After Obama’s Deficit-Filled Budget Received No Support In Either Chamber, It Is Time For Democrats To Switch Gears

WASHINGTON — Arizona families have watched Ron Barber’s Democrat allies in Washington preside over yearly trillion dollar deficits, push a wasteful almost trillion dollar stimulus package and impose a government takeover of healthcare that cuts $500 billion from Medicare to fuel Democrats’ spending addiction. Their agenda of taxing, borrowing and spending has crippled economic recovery and left small business owners with no ability to grow and hire workers.

“President Obama’s budget suffered an embarrassing defeat this week when it received no votes in the Senate, giving it no support in either chamber,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “It is clear that Ron Barber’s party’s insistence on spending, taxing and borrowing has become so toxic with the American people that even they cannot vote for their own failed agenda that has made our economy worse.”

The President’s budget proposal received not one vote of support in Congress:

“President Obama’s budget suffered a second embarrassing defeat Wednesday, when senators voted 99-0 to reject it.

“Coupled with the House’s rejection in March, 414-0, that means Mr. Obama’s budget has failed to win a single vote in support this year.” (Stephen Dinan, “Obama budget defeated 99-0 in Senate,” The Washington Times, 5/16/2012)

A CBO report affirms the Democrats’ record-setting spending spree will continue to stifle economic growth:

“The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Friday that President Obama’s 2013 budget will hurt the economy in the long term, arguing the larger deficits it would produce would reduce the amount of capital available to businesses. After five years, the CBO says, the Obama proposals would reduce economic output by between 0.5 percent and 2.2 percent.” (Erik Wasson, “CBO estimates Obama’s 2013 budget plan would hit economic growth,” The Hill, 4/20/12)

How Many More Embarrassments Can Barber’s Party’s Failed Spending Agenda Take? http://ow.ly/aYtC7

###

Every so often talk arises about holding an Article V Amendments convention amongst the states to amend the Constitution, since Congress has become increasingly unaccountable. In reaction, dire warnings spring up declaring that a “constitutional convention,” or “con con,” could result in a runaway convention where radical changes are made that fundamentally rewrite our Constitution. Are the doomsday warnings legitimate, or simply scare tactics to block desperately needed reforms?

Legislation is currently being considered in most state legislatures that would begin the process of adopting a National Debt Relief Amendment. Once ratified, it would prohibit Congress from increasing the federal debt unless a simple majority of the states approve. So far, North Dakota and Louisiana have passed the initial legislation with bipartisan support in both chambers of their state legislatures. Ultimately, 38 states will need to ratify the amendment. The language of the proposed amendment is very simple, “An increase in the federal debt requires approval from a majority of the legislatures of the separate states.”

Article V of the U.S. Constitution lays out the process by which amendments are added to the Constitution. Amendments may be proposed by either the states or Congress. Throughout America’s history, amendments have only been proposed by Congress. If proposed by the states, an amendment must then be ratified by three-quarters of the states or by conventions within the states. It is the initial convention called for by the states to propose amendments that naysayers, including some on the right oddly enough, claim may cause dangerous changes to the Constitution, even though it has never happened before.

The Founding Fathers rejected initial drafts of Article V that would have permitted open-ended conventions, and instead adopted very narrow, precise requirements. They rejected language four times that would have provided the mechanism for a full constitutional convention. In Federalist No. 85, Alexander Hamilton explained that states did not need to call for a full constitutional convention since Article V provides full power to amend the Constitution. James Madison specifically supported the use of Article V in Federalist No. 43. Accusations that an Article V Amendments convention will result in a full-blown “constitutional convention” or “con-con” are not correct. There is no such thing as a constitutional convention – it can be found nowhere in the Constitution.

The Goldwater Institute, considered the premiere state-based right-leaning think tank in the country, has published numerous papers explaining why an Article V Amendments convention to consider the National Debt Relief Amendment should not be feared. Nick Dranias, Director of the Goldwater Institute’s Center for Constitutional Government, wrote an essay entitled “Runaway Convention Myth Debunked,” in which he relayed the history of Article V, declaring, “Despite claims made to the contrary, the truth is that Article V does not provide authority for a foundational constitutional convention. The Founders specifically and repeatedly rejected efforts to substitute the current Article V language to allow for a foundational constitutional convention to be called.”

