Americans for Limited Government Congratulations Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao

Feb. 2, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement congratulating Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao on her Senate confirmation:

“I had the honor of serving under Secretary Elaine L. Chao at the Labor Department in the President George W. Bush Administration and know that our nation’s transportation systems will be in good hands with her steerage in the Trump Administration. Secretary Chao will do a fantastic job of addressing many of the challenges that have been left behind ranging from an aging infrastructure system to reining in ill-advised, unrealistic CAFÉ standards for automobiles, President Trump has the right person to help him make America great again.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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NTIA sat on legal justification for creating Internet monopoly for almost 3 years

Feb. 2, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the National Telecommunications and Information Administration for sitting on the most responsive Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) documents for almost 3 years on what the legal and policy justification was for the transitioning the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) administering the world’s domain name system to a single entity creating a global monopoly over the functions:

“If these documents had been made available in a timely manner, even in the redacted form we now see, Americans for Limited Government and others would have had legal recourse to appeal the privileged determination that they were exempt documents. It took almost 3 years to produce the most responsive documents in our FOIA and only now is the agency claiming its privileged exemptions when it is too late to appeal except for the historical record.

“The fact that whatever legal justification existed for the Internet giveaway was sat upon until long after the transition was over, and did not take place until Obama left office, denied those opposed to the Internet giveaway a critical indication about whether any legal analysis was performed prior to the transition’s announcement. Now we know, even redacted form, that the only documents entitled ‘legal justification’ on page 163 were not completed until 11 days after the transition had already been announced, and just 2 days after questions about legal authority had been raised by the Wall Street Journal. The most transparent administration ever, indeed.”

To view online: http://getliberty.org/2017/02/ntia-sat-on-legal-justification-for-creating-internet-monopoly-for-almost-3-years/

Attachments:

FOIA final response by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Jan. 26, 2017 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/NTIAFinalResponse1-26-17.pdf

How to Save the Internet, L. Gordon Crovitz, March 23, 2014 at http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303802104579453263393882136 RE: “a spokesman for the Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration said the agency reviewed this legal issue and concluded the administration can act without Congress but refused to share a copy of the legal analysis.”

Au Revoir to the Open Internet, L. Gordon Crovitz, June 29, 2014 at http://www.wsj.com/articles/gordon-crovitz-au-revoir-to-the-open-internet-1404076280

Halfway to Wrecking Internet Freedom, By L. Gordon Crovitz, Nov. 30, 2014 at http://www.wsj.com/articles/gordon-crovitz-halfway-to-wrecking-internet-freedom-1417387404

An Internet Giveaway to the U.N., By L. Gordon Crovitz, Aug. 28, 2016 at http://www.wsj.com/articles/an-internet-giveaway-to-the-u-n-1472421165

NTIA performed no antitrust analysis even as it proceeded with the creation of Internet monopoly, Aug. 26, 2016 at http://getliberty.org/ntia-performed-no-antitrust-analysis-even-as-it-created-global-internet-monopoly/

NTIA FOIA response to Americans for Limited Government requesting antitrust analysis on relinquishing IANA functions to NTIA, Aug. 16, 2016 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/NTIA-No-Records-Response-Antitrust-Analysis-08.16.16.pdf

FOIA further response by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, March 18, 2016 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/NTIAFOIAResponse4thSet3-18-16.pdf

FOIA further response by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, March 14, 2016 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/NTIAFOIA3rdSet-3-14-16.pdf

FOIA further response by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Jan. 7, 2016 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/NTIAFOIAResponse1-7-2016.pdf

FOIA further response by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, June 15, 2015 at http://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/DOC-NTIA_FOIA-Responsive-Docs-Set2.pdf

FOIA interim response by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), June 30, 2014 at http://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/DOC-NTIA_FOIA-Responsive-Docs-Set1.pdf

FOIA Request to National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), March 27, 2014 at http://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/DOC-NTIA-FOIA-re-ICANN-03-27-14.pdf

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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ALG supports Goodlatte bill blocking cash settlements to third party activist groups

Feb. 2, 2017, Fairfax, Va.–Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in support of legislation offered by Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.), HR 732, that would block cash settlements to third party activist groups in legal cases to which the U.S. is a party to:

