Congressman David Schweikert discusses upcoming debt ceiling fight on CNBC

There is no one better able to discuss and debate our pending economic crisis than Congressman David Schweikert. Watch as he schools two CNBC business reporters on what’s really happening with the debt ceiling debate.

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Help AZ06′s David Schweikert – Sign the Petition Now!

Please sign the petition to put Congressman David Schweikert back on the House Financial Services Committee! Speaker John Boehner needs to hear from you now!

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Arizona Republican Party Chairman Tom Morrissey Reaffirms Support for Congressman David Schweikert

Arizona Republican Party

PHOENIX – Tom Morrissey, Chairman of the Arizona Republican Party, today issued a statement in support of Congressman David Schweikert after party leadership in Washington, D.C. removed Schweikert from his position on the House Financial Services Committee.

“Congressman Schweikert is not only a principled conservative but he is exceptionally qualified to continue his service on the Financial Services Committee.  In these particularly pressing times it is essential that our party use every available ounce of talent, experience and fiscal responsibility to lead our nation back into prosperity, and we are counting on every one of Arizona’s representatives in Congress to do just that.”

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Rep. David Schweikert, Arizona’s principled maverick, gets booted from critical committee

Wow! This interesting news coming out of Washington, D.C. Our very own Congressman David Schweikert is losing critical positions on committees because he’s too conservative on fiscal issues. Sound familiar? The same thing happened to Congressman Jeff Flake who was ahead of his time on earmarks.

Now would be a very good time to contact Speaker John Boehner and the Financial Services Committee and give them a piece of your mind. Be respectful, of course.

Politico:  Schweikert kicked off Financial Services Committee
This morning Congressman Schweikert learned there was a price to be paid for voting based on principle. That price was the removal from the House Financial Services Committee. 

The Hill: Schweikert dropped from Financial Services panel

Red State: The Purge of House Conservatives Continues
Maybe it’s because he’s intent on repealing Dodd-Frank.  Maybe it’s because he wants to use his committee assignment to advocate winding down Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.  Perhaps it’s because of his opposition to the $1 trillion farm bill.  Maybe it’s because he’s just too darn conservative to sit on an important committee.

Roll Call: Schweikert Booted from Financial Services Committee 
GOP leadership has removed Rep. David Schweikert from his spot on the Financial Services Committee for bucking the party line too often.  A person close to the situation said Schweikert was told that “his votes were not in lock step with leadership” as the reason for his ouster.

National Journal: Recalcitrant Republicans Lose Committee Spots
House Republican leaders, especially McCarthy, have been hamstrung by their relative lack of leverage over their own members. While whips in previous years have been able to wield influence over pet projects in a given member’s district, the lack of earmarks in this Congress has robbed party leaders of a stick to go along with a carrot to encourage falling in line.

Committee assignments are one of the few goodies left at leadership’s disposal. Robbing these three members of their committee slots can’t be explained away as something done to accommodate incoming freshmen.

Having known David Schweikert for 20 years, this will be a huge mistake for House leadership. David is known to be one of the smartest guys in Congress when it comes to fiscal issues.

David Schweikert: Vote No On Prop 121 and Prop 204

David Schweikert

Dear Friends,

Many of you have asked me what my thoughts are on Proposition 121 (open primary) and Proposition 204 (permanent sales tax increase) which are both on the November ballot. I wanted to take a few minutes and share with you my thoughts on each of these propositions.

Proposition 121

Proposition 121 would dramatically change elections in Arizona. This proposition would eliminate party primaries and instead conduct an open primary with the two candidates who receive the most votes advancing to the general election regardless of party. Proposition 121 has the very real potential to be disastrous for Arizona’s election system. Political parties would be stripped of their ability to conduct primary elections to choose their own candidates for office. Democrats could vote for Republicans and Republicans could vote for Democrats. This is troubling. I believe that political parties have every right to pick their own candidates and Proposition 121 would take that away.

