Republican National Convention Blog

Senator Mike Crapo Weekly Republican Address 11/21/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

2009-11-21T09:46:00.005-05:00

Senator Mike Crapo Weekly Republican Address 11/21/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

This is Senator Mike Crapo from Idaho. Americans are calling on Congress for health care reform because they can no longer tolerate its skyrocketing cost.

They want us to stop the punishing increases in insurance premiums and health care costs that, year after year, are driving families across this nation to the edge. And, they want us to ensure that they have meaningful access to quality health care.

But, when Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid finally revealed the 2,074-page bill that has been crafted for weeks now behind closed doors, that’s hardly what we got.

This two-thousand page bill will:

• Drive up the cost of health care insurance and medical care, not down;
• Increase taxes by hundreds of billions of dollars;
• Cut Medicare for senior citizens by hundreds of billions of dollars;
• Grow the federal government by over $2.4 trillion in new spending;
• Push the needy uninsured into a failing Medicaid system;
• Impose a damaging unfunded mandate on our struggling states;
• Leave millions of Americans uninsured; and
• Establish a massive governmental intrusion into management of our health care economy.

This is not true health care reform, and it is not what the American people want. This bill will result in higher premiums and higher health care costs for Americans - period.

A significant number of these provisions violate President Obama’s promise to the American people, namely that lower- and middle-class Americans would not see a tax increase under his proposals.

And, yet, this bill clearly breaks that promise as it taxes a wide range of Americans: the uninsured and the insured; families with so-called high value insurance plans; employers who create jobs or provide retiree drug coverage; individuals who need medicines or medical devices; and many others. It also levies fines and penalties on individuals, families and businesses.

Medicare faces cuts of nearly $500 billion to create the new government entitlement, even though Medicare is already facing enormous unfunded liabilities and looming insolvency. These cuts will reduce access to and the quality of care our seniors receive from a number of Medicare providers, including hospitals, nursing homes, home health and hospice services.

And, as they see their access to and quality of care reduced, seniors enrolled in the popular Medicare Advantage plans will also lose many of the benefits that they enjoy today.

We are already experiencing record deficits and debt, and yet, this bill creates a massive expansion of government, growing the size of the federal government by over $2.4 trillion over ten full years of implementation.

The legislation pushes 15 million people into the failing Medicaid system rather than giving them access to health insurance.

And, in addition to forcing the neediest of the uninsured into a failing entitlement program, this expansion will result in $25 billion in unfunded Medicaid mandates on the states, which are already struggling financially. This mandate further jeopardizes state budgets as it forces them to drive up spending.

The bill creates a government option insurance company and establishes unprecedented expansion of governmental control over health care. It establishes the government as the determiner of what kind of insurance Americans can purchase. It also imposes new federal mandates on all Americans.

The first mandate would apply to the individual: buy insurance or the IRS will collect a fine from you. Then, on employers: face a penalty if you don’t provide a government-approved health plan. The bill imposes $28 billion in new taxes on employers who don’t comply. Those new taxes would be passed along to employees in the form of reduced wages and lost jobs.

You’re going to hear a lot about this bill. That’s why I encourage you to read the bill yourself and form your own opinion.The bill is available on my website as well as a number of other Internet sites. Take a close look at how the bill is funded and who and what it covers and doesn’t cover and how it may impact you and your family. It’s a real eye-opener!

In recent months, I’ve heard from many Idahoans in my home state about health care, and they echo what Americans want in health care reform--lower costs and better quality.

What Americans really want is the kind of step-by-step reforms that Republicans have been advocating for years — common-sense ideas like the ability to purchase insurance across state lines, allowing small businesses to pool together to offer more affordable health insurance to their employees; changing the incentives in our system from numbers of procedures to quality of outcomes; eliminating pre-existing condition limitations, equalizing the tax treatment of insurance; eliminating waste, fraud and abuse and promoting wellness and prevention programs that encourage people to make healthy choices.

These are the kinds of reform that make sense and would really make a difference for all Americans. Thank you for listening. ###

McMorris Rodgers' Expresses Concern About New Federal Mammogram Guidelines VIDEO

2009-11-20T22:13:00.003-05:00

Congresswoman Cathy McMorris Rodgers expresses her concern about the new federal mammogram guidelines which will turn back the clock on the war on breast cancer.

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Screening for Breast Cancer

Summary of Recommendations: The USPSTF recommends against routine screening mammography in women aged 40 to 49 years. The decision to start regular, biennial screening mammography before the age of 50 years should be an individual one and take patient context into account, including the patient's values regarding specific benefits and harms. Grade: C recommendation.

The USPSTF recommends biennial screening mammography for women aged 50 to 74 years. Grade: B recommendation.
The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the additional benefits and harms of screening mammography in women 75 years or older. Grade: I Statement.
The USPSTF recommends against teaching breast self-examination (BSE). Grade: D recommendation.
The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the additional benefits and harms of clinical breast examination (CBE) beyond screening mammography in women 40 years or older. Grade: I Statement.
The USPSTF concludes that the current evidence is insufficient to assess the additional benefits and harms of either digital mammography or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) instead of film mammography as screening modalities for breast cancer. Grade: I Statement.