“This legislation prevents the legal extortion of contributions to political activist groups and others from defendants during the settlement process.  It is wholly inappropriate for the Department of Justice to dictate the political distribution of funds through the legal process. The abuses of the Obama Administration in using mortgage settlements as liberal advocacy funding tools will be shut down forever through the passage of HR 732.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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ALG praises Senate Judiciary Committee for putting Jeff Sessions Attorney General nomination to floor, urges speedy confirmation

Feb. 1, 2017, Fairfax, Va.–Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising the Senate Judiciary Committee for putting President Donald Trump’s nominee to be Attorney General, Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), to the floor of the Senate for an up or down vote:

“With former Obama Justice Department officials still acting as if Jan. 20 never happened, it imperative that the Senate immediately confirm Jeff Sessions to be the next Attorney General.

“Senator Sessions, as all his colleagues know, is a soft-spoken man of honor and of the utmost character, just the man the nation needs to restore the rule of law. Enough stalling. With a Supreme Court Justice now to consider, it is important the Senate clear the floor of nominations so that the Trump administration can get to work.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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ALG urges Senate confirmation of Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court

Jan. 31, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Senate confirmation of President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court, Neil Gorsuch:

“The election of 2016 was a referendum on who would get to select the next Supreme Court justice to replace the late Antonin Scalia. President Trump’s wise and thoughtful selection of Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court should be respected by the Senate, which has the constitutional responsibility to provide for a fair and expedited hearing process, and an up or down vote decided by a simple majority of the Senate. If Senate Majority Leader McConnell faces the sort of obstruction that has been promised by some in the minority, including the use of the filibuster, to block consideration of Gorsuch, it will be incumbent on him to use all means necessary to ensure that this qualified and outstanding jurist is confirmed.

“It is time for the Senate minority to reconcile itself to the fact their party lost the election, and stop behaving like spoiled children who didn’t get a candy bar in the grocery store.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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Obama is wrong, Trump executive order on travel does not discriminate on the basis of religion

Jan. 30, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting former President Barack Obama’s statement via spokesperson Kevin Lewis that President Donald Trump’s executive order temporarily blocking travel from countries invoked by the 2015 exceptions to the visa waiver program stipulated under 8 U.S.C. Section 1187(a)(12), which include Iran, Iraq, Syria, Sudan, Libya, Yemen and Somalia, “discriminat[es] against individuals because of their faith or religion”:

“The Trump executive order barring travel for 90 days from terror hotspots does not discriminate on the basis of religion, as Obama well knows. In 2011 the State Department stopped processing refugees from Iraq for six months, not because of religion, but after the FBI caught al Qaeda terrorists in Kentucky who had snuck into the country posing as refugees. It is a fact that Obama himself as president issued three so-called 212(f) travels bans, as presidents have broad authority to do so under 8 U.S.C. Section 1182(f),  which was never repealed by the 1965 Immigration Act and therefore can only be read as a presidential exception in order for the two statutes to be read consistently. That is out 16 such travel active bans that were issued by presidents over the years prior to Trump’s inauguration.

“The law states explicitly the president may ‘suspend the entry of all aliens or any class of aliens as immigrants or nonimmigrants, or impose on the entry of aliens any restrictions he may deem to be appropriate,’ the same broad authority Trump is now relying upon in addition to his grant of executive power under Article II of the Constitution.

“There are about 50 majority Muslim countries throughout the world. The Trump travel ban affects seven, which are known terror hotspots. In confronting radical Islam, focusing on those regions most affected by the conflict is a common-sense place to start. In Nov. 2015, before then-candidate Trump issued his own statement on this issue, Americans for Limited Government urged an even broader travel ban than what Trump has issued in light of the Paris terrorist attacks. Addressing this issue is long overdue, and will grant the U.S. the time it needs to reevaluate its broken immigration system and refugee programs, and if necessary, to expand these efforts in order to best protect the American people.”

Attachments:

“Trump’s Exclusion of Aliens from Specific Countries Is Legal, by Andrew McCarthy,” National Review, Jan. 30, 2017 at http://www.nationalreview.com/article/444371/donald-trump-executive-order-ban-entry-seven-muslim-majority-countries-legal

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Rick Manning.

