party believes in all of those things.

We also believe in something else: We believe that women want to be empowered. We believe that women want independence. We want opportunities. We want an equal chance to succeed — no special favors and no glass ceilings. We want our daughters to have those same opportunities, that same chance to live the American dream. We want our sons to have it, too.

What policies promote freedom, opportunity and self-ownership? Certainly not the Democrats’ Big Government policies. The Democrats showed their hand recently with their “Life of Julia” infographic. The Obama campaign used this to illustrate how a typical woman is dependent on government programs from birth to death — and how the GOP is supposedly undermining those programs.

Leaving aside that everything the “Julia” campaign said about Republicans is either mostly wrong or totally wrong, “Julia’s” life is not typical of American women. Nor is it something that we aspire to. We don’t see our lives as a product of government handouts. In fact, we resent the idea that we owe our success to bureaucrats, and not our own initiative.

The real reason Democrats manufactured “Julia” and the “war on women” is because women don’t support their policies. In 2010, Republicans won the women’s vote for the first time since Ronald Reagan. We fired the first woman speaker of the House, Rep. Nancy Pelosi, because we didn’t like the direction Democrats were taking our country — on the economy, on health care and especially on the debt. We still don’t like it today.

When Republicans talk about freedom, entrepreneurship, patient-centered health care and fiscal responsibility, most women respond positively. And when Republicans propose policies grounded in those principles — reducing taxes on small businesses, shrinking the deficit through the Ryan plan, and repealing “Obamacare” — women see that it’s the Republican Party that’s advancing their values, not the Democrats.

The Republican Party is the real party of American women. And women have played a huge role in our party’s success. We have a dynamic group of 24 women in the House, including a record nine freshmen. Four of the six women governors today are Republicans. We’re also the only party in the past 25 years to nominate a woman for vice president.

American women have a right to be self-confident, and we have a right to be suspicious of politicians who say we should be dependent on government programs. We, the House Republican women, will continue to advocate for the positive solutions that women want — and America needs.

If the Democrats think we’ll be silent on women’s issues — or any issue — they should think again.

Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.), Rep. Sandy Adams (R-Fla.), Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle (R-N.Y.), Rep. Mary Bono Mack (R-Calif.), Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-N.C.), Rep. Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.), Rep. Lynn Jenkins (R-Kan.), Rep. Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Rep. Candice Miller (R-Mich.), Rep. Sue Myrick (R-N.C.) and Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.)

Standing beside a sleek German sports car Tuesday in Palmer Township, Gov. Tom Corbett warned state lawmakers not to hit the accelerator on state spending based on a couple of months of decent revenues.

As he gears up for a budget battle, Corbett made two stops in the Lehigh Valley, visiting a Porsche distribution and training center that opened in 2009 in a Palmer Township office park, and addressing a packed banquet room full of the region’s business and government leaders at the Hotel Bethlehem.

His message at both venues was the same: State revenues remain tight and he doesn’t see the economy recovering quickly enough to justify increased spending, especially with a state employee pension crisis looming that will suck up $4.3 billion in revenues by 2016 if not addressed.

“The Senate has a version [of the budget] that is a little higher than my version because they have seen February, March and April receipts a little better than predicted, but the same thing happened last year,” Corbett said. “I am very cautious about that. They want to add money back into education. Who are we now going to take it from?”

Corbett has proposed a $27.14 billion budget that would reduce some business taxes and cut social welfare and higher education spending. The state Senate passed a bipartisan plan adding $500 million that restores most of the $253 million Corbett’s budget cuts to higher education and adds back tens of millions in basic education and social services funding.

Fresh off a trade mission to Germany and France, Corbett said Pennsylvania is competing for business on a global stage, and raising taxes to boost revenue would hurt job growth and is simply off the table, he said.

“The more we tax businesses the more difficult it is for them to decide to come to Pennsylvania,” Corbett said, noting that Porsche’s decision to come to Pennsylvania was based partly on the state’s lower property and corporate taxes than New Jersey.

