April 19, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today in the following statement announced the video and action page BuildWallNow.org to urge Congress to adopt President Donald Trump’s proposed border supplemental in the April 28 continuing resolution:

“In January, House Speaker Paul Ryan indicated that if Mick Mulvaney was confirmed at OMB and the Trump White House formally put in the supplemental funding request for the border wall, that it would be done in the first quarter, presumably as a part of the April 28 continuing resolution. Well, Mulvaney was confirmed on Feb. 16 and the supplemental request was formally put to Ryan on March 16 by President Trump. Trump kept up his part of the bargain. But by March 30, Ryan had changed his tune, telling CBS News ‘the big chunk of money for the wall really is… next fiscal year’s appropriations…’

“If Congressional Republicans fail to deliver the wall via a funding vehicle this year, it will portend badly for the 2018 midterms and endanger members’ reelection hopes.  Voters need to see that Republicans are keeping their promises. Members’ fates are tied to the wall. Congress must vote to build the wall.”

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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April 18, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Foundation released a report today entitled “Shedding Light on Solar Electricity.” The report covers a number of problems that the solar industry has been causing its customers. It also makes a number of recommendations to state legislators about how to protect consumers and improve transparency in the solar industry.

Americans for Limited Government Foundation Director of Research Richard McCarty, who authored the study, stated in the report’s conclusion: “Consumers have a right to know the facts before they decide to have solar panels installed on their homes. Too many times, unscrupulous solar industry employees have omitted these facts or, intentionally or unintentionally, misled potential customers. That is why state legislators should enact sensible laws that require solar companies to be open and transparent with their potential customers about the advantages and disadvantages of solar panels. Even after legislators address these problems, it will still be necessary for consumers to do their own research to ensure that solar panels are the right choice for them; but until consumer protection laws are strengthened, this research will be even more vital.”

The report covers some of the ways in which solar customers have been scammed as well as problems customers have experienced. For example, some solar customers have not received the government rebates they were due because they were stolen by their contractor. Others have paid deposits on solar panels that were never installed. Many customers have not seen the savings on their utility bills that they were promised. A number of customers who have signed solar leases have experienced problems with selling or refinancing their homes. Those leasing solar panels and trying to get a reverse mortgage have learned it is simply impossible. Of course, all too often, these customers were not told of these risks.

To reduce the number of these cases and improve consumer protection laws, the report includes a list of recommendations for state legislators to consider. This list includes requiring solar contractors to provide customers with a written contract; requiring contracts to include the amount of any monthly payments and what, if anything, could cause them to rise; requiring that any promised savings must be written into the contract; and requiring that contracts specify who is to receive any solar incentives.

It is hoped that this report will be of use to consumers considering having solar panels installed and to state legislators and regulators concerned with consumer protection.

Attachments:

“Shedding Light on Solar Electricity,” Americans for Limited Government Foundation Director of Research Richard McCarty, April 18, 2017 at https://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Shedding-Light-on-Solar-Electricity.pdf

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

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April 18, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Attorney General Jeff Sessions to review the current prosecution of former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio for enforcing U.S. immigration law:

“It is inexcusable for any law enforcement official to be prosecuted for enforcing the law. Sheriff Joe Arpaio was brought up on contempt charges by the Obama Justice Department for enforcing U.S. immigration law. In light of President Trump’s executive order deputizing local law enforcement to enforce U.S. immigration law, it is positively ludicrous that Arpaio would be now prosecuted for doing so. It sends precisely the wrong message to law enforcement, and could deter local agencies from participating in the President’s deputy program for fear of later prosecution. We urge Attorney General Jeff Sessions to review this case and to take any and all action necessary to end this political prosecution or if necessary for the President to grant him a pardon — after all, he was only doing his job to protect Maricopa County.”

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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April 13, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Congress to include funding for building the southern border wall in the April 28 continuing resolution:

“Donald Trump ran on building the southern border wall, and the Republican Congress needs to integrate his supplemental budget that funds into the spending bill due April 28. The GOP Congress must not give into Democrat demands to stop the wall, which would be a politically devastating betrayal of the voters that who elected both President Trump and the GOP majorities in the House and Senate.

“If Senate Minority Leader Schumer wants to shut the government down over the wall, then Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell should tell him to bring it on. President Trump should make it clear that federal employees who are laid off due to Schumer’s intransigence will not be paid when the shutdown ends.  If Schumer wants to filibuster the wall, let him, but force him to stand on the floor and talk until he drops from exhaustion.”