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No backing down for Senate on Trump SCOTUS pick

Jan. 30, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Senate Republicans to do everything in their power to confirm President Donald Trump’s choice for the Supreme Court when it comes up:

“President Donald Trump’s anticipated Supreme Court nominee will set up a showdown in the Senate that cannot be lost.  This past election was about the make-up of the Supreme Court and whether an Antonin Scalia-like justice would replace the iconic jurist or not.  There is no backing down, and it is our hope that the nominee put forward by the President will meet this high standard and that the Senate majority will take every necessary step to gain confirmation in a timely manner.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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1.3316 percent average annual growth 2007-2016 worst economic growth ever

Jan. 27, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement noting that 2007 through 2016 at 1.3316 percent average annual growth was the slowest economic growth rate ever over a 10-year period in U.S. history, based on data compiled by the Bureau of Economic Analysis:

“The last 10 years, the U.S. suffered the worst economic growth rate since GDP was invented at 1.3316 percent average annual rate, worse than 1930 through 1939 at 1.3334 percent a year, based on the advance 4th quarter estimate by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. This is the worst decade for economic growth measured in U.S. history, even worse than the Great Depression.

“Many economists believe we have entered in a new normal, and should not expect that the prosperity of the past will ever return. No one should be surprised that the American public changed captains of this slowly sinking ship in 2016 to someone who refuses to accept the premise that America’s best days are behind her, but clearly President Trump will have his work cut out for him to reverse this catastrophic decline of stagnant growth.”

Attachments:

Real GDP (Chained Dollars), 1930-1939, Bureau of Economic Analysis, Jan. 27, 2016 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/GDP1930-2016.xlsx

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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FBI wiretapping National Security Advisor Mike Flynn in December ‘outrageous,’ ALG urges investigation into Obama intel witch hunt

Jan. 26, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting former Obama administration surveillance of then-National Security Advisor-select Mike Flynn in December and urging a Congressional investigation of the abuse of intelligence agencies under Obama:

“It is positively outrageous, that National Security Advisor Mike Flynn was under FBI surveillance in December because of normal foreign government contacts during a presidential transition, that were then leaked to the news media to create the appearance of sedition. Later the FBI found nothing illicit about the contacts.

“The question is why did the Obama administration put it to the news media when they knew there was nothing to it? This act appears to be evidence that on its way out the door, the Obama administration was engaged in a political witch hunt designed to hamper the incoming Trump Administration, abusing intelligence and utilizing surveillance against political opponents in the Trump campaign and transition.

“It is not at all uncommon for a President-elect’s national security team to have contacts overseas prior to taking office, as Henry Kissinger, who was no spy, can readily attest. Kissinger had backchannel contacts at the height of the Cold War in 1968 with a Soviet intelligence official prior to Richard Nixon assuming office, which created avenues that led to successful summits, détente and eventually the Strategic Arms Limitations and Anti-Ballistic Missile treaties in 1972. These sorts of contacts can facilitate the promulgation of foreign policy so that when the President takes office, the national security team can begin work immediately. There is nothing seditious about the practice.

“The Congressional intelligence committees, if they investigate anything, ought to be figuring out why the Obama administration apparently had the Trump campaign and transition under surveillance and then used it politically — for such a scandal was heretofore unthinkable in our nation.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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ALG urges DOJ investigation into voter fraud utilizing Social Security records

Jan. 26, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued statement urged for the Department of Justice to investigate potential voter fraud by utilizing Social Security records after President Donald Trump called for a “major investigation”:

“The Attorney General of the United States should get to the bottom of this voter fraud issue by conducting analysis of the voter files from all fifty states and the District of Columbia comparing them to Social Security records. They should also attempt to discern how many individuals voted in multiple locations due to the ease of postcard voter registration. The American right to vote is sacred, and when someone either votes illegally or votes multiple times in the same election, they put a stake through the heart of our representative government and should be subject to prosecution.

“If, as many claim, there was no voter fraud, the issue will be put to rest.  However, if hundreds of thousands or even millions voted illegally, the system must be reformed to ensure that the one person/one vote principle is upheld.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 106 or at media@limitgov.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts.

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