Using a “pizza pie” analogy, Corbett said the recession has reduced the size of the state’s economy from and 8-inch to a 6-inch pie, making less revenue available for the growing needs of its citizens, devoting larger and larger slices of the state budget to education and social welfare programs.

Democrats responded with a statement from party chairman James Burn, saying Corbett’s budget has the wrong priorities, and pointing out cutting education spending will result in increased property taxes.

“Homeowners will pay higher taxes because of Tom Corbett’s budget and families will pay more for college because of Tom Corbett’s budget,” Burn said. “Schools will be forced to lay off teachers and valuable programs that serve children and seniors will be drastically scaled back or ended.”

Corbett said he doesn’t enjoy reducing spending on social welfare programs, and defended his education budget, saying the state isn’t reducing its commitment to basic education, it just isn’t replacing millions of dollars in federal stimulus spending school districts knew was temporary.

He said the state has added 82,000 private sector jobs since February 2011, while shedding 19,000 public sector jobs.

With political uncertainty in Europe and the Middle East, Corbett said he’s loathe to depend on a strong and sustained economic recovery to cover new spending based on just a couple of months of improved revenue.

“How many of you think the economy is getting ready to really take off?” Corbett asked the crowd at the Bethlehem event sponsored by the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corp.

He got few hands.

“And I agree. I look at the economy and I am very conservative…I’m cautiously optimistic, but I am not sure of the growth rate,” Corbett said. “I think we have to be very careful, particularly as we in Pennsylvania are getting ready to come up with a budget in the next four to six weeks.”

NAZARETH, Pa. – Senator Toomey has been visiting companies across the state to learn about their work and the challenges they face.

Challenges that he admits could stunt future job growth.

Senator Pat Toomey toured C.F. Martin and Company in Nazareth Monday.

The guitar manufacturer was established in 1833 and is highly regarded for its steel-string guitars and flattop acoustics.

The senator spoke to Martin company officials about various issues, including global intellectual property management and laws regarding the sourcing of hardwoods.

“The Important thing is I get to a chance to learn first hand the issues that could be an obstacle to even more job growth and I can go to Washington and deal with that,” said Toomey.

C.F. Martin and Company uses wood from not only all over the United States, but from around the world as well. The company is required to follow certain laws such as the Lacey Act. It prohibits trade in wildlife, fish, and plants that have been illegally taken, transported or sold. But the company says the law, which was enacted in 1990, is ambiguous.

“We support the intent of the Lacey Act and the good work it does to protect species but there are undefined consequences and ambiguity that we’re seeking clarification on,” Gregory Paul, vice president of Business Development for Martin Guitars.

“It’s not realistic for any company or the federal government to know every law that’s on the books of every country and since Martin has so many suppliers around the world we need a better mechanism for enabling them to comply with the law,” said Sen. Toomey.

C.F. Martin and Company is also looking for guidance on how to deal with counterfeiting of its products in other countries.

The Senator was very impressed with the level of craftsmanship and CF Martin’s ability to adapt over time and keep hundreds employed in the Lehigh Valley.

Senate Democrats are poised to continue their impressive streak of budgetary negligence on Wednesday by unanimously rejecting as many as five different budgets, including the one offered by President Obama. Republicans, meanwhile, are hoping that voters will pick up on the disturbing trend.

The Democratic-led Senate has not formally proposed a federal budget resolution in more than three years, and is not expected to offer one Wednesday. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) and Budget Committee chairman Kent Conrad (D., N.D.) have made explicitly clear that they have no intention of doing so before the November election.

Senate Republicans plan to offer four GOP budgets—authored by Sens. Mike Lee (R., Utah); Rand Paul (R., Ky.); Pat Toomey (R., Pa.); and House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan (R., Wis.)—as well as the president’s budget. None of them are expected to draw any support from Democrats.

It would mark the second year in a row that Senate Democrats have unanimously opposed the White House budget proposal. The House of Representatives has already voted to reject Obama’s budget 414-0.

In total, members of Congress have cast more than 500 votes in favor of what is widely seen as the official Republican budget (Ryan’s) and zero in support of the president’s plan.