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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April 11, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising President Donald Trump for refusing to sign a statement endorsing the Paris climate accord at the G7 meeting:

“President Trump’s refusal to sign a statement endorsing the Paris climate accord is a positive step toward complete withdrawal from the agreement. The damage to the United States economy that enforcement of Obama’s Paris deal would make achieving the growth and prosperity that were at the heart of the President’s election campaign impossible. His actions today demonstrate his commitment to ending Obama’s radical environmental policies which resulted in the worst ten year GDP growth since the data has been collected including the Great Depression. Thank you, President Trump, for standing up for America’s economy and our workers against those who have embraced the Paris economic suicide pact.”

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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April 7, 2017, Fairfax, Va.–Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising the Senate for confirming soon-to-be-sworn-in Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court:

“This confirmation is a huge victory for President Donald Trump, who kept his promise by appointing a constitutionalist to the bench. Thanks to the steadfast leadership and determination Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, the balance of power on the Supreme Court has been preserved with the confirmation of Justice Neil Gorsuch, who promises to uphold the text of the Constitution and the rule of law. This proves when the Senate majority is determined to act, they can pull together to respect the will of the people. It is our hope that newly minted Justice Gorsuch lives up to the intellectual legacy of Antonin Scalia who put the rule of law ahead of personal preference.”

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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April 7, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement on the latest jobs numbers:

“With 472,000 more Americans reporting they have jobs in the household survey — almost a million new jobs since January — the U.S. economy is going a long way to bringing back into the economy the roughly 9 million 16 to 64 year olds who either left the labor force or did not enter on a net basis since labor participation peaked in 1997. President Trump spoke often of underemployment on the campaign trail, so he realizes more than anyone that we’ve still got a ways to go. If those 9 million lost labor force were included in today’s jobs report, the unemployment rate would still be north of 9 percent. Growth still remains low, with the last 10 years being the worst in history from a growth perspective.

“With that in mind, it remains important that Congress support President Trump’s agenda for better trade deals, lower taxes and few regulations so that today’s gains can be sustained with an economy that grows robustly.”

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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April 6, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging caution by the U.S. before getting more involved in the civil war in Syria:

“There’s no authorization to use force against Syria and the Assad regime. This is an Article I question. Congress needs to debate that. And that debate must be based on the facts. Given the conflicting reports about whether it was sarin gas or chlorine used, it appears premature to determine what the next steps should be. Was this an attack by the Syrian military, or have terrorist groups like al Qaeda come into possession of chemical weapons? We need to know the answer to that before any decisions are made.

“Even if we do get clarity on the specifics of the attack in Idlib, the question remains whether spending our time, treasure and blood in Syria worth it? Is this in America’s interests? Does this put America first? That is the question every decision must be based on, the only premise on which we can act and no other. Taking military action as a first resort rarely turns out well. We’ve taken regime change in Iraq and again in Libya, turning both into active civil wars, and the jury’s still out in Afghanistan. May seem like a good idea, but we haven’t had much luck with it in the past decade. Regime change? To whom? Who would we be turning Syria over to? There’s little basis for civil society, religious freedom and stable parliamentary-style systems there. What comes next? For those who constantly clamor for war, the question is whether what’s left behind is better than what existed before, and the failure of regime change over the past two Administrations demands caution.”

Attachments:

“A rock and a hard place in Syria,” By Printus LeBlanc, April 6, 2017 at http://netrightdaily.com/2017/04/rock-hard-place-syria/

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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April 6, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement Senate Republicans for invoking the constitutional option in confirming Judge Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court:

“Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley have stood firm in ensuring the will of the people who voted in 2016 was upheld, by letting the election be a referendum on the direction of the Supreme Court. The American people voted for the reestablishment of the Constitution and rule of law rather than the whims of unelected judges. We trust that soon to be Justice Neil Gorsuch will continue his outstanding record of putting the law ahead of personal preference.”

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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April 6, 2017, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes for exposing unconstitutional surveillance of the Trump campaign and transition:

“The American people owe Devin Nunes a debt of gratitude for his willingness to take on the Democrat political spin machine. Nunes has exposed the unconstitutional, civil liberties destroying surveillance by the Obama administration of the Trump campaign and transition. While Chairman Nunes has chosen to temporarily step aside from investigating the Obama administration’s wrongdoing, we have faith that the committee’s majority will get to the bottom of this scandal and bring it to an honest and fair conclusion. If it turns out that Obama and his team were indeed directing a domestic spying operation on his political opponents, the American public deserves to know so that this can never happen 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.

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