Rand Paul: Try, Convict and Lock Up Terrorists In Guantanamo

2009-11-20T21:31:00.005-05:00

BOWLING GREEN, KENTUCKY – Leading United States Senate candidate Rand Paul today criticized the Obama administration’s decision to close the Guantanamo Bay detention center and try terrorism suspects in United States Civil Courts.

“Foreign terrorists do not deserve the protections of our Constitution,” said Dr. Paul. “These thugs should stand before military tribunals and be kept off American soil. I will always fight to keep Kentucky safe and that starts with cracking down on our enemies.”

Dr. Paul believes in strong national defense and thinks military spending should be our country’s top budget priority. He has also called for a Constitutional declaration of war with Afghanistan.

For Immediate Release, November 19, 2009

Image Licence: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 3.0 License. In short: you are free to share and make derivative works of the file under the conditions that you appropriately attribute it, and that you distribute it only under a license identical to this one. Official license Attribution: Gage Skidmore

Paul-Grayson Amendment Passes Committee

2009-11-19T20:22:00.002-05:00

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Ron Paul (TX-14) is pleased to announce that his and Congressman Grayson’s amendment based on HR 1207 has passed in the Financial Services Committee by a vote of 43-26 and will be included in major banking reform legislation.

The Paul/Grayson amendment:
· Removes the blanket restrictions on GAO audits of the Fed
· Allows audit of every item on the Fed's balance sheet, all credit facilities, all securities purchase programs, etc.
· Retains limited audit exemption on unreleased transcripts and minutes
· Sets 180-day time lag before details of Fed's market actions may be released
· States that nothing in the amendment shall be construed as interference in or dictation of monetary policy by Congress or the GAO

“While HR 3996, if passed, will grant sweeping new powers to the Federal Reserve, at least with this amendment attached, it won’t be acting in secret anymore. This is a major victory for Federal Reserve transparency and government accountability. I am very grateful to Congressman Bachus and all the other Members who were so supportive and helpful in this effort," stated Congressman Paul. ###

For Immediate Release, November 19, 2009

Governor-Elect Christie Announces Chairs of Transition Task Force on Budget and Taxes

2009-11-18T19:48:00.004-05:00

Task Force to Get to Work Addressing New Jersey's Fiscal Challenges

Trenton, NJ - Governor-Elect Chris Christie today named two budget and fiscal experts to chair a special Transition Task Force on Budget and Taxes and asked them to get to work immediately on developing recommendations to help address New Jersey's fiscal challenges.

The Governor-Elect named Richard H. Bagger of Westfield, an executive at Pfizer Inc and a former Chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee, and Robert E. Grady, a Livingston native, former aide to Governor Thomas H. Kean and former top official at the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) as Co-Chairmen of the task force.

"Addressing the problems facing New Jersey's economy is my highest priority, " Christie said, "and with these two experienced budget and fiscal experts helping me spearhead our efforts we are able to get to work right away."

The Task Force Co-Chairmen will help develop recommendations to address the fiscal deficit that state experts have estimated at over $8 billion for the coming fiscal year 2011, and to respond to the shortfall in projected state revenues in the current fiscal year 2010. They will recruit additional Task Force members and staff experts to address various components of the State's fiscal emergency.

Bagger served in the New Jersey Assembly from 1993 to 2002 and in the State Senate from 2002 to 2003. He was Chairman of the Assembly Appropriations Committee from 1998 to 2002. He was a former Councilman and Mayor of Westfield. Currently, he serves as Senior Vice President for Worldwide Public Affairs at Pfizer Inc. Earlier in his career, Bagger served as Assistant General Counsel of Blue Cross/Blue Shield and was an attorney with the law firm of McCarter and English.

Grady served as Chief of Staff to former U.S. Representative Millicent Fenwick, as Director of Communications for former Governor Thomas H. Kean, and as Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Associate Director of OMB in the Administration of former President George H.W. Bush. For the last decade, he had been the partner in charge of venture capital investing at The Carlyle Group, one of the world's largest private equity firms. Before retiring this summer and joining Cheyenne Capital Fund, a private equity firm, he served as Chairman of the National Venture Capital Association (NVCA) in 2006-2007 and as a professor at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business from 1994-2004. ###

For Immediate Release Thursday, November 12, 2009. Contact: Maria Comella 609-341-3000

Governor-Elect Bob McDonnell Announces Senior Advisors to Transition

2009-11-18T17:29:00.004-05:00

RICHMOND- Virginia Governor-elect Bob McDonnell announced today senior advisors to the transition. The advisors will assist the five official transition Co-Chairs, as well as the transition staff, with preparations for McDonnell taking office as the 71st Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia on January 16th. In addition, McDonnell announced four additional transition staff appointments. The appointments can be found at the bottom of this release.

The senior advisors are listed below.

