May 24, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today sent a letter to the House Ethics Committee today questioning Michigan Representative Fred Upton’s use of taxpayer paid franked mail to tout his political rating by a national association to his constituents.

Wilson’s letter to House Ethics Committee Chairman Rep. Jo Bonner stated, “I am confident that between the political campaign war chest that a powerful committee chairman can easily amass, and his own personal wealth, Mr. Upton could afford to pay for his own political direct mail without need of taxpayer assistance. Given this confidence, this mailing is all the more offensive, as it reveals Mr. Upton’s sense of entitlement to the perks and benefits of office that are so repugnant to Americans across the political spectrum.”

The letter is in response to a mlive.com news report that Upton has come under fire for a taxpayer funded letter targeting sportsmen in his district touting his rating by the pre-eminent gun rights organization in the world.

“This taxpayer funded campaign mailer is a callous abuse of the congressional franking system which is designed to let constituents know what is happening in Congress and how they are voting.  To cross the line by including political determinations by third party groups in the midst of a reelection campaign is a despicable abuse of power,” Wilson continued.

The letter bringing the House’s attention to the abuse was sent to all members of the House Ethics Committee as well as to House Speaker John Boehner.

Attachments:

Letter to House Committee on Ethics, Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson, May 24, 2012 at http://getliberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Ethics-Letter-on-Upton-NRA-Mailing-5-24-12.pdf

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 23, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on the possibility of Greece leaving the Eurozone:

“Running a deficit in excess of 9 percent of GDP, Greece is upside down and will only be able to return to sustainability if it exits the Eurozone. They never have followed the Eurozone’s budget rules, and they never will. The political class there has always used the temporarily cheap financing the currency provided as a subsidy for its own excesses.

“The only other way to accommodate Greece and other nations’ profligacy in Europe would be for the European Central Bank to monetize and refinance their debts for perpetuity, no matter how large they got. This would transfer wealth from Germany to southern Europe, and transfer inflation from south to north. It would be the end of fiscal sovereignty for all of Europe’s powers, but particularly for the greater ones, which would be forced accommodate the waste of their neighbors.

“That likely will not happen. For Greece’s own sake, switching back to the drachma and leaving the Euro is the only way out — even if it throws Europe into momentary turmoil. In the end there likely will be no escaping cutting spending, but at least it can be on Greece’s own terms, in its own currency, and with the liberty of her people intact.”

Attachments:

Greece sets June 17 for new elections, By ALG President Bill Wilson, May 23, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/05/greece-sets-june-17-for-new-elections/

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 22, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement praising the U.S. Southern District of New York Court for enjoining enforcement of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that allowed for the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens for national security purposes:

“Judge Katherine Forrest has taken the first, necessary step of suspending enforcement of the section 1021 of the NDAA pending further review by federal courts, preventing the federal government from indefinitely detaining any U.S. citizen while the trial is taking place. The government’s arguments in this case rest on a very broad interpretation of the President’s war powers on the homeland. It is essentially claiming to already have the power to exercise war powers against citizens on the homeland.

“The Bill of Rights was designed to work under all circumstances, including wartime, and as such the authorization to use force in Afghanistan cannot supersede constitutional protections to due process. Nor can the government target citizens for activities otherwise protected by the First Amendment as violations of law or threats to national security.

“Judge Forrest must now go the extra step and find the NDAA’s overbroad detention policies to be an unconstitutional overstep by Congress. If the government has enough cause to hold a citizen indefinitely, it can make its case at a trial with a jury of one’s peers rendering a verdict. The reasons for indefinite detention would otherwise be prohibited by federal statute anyway, and subject to criminal penalties. Therefore the government has yet to articulate a reason why such authority is necessary, let alone constitutional.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 21, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued the following statement on the latest report from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) showing $10.77 billion of a $100 billion credit line has been tapped, which comes atop another $22 billion that had been borrowed from the U.S. $64 billion quota to the Fund as of Dec. 2011:

“The past two months has seen a steady rise in U.S. lending to the IMF, with an additional $3.5 billion, undoubtedly to help prop up Europe as it struggles through its sovereign debt crisis. This brings U.S. crisis lending to the Fund up to about $32.7 billion.

“Overall, the IMF has expanded total lending by $9.1 billion in the past two months, with $6.78 billion for Portugal and $2.13 billion for Greece alone. That means the U.S. in the past two months has provided over 38 percent of funds to prop up Europe, well in excess of our 17.72 percent quota obligation to the Fund. The IMF could not bail out all of Europe if it wanted to. It was never designed to be used by advanced economies in the first place. Yet, here we are.