It is a sign, Republicans say, that Democrats are not serious about solving what experts have called “the most predictable economic crisis in history.”

“They simply don’t want to be held accountable,” Sen. Ron Johnson (R., Wis.) told theWashington Free Beacon. “Either they don’t have a plan, or they are totally unwilling to tell the American people what their plan is.”

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R., Ala.), the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, said he thought the latter was true. “I actually think they do have a plan,” he told the Free Beacon. “Their goal is to increase spending and increase taxes. But that plan will be rejected by the American people.”

“If they believed their plan was popular, they’d want to put it out in front of people, vote on it, and brag about it,” said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform. “That’s not what they’re doing. They’d rather run for reelection without the American people knowing what their vision of the budget would look like. It’s one thing for me to say their plan is unpopular. That’s what they’re saying.”

Democrats have been particularly reticent to propose a credible plan to reform federal entitlement programs such as Medicare and Medicaid, despite the fact that these programs are the primary drivers of the national debt. Medicare’s trustees project that the program will be insolvent by 2024.

Earlier this year, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner admitted that, even if Congress were to enact President Obama’s latest budget, “We would still be left with … what are still unsustainable commitments in Medicare and Medicaid.”

Obama pledged to make entitlement reform a priority as a candidate in 2008. “We’re going to have to take on entitlements, and I think we’ve got to do it quickly,” he said during a debate moderated by NBC. “I can’t guarantee that we’re going to do it in the next two years, but I’d like to do it in my first term as president.”

Nearly four years later, the closest thing to Medicare reform the president has offered is the Independent Payment Advisory Board, a council of appointed “experts” given sweeping power to reduce federal reimbursements to healthcare providers. Medicare’s chief actuary, Richard Foster, has raised doubts about the board’s ability to control costs.

Ryan’s budget, on the other hand, proposes to save trillions of dollars by gradually transitioning Medicare from a “fee-for-service” model to a market-oriented “premium support” plan modeled after a bipartisan proposal co-authored by Sen. Ron Wyden (D., Ore.).

Democrats have countered by accusing Republicans of trying to “end Medicare as we know it”—a charge the nonpartisan fact-checking site PolitiFact rated “Lie of The Year” in 2011—and in one case by portraying Ryan as literally throwing the elderly off a cliff.

Geithner summed up the Democratic position on entitlement reform during a House Budget Committee hearing in February when he told Ryan, “we’re not coming before you today to say we have a definitive solution to that long-term problem. What we do know is, we don’t like yours.”

President Obama and his Democratic allies have been far more resolute in their determination to raise taxes. Obama’s most recent budget calls for nearly $2 trillion in tax increases over the next decade. Conrad, the Senate budget chairman, has indicated that a similar amount would be appropriate.

Raising taxes is not something on which many politicians are eager to base their re-election campaigns. Studies have also shown that it is a particularly ineffective way to solve a nation’s debt and deficit problems. One report produced by the American Enterprise Institute examined data from a variety of countries between 1970-2007 and found “strong evidence that expenditure cuts outweigh revenue increases in successful consolidations.”

The findings echo those of a recent report from the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, which concluded: “International experience shows expenditure-based fiscal consolidation tends to be more successful.”

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently concluded that the president’s budget, if enacted, would have a negative impact on long-term economic growth.

Ryan’s budget, on the other hand, simplifies the notoriously complex federal tax code by eliminating various loopholes and tax shelters while lowering tax rates.

Wednesday’s vote encapsulates what ought to be central issue in the 2012 campaign, Republicans say.

“This is an opportunity for the American people to assess the differences between the two parties,” a GOP budget committee aide told the Free Beacon. “We’re headed for financial disaster, and Senate Democrats are making no effort to take us off that path.”

“Republicans are actually putting forward proposals that are serious, that address the major challenges—on tax reform, entailment reform, spending reductions,” said another Republican aide. “Democrats have punted on all these issues.”

Few things better illustrate this lack of leadership more than unwillingness of Democratic lawmakers to support the president’s plan, Republicans say. Senate Democrats in all likelihood will vote in lockstep against every budget proposal, including Obama’s, and quickly move to change the subject.