For more information on the McDonnell Transition Co-Chairs, and the members of the transition staff, please visit: www.mcdonnelltransition.com

Senior Advisors to the Gubernatorial Transition

Michel Zajur- Richmond

Michel Zajur is the founder and President/CEO of the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

W. Heywood Fralin- Roanoke

Fralin is chief executive officer of Medical Facilities of America. He is the Rector of the Board of Visitors of the University of Virginia.

Ed Gillespie- Fairfax

Gillespie volunteered as General Chairman for McDonnell for Governor. He served as Counselor to President George W. Bush during the last 18 months of the Bush Administration and is former Chairman of both the Republican National Committee and the Republican Party of Virginia.

Frank Atkinson- Richmond

Atkinson is Chairman of McGuireWoods Consulting LLC and a partner in McGuireWoods LLP. He served as Counselor and Director of Policy in Governor George Allen’s administration.

Betsy Beamer- Richmond

Beamer served as Secretary of the Commonwealth in Governor George Allen’s administration.

Thelma Drake- Norfolk

Drake represented Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 2004-2008. She formerly served in the Virginia House of Delegates from 1996-2004.

Tom Davis- Fairfax

Davis represented Virginia’s 11th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives from 1995-2008. He served as Chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee from 1998-2002.

Diana Cantor- Richmond

Cantor, a lawyer, CPA and former investment banker at Goldman Sachs is a managing director of NY Private Bank & Trust. She served as the founder and Executive Director of the Virginia College Savings Plan from 1996-2007, an independent state agency. She is the wife of United States Congressman Eric Cantor, the House Republican Whip.

Glen Huff- Virginia Beach

Huff is the founder and a co-managing shareholder of Huff, Poole & Mahoney, P.C. in Virginia Beach

Dave Barrett- Richmond

Barrett is the Vice Chairman of The Virginia Family Foundation

Chuck Cunningham- Fairfax

Cunningham is director of federal affairs for the National Rifle Association.

James S. Cheng- Fairfax

Cheng is President of Totus Lighting Solutions. He formerly owned Computer and Hi-Tech Management, Inc. (CMH).

Judy Ford Wason- Williamsburg

Wason headed “Virginians for McDonnell” during the 2009 campaign. She was Executive Director of “Virginians for Mark Warner” in the 2001 gubernatorial race. She served as a Special Assistant for Intergovernmental Affairs for President Ronald Reagan, and managed Senatorial campaigns for former Senators Paul Trible and John Warner. She currently is involved with a number of Virginia civic and community groups, including the Christopher Newport University Center for Public Policy.

In addition to the announcement of Senior Advisors to the transition, McDonnell also continued making a number of transition staff appointments.

Today he announced the following positions:

Crystal Cameron: Chief of Staff to the First Lady-Designate

Taylor Thornley: Deputy Director of Communications

Andrew Lamar: Legislative Liason

Brandon DeGraaf: Community Relations Assistant ###

Press Release: Contact: J. Tucker Martin, Phone: (804) 786-4100 Email: Tucker.Martin@Gov-Elect.Virginia.Gov

Image Permission: This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution ShareAlike 2.0 License.

Rudy Giuliani: Sarah Palin On Newsweek "Good For The GOP" VIDEO

2009-11-16T22:21:00.002-05:00

Former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani responds to Sarah Palin's "Newsweek" cover on ABC's "This Week."

"Being on the cover of "Newsweek" is good for the GOP," Rudy said. A derivative of what he giddily told CNN's John King the same morning that Sarah Palin "is great for the Republican party."

On whether or not Palin is qualified to be President, Rudy responds: "That's gonna develop, she's got two, three years."

Category: News & Politics
Tags: rudy giuliani interview response this week george stephanopoulos sunday morning talk shows news politics republican democrat liberal conservative sarah palin cover newsweek good great for gop party qualified president alaska governor going rogue book tour attention

Rudy Giuliani: "Sarah Palin Is Great For The Republican Party" VIDEO

2009-11-16T22:11:00.002-05:00

From CNN: Rudy Giuliani: "Sarah Palin Is Great For The Republican Party" - 11/15/09
Category: News & Politics
Tags: Rudy Giuliani Sarah Palin Great For Republican Party 11/15/09

Ann Coulter on Sarah Palin VIDEO

2009-11-15T17:19:00.001-05:00

Conservative commentator and author Ann Coulter spoke to Harry Smith about Sarah Palin's media tour for her new book "Going Rogue," and her political influence.

Category: News & Politics
Tags: cbsepisode author conservative sarah palin new book going rogue supporter political influence ann coulter cbs early show harry smith

Flip Flop Mary Landrieu VIDEO

2009-11-15T17:07:00.001-05:00

Liberal group HCAN is trying to convince Senate Democrats Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor that they can vote for government-run health care before they vote against it.

As a new series of RNC videos point out, that tactic has been tried before, and now lives in campaign election infamy.

Note to Senate Democrats: A vote for cloture is a vote for government-run health care.

Paid for by the Republican National Committee Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee www.GOP.com

Flip Flop Blanche Lincoln VIDEO

2009-11-15T16:48:00.003-05:00

Congressman Mark Kirk Weekly Republican Address 11/14/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

2009-11-14T11:18:00.005-05:00

Congressman Mark Kirk Weekly Republican Address 11/14/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Good morning, this is Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois.

Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois

When I returned home from active duty in Afghanistan, I dedicated my congressional service to helping families with health care. We can lower health care costs and provide coverage for Americans who lack insurance by enacting key reforms that already help thousands of families in many states.

First, we could start lowering costs by reining in lawsuits in America. We are the most litigious country on earth. Lawsuit reforms can save billions in healthcare costs alone. In New Jersey, without lawsuit reform, it costs over $5,500 per patient to provide insurance.

In California, with some of the strongest lawsuit reforms, insurance costs half as much as it does in New Jersey. Congress should enhance the effective reforms of many states by enacting lawsuit reforms for our entire country.

Second, Congress should grant the right to each American to buy coverage from any state in the union – especially if you find a plan that has a lower cost or is more flexible for your family or your small business.

Third, we should give states the tools to create their own innovative reforms that lower healthcare costs.

I also offered an amendment – the Medical Rights Act – standing for the principle that Congress shall make no law interfering with the decisions you make with your doctor.

Unfortunately, all of these common sense Republican reforms were rejected by Speaker Pelosi. The Pelosi health care bill has no significant lawsuit reforms and does not guarantee your medical rights from government waiting lines or restrictions.

In the teeth of the Great Recession, the Pelosi bill would impose ten new taxes on the American economy.

The top combined tax rate for my state of Illinois would be four percentage points higher than France. The Democrat bill levies new taxes on health insurance, income and even pace makers.

The bill also cuts health care for seniors – my parents and many of yours – with $500 billion in cuts for Medicare doctors, hospitals and advantage patients. The bill even cuts Medicare for skilled nursing, wheelchairs and hospices.
In sum, the Pelosi bill opens a new trillion-dollar entitlement just as our national debt tops $12 trillion. Ignoring the future needs of Social Security and Medicare, the bill creates a new massive spending program, supported by heavy taxes and cuts to senior health care.

We need to back the common sense health care reforms I outlined and reject a government takeover of our family health care.

This is Congressman Mark Kirk of Illinois. Thank you for listening. God Bless you and God Bless America. ###

Sarah Palin On Oprah November 16th

2009-11-12T21:19:00.003-05:00

Oprah on November 16th Posted Yesterday at 7:56pm

"Willow, Piper, and I are in Chicago and just wanted to let you know that I had a great conversation with Oprah today. We taped the show for Monday, November 16th, and enjoyed it so much that we went way over on time. The rest will air on Oprah.com. Oprah was very hospitable and gracious, and her audience was full of warm, energized and (no doubt) curious viewers."

- Sarah Palin

Let Your Voice Be Heard: A Message From Congressman Mike Pence VIDEO

2009-11-12T18:42:00.003-05:00

Congressman Mike Pence released the following video, urging all Americans to rise up and let their voices be heard in opposition to the Pelosi health care plan. "This Is Your Moment, Now Is Your Time, Let Your Voice Be Heard."

FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT:

"As President Ronald Reagan said: ‘Since the American founding, we have been a people with a government, not the other way around.'"

"Now comes the Pelosi plan for a government takeover of health care. It is a freight train of runaway spending, bloated bureaucracy, mandates and higher taxes.

"If the liberals in Washington have their way, they will forever change the relationship between the government and ‘we the people.'

"If the Pelosi plan for a government takeover of health care passes, we will each become dependent on the political class in Washington for the provision of services of the most urgent and personal nature.

"Illness, our own, or more importantly the illness of a parent, or a spouse, or a child, has the capacity to suspend our priorities.

"What was important before the crisis grows dim in the harsh light of disease affecting a loved one.

"The Pelosi health care plan targets us when we are most vulnerable.

"The Pelosi health care plan makes us dependent on the state at the most urgent moment in the life of our family.

"Their hope: that little by little, we'll yield our freedoms and our resources to the ever-growing appetite of the federal government.

"After years of runaway federal spending, borrowing, bailouts and takeovers, it's easy to give way to despair; but I assure you: there is a remnant that still cherishes freedom, personal responsibility and limited government all across this land.

"I have seen it in the faces of ordinary Americans who have traveled to rallies, town halls and tea parties. I have read it in my mail. I have heard it from friends and neighbors who have lost their jobs but not lost their faith in America.

"The time has come for those who still cherish our ideals-the ideals of our founding: life, liberty and the pursuit of the American dream-to arise.

"Wherever you are, whoever you are, let your voice be heard.

"Republicans in Congress who are standing in the gap, cannot do this alone.

"I often tell my colleagues that a minority in Congress plus the American people equals a majority.
"‘We the people' have the power to stop out-of-control spending at the federal level.

"‘We the people' have to power to stop the Pelosi health care plan, in its effort to take over one-sixth of the American economy.

"And ‘we the people' have the ability to protect the finest health care system this world has ever known and demand real health care reform that will reduce the cost of health care without growing government.

"I appeal to you not as Republicans or Democrats, liberals or conservatives, but as Americans.

