Feb. 14, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement praising Rep. James Lankford for introducing H.J. Res. 110, legislation that would allow states to enter into an interstate compact to regulate health care on their own without federal interference:

“If New York or California like Obamacare, they can keep it. But if other states want out, there should be no reason they cannot administer federal funds the way they see fit. Americans for Limited Government urge every member of the House to cosponsor Lankford’s bill to restore state control over health care.

“If states want to opt out of federal administration of health insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and the insurance exchanges, they should be allowed to. That is what the health compact will accomplish. The compact will transfer federal control of health care to participating states that choose to adopt the compact. It is not mandatory.”

Attachments:

H.J. Res 110, Feb. 11, 2014 at http://beta.congress.gov/bill/113th/house-joint-resolution/110/text?q={%22search%22:[%22h%20j%20res%20110%22]}

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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Feb. 7, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement on the latest jobs numbers:

“We learned this week that the Obama Administration views a shrinking workforce participation as a good thing based upon their response to Congressional Budget Office analysis of Obamacare which asserts that more than 2 million people are likely to leave the full-time workforce due to Obamacare.

“The ups and downs of any monthly unemployment report pale in comparison to this startling analysis.  While the labor participation rate shifted upward slightly, it still remains that 3.5 million fewer people who are 16-54 are participating in the workforce compared to January 2009 levels. If they were included in today’s jobs report, the unemployment rate would be 8.6 percent, instead of the reported 6.6 percent.

“The impact of this long term shift in workforce participation remains a real source of concern for the future health of the U.S. economy.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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Feb. 6, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government Vice President of Public Policy and Communications Richard Manning today issued the following statement urging the House of Representatives to use its power of the purse to force the Attorney General to appoint a special counsel to investigate the IRS tea party targeting scandal:

“Congressman Jim Jordan earned the nation’s respect today for holding a hearing highlighting the IRS abuses against conservative oriented social welfare groups.  It was astonishing to hear Democrats on the Committee continue to deny the obvious weaponization of government experienced by these Americans triggered for no other reason than their decision to formally engage in the political process.

“It is truly embarrassing that these Democrats, who purport to support democracy and involvement, would make excuses and even go so far as to attack those who have already been victimized once.

“Fortunately, Catherine Engelbrecht of True the Vote and Becky Gerritson of Wetumpka Tea Party in Alabama continue to refuse to be victims and will not be silenced.  Their efforts, along with outstanding members of Congress like Mr. Jordan have brought the Obama Administration’s obvious abuse of power to the national spotlight.

“Last year, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal called for a special counsel to investigate and prosecute these egregious abuses of power that threaten the fabric of our representative democracy.  That call was echoed today by Representative Trey Gowdy of South Carolina.  It is clear that the Justice Department is stonewalling any legitimate investigation and there is no longer any excuse for denying a legitimate independent investigation of these blatant attacks on the fundamental right to dissent.

“To force the issue, Congress using its power of the purse should stop all attempts by the IRS to impose new regulations governing social welfare groups, and additionally force a full investigation into these abuses by a special counsel.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today issued the following statement in response to allegations by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 12 that the Obama-run Department of Labor has engaged in racial discrimination in their internal promotion policies dating back to 2009:

“It is the ultimate irony that Labor Secretary Thomas Perez is facing a union crisis at the Department he leads that is largely based upon racial discrimination claims built around the discredited disparate impact theory that he has long sought to impose on private employers.

“The racism claim from Labor’s public employee union local is based upon statistical analysis of job promotions rather than a critical look at the comparative candidates who were being considered.  Under Perez’s own enforcement of the law while at the Justice Department, the merits of individual candidates don’t matter, the only guideline for racial discrimination is if the correct proportion of each race and gender are represented.  Now, he faces a complaint that accuses his predecessor and many of his subordinates in the Department with being branded with the scarlet R of racist due to their promotion practices.

“Now Perez and Obama himself are being hoisted on the very petard they have been using as a cudgel against private employers.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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Jan. 31, 2014, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Nathan Mehrens today praised Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee Rep. Dave Camp (R-Mich.) for directing the investigation of the IRS targeting of the tea party and other 501(c)4 organizations toward a November 2013 proposed rulemaking by the Treasury Department that will severely restrict the political speech of all 501(c)4s:

“House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp’s request for all documents related to the IRS rulemaking is a step in the right direction to stop these egregious regulations from taking effect.  The regulations would effectively legitimize the very IRS activity that resulted in the tea party targeting scandal of the past couple of years.  Chairman Camp’s request will help determine if the new regulations were driven more by politics than the law.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at (703)383-0880 or at media@algnews.org to arrange an interview with ALG experts including ALG President Nathan Mehrens.

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