“It’s a tear-off-the-Band-Aid kind of moment for them,” the GOP budget aide said. “They want to get it over with quickly so they can avoid a serious conversation about the budget.”

Even though Ryan’s budget, or any other GOP plan, has no chance of passing the Senate, Republicans want to use the moment to lay the groundwork for a winning political agenda.

“This is preparation for a Romney presidency,” Norquist said. “Republicans can line up and vote for an actual, written down budget. If Romney wins, they can turn and say, ‘I was elected to do this.’ That’s not something Obama could say about anything he did.”

If you haven’t gotten enough of Barack Obama lecturing on constitutional law, just wait until you get a chance to read the White House’s take on presidential history.  Rory Cooper at the Heritage Foundation was the first to notice that the Obama administration edited the official presidential histories on the White House website to include a blurb about Obama on the page dedicated to Ronald Reagan. Commentary’s Seth Mandel followed up and found numerous other examples:

Many of President Obama’s fervent devotees are young enough not to have much memory of the political world before the arrival of The One. Coincidentally, Obama himself feels the same way—and the White House’s official website reflects that.

The Heritage Foundation’s Rory Cooper tweeted that Obama had casually dropped his own name into Ronald Reagan’s official biography on www.whitehouse.gov, claiming credit for taking up the mantle of Reagan’s tax reform advocacy with his “Buffett Rule” gimmick. My first thought was, he must be joking. But he wasn’t—it turns out Obama has added bullet points bragging about his own accomplishments to the biographical sketches of every single U.S. president since Calvin Coolidge (except, for some reason, Gerald Ford).

Why start at Calvin Coolidge?  I wonder whether they’ve just decided to go backwards and eventually plan to add Obama campaign slogans to every biography.  Here is a comprehensive collection of the “Did you know?” sections added to boost Obama, with links to the specific pages attached to the names of the former Presidents:

• On Feb. 22, 1924 Calvin Coolidge became the first president to make a public radio address to the American people. President Coolidge later helped create the Federal Radio Commission, which has now evolved to become the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).   President Obama became the first president to hold virtual gatherings and town halls using Twitter, Facebook, Google+, LinkedIn, etc.
• President Herbert Hoover signed the bill founding the Department of Veterans Affairs July 21, 1930. President Obama is committed to making sure that the VA, the second-largest cabinet department, serves the needs of all veterans and provides a seamless transition from active duty to civilian life, and has directed his Administration to modernize the way health care is delivered and benefits are administered for our nation’s veterans.  First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden launched Joining Forces to mobilize all sectors of society to give our service members and their families the opportunities and support they have earned.
• On August 14, 1935, President Roosevelt signed the Social Security Act. Today the Obama Administration continues to protect seniors and ensure Social Security will be there for future generations.
• In a 1946 letter to the National Urban League, President Truman wrote that the government has “an obligation to see that the civil rights of every citizen are fully and equally protected.” He ended racial segregation in civil service and the armed forces in 1948. Today the Obama Administration continues to strive toward upholding the civil rights of its citizens,repealing  Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, allowing people of all sexual orientations to serve openly in our armed forces.
• President Dwight Eisenhower established the President’s Council on Youth Fitness on July 16, 1956 (now known as The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports) after learning from a study that American youth were less fit than European youth. Today the Council is still going strong—with Olympians and professional athletes on board—working in conjunction with the First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move initiative to help promote healthier lifestyles.
• President John F. Kennedy famously suggested the American people: “Ask what you can do for your country.” In 1961, the Peace Corps was created, facilitating service among citizens working toward peace in developing countries. In 2011, President Obama celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Peace Corps with a Presidential Proclamation.
• President Lyndon Johnson signed Medicare signed into law in 1965—providing millions of elderly healthcare stability. President Obama’s historic health care reform law, the Affordable Care Act, strengthens Medicare, offers eligible seniors a range of preventive services with no cost-sharing, and provides discounts on drugs when in the coverage gap known as the “donut hole.”
• In 1973, Richard Nixon created The President’s Export Council, which was expanded and reconstituted under President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Today the PEC continues to work towards reaching President Obama’s goal of doubling the nation’s exports by 2014’s end.
• In 1977, President Jimmy Carter created the Department of Energy; today the DOE works with the Obama Administration to drive towards innovation in energy and reducing reliance on foreign oil with an “all of the above” approach.
• President Reagan designated Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national holiday; today the Obama Administration honors this tradition, with the First and Second Families participating in service projects on this day.
• In a June 28, 1985 speech Reagan called for a fairer tax code, one where a multi-millionaire did not have a lower tax rate than his secretary. Today, President Obama is calling for the same with the Buffett Rule.
• President Barack Obama awarded George H.W. Bush the 2010 Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, for his commitment to service and ability to inspire volunteerism throughout the country, encouraging citizens to be “a thousand points of light.” The administration continues to promote service and civic engagement, honoring heroes of local communities as “Champions of Change” and fostering civic participation.
• Continuing his work as a lifelong public service, Clinton created the Clinton Foundation in 2001 to improve global health, education, economies and environments. Affectionately calling him “Do-Gooder-in-Chief”, President Obama has worked with Clinton to make buildings in our country more efficient—announcing a $4 billion investment in energy efficiency upgrades for commercial buildings.
• In 2002, President George W. Bush’s State of the Union was the first to be live broadcast on the Internet. In 2011 and 2012, President Obama’s State of the Union speeches were available in an enhanced live stream version that featured infographics, charts and data side-by-side in real time with the President’s speech.