"You cherish freedom, you fear the crushing weight of big government and debt that Congress and this Administration are leaving to our posterity, and you still believe that the strength of this nation is in the character and courage and ingenuity of the American people, and not the politicians and the bureaucrats.

"This is your moment, now is your time, let your voice be heard."

Congressman Peter Roskam If Healthcare Bill Is So Fabulous, Why Criminalize Those Who Want To Opt-Out? VIDEO

2009-11-12T18:16:00.004-05:00

Congressman Peter Roskam: Pelosi's Version of Law & Order, Government Mandate or Jail

November 11, 2009 -"We've heard from the majority all afternoon, and not one of them have told us why you need to criminalize people to coax them into a plan that's fabulous? It makes no sense." -

Roskam Condemns Passage of Pelosi Healthcare Overhaul.

Congressman Peter Roskam (R-IL) issued the following statement following the U.S. House of Representative’s narrow passage of H.R. 3692, Speaker Pelosi’s healthcare bill, 220-215:

“Tonight’s vote is incredibly disappointing, though just the latest example that Democrats simply aren’t listening to Americans. The Pelosi healthcare overhaul will not only cost $1.3 trillion, adding to our debt and bankrupting future generations, but the resulting policy will mean increased health costs for families, deep cuts for seniors in Medicare, new taxes and more jobs lost.

With super majorities in both houses and the presidency, the Democrats could have made easy work of health reform legislation. Instead, Speaker Pelosi lost 39 Democrat votes, struggling to send this misguided legislation limping out of the House, and demonstrating just how bad this bill is. Democrats missed an incredible opportunity to work with Republicans toward implementing bipartisan reforms that would lower cost and increase access without seriously increasing taxes and our national debt.” ###

Anita Dunn 'Fox News...wing of the Republican Party' will step down VIDEO

2009-11-10T16:20:00.011-05:00

Anita Dunn, the White House Director of Communications, to President Obama has announced today that she’ll be leaving her post at the end of the month, her deputy, Dan Pfeiffer is to replace her.

"Fox News...wing of the Republican Party"

"opinion journalism masquerading as news."

"The reality of it is, fox news often operates as either the research arm or the communications arm of the Republican party,"

Dunn began her career in the Carter White House, first as an intern for White House Communications Director Gerald Rafshoon and then worked for chief of staff Hamilton Jordan. She worked on the campaign of Senator John Glenn (D-OH), and on Capitol Hill before joining the firm founded by Bob Squier and Bill Knapp in 1993. She has been the top adviser to Senator Bill Bradley (D-NJ), including serving as the chief strategist for his presidential campaign, Senator Evan Bayh (D-IN), and former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle (D-SD).

She was hired by then Senator Barack Obama in 2006 to direct communications and strategy for his political action committee, The Hopefund. This move signaled to many that Obama was nearing a run for the presidency. While advising Hopefund and Obama in 2006, she was instrumental in the preparations for the launch of Obama for America, and brought many key staffers to the Obama campaign with whom she had worked in Bayh's and Daschle's offices.

Video Credit: CNN's Reliable Sources and PoliticsNewsPolitics

Image Credit: Official White House Photo by Pete Souza

Biography from: Anita Dunn From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Health Care Reform Chart

2009-11-08T21:47:00.004-05:00

Health Care Reform: 31 New Federal Programs, Agencies, Commissions & Mandates.

House Republicans, led by Rep. Kevin Brady (R-TX) and House Republicans on the Joint Economic Committee (JEC), have created the chart below detailing the bureaucratic nightmare of the House Democrats’ $1.5 trillion health care plan that relies on massive tax hikes on small businesses and job creators in the midst of a deepening economic recession - and will cause as many as 114 million Americans to lose their current coverage.

The chart identifies at least 31 new federal programs, agencies, commissions and mandates that accompany the unprecedented government takeover of health care in America.

Americans want health care reform - and House Republicans agree - but the Democrats’ go-it-alone, tax and spend attitude isn’t the way to improve the best health care system in the world. House Republicans have a plan that will reduce costs, expand access and increase the quality of care in a way we can afford - without raising taxes on small businesses or middle class families.

Sarah Palin: The Pelosi Bill Was Rammed Through on Saturday, But Sunday’s Here

2009-11-08T21:24:00.003-05:00

We’ve got to hold on to hope, and we’ve got to fight hard because Congressional action tonight just put America on a path toward an unrecognizable country.

The same government leaders that got us into the mortgage business and the car business are now getting us into the health care business.

Despite Americans’ decisive message last Tuesday that they reject the troubling path this country has been taking, Speaker Pelosi has broken her own promises of transparency to ram a health “care” bill through the House of Representatives just before midnight. Why did she push the 2,000 page bill this weekend? Was she perhaps afraid to give her peers and the constituents for whom she works the chance to actually read this monstrous bill carefully, if at all? Was she concerned that Americans might really digest the details of a bill that the Wall Street Journal has called “the worst piece of post-New Deal legislation ever introduced”?

This out-of-control bureaucratic mess will be disastrous for our economy, our small businesses, and our personal liberty. It will slam businesses at a time when we are at double-digit unemployment rates – the highest we’ve seen in a quarter of a century. This massive new bureaucracy will cost us and our children money we don’t have. It will rob Americans of more of our freedom and further hamper the free market.

