July 14th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid attacked House Majority Leader Eric Cantor today in his typical unprofessional demeanor. Reid, who has made a career of petulant and child-like behavior, has only contributed to the debate on our nation’s economic future by resorting to playground taunts.

Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson noted that Reid has a history of lashing out and attacking anyone who doesn’t agree with him, “Harry Reid is the typical playground bully, thrashing around demanding his way, and when someone like Eric Cantor stands up to him, his only reaction is to call names and make snide remarks.”

Below is the official Americans for Limited Government list of childish Harry Reid actions or remarks:

1. To a Las Vegas Review-Journal executive, “I hope you go out of business.” (August, 2009)
2. He bemoaned to the media that, “you could literally smell the tourists coming into the Capitol.”
3. In 2005, he challenged Republicans to, “Go behind the pool hall and see who wins this one.”
4. At a fundraiser, he referred to new Senator Kristen Gillibrand as the “hottest” member of the Senate.

Wilson noted that the U.S. Senate, under Harry Reid’s leadership, has failed to pass a budget in almost 800 days stating, “Perhaps Harry Reid should spend more time doing his job and less time worrying about others who are actually doing theirs. I guess when you have so few accomplishments to show it is natural to lash out at those who are actively struggling to fix the economic disaster that Reid and his Democratic colleagues have created.”

If you think Reid’s comments are bad, here are just a few of Mr. Reid’s accomplishments since he became Senate Majority Leader:

• The unemployment rate has doubled from January 2007 when it was 4.6%. Now it is 9.2%.
• Inflation was at an annual rate of 1.8% in January 2007, today it is running at an annual rate of 3.6%.
• A gallon of gasoline cost $2.18 a gallon, now it is more than $3.50 a gallon.
• The national debt was $8.67 trillion, now Reid is avoiding dealing with raising a debt ceiling that is $14.3 trillion.

After a review of Reid’s time as Majority Leader one thing is clear, when Harry Reid wishes somebody would go out of business, you need to take him seriously.

ALG Editor’s Note: After publication, it was discovered that the one of the links in the original release was fake.  ALG removed this link immediately upon our discovery that it was not valid.  This release has been edited as a result.

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

July 13th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today released the following statement urging the House to pass a bill cutting hundreds of billions out of the 2012 budget attached to increasing the debt ceiling:

“The House needs to do its job, pass an increase in the debt ceiling attached with hundreds of billions of immediate cuts to the 2012 budget, and send it to the Senate. Then, if there needs to be anyone to blame, it will be Harry Reid if he doesn’t pass a bill in the Senate, or Obama if he refuses to sign the bill that ultimately passes. But Republicans need to keep their word and attach big spending cuts to the debt ceiling increase — and pass it.

“Let’s face it. The debt ceiling negotiations have failed. The Obama Administration continues to ask Congress for a blank check from the American people to spend trillions of dollars we don’t have. Obama wants tax hikes to service a debt so large it cannot possibly be repaid, crippling an already-beleaguered economy, and getting us no closer to fiscal normalcy.

“Republicans have negotiated in good faith, but now is the time to take a stand. The only way forward is to cut hundreds of billions of dollars out of the 2012 budget, saving trillions of dollars and balancing the budget by the end of this decade. If they act immediately on behalf of the American people, they can save the nation from a catastrophic default in the coming years and prevent Washington from becoming Athens.

“We need to cut spending now. The Ryan budget plan that passed the House will not accomplish a balanced budget for 26 years. We don’t have 26 years to get our fiscal house in order. Within days of the House passing the well-intentioned Ryan plan, S&P downgraded its outlook on U.S. debt from stable to negative. Soon thereafter, Moody’s threatened to do the same. The Social Security and Medicare trustees then reported that the trust funds will be exhausted much sooner than they thought just a year ago. And the debt will still rise to $26 trillion by 2021, with annual gross interest payments well over $1 trillion by then as interest rates return to their historic norm of 5 percent.

“In light of these new facts, Republicans have every reason in the world to be more aggressive. If they capitulate now, they will be surrendering any credibility they have left on this issue. They need to take a stand, and surely the American people will stand with them.”

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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July 12th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today released the following statement on a Senate Republican proposal to give the White House singular authority to raise the debt ceiling without congressional approval:

“Under the Senate Republican proposal, Congress would cede its constitutional power to borrow on the full faith and credit of the U.S. in deference to the Executive Branch. All of this, apparently, to solve a short-term political problem for Republicans seeking to avoid blame for a failure to pass an increase in the $14.294 trillion debt ceiling.