The National Debt Relief Amendment proposes only one amendment, specifically limiting the convention to consideration of that amendment only. Throughout each step of the way the process is set up to focus on one specific amendment; it is not like a flurry of amendments can be introduced at the last minute and shoved through. First, 34 states must pass resolutions proposing the exact same amendment. Next, delegates to the convention are selected by the state legislatures. Delegates that disregard their mission can be recalled and replaced. If there are attempts to consider things outside the scope of the proposed amendment at the convention, lawsuits can be filed to halt this activity, or Congress can refuse to send the results to the states for ratification. Finally, 38 states are required to ratify the results. 38 states are very unlikely to ratify something nutty – not even 10 states would ratify something nutty.

I received a shadowy email from an unidentified organization on Tuesday urging readers to oppose the bill in Arizona’s legislature. Why was the email anonymous? The opposition did not bother to speak up at the Arizona legislature’s committee hearing earlier this session against the bill. Nor did they at the Idaho legislature. Why are they afraid to debate their position publicly?

State Senator Curtis Olafson (R-Edinburg, N.D.) is leading the effort to pass a National Debt Relief Amendment through RestoringFreedom.org. He participated in Harvard’s Conference on the Constitutional Convention last fall, which included viewpoints from all across the political spectrum addressing the feasibility of an Article V Amendments convention. As part of the conference, the audience was permitted to suggest amendments. When some extreme sounding amendments were proposed, the speakers and the rest of the audience ignored the proposals. Olafson believes this is representative of how delegates chosen by state legislatures to conduct an Article V Amendments convention would treat radical amendment proposals. “Well-respected people would not suddenly develop collective insanity and go against instructions from state legislatures,” Olafson said. “Fearmongers like to speculate crazy scenarios.”

Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) introduced legislation in January at the Congressional level to start the amendment proposal. State Senator Art Wittich (R-MT), who is leading the effort to get the legislation passed in Montana, applauds concurrent federal legislation, but says that getting the amendment through Congress will be tougher. “It is politically easier for Congress to cut taxes than the budget, an inherent imbalance, and there is no incentive to exercise fiscal responsibility,” Wittich says. “Getting new members elected to Congress who would support this amendment is difficult since incumbents have vast advantages in elections due to redistricting, franking, etc. Since many states already prohibit deficit spending, they are already inclined to support this.”

It is disappointing that opponents are using fear to scare people – opponents who do not even have the guts to identify themselves. Article V is possibly the only tool we have left to fight the unaffordable expansion of federal government. Most of the 50 states are now considering National Debt Relief Amendment legislation. Tea Party groups and anyone concerned with the government’s runaway spending should lobby their legislatures to pass this legislation. Some of the states are also considering a balanced budget amendment. This is another amendment that will help rein in spending and would be easier to push through state legislatures than through Congress.

Senators Olafson and Wittich believe that detractors have it backwards. “People should fear the status quo of out of control spending more than they should fear an Article V Amendments convention,” Wittich said. Senator Olafson expanded, “For those who preach fear about a runaway convention, we have a runaway convention right here in front of our eyes, it is a runaway Congress with out of control spending, czars, and Obamacare. It was clearly the intent of the Founding Fathers that we, as state legislators, would understand that not only do we have a right to use Article V, but moreover, that we have a duty to use Article V when we see a serious challenge facing our nation that is not being solved by Congress.”

Olafson leaves detractors with this challenge:
For those of you who preach that we should fear an Article V amendments convention, I have two questions for which I would challenge you to provide logic-based answers.
1. The Founders included a process in Article V for the states to propose and ratify amendments that does not require any approval by Congress. Why would they provide the states that power and that process if they did not intend that the states should use it?
2. Can you provide for our enlightenment your official list of the 38 states that all of us should fear would ratify a dangerous, extremist or radical amendment?

 Reprinted from Townhall

Click here to view the embedded video.

For Immediate Release: February 13, 2012
Contact: Katie Martin

Phoenix, Arizona – Wil Cardon, Mesa businessman and candidate for U.S. Senate, issued the following statement after President Obama released his FY2013 budget:

“President Obama’s budget promotes more government spending, higher taxes to fund that wasteful spending and more government debt for future generations. Regardless if you are Republican or Democrat, when looking at this budget from a business perspective, it is clear that President Obama has no real world business experience or concept of Main Street America.

“The President and Congress continue to play politics with the country’s budget and with $15 trillion of debt; we don’t have time for political theater. The President said today in a campaign stop in Virginia, ‘we can’t cut our way to growth.’ America needs a leader who understands that spending cuts will bring us to prosperity, and that more government spending is not the answer. Letting job creators do what they do best is the path to growth, but businesses are struggling to jump through the hoops of big government. Over regulation, higher taxes and Obamacare are three policies from this administration that result in less private sector growth. It is unfair for President Obama and this do-nothing Congress to continue to hinder business owners with their failed policies and political grandstanding.