Make no mistake: we’re on course to have government commandeer one-sixth of our economy. The people who gave us Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac now want to run our health care. Think about that.

All of us who value the sanctity of life are grateful for the success of the pro-life majority in the House this evening in its battle against federal funding of abortion in this bill, but it’s ironic because we were promised that abortion wasn’t covered in the bill to begin with. Our healthy distrust of these government leaders made us look deeper into the bill because unfortunately we knew better than to trust what they were saying. The victory tonight to amend the bill and eliminate that federal funding for abortion was great – because abortion is not health care. Now we can only hope that Rep. Stupak’s amendment will hold in the final bill, though the Democratic leadership has already refused to promise that it won’t be scrapped later.

We had been told there were no “death panels” in the bill either. But look closely at the provision mandating bureaucratic panels that will be calling the shots regarding who will receive government health care.

Look closely at provisions addressing illegal aliens’ health care coverage too.

Those of us who love freedom and believe in open and transparent government can only be dismayed by midnight action on a Saturday. Speaker Pelosi’s promise that Americans would have 72 hours to read the final bill before the vote was just another one of the D.C. establishment’s too-common political ploys. It’s broken promises like this that turn people off to politics and leave them disillusioned about the future of their country.

But despite this late-night maneuvering, many of us were paying close attention tonight. We’ll keep paying close attention. We need to let our legislators in Washington know that they still represent us, and that the majority of Americans are not in favor of the “reform” they are pushing. After all, this is still a country “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” We will make our voices heard. It’s on to the Senate now. Our legislators can listen now, or they can hear us in 2010. It’s their choice.

- Sarah Palin

Ron Paul: Healthcare "Reform" Will Make a Flawed System Immeasurably Worse VIDEO

2009-11-08T21:08:00.002-05:00

Congressman Ron Paul's Texas Straight Talk for November 9, 2009.

Governor Haley Barbour Weekly Republican Address 11/10/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

2009-11-07T16:43:00.004-05:00

Governor Haley Barbour Weekly Republican Address 11/10/09 VIDEO FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Weekly Remarks by Gov. Haley Barbour of Mississippi, as provided by the Republican National Committee.

Hi, I’m Haley Barbour, governor of Mississippi, and I’m pleased to give the weekly Republican address.

This past week’s been a momentous one in American politics. It marked the first anniversary of President Obama’s election.

This week also saw the first big elections since this administration and its Democrat majority in Congress took control of our federal government. The results made clear the American people don’t like where the Democrats are trying to take our country.

Virginia and New Jersey elected new governors Tuesday, and in both cases, voters chose Republican governors to succeed the Democrats elected four years ago. Both are states that President Obama carried by large margins last year.

Virginia’s Bob McDonnell, a conservative who focused his campaign on jobs and economic growth – the issues that concern most Virginia voters – won by nearly 20 points, as Republicans swept all statewide offices.

In New Jersey, moderate Republican Chris Christie defeated incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine, despite several campaign visits by the president. Independents voted overwhelmingly for the Republican in both states.

Independents, most of whom voted for President Obama only a year ago, are concerned where his policies are taking our country. Don’t take my word for it.

Rep. Jim Cooper, senior Democrat in Tennessee’s congressional delegation, called the election result "a wake-up call for Congress." "A tidal wave could be coming," he said.

Democratic Congressman Dan Boren of Oklahoma made his views plain when he told the Wall Street Journal: "Voters sent a clear message that the administration and the Congress need to focus on the economy. We need to focus on creating jobs right now, and you don’t do that by raising taxes on small businesses."

The Washington Post’s David Broder, dean of American political writers, identified a crucial factor in Tuesday’s voting. Broder wrote, "The more worried voters were about keeping or finding a job, the more likely they were to vote Republican."

Americans think economic growth and job creation are priorities 1, 2, 3 and 4. Despite all the trillions of dollars in spending by this administration and Congress, voters see little progress on jobs.

And, these elections came before it was announced that the unemployment rate had risen to 10.2%, the highest in 26 years.

Americans’ concerns are greatly increased because Washington hasn’t been focused on economic growth and creating jobs. Instead, all the talk and attention has been on healthcare reform.

And now that the Democrat leadership has settled on a healthcare bill, what have Americans learned?

This healthcare bill will cost another trillion-plus dollars. The bill will increase your health insurance premiums. It will cut Medicare spending for seniors by $500 billion, and it will clobber small businesses, which create most new jobs.

Indeed, the National Federation of Independent Business, the organization of small businesses, projects the healthcare reform proposal pending in the House will mean 1.6 million fewer jobs – that’s right, it would cost 1.6 million people their jobs.

Isn’t it easy to see why Americans sent that wake-up call on Tuesday?

Now, the question is, did Democrats in Washington hear it?

Will they listen to folks like Democratic Rep. Michael Michaud of Maine, who said after the elections, "People want jobs. We have to start focusing on jobs and the economy"?