“If the European Central Bank, Germany, and others in Europe do not want to borrow and print their own money to prop up Greece and Portugal, why should the rest of the world go into debt to prop up a sinking ship?

“This raises urgency for the House Financial Services Committee chaired by Rep. Spencer Bachus to bring up HR 2313 immediately so that it can be heard on the floor of the House. Bachus’ lack of attention to this bill is puzzling, as this legislation would rescind what remains of the U.S. $100 billion credit line to the Fund before it is all used propping up banks that bet poorly on European sovereign debt.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 17, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on the easing of oil and gas prices:

“By the Obama’s account, recently he said that ‘as the economy strengthens, global demand for oil increases.’ So, now that oil and gas prices have eased, does that mean that demand is not as strong as everyone anticipated? Using Obama’s own metrics, does that mean the economy is now weakening?

“Contradictorily, Obama more recently suggested that the oil price spike earlier this year was the product of so-called speculators. He promised new regulations to ‘prevent market manipulation’. But at the same time he warned that ‘[n]one of these will bring gas prices down overnight’. So by Obama’s own account, his proposed regulations which never even took effect do not account for oil and gasoline prices dropping, either. Have the speculators suddenly stopped speculating?

“Why are prices now dropping? Obama’s tired worldview of mythical economic recoveries and speculator boogeymen cannot account for the real underlying cause for these rapid price bubbles: the weak dollar. When it appeared that the crisis in Europe had abated earlier this year, the euro strengthened against the dollar, the world’s reserve currency, and oil prices spiked up dramatically. Now that it appears the euro may collapse after all, the dollar has temporarily strengthened, and so prices have dropped.

“But the American people should take no solace in the chaos in Europe. The dollar is only ‘strong’ now in comparison to the weak euro. Should the euro collapse, there will again be a temporary flight to safety into the dollar, and oil and gas prices will continue to drop. But afterward, the underlying weakness of the dollar itself will again take hold, and inflation will ensue.

“If we as a nation wish to address these rapid price swings, we must address the strength and stability of the dollar. We need sound money.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 16, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued the following statement condemning Senate passage of the $140 billion reauthorization for the Export Import Bank of the United States:

“In the end, there were just 20 senators, including as few as 19 Republicans, who stood against the corporate welfarism that is the Ex-Im Bank. This is just another government subsidy program for which there is overwhelming bipartisan support for — 78 senators of both parties apparently have no problem giving an additional $40 billion of lending capacity to a bank that gave millions of guaranteed loans to Solyndra. No problem with a bank predominantly used by one aerospace company that gives foreign companies an edge over U.S. competitors in the global economy.

“The world would not end without the Ex-Im Bank. The greater economy would barely bat an eye without it. All that would happen is taxpayers would save $140 billion and a corrupt corporate welfare scheme would be abolished.

“We thank the 20 senators that did the right thing.”

Attachments:

20 senators who voted no: Barrasso (R-WY), Corker (R-TN), Cornyn (R-TX), Crapo (R-ID), DeMint (R-SC), Enzi (R-WY), Grassley (R-IA), Hatch (R-UT), Inhofe (R-OK), Johnson (R-WI), Kyl (R-AZ), Lee (R-UT), McCain (R-AZ), McConnell (R-KY), Paul (R-KY), Risch (R-ID), Rubio (R-FL), Sanders (I-VT), Toomey (R-PA), Vitter (R-LA)

“No place for Republican crony capitalism,” By Rick Manning, Director of Communications, Americans for Limited Government, May 8, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/05/no-place-for-republican-crony-capitalism/

“Axe the Ex-Im Bank,” By Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government, March 21, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/03/axe-the-ex-im-bank/

“Big Government is Making Boeing a Bad Actor,” By Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government, April 9, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/04/big-government-is-making-boeing-a-bad-actor/

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 14, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued the following statement after European Union officials weigh the consequences of a Greek exit from the weakening Euro:

“The situation in Greece continues to deteriorate in the wake of its national elections, as the European leaders try to figure out what to do as it rejects plans to cut out-of-control spending.  Not surprisingly, Greek politicians want to have their cake and eat it to, as they want to continue their government’s spending spree and have the rest of the world to subsidize it. They want to stay in the Euro, and yet want to keep their fiscal sovereignty. But Greece can’t have it both ways, as these are mutually exclusive. If Greece really wants to stay in the Euro zone, it will pay for its past mistakes and certainly cede its sovereignty to Brussels. In truth, an exit from the Euro and a return to the drachma is Greece and her people’s only salvation.

“While that process plays out, many are looking at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to continue bailing out the failed European Socialist experiment in Greece and the banks that enabled it. That is why the U.S. Congress needs to act to close the IMF’s $100 billion U.S. taxpayer-funded line of credit that Obama signed into law by passing Representative Cathy McMorris-Rodgers’ H.R. 2313 closing the line of credit.