It’s difficult to decide which of these are the lamest.  The entry on JFK has to be in the running, though, with its proud declaration that Obama signed a proclamation!That must have been hard work, eh?  The entry for Carter makes it sound like the Department of Energy is somehow separate from Obama’s administration, when it’s as integral as any Cabinet department; “works with” is nonsensical.  The Nixon entry doesn’t even try to differentiate anything Obama does from any other President in the last 40 years.

Twitchy is tracking the responses on Twitter, where #ObamainHistory is a big trending topic.  We’ll see if the effort to have historical presidential glory rub off on Obama continues at the White House with further additions to biographies.  For myself, I can’t wait to see what Obama will have to say about Millard Fillmore.

Update: Actually, my favorite response so far comes from The Corner:

In the 12th Century B.C., Moses the Lawgiver delivered the Ten Commandments to the Israelites. President Obama the Lawgiver has added significantly to them, overseeing the enactment of a record number of new regulations.

Well played, Daniel Halper.  Well played.

PA GOP Releases Web Video: “Declined”

HARRISBURG, PA – Today, the Republican Party of Pennsylvania released a new web video called “Declined,” highlighting President Obama’s sustained out-of-control spending that has created historic federal budget deficits and has caused our national debt to skyrocket.

President Obama’s last three and a half years in office have been characterized by a never ending line of broken promises and a failure to get federal spending under control. While President Obama promised to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, he instead racked up the three highest budget deficits in history.  Moreover, under President Obama, we’ve seen the most rapid increase in debt under any United States president, a debt which now stands at a staggering $15 trillion.  President Obama’s out-of-control spending is not only unsustainable; his record creates a sharp contrast with Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney’s commitment to turnaround Washington spending and create a culture of fiscal sanity and strength.

Watch the video here.

For more information on Mitt Romney’s commitment to creating a government that is simpler, smaller and smarter, click here.