“This abdication of responsibility is puzzling to say the least. When spending is this out of control, and the only thing keeping it in check is the congressionally authorized debt ceiling, why would Congress cede its say on the nation’s finances?

“If Republicans give sole power to raise the debt ceiling to Barack Obama, it will be a colossal failure of this Congress.”

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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July 12th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today released the following statement on a Senate Republican proposal to give the White House singular authority to raise the debt ceiling without congressional approval:

“Under the Senate Republican proposal, Congress would cede its constitutional power to borrow on the full faith and credit of the U.S. in deference to the Executive Branch. All of this, apparently, to solve a short-term political problem for Republicans seeking to avoid blame for a failure to pass an increase in the $14.294 trillion debt ceiling.

“This abdication of responsibility is puzzling to say the least. When spending is this out of control, and the only thing keeping it in check is the congressionally authorized debt ceiling, why would Congress cede its say on the nation’s finances?

“If Republicans give sole power to raise the debt ceiling to Barack Obama, it will be a colossal failure of this Congress.”

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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July 12th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement condemning the House of Representatives for rejecting a repeal of the federal ban on light bulbs that begins to take effect in Jan. 2012:

“Because the bill repealing the de facto federal light bulb ban was brought up under suspension of the rules, it required two-thirds to pass, and failed to meet that threshold as Democrats united to keep the ban in place. One has to question House Republican leadership’s commitment to getting government out of the way when it cannot even find a way to let individuals choose what kind of light bulbs they want, free of federal dictates.

“Was this a parliamentary miscalculation? Or was Republican leadership deliberately trying to kill this bill? Unless Speaker Boehner and Majority Leader Cantor bring up this bill again under a clean rule requiring a simple majority vote to pass, then the American people will be left with but one conclusion: Republican leadership actually supports the federal ban on light bulbs.

“It is time to stand up for the American people. This vote was a meaningless gesture. Either the House’s failure to repeal the federal light bulb ban was incompetence, or opposition. Neither is acceptable to the American people.”

Attachments:

“ALG Urges Repeal of Light Bulb Ban, Cites Poll Showing 58 Percent Opposing Bans,” Americans for Limited Government, July 11th, 2011 at http://getliberty.org/content.asp?pl=10&sl=5&contentid=714 .

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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July 11th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today urged House Speaker John Boehner to end the negotiations over increasing the $14.294 trillion debt ceiling, and simply pass the bill that the House wants:

“It is time for John Boehner to put an end to the silliness of attempting to achieve a backroom debt ceiling deal with a White House more intent on re-election than confronting their spending addiction.

“Speaker Boehner needs to return to his duties in the House of Representatives and pass a debt ceiling increase through the House this week that cuts spending dramatically while raising the ceiling enough to get past the 2012 elections. The process should be open and transparent allowing all sides to offer amendments.

“It will then be up to the Democratic Party leaders in the Senate to pass their own bill so the two sides can negotiate around real legislation rather than through finger pointing press conferences and media leaks.

“This debate defines the future of our nation, and Mr. Boehner has a chance to be the adult in this conversation by doing his work. If the Senate Majority Leader doesn’t choose to take up the issue, then default will lie solely on his shoulders.”

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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July 8th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on the unemployment figures:

“Today’s unemployment report is further evidence that Obama’s continuing war on America’s free enterprise system is destroying our nation’s real job creators. It is time for this President to end his love affair with trillion-and-a-half-dollar deficits and higher taxes on those who produce jobs. Obama should immediately direct his agencies to return their budgets to Fiscal Year 2007 levels, end the NLRB’s crippling drive to force unionization on private sector employees, and stop the nonsense of attempting to raise taxes on those who produce jobs.

“Obama’s economic policies have failed, and our nation needs to change course now, or else, Obama’s 9.2% unemployment rate may become the new normal, and that is bad for our nation and the rest of the world, which depends upon a productive, vibrant U.S. economy.”

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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Fairfax, VA, July, 8th, 2011—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today urged passage of HR 2417, a bill that would repeal the federal ban on incandescent light bulbs that begins to take effect in Jan. 2012.

“The American people don’t want the federal government telling them which light bulbs they must use, and yet that is exactly what Congress did when it passed the ‘Energy Independence and Security Act’ in 2007,” Wilson said.

“The federal government has no power to micromanage the decisions of the American people, and to force them by dictate to use unsafe, mercury-laced bulbs,” Wilson added.