Additionally, party affiliation would no longer be printed on the ballot. Candidates could choose whatever party affiliation they would like to appear on the ballot. I don’t need to explain how this is a recipe for chicanery and trickery where candidates would choose a party affiliation or title that may suit their own political interests- but that could also confuse voters.

Proposition 121 is bad policy that has the potential to do real damage to our system of electing candidates.

I am opposed to Proposition 121 and will be voting against it. I would encourage you to do the same.

Proposition 204 

Proposition 204 is a special interest funded effort to make permanent the 1 cent sales tax due to expire. If you remember, this was placed on the ballot in 2010 to assist in closing the state’s budget deficit. It was sold to voters as a temporary tax and many of the supporters of the temporary tax are now opposing Proposition 204.

If Proposition 204 were to pass, Arizona would have the 2nd highest sales tax in the nation. Simply put, this is bad for our economy.

I am opposed to higher taxes as a matter of principle. I believe government should live within its means and not continue to raise taxes and that’s why I am opposed to Proposition 204.

If you believe in smaller government and lower taxes, I would encourage you to vote no on Proposition 204. 

Thank you,

David

Seven Arizona Members of Congress Honored as Guardians of Small Business by NFIB

McCain, Kyl and 5 Arizona Congressmen earn perfect 100% scores

WASHINGTON, D.C., Sept. 12, 2012 – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB), the nation’s leading small-business association, today named 294 members of Congress as Guardians of Small Business for their outstanding voting record on behalf of America’s small-business owners in the 111th Congress.

NFIB President and CEO Dan Danner praised the Senators and Representatives for “standing up for small business.”

In announcing the winners of the coveted Guardian of Small Business award, Danner said, “Small-business owners pay close attention to how their lawmakers vote on the issues affecting their businesses. The Guardian award is a symbol of sincere appreciation from the small-business community for votes that supported their ability to own, operate and grow their businesses.

“Small-business owners are also known to show their gratitude or disappointment at the ballot box. This November, NFIB members will know that these members of Congress are true small-business champions.”

Guardian awards are given to U.S. Senators and Representatives who vote favorably on key small business issues at least 70 percent of the time.

The following NFIB Guardian Award Winners for the 112th Congress representing Arizona all scored 100 percent:

U. S. Senate

Sen. Jon Kyl   

Sen. John McCain   

(with 45 senators from other states)

U. S. House of Representatives

Rep. Jeff Flake

Rep. Trent Franks

Rep. Paul Gosar

Rep. Ben Quayle

Rep. David Schweikert

(with 242 representatives from other states)

EDITOR’S NOTE: To view How Congress Voted, which has the key small-business votes and voting percentages for each lawmaker, go to http://www.NFIB.com/hcv.

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NFIB is the nation’s leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 state capitals. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB’s 350,000 members send their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America’s free enterprise system. NFIB’s mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information about NFIB is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.

Schweikert: Ben Quayle Hearts Huckabees…and Tax Hikes

Friends,

For weeks you have heard my opponent and I talk about our record on taxes. I support keeping your taxes low. Ben Quayle voted to raise your taxes by $1,000.

Those are the facts, plain and simple.

However, my opponent wants you to believe he is a pro-growth candidate who supports low taxes.

Really?

Recently Ben Quayle accepted the endorsement of former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee. Here’s what the Club For Growth had to say about Mike Huckabee’s record as governor: Mike Huckabee is a liberal.”

In fact, Huckabee’s record as governor was so abysmal, the Cato Institute ranked him among the worst of all governors (including democrats) for his continued insistence on raising taxes. Cato put it this way about Huckabee’s record: “[his] leadership has left taxpayers in Arkansas much worse off.”

To Ben Quayle’s credit, at least he is now consistent on where he stands when it comes to raising your taxes.

David

Schweikert Campaign: Believe What You Want Ben

Dear Friends,

Ben Quayle is quite fond of touting that he is the “number one” ranked conservative in the House of Representatives. His source for this is National Journal’s ratings. Now of course, he is free to say whatever he wants about his campaign and how he feels personally about his record. But don’t be fooled- we are all by now well aware of our opponent’s flawed character and trouble with the truth.