Supporting Documentation:

•    Obama’s FY2010 Budget Was $3.6 Trillion. “President Obama delivered to Congress yesterday a $3.6 trillion spending plan that would finance vast new investments in health care, energy independence and education by raising taxes on the oil and gas industry, hedge fund managers, multinational corporations and nearly 3 million of the nation’s top earners.” (Lori Montgomery, “In $3.6 Trillion Budget, Obama Signals Broad Shift In Priorities,” The Washington Post, 2/27/09)

o    FY2010: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.294 Trillion, The Third Highest In U.S. History. (“Monthly Budget Review: November 2011,” Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11)

•    Obama’s FY2011 Budget Was $3.7 Trillion. “President Obama’s $3.8 trillion budget proposal for fiscal year 2011 includes billions to put people back to work and imposes new fees on some of the nation’s largest banks.” (“Taking Apart The Federal Budget,” The Washington Post, Accessed 5/15/12)

o    FY2011: The Federal Budget Deficit Was $1.299 Trillion, The Second Highest In U.S. History. (“Monthly Budget Review: November 2011,” Congressional Budget Office, 11/7/11)

•    Obama’s FY2012 Budget Was $3.7 Trillion. “President Obama rolled out a $3.7 trillion budget blueprint Monday that would trim or terminate more than 200 federal programs next year and make key investments in education, transportation and research.” (Lori Montgomery, “Obama Budget Projects Record $1.6 Trillion Deficit,” The Washington Post, 2/14/11)

•    The National Debt Is Now $ 15,676,996,273,860.82, An Increase Of Over $5.05 Trillion Since Obama Took Office. (U.S. Treasury Department, Accessed 5/3/12)

•    Congressional Budget Office: ObamaCare’s Coverage Provisions To Cost $1.76 Trillion By 2022, Nearly Double What Obama Said It Would Cost. “The ACA’s provisions related to insurance coverage are now projected to have a net cost of $1,252 billion over the 2012–2022 period (see Table 2, following the text); that amount represents a gross cost to the federal government of $1,762 billion, offset in part by $510 billion in receipts and other budgetary effects (primarily revenues from penalties and other sources).” (“Updated Estimates For The Insurance Coverage Provisions Of The Affordable Care Act,” Congressional Budget Office, 3/13/12)

o    “According To An Analysis By House Budget Committee Republicans, The Health Care Law Will Cost The Nation $2.6 Trillion When Fully Implemented, And Add $701 Billion To The Deficit In Its First Ten Years.” (“ObamaCare: A Budget-Busting, Job-Killing Health Care Law,” Office Of The Speaker Of The U.S. House Of Representatives, Report, 1/6/11)
•    The President’s Stimulus Cost $831 Billion. “When ARRA was being considered, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the staff of the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that it would increase budget deficits by $787 billion between fiscal years 2009 and 2019. CBO now estimates that the total impact over the 2009–2019 period will amount to about $831 billion.” (“Estimated Impact Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act On Employment And Economic Output From October 2011 Through December 2011,” Congressional Budget Office, 2/22/12)

# # #

Keeping you current and connected.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Tweetable:

RT @PAGOP A few of the stories behind the millions of Americans suffering under the Obama economy. http://bit.ly/JsNd45 #pagop #pa20in12

RT @PAGOP Who’s getting it right on illegal immigration? According to one national expert on the subject, @RepLouBarletta. http://exm.nr/L6Kiyr #pagop

RT @GOP FLASHBACK: Obama Campaigning In ’04: Deficit Is “An Enormous Problem” http://bit.ly/KKBKdC #hypeandblame #tcot

Top Stories:

Reince Priebus: President Obama’s massive debt threatens our freedom
Union-Leader – RNC Chairman Reince Priebus

“I don’t want to wake up four years from now and find out that … Continue reading »…»

Romney will make ‘major’ deficit speech in Iowa on Tuesday
The Hill – Cameron Joseph

Mitt Romney will make a “major policy speech [on] out-of-control spending and debt” in Des … Continue reading »…»

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., calls for less financial regulation, new capital requirements
Express-Times – Phillip Molnar

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey on Monday reiterated his longstanding message that more regulation is not the solution … Continue reading »…»

Smith Slams Casey Over Senate Budget Inaction
Politics PA - Jule Pattinson-Gordon

The U.S. Senate hasn’t passed a budget in over 3 years, and Tom Smith today laid … Continue reading »…»

PA Attorney General to address Wilson’s graduating class Sunday
Chambersburg Public Opinion

CHAMBERSBURG – Linda L. Kelly, the first woman to lead Pennsylvania’s Office of Attorney General since it … Continue reading »…»

“I don’t want to wake up four years from now and find out that our children’s future was mortgaged by another mountain of debt.”