A poll released by ALG on the light bulb ban issue shows the ban remains exceedingly unpopular, especially amongst both core Republican and Independent likely voters. 72 percent of self-described Republican voters and 57 percent of the Independent voters oppose the ban.

“Unless you’re a leftist Democrat, there really is no support for a federal ban on light bulbs,” Wilson noted.

Conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, the survey showed that 46 percent of likely voters were aware that Congress had banned traditional light bulbs beginning in 2012, and 58 percent respondents opposed banning the bulbs.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote today on HR 2417, “The BULB Act.”

The June 21, 2011 survey measured the responses of 1,000 likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

The topline responses to the three questions can be found at:
www.getliberty.org/files/LightBulbBanBillToplines6-21-11.pdf

The crosstabs can be found at:
www.getliberty.org/files/Crosstabs_20110621_Light Bulbs.csv

Wilson concluded, “It’s time for Congress to get out of the way and let individuals choose what kind of light bulbs they want, free of federal dictates.”

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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Fairfax, VA, July, 8th, 2011—A poll released today by the free enterprise group Americans for Limited Government showed the potency of the light bulb ban issue amongst both core Republican and Independent likely voters.

Conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, the survey showed that 46 percent of likely voters were aware that Congress had banned traditional light bulbs beginning in 2012, and 58 percent respondents opposed banning the bulbs.

The issue would repeal mandates in legislation passed by Congress and signed into law by President George W. Bush in 2007, which had the effect of banning the domestic production and sale of the incandescent light bulb in favor of fluorescent bulbs.

Controversy over the ban has intensified across the nation with Texas Governor Rick Perry signing a state law that allows incandescent bulbs to be manufactured in the state for sale only in the state. Similar legislation is also pending in South Carolina where it has passed one house of the legislature.

Bill Wilson, President of Americans for Limited Government called repealing the light bulb ban, “a big political winner for elected officials like Governor Perry with 72 percent of self-described Republican voters and 57 percent of the Independent voters opposing the ban.”

40 percent of respondents indicated that they would be less likely to vote for a politician who supported the light bulb ban.

The U.S. House of Representatives is expected to take up the ban next week when they consider HR 2417, “The BULB Act.”

The June 21, 2011 survey measured the responses of 1,000 likely voters and has a margin of error of +/- 3 percent.

The topline responses to the three questions can be found at:
www.getliberty.org/files/LightBulbBanBillToplines6-21-11.pdf

The crosstabs can be found at:
www.getliberty.org/files/Crosstabs_20110621_Light Bulbs.csv

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July 7th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) today launched an online petition urging citizen involvement in efforts to reform the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) today.

The campaign at www.reformthenlrb.com includes informative articles and videos relating to NLRB activities as well as a petition effort supporting reform efforts.

“ReformtheNLRB.com will provide citizens a voice in opposing the NLRB’s attempts to bypassing state legislation and push a Big Labor agenda that was rejected in both Congress and in state legislatures across the nation,” said ALG President Bill Wilson.

Wilson cited the NLRB’s recent actions against Boeing necessitating urgent action by Congress. Boeing’s planned creation of a second assembly line for their new Dreamliner aircraft in South Carolina has been challenged by the NLRB.

“The NLRB has challenged the private company’s right to build aircraft in the Charleston area due to the state’s laws which allow workers to choose whether to pay union dues or not,” said Wilson.

Wilson continued, “This worker choice, known as right to work, has been a target of labor unions for decades and the recent NLRB actions show that rather than being an independent agency, they have become nothing more than a front for organized labor.”

Reform efforts would restrict the NLRB’s power, and narrowly define the role that they are able to play in labor management relations.

ALG has urged passage of legislation seeking to protect states that have passed laws that protect their citizens’ right to secret ballot elections, the “State Right to Vote Act”. The bill, introduced by Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-SC), seeks to ensure that the NLRB cannot bypass the role of state legislation in determining employer’s responsibilities.

Wilson called on the American people to sign the petition, saying, “We need the help of everyone to show the NLRB that the American people are tired of their job killing regulatory overreaches and want a change.”

“Now is the time to reject the job killing NLRB’s one-sided attack on our nation’s job creators by contacting their elected representatives using the www.reformthenlrb.com petition advocacy tool,” Wilson concluded.

You can follow the latest NLRB news on Twitter at @ReformtheNLRB.

Attachments:

“Craig Becker Should Recuse Himself from NLRB-Boeing Case,” Americans for Limited Government, July, 5th, 2011 athttp://netrightdaily.com/2011/07/craig-becker-should-recuse-himself-from-nlrbs-boeing-case/

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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