“As a business owner, I know what it’s like to balance a budget, make payroll, and I have run my business for the last decade completely debt free. There is a way to do this on the national level, but when you have career politicians with zero private sector experience handling the budget, you get career politician results. This was President Obama’s final attempt to write and promote a budget that would fix our dismal economic outlook, but instead, he chose to use this opportunity to stay the course regardless of the disastrous results. We need business men and women to take over the nation’s budget. It is imperative that we send leaders to Washington who know what to do, have a willingness to do it and will get the job done.”

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2012
CONTACT: Rachel Semmel

Washington, D.C. – Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) released the following statement Monday after President Obama released his Fiscal Year 2013 Budget request which calls for unprecedented levels of spending and debt increases and tax hikes:

“President Obama’s fourth go-around at a budget is not much better than his previous attempts. This document is terrible for jobs and a raw deal for America’s seniors. Further, it is laden with the same tax-and-spend gimmicks that drove us to our $15 trillion debt and counting.

“This budget breaks the president’s promise to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term and actually increases it in the next few years. If enacted, the president’s budget would add $8 trillion to the debt over the next 11 years.

“I sincerely wish the President would put new batteries in his calculator and realize that increased spending and stimulus will not lower our debt and deficit, nor will a faulty and mathematically unrealistic ‘Buffett Rule.’

“It is hard to read this budget and believe the President is taking his fiscal duty seriously.”

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 13, 2012
CONTACT: Zach Howell

WASHINGTON (DC) – Congressman Ben Quayle released the following statement regarding the release of President Obama’s proposed FY 2012 budget:

“President Obama has already added trillions to the national debt, but he’s not done drowning us in red ink yet. Far from keeping his promise to cut the deficit in half by the end of his first term, the President sent us a budget blueprint that would continue increasing the size of the deficit, and would pile on trillions in new debt over the next decade.

“At a time when the economy is struggling to get back on track, the last thing we should be doing is adding $1.9 trillion in new taxes as President Obama suggests. The President just doesn’t get it. He doesn’t understand that our nation is in real danger unless we take meaningful actions right away to reduce spending and debt. This willfully ignorant budget is more about the President’s reelection than it is about finding solutions to this country’s problems.”

###

For Immediate Release: February 13, 2012
Press Contact: Genevieve Frye Rozansky

So Just How Broke Are We?

Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today illustrated the size and scope of the growing national debt.

Adele walked away from last night’s Grammy Awards as the show’s biggest winner with six gold statues, including the coveted Album of the Year award. The accolades were all for Adele’s sophomore album, “21,” which has set album sales records with approximately 6.4 million copies sold since it debuted in early 2011.

The U.S. is so broke that at an average cost of about $13, more than 1.2 trillion copies of Adele’s “21” album could be purchased with our $15.3 trillion debt. That’s 187,500 times the current amount of record sales for “21.”

“We’re rolling in deep debt,” said Flake.

Along with Senators McCain and Rubio, Congressman Flake introduced H.R. 634, the Debt Buy-Down Act, which allows taxpayers to designate up to 10 percent of their federal income tax liability to reduce the national debt. The bill then requires Congress to reduce federal spending by that amount. More information on the Debt Buy-Down Act can be found here.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2012
CONTACT: Zach Howell

WASHINGTON (DC) Congressman Ben Quayle released the following statement Tuesday following President Obama’s State of the Union address:

“Tonight we saw two things this President is known for: soaring rhetoric and scant substance.

“The President repeatedly stated the worthy goal of creating an economy that is ‘built to last’. Unfortunately, the Obama-economy is built to fail. You can’t build a strong economy on the shaky foundations of massive debt, failing entitlement programs and an uncertain regulatory climate. Just as he has so often in the past, the President failed to outline policies to deal with those big problems.”

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 24, 2012
CONTACT: Rachel Semmel

Washington, D.C. –Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) made the following statement today on day 1,000 since the Senate has passed a budget:

“It has been 1000 days since Harry Reid’s Senate has passed a budget. This translates to the Senate neglecting its legal duty to the American people for almost three years.

“How this Senate and Administration can continue to talk about jobs and reigning in government spending with a straight face is beyond me.

“The House has passed a budget, not to mention nearly 30 jobs bills, only to see them die in the black hole of Harry Reid’s Senate.

“During tough financial times, American families and small businesses tighten their belts, live within their means, and create a budget. Why can’t Washington do the same?