“It would be the height of irresponsibility for Congress to fail to protect U.S. taxpayers from having our treasury raided to bail out reckless and irresponsible politicians, when our nation faces a fiscal crisis that is every bit as severe, and will prove to be dramatically more devastating.  Rather than push ourselves even further into our own debt death spiral, it is time for Congress to just say no to throwing life preservers to those who are unwilling to do what is necessary to save themselves.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

 

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May 10, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued the following statement praising the House of Representatives for passing an amendment by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC) to HR 5326 that protects state laws guaranteeing secret ballots in union certification elections from being challenged by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB):

“Four states, Arizona, Utah, South Carolina, and South Dakota had the audacity to overwhelmingly pass state constitutional amendments that guarantee a secret ballot in union certification elections. Now, the NLRB has decided to sue two of them, Arizona and South Dakota. But thanks to Rep. Duncan’s amendment to an agency appropriations bill, the NLRB will be prohibited from using any funds to litigate against any state on the question of secret ballot union elections.

“This is one step necessary to defang the NLRB from using the force of law to impose Big Labor’s agenda on businesses and on states. We applaud the House, and Rep. Duncan, for their efforts. As for every member who voted no, now they have to explain to their constituents why think it’s okay for Johnny ‘Sack’-like union bosses to be looking over workers’ shoulders when they vote on union certification.”

Attachments:

“Secret ballot elections? Not if the NLRB has its way,” By Rick Manning, Director of Communications, Americans for Limited Government, Oct. 26, 2011 at http://netrightdaily.com/2011/10/secret-ballot-elections-not-if-the-nlrb-has-its-way/

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 9, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued the following statement blasting the House of Representatives’ passage of the $140 billion re-authorization for the Export Import Bank of the United States:

“The House had an opportunity to show that corporate welfare in any form is unacceptable, and yet again blew it by not only reauthorizing the Ex-Im Bank, but by adding $40 billion to its lending capacity. Every member who voted yes now must explain to their constituents why they support a bank that gave millions to bankrupt Solyndra. Why they support a bank that gives foreign companies an edge over U.S. companies in the global economy. And why they support a bank that has wasted billions manipulating markets rather than allowing market forces to determine demand.”

Attachments:

“No place for Republican crony capitalism,” By Rick Manning, Director of Communications, Americans for Limited Government, May 8, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/05/no-place-for-republican-crony-capitalism/

“Axe the Ex-Im Bank,” By Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government, March 21, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/03/axe-the-ex-im-bank/

“Big Government is Making Boeing a Bad Actor,” By Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government, April 9, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/04/big-government-is-making-boeing-a-bad-actor/

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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May 8, 2012, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson issued the following statement urging the House of Representatives to reject the $140 billion re-authorization for the Export Import Bank of the United States on May 9:

“If House Republicans truly oppose corporate welfare, then they should oppose giving another $140 billion to the Ex-Im Bank.

“For House Republicans the vote to authorize $140 billion for the Ex-Im Bank is a moment of truth for the new majority, which has professed to oppose preferential guaranteed loans for bankrupt corporations like Solyndra and Ener1, green energy firms that produced no energy. If that’s true, if Republicans want to actually abandon corporate welfare and instead let market forces determine demand, then opposing reauthorization of the Ex-Im Bank, which lends to foreign corporations, is a natural choice.

“The Ex-Im Bank, a relic of the Great Depression, as constituted today gives foreign companies an unfair competitive advantage over U.S. companies, and therefore serves little purpose in today’s global economy.

“Any member that votes for this is going to have to explain why they support a bank that lent over $10 million to bankrupt Solyndra to set up solar panels — in Belgium. Why they support a bank that apparently lent millions to a Mexican drug cartel and an oil company that may have had Russian mob ties. The Ex-Im Bank has outlived its usefulness and must be eliminated.”

Attachments:

“No place for Republican crony capitalism,” By Rick Manning, Director of Communications, Americans for Limited Government, May 8, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/05/no-place-for-republican-crony-capitalism/

“Axe the Ex-Im Bank,” By Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government, March 21, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/03/axe-the-ex-im-bank/

“Big Government is Making Boeing a Bad Actor,” By Howard Rich, Chairman, Americans for Limited Government, April 9, 2012 at http://netrightdaily.com/2012/04/big-government-is-making-boeing-a-bad-actor/

Interview Availability: Please contact Rebekah Rast at (703) 383-0880 or at rrast@getliberty.org to arrange an interview with ALG President Bill Wilson.

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