The best time to start’s now. The House Democrats’ healthcare bill should be withdrawn and reworked. There are many reforms that enjoy overwhelming bipartisan support in both houses of Congress.

Great improvements can be made without a government-run healthcare system; without gigantic tax increases that fall primarily on small businesses; without a $500-billion cut in Medicare spending; without higher insurance premiums; and without costing 1.6 million people their jobs.

Governors, including many Democrats, also realize this Democrat plan will result in tens of billions of dollars of state tax increases because it would greatly expand Medicaid and make state governments pay more than $30 billion that our states don’t have.

Americans are a whole lot smarter than politicians give them credit for. Americans want and need jobs. Congress has been focused on health and energy legislation that will cost millions of jobs.

Hopefully, Tuesday’s fire alarm will get Washington’s eye back on the ball: back on job creation and economic growth. I’m Governor Haley Barbour. Thanks for listening. ###

Ron Paul on The Glenn Beck Show VIDEO

2009-11-06T22:04:00.002-05:00

No Compromise, On Friday, Congressman Ron Paul and Dr. Rand Paul appeared on The Glenn Beck Show with guest host Andrew Napolitano to discuss the Republican Party's future, third parties, and the important of putting principle over politics.

Ron Paul and his son Rand chat with Judge Andrew Napolitano on the growing rift between libertarians and Republicans.

Club for Growth Charlie Crist Federal Stimulus Bill TV Ad VIDEO

2009-11-06T17:52:00.002-05:00

Day After Crist Says He “Didn’t Endorse” Stimulus, TV Spot Corrects the Record.

WASHINGTON - The Club for Growth today released a TV advertisement encouraging Florida Governor Charlie Crist to set aside his big government record and embrace pro-growth policies to revive Florida's economy.

The ad, which will air soon on Florida television stations, details the consequences of Crist's embrace of big government spending, and comes one day after Crist told CNN that he never endorsed the $787 federal stimulus bill this year. The ad states:

"Since Charlie Crist helped pass Barack Obama's spending program, nearly two hundred thousand Floridians have lost their jobs. Unemployment is the highest in decades. Personal income's down. And the deficit in Washington is three times larger."

"Yesterday, Charlie Crist said he never endorsed the stimulus, but that's simply not true," said Club President Chris Chocola. "Crist embraced the stimulus, and Florida's economy has suffered for it. The Club for Growth's ad sets the record straight, and we encourage Floridians to remind their governor that jobs are created by free markets and competition, not big government spending and debt."

Club for Growth® and Club for Growth® PAC - 2001 L Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20036 202-955-5500 Attribute work as: "This information reproduced from Club for Growth".

Michael Steele GOP victories Virginia and New Jersey VIDEO

2009-11-04T23:31:00.002-05:00

Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele gave remarks in reaction to the GOP victories in the Virginia and New Jersey Gubernatorial elections.

Ann Coulter Keith Olbermann VIDEO

2009-11-04T20:58:00.001-05:00

Ann Coulter and the Red Eye team on Keith Olbermann.

Chris Christie Acceptance Speech FULL TEXT VIDEO

2009-11-04T19:34:00.004-05:00

New Jersey Governor-Elect Chris Christie (R) Delivers Acceptance Speech - 11/03/09 FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

" Ladies and gentlemen thank you so much. Thank you so much all of you -- here tonight. Thank you so much. Thank you so much."

" My -- economy get through this. -- first I want election. They're that good. Now. I want I want Alexia I want to let you all -- I want -- all about."

" I want to -- although. I wanna let you all know that about forty minutes ago. I received -- call of congratulations. From governor Jon Corzine."

" Okay."

" Now. -- Not help please don't."

" C'mon now. -- and the governor's call with gracious. I thank him for -- years of service to the state. He pledged he pledged he pledged a smooth. He pledged a smooth transition. To the new -- administration."

" Okay."

" Now now I'd like to I'd like you'd indulge me in just a few bank --"

" I want to thank you for it. --"

" Like you tells me if you -- I wanna bank. -- Great former Republican governors who stood with me governor Tom -- governor Christie Whitman thank you very much. It. I want to thank. My great friend. And my campaign chairman state senator Joe --"

" It the I want to thank the future of the Republican Party are Republican state chairman."

" And most of all most of all. I want to thank the most important people in my life. My wife Mary pat. -- for my four great children Andrew and Sarah. Patrick in -- it. -- effect -- that bill who is here with me tonight. I think you all know my brother Todd."

" Okay."

" And my sister gone I love them both thank you very much. You know and -- New Jersey New Jersey. Is extraordinary place. Here I am. -- guy who was born in -- forty -- years ago. Two parents two parents struggle to make ends meet brought me home. To a fourth floor walk up apartment on the corner south -- avenue and fourteenth street. At five years later. Five years later they moved this the Livingston because they want our family that the best public education we could possibly have. And everything. That I've been lucky enough to become. The foundation with -- for back. In those schools in those years by great teachers. Have by -- great parents. Who gave us the values that allowed me. To be standing in front of you tonight. At the 55 governor stated --"

" Okay."