“I implore my Senate colleagues and the President to join the House in demonstrating that we are serious about creating jobs and curing the spending binge in Washington.”

###

Right when we should be CUTTING spending (not just the rate of increase, but ACTUAL spending) and lowering taxes, certain elements of the RNC and “think tanks” are angling not just to keep existing spending and taxes going but ADD an entirely NEW federal tax for us to pay.

What the heck is going on, aren’t we in the midst of a teaparty?

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2012
CONTACT: Genevieve Frye Rozansky

Washington, D.C. – Republican Congressman Jeff Flake, who represents Arizona’s Sixth District, today illustrated the size and scope of the growing national debt.

For a $2 fee and by placing a minimum order of either $8 or $10, some residents in the greater Washington, D.C. area could enjoy home delivery from fast food giant Burger King. It was announced over the weekend that Burger King has been testing home delivery for its menu items from four of its locations in the D.C. suburbs.

The U.S. is so broke that even adding the $2 delivery fee and based on a minimum purchase of $10, our $15.2 trillion federal debt could pay for $1.3 billion at-home Burger King deliveries.

“The level our debt has reached is a real Whopper,” said Flake.

Along with Senators McCain and Rubio, Congressman Flake introduced H.R. 634, the Debt Buy-Down Act, which allows taxpayers to designate up to 10 percent of their federal income tax liability to reduce the national debt. The bill then requires Congress to reduce federal spending by that amount. More information on the Debt Buy-Down Act can be found here.

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 12, 2012
CONTACT: Zach Howell

WASHINGTON (DC) Congressman Ben Quayle released the following statement Thursday regarding President Obama’s request for yet another $1.2 trillion increase to the debt ceiling:

“The President’s decision to seek yet another $1.2 trillion increase to the debt limit reinforces the unfortunate trend of raising the debt ceiling while taking no action to rein in spending.

“Because of President Obama’s lack of leadership, our national debt has surpassed the size of the American economy. House Republicans have passed numerous bills that will start to get our spending under control only to be blocked by the Democrat controlled Senate and the President. It’s time for the President and Senate Democrats to join Republicans in Congress in making substantive spending cuts and meaningful reforms to our entitlement programs.”

###

“Governor Brewer’s State of the State address today lays the foundation for what should be an outstanding legislative session. The hard work done the last three years by the Governor and Legislature to straighten out our state’s finances has put Arizona back on the right track.

The Governor is right to promise no extension of the temporary one-cent sales tax increase. We also stand with Governor Brewer in her commitment to lower taxes and reduce regulation.

The Governor will have strong support in the legislature as we continue to fight the Federal Government’s overreach. We must stand for what is right in Arizona and not emulate Washington, D.C.

We are prepared for a productive, efficient Centennial Legislative session, and look forward to working with Governor Brewer to put the interests of our citizens first.”

###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 9, 2012

PHOENIX, AZ –U.S. Congressman Paul Gosar, DDS (AZ-01) released the following statement today following the announcement of the Obama Administration’s decision to withdraw approximately 1 million acres of federal land in northern Arizona from uranium mining:

“Today’s actions show that the administration continues to count on the distortion of truths and the outright denial of facts, to push their big government agenda. President Obama and Secretary Salazar are showing a clear indifference to the separation of powers and instead of leading our nation are being more divisive than ever. 

As the representative of a large portion of the Grand Canyon National Park, the preservation of this natural treasure is very important to me. I would not want any activity to be done that would threaten that vital aspect of our economy or the aesthetic beauty of the canyon that’s why the original buffer was put into place. 

In is important we realize that the rhetoric surrounding this issue focuses on facts, not scare tactics. The Administration’s land withdrawal is unnecessary to protect the Grand Canyon. The park currently has a land buffer. No uranium mine can exist within the park’s boundaries, or the park buffer. It is simply false and misleading to assert that if the land in the strip is not withdrawn, uranium mining will take place “in” the canyon or “in the park.”

I strongly believe cautious development with strong oversight under federal statue strikes the careful balance between economic activity and environmental protection and thus oppose the proposed arbitrary withdrawal.” 

In the 1980’s, former Arizona Congressman Morris Udall, now-Senator John McCain, and other Congressional leaders negotiated a compromise with the uranium mining industry, native Americans, environmentalists, livestock and other stakeholder groups which formed the basis for designating Arizona’s first wilderness areas as buffer zones around the Grand Canyon National Park. The withdrawal area being considered by the Department of Interior was specifically identified for uranium mining and was opened up for economic activity as part of that negotiated agreement.

###