It’s well-known that the National Journal rankings are reflective of how a particular member votes with his or her party’s perceived position. Thus, it’s not surprising that Ben Quayle scores so well.

Remember, this is what Politico had to say about Ben Quayle:

“There’s Rep. Ben Quayle, an establishment favorite with the famous last name, who told voters in 2010 he would “knock the hell out of” D.C. but has spent his first year in Washington out of the spotlight, learning the ins and outs of the Capitol while becoming a favorite of leadership.”

So it’s not too surprising that he does well in a ranking of how members vote in accordance with party leadership.

David Schweikert has always been clear that he is in Congress to fight for our conservative values – your values – not leadership in Washington.

For a good explanation about the National Journal ratings that Ben Quayle likes to tout and what they really represent, here is what HotlineOnCall had to say about the National Journal ratings as they apply to Ben Quayle (note: HotlineOnCall is part of National Journal).

“Quayle’s House-best conservative rating reflects his relationship with leadership.

I think that sums it up pretty well.

Dan Caldwell
Campaign Manager, Schweikert for Congress

New Poll: Who will win the Republican nomination in CD-6?

Bossie: “Quayle Campaign Statement Desperate Attempt By A Desperate Campaign To Change The Narrative”

David N. Bossie, President of Citizens United, and Fritz Wenzel, President of Wenzel Strategies, made the following statements in response to the Ben Quayle campaign’s desperate vitriolic statement against a poll commissioned by Citizens United Political Victory Fund that showed Quayle down 13 points to David Schweikert:

“The Quayle statement released last night was a desperate attempt by a desperate campaign to change the narrative. The fact is Quayle is losing big. It is always a telltale sign that an establishment campaign is floundering when they attack polls and use over-the-top language like ‘liar’ in a statement. You would expect these kinds of desperate tactics from the Obama campaign – but not from a Republican in a GOP primary. Ben Quayle is on his last legs in a losing campaign.”

– David N. Bossie, President of Citizens United

“It’s not surprising when candidates who perform poorly in public opinion surveys attack those surveys, so while we at Wenzel Strategies are disappointed with the harsh language of the Quayle congressional campaign, we are not surprised. The Quayle campaign joins a growing list of candidates who have disparaged our work and who have gone down in flames, including out-going U.S. Senator Richard Lugar from Indiana. We don’t predict election outcomes. We simply measure public opinion at a given period of time, but this latest survey in Arizona shows Quayle is clearly losing the race to hold onto a seat in Congress.”

– Fritz Wenzel, President of Wenzel Strategies

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Schweikert In Solid Lead Over Quayle In Arizona’s 6th Congressional District Primary According To CUPVF Poll

Citizens United Political Victory Fund (CUPVF), the affiliated PAC of Citizens United, released a poll today conducted by Wenzel Strategies showing Congressman David Schweikert ahead of Congressman Ben Quayle in Arizona’s 6th Congressional District primary. The poll was conducted via telephone survey of likely Republican primary voters from July 24-25, included 794 respondents, and has a 3.45% margin of error. Toplines of poll click here. Polling memo click here.

Poll Results by Wenzel Strategies:

Ballot Test

  • Schweikert – 47.1%
  • Quayle – 33.9%
  • Not sure – 19.0%

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Poll: David Schweikert Leads Ben Quayle by Double-Digits in AZ06

First indication of how the race for Arizona’s 6th congressional district is forming.

The Hill has the story…

Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) has a 13-point lead over Rep. Ben Quayle (R-Ariz.) in their member-vs.-member primary, according to a poll commissioned by Citizens United, a group backing Schweikert in the race.

Schweikert leads Quayle with 47 to 34 percent, according to the poll. The two will face off on Aug. 28.

(continue reading)

And, Roll Call also provides the following report:

Rep. David Schweikert led fellow Republican Rep. Ben Quayle by 16 percentage points in a recent Schweikert campaign internal poll. 