That was then-candidate Obama in 2008. But four years later, a “mountain of debt” is exactly what we’re waking up to — all thanks to President Obama.

We all know the national debt poses a grave threat to our economy, our national security, and ultimately our freedom. But President Obama ignored that reality and made matters worse. He broke his promises to control government spending and added more to the debt than any President in history. And his term is not even over.

Under President Obama’s watch, the national debt has increased $5 trillion. Today, the debt stands at a mind-numbing $15.6 trillion, or $50,767 per American. In fewer than 10 years, the debt is projected to reach $25.9 trillion due to President Obama’s policies.

We cannot afford four more years of this President, because our children cannot afford to spend their lives paying off his debts.

Instead of controlling spending, President Obama dramatically increased it. He wasted $831 billion on his stimulus bill, promising it would save our economy and reduce the unemployment rate to less than 6 percent by now.

But look around. Our economy is far from fixed. The national unemployment rate has been above 8 percent for 39 months, the longest period since the Great Depression. The job market is so weak, many Americans have lost hope and stopped looking for work altogether.

Democrats promised the stimulus would create “millions” of “shovel-ready jobs.” Since President Obama took office, America has lost 1 million construction jobs.

Of course, the stimulus was really just a grab bag of Democrats’ political favors. For example, Obama officials sent half a billion dollars to the now-bankrupt solar energy company Solyndra. After Solyndra went under, we learned top Obama campaign fundraisers had heavily invested in it.

Then came Obamacare. Once fully implemented, it will cost $2.6 trillion. What did we get in return? Health care costs continue to skyrocket. An unelected board of bureaucrats will be given the power to deny seniors care. And government will interfere in the doctor-patient relationship.

President Obama has spurned every opportunity to seriously tackle the deficit. He rejected plans from House Republicans that would have reformed government spending and put America on a path toward fiscal sanity. He even ignored the recommendations of the deficit reduction commission he organized.

And now, we are paying the price for his broken promises and lack of leadership.

Amid all the numbers — the “trillions,” “billions,” and endless zeros — it is easy to overlook the serious impact of this recklessness.

First, massive debt destabilizes the economy. Look no further than the nightmare playing out in Greece. When a country can no longer afford to pay its bills, everything crumbles. Joblessness skyrockets, the government ceases to function, and people’s lives are thrown into turmoil. Now, I’m half-Greek and I love my Greek heritage. But I have no desire to see a Greek tragedy play out here in America.

Second, the debt undermines national security. We have to borrow trillions from foreign governments to fund our own government. If our national interests come into conflict, we are beholden to their whims, lest they cut off the money supply or come to collect.

Ultimately, debt is a threat to our freedom. It leaves us unable to enjoy full economic freedom at home and powerless to defend freedom abroad. We must change course before it is too late and before our children’s future is mortgaged through no fault of their own.

In November, a vote for President Obama is a vote for more spending and more debt, less prosperity and limited opportunity. A vote for Gov. Mitt Romney is a vote for spending reforms and efficient government — and thus, for protecting our freedom.

Here in New Hampshire, that should make the decision on Election Day in November quite clear. After all, they don’t call it the “Live Free or Die State” for nothing.

Reince Priebus is chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Mitt Romney will make a “major policy speech [on] out-of-control spending and debt” in Des Moines, Iowa, on Tuesday, Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) announced on a Republican National Committee conference call Monday morning.

King said that the afternoon speech at Drake University will be part of a week focused on President Obama’s deficit spending, and warned that if the United States did not correct its path it could face a situation similar to Greece’s severe austerity measures.

“I’m glad we shifted into this mode that is Gov. Romney’s economic policies versus President Obama’s economic policies,” he said.

King, who did not endorse a candidate for president during the primary, praised Romney as a “consummate manager” and promised to be “very engaged” in helping Romney in Iowa, a key swing state.

“This is right where I want the debate to be,” he said of the discussion of the deficit and debt.