" But you go I think -- all before. The selection tonight it's not about me. And it's not back him. And candidly. It's not about many -- you. This election. Was. And is. About the future of the state we love the great state of New Jersey. "

" And I."

" because. Because for me and for most of you. We've already had a great New Jersey life. Great New Jersey life and what we want to do is to make sure that everyone in New Jersey has the opportunity for that great New Jersey life and even more importantly. That our children and our grandchildren. Have the opportunity for that great -- life because. If we continue on the path we're on. That will not be possible. We are in a crisis. The times are extraordinarily difficult. But I stand here tonight. Full of hope. For our future. Full of expectations. And dreams. Not just for my children. But for all the children of New Jersey -- are gonna get to work to make that happen starting tomorrow."

" Because tomorrow. Because tomorrow. Together. We begin to take back New Jersey. "

" It. Tomorrow we're gonna take back -- Jersey for our families tomorrow we're gonna take back New Jersey for our friends. Tomorrow we're gonna take back New Jersey for our neighbors tomorrow we're gonna take back New Jersey for the least fortunate among us. Who do not want the government to fix every problem they just want to give a hand up so they can build opportunity for themselves."

" Tomorrow. Tomorrow. We begin. To build that greater New Jersey for our children and grandchildren. Because you see. I want my children. To raise their children. In this state. I want your children to raise their children in this state. So tomorrow. Tomorrow begin the task of fixing our broken state and I tell you. I can tell you I can tell you that they've and I -- Kim and I are ready for the task given the higher ready for the task. Now. I will tell you. The campaign. The camp we went rules seem easy. Compared to the path that lie ahead of the -- Thursday. We know the challenges we face -- over the next four years. Ever work cut out there are no easy answers. These difficult problems. But you know on the campaign throw -- and I really learned. Was that the suffocating taxes. And the government that was out of control. Has -- threatened completely out of touch tomorrow starting tomorrow. We're gonna pick -- up and we are gonna turn it upside down. Now. Over the last week only been on that campaign -- I've met a number of people and I -- tell you about just a few of them you can understand what we really -- front of us. Just today. I met a man from Hamilton with his two children. Who's a small business owner. Who with tears in his eyes told me if you don't win. -- this this is gonna go broke. I don't know what I'm gonna do with my children. We're gonna have to leave the state -- I was born and raised. This election tonight it's about him and his children. This week this week I met a senior citizen for ten -- A man who was nine years old. Who grabbed -- by the -- instead. A minding your sold. You better do everything you said it's not going to be here for years without -- hole to fill it. Tonight that election is about him. And couple weeks ago I met a farmer from violence. Who was a fourth generation. Farmer. In that town. And he's fit to be you know mr. Christie if this continues. I'm gonna have to be the one who gives up the farm that's been in my family for four generations. And -- feel like a break in the heart. Of my father. My grandfather. And my great grandfather. Tonight. That election is this election is about him. We need to make New Jersey more affordable and we need to do it now. And you know. You know -- be naysayers who say that. Kim and I are gonna be able lower taxes. That we're not gonna be able lower spending that we're not -- be able to cut onerous regulation but we're not gonna be able to get government back under control. Well let me tell yeah these were the same people who wait years ago when I became US attorney. Said that you couldn't fight corruption in New Jersey. Well they were wrong then that. And they are wrong now. -- kid a kid and I. Given Iowa -- without regard to party or politics. We will do it without regard to what section of the state you're from. What you're it's your race -- your ethnicity. What's your gender. Without regard to any of that because new Jersey's problems are too big. To any more conduct the petty politics of yesterday. No matter whose idea it is if it's a good one -- and I'll figure out how to get it done."

" Okay."

" Now let me say one more thing about the people of the state of New Jersey. You know you know for you know for years. For years and years and years. The Talking Heads on television. Commentators in the newspapers said you cannot. Win an election in New Jersey. Without being. Personally. Negative without doing smear attack ads on the character of your opponent now it now -- February. In February when -- for governor I said. But I knew that this campaign. Would get into the gutter. And that I would not follow my opponent that -- got -- And I told you then I did not know where that was a winning strategy or losing strategy. But I told you it was my strategy and -- worked too hard I've worked too hard. Over my life. To give away my integrity for any job not even this one."

" Okay. Okay."

" And let me tell you that's. Through bear overwhelming. -- work tonight. The people of New Jersey said no more -- negative personal campaign. --"

" In the face of a thirty million dollar onslaught. That consisted of almost exclusively. Negative personal can't -- campaign against me. My family and my friends the people of New Jersey decided enough is he now."

" And and so now. -- out to all. Of those pundits out there. -- all of those experts on politics. I beg you. Let's turn the page let's put the petty politics of the past behind us and it started a new era of hope. And -- to -- New Jersey. "

" because. I was born here. And I was raised here. And this is the state that I love. And I'll tell you I have known from minute one of this campaign. That we can change New Jersey. So tomorrow. Let's roll up our sleeves. Let's get to work. At the hard task ahead of us what we will know. That at the end of these four years. I promise you one thing. That we will restore. Your hope. And your faith. And your trust. In New Jersey thank you very much."

by Christopher Christie