The two Congressmen are engaged in a blockbuster Member-vs.-Member race for Arizona’s 6th district that has caught the attention of Arizona Republicans. According to the survey from this past Sunday, 49 percent of respondents supported Schweikert, while 33 percent said they intended to vote for Quayle.

(continue reading)

Rep. David Schweikert Introduces Amendment to Dismantle Dodd-Frank

Washington, D.C. – Rep. David Schweikert (R-AZ), Vice Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Capital Markets and Government-Sponsored Enterprises, introduced the Schweikert Amendment to H.R. 4078 that would halt all rule promulgation of Dodd-Frank. This amendment is the first introduced to dismantle Dodd-Frank that has seen a vote in the House of Representatives.

“Fresh off the second anniversary of Dodd-Frank, we are still waiting for the transparency, simplification, and safeguards that we were promised when this bill was introduced. Instead what we have is 2,300 pages, 400 new rule proposals, and 24,180,856 hours each year required for compliance.

“Every day, we discover new powers that unconstitutionally appointed bureaucrats and regulators have bestowed upon themselves. Dodd-Frank’s marketplace disturbances were endless then and they are endless now.

“The Schweikert Amendment is key to dismantling these suffocating, nonsensical regulations. I hope all of my colleagues realize this and support it,” said Rep. Schweikert.

BACKGROUND: This amendment will halt all outstanding promulgation of Dodd-Frank regulations by requiring costs to businesses be recognized in evaluating the bill’s “annual cost to the economy” guidelines.

By more specifically defining “annual cost to the economy,” the Schweikert Amendment will prevent the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) from ignoring real costs borne by corporations due to new rulemakings.

Most significantly, the Schweikert Amendment also ensures that preparatory costs are part of that calculation, which would include actions companies have taken to prepare themselves for Dodd-Frank rulemakings that have cost them revenues. Those costs will now be a part of the calculations for “annual cost to the economy.”

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Ben Quayle: Do As I Say Not As I Do

Dear Supporters,

Our opponent started his campaign stating that he hoped this race would have “a tone that honors our party, our nation and the voters of the 6th district.”

Well that didn’t last too long.

Just this past weekend Ben Quayle threw mud at conservative David Schweikert with a negative mail piece arriving just a day after he bemoaned and warned of negative campaigning.

Pretty ironic huh?

I’d like to say we were shocked by his negative attacks. But as is often the case with our opponent, nothing he does really shocks us anymore.

Given the way the race has gone for him, we expect even more negative attacks from him and his campaign.

Needless to say, we continue to campaign hard as we move toward victory on August 28th. Pleaseconsider making a donation or volunteering your time to help ensure a victory for David on election day.

Sincerely,

Dan Caldwell
Campaign Manager, Schweikert for Congress

David Schweikert for Congress – Respected, Trusted, Conservative

David Schweikert doesn’t back down. One of the most respected conservatives in Congress, David Schweikert took on the big spenders, said “No” to more debt, and led the fight for real spending cuts…

Rep. David Schweikert on Supreme Court Ruling on ‘Obamacare’

Washington, D.C. – Congressman David Schweikert (R-AZ) made the following statement Thursday after the Supreme Court announced its decision on the constitutionality of President Obama’s government takeover of healthcare:

“When the Democrat controlled Congress passed ObamaCare over two years ago, it was the single most economically devastating government mandate our country has ever seen.

“Today, after the Supreme Court ruled ObamaCare’s individual mandate a tax, it still remains the most economically devastating government mandate our country has ever seen.

“If the Supreme Court will not repeal this job-killing, tax-hiking mandate, then I will fight until every ounce of ObamaCare is repealed and replaced.”

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Republicans on Immigration Issues and the Latino Vote

Here’s a quick wrap-up of what Republicans have been saying on President Obama’s non-enforcement measure, immigration and the Latino vote:

First my comments:

Next, Congressman Schweikert’s comments:

Click Here To view Reactions to Obama’s immigration executive order!

Then Senator Jon Kyl commented on Fox News:

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Senator John McCain on Meet the Press:

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Finally, Governor Mitt Romney at the National Association of Latino Elected Officials:

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And if you’re curious, here is what the Republican Party Platform says on “Immigration, National Security, and the Rule of Law”

Immigration policy is a national security issue, for which we have one test: Does it serve the national interest? By that standard, Republicans know America can have a strong immigration system without sacrificing the rule of law.

Enforcing the Rule of Law at the Border and Throughout the Nation

Border security is essential to national security. In an age of terrorism, drug cartels, and criminal gangs, allowing millions of unidentified persons to enter and remain in this country poses grave risks to the sovereignty of the United States and the security of its people. We simply must be able to track who is entering and leaving our country.

Our determination to uphold the rule of law begins with more effective enforcement, giving our agents the tools and resources they need to protect our sovereignty, completing the border fence quickly and securing the borders, and employing complementary strategies to secure our ports of entry. Experience shows that enforcement of existing laws is effective in reducing and reversing illegal immigration.

Our commitment to the rule of law means smarter enforcement at the workplace, against illegal workers and lawbreaking employers alike, along with those who practice identity theft and traffic in fraudulent documents. As long as jobs are available in the United States, economic incentives to enter illegally will persist. But we must empower employers so they can know with confidence that those they hire are permitted to work. That means that the E-Verify system—which is an internet-based system that verifies the employment authorization and identity of employees—must be reauthorized. A phased-in requirement that employers use the E-Verify system must be enacted.

The rule of law means guaranteeing to law enforcement the tools and coordination to deport criminal aliens without delay – and correcting court decisions that have made deportation so difficult. It means enforcing the law against those who overstay their visas, rather than letting millions flout the generosity that gave them temporary entry. It means imposing maximum penalties on those who smuggle illegal aliens into the U.S., both for their lawbreaking and for their cruel exploitation. It means requiring cooperation among federal, state and local law enforcement and real consequences, including the denial of federal funds, for self-described sanctuary cities, which stand in open defiance of the federal and state statutes that expressly prohibit such sanctuary policies, and which endanger the lives of U.S. citizens. It does not mean driver’s licenses for illegal aliens, nor does it mean that states should be allowed to flout the federal law barring them from giving in-state tuition rates to illegal aliens, nor does it mean that illegal aliens should receive social security benefits, or other public benefits, except as provided by federal law.

We oppose amnesty. The rule of law suffers if government policies encourage or reward illegal activity. The American people’s rejection of en masse legalizations is especially appropriate given the federal government’s past failures to enforce the law.

Embracing Immigrant Communities

Today’s immigrants are walking in the steps of most other Americans’ ancestors, seeking the American dream and contributing culturally and economically to our nation. We celebrate the industry and love of liberty of these fellow Americans.

Both government and the private sector must do more to foster legally present immigrants’ integration into American life to advance respect for the rule of law and a common American identity. It is a national disgrace that the first experience most new Americans have is with a dysfunctional immigration bureaucracy defined by delay and confusion; we will no longer tolerate those failures.

In our multiethnic nation, everyone – immigrants and native-born alike – must embrace our core values of liberty, equality, meritocracy, and respect for human dignity and the rights of women.

One sign of our unity is our English language. For newcomers, it has always been the fastest route to prosperity in America. English empowers. We support English as the official language in our nation, while welcoming the ethnic diversity in the United States and the territories, including language. Immigrants should be encouraged to learn English. English is the accepted language of business, commerce, and legal proceedings, and it is essential as a unifying cultural force. It is also important, as part of cultural integration, that our schools provide better education in U.S. history and civics for all children, thereby fostering a commitment to our national motto, E Pluribus Unum.

We are grateful to the thousands of new immigrants, many of them not yet citizens, who are serving in the Armed Forces. Their patriotism is inspiring; it should remind the institutions of civil society of the need to embrace newcomers, assist their journey to full citizenship, and help their communities avoid patterns of isolation.

Welcoming Refugees

Our country continues to accept refugees from troubled lands all over the world. In some cases, these are people who stood with America in dangerous times, and they have first call on our hospitality. We oppose, however, the granting of refugee status on the basis of lifestyle or other non-political factors.