Congress should join U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney in defending Justice Clarence Thomas

April 1, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney (R-W.Va.) for opposing radical attempts to impeach Justice Clarence Thomas over protected speech by his wife, Ginni Thomas:

“All legislators should join U.S. Rep. Alex Mooney in strenuously opposing efforts by the fringe elements of the Democratic Party like U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez to impeach Justice Clarence Thomas over legal personal contacts between Thomas’ wife, Ginni, and members of the Trump White House and other administration and elected officials. Mooney is right that holding judges or elected officials to account for First Amendment protected speech by their spouses would set a dangerous precedent.

“House Democrats continue to attempt to water down the seriousness of the Constitution’s impeachment process. It is absurd to even consider or mention impeachment of a public official over the legal exercise of their spouse’s rights, and anyone who does not want the politics of personal invective to even further infest Washington, D.C. must now decry these vicious attacks on Clarence and Ginni Thomas.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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Average hourly earnings still not keeping up with inflation despite happy talk

April 1, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement on the latest jobs numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics that noted a 5.6 percent increase in average hourly earnings, which is still not keeping up with the current 7.9 percent consumer inflation rate:

“Buried deep in the March jobs report is the punchline which pulls the rug out from under any happy talk about the Biden economy. To quote the Bureau of Labor Statistics summary, ‘Average hourly earnings for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls rose by 13 cents to $31.73 in March. Over the past 12 months, average hourly earnings have increased by 5.6 percent.’

“Sounds like good news right?  In the past year average hourly earnings have increased by 5.6 percent. Only one problem: the same BLS reported two weeks ago that in February the cost of living grew by 7.9 percent over the previous year.

“So, April Fools! The 5.6 percent reported raise received by Americans is actually a real wage cut of 2.3 percent. That’s right, the harder you work in the Biden economy the less your money buys.

“Everyone knew that Joe Biden’s political career began in the early 1970s, but no one expected him to go back to the future by transforming our 21st century economy into the vicious wage-price spirals of the decade that brought us disco.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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Correction: The real wage cut for Americans was 2.3 percent the past year, not 1.3 percent.

 

 

FEC fines Clinton campaign and DNC over Russia collusion hoax

March 30, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to a Federal Election Commission ruling fining the Hillary Clinton campaign $8,000 and the Democratic National Committee $105,000 for concealing payments to Fusion GPS and other actors who perpetrated the Russia collusion hoax, falsely accusing former President Donald Trump of being a Russian agent, which resulted in a years-long top secret investigation and the appointment of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller who ultimately found “[T]he investigation did not establish that members of the Trump Campaign conspired or coordinated with the Russian government in its election interference activities”:

“The Federal Election Commission’s decision to fine the 2016 Hillary Clinton presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee for illegally hiding the origin of the more than one million dollars spent by the two entities to fund the development and release of the Russian Collusion hoax against candidate and then-president Donald J. Trump.

“The Clinton campaign was fined $8,000 and the Democratic National Committee was fined $105,000 for failing to properly report the expenditures that resulted in hiring Fusion GPS and other actors who created the false accusations against Trump that bedeviled much of his first term.

“When measured against the damage done to our nation by the Clinton campaign and their minions at the DNC through this outright lie which they foisted upon the public, just as Al Capone eventually got convicted of tax fraud, America may have to be content with the fact that Hillary Clinton got an $8,000 fine for a paperwork violation.

“The one piece of positive news is that the Clinton’s can no longer claim that no one found them guilty of anything for fulminating the lie that cost American taxpayers millions of dollars to prove was false. The Russian collusion lie was a political dirty trick, which was used during the Trump presidency to undermine the legitimacy of his term in office.  Ironic given that today, any mention of the current president’s unlikely election victory is deemed to be almost treasonous due its undermining of his authority.

“One can hope that special counsel John Durham will bring to justice more of the participants in the Clinton-DNC Russia fraud, but at the very least Hillary got a parking ticket from the FEC.”

Attachments:

“FEC fines DNC and Clinton for Trump dossier hoax,” by Paul Bedard, Washington Examiner, March 30, 2022:
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/fec-fines-dnc-clinton-for-trump-dossier-hoax

“Hillary Clinton’s spygate against Trump campaign in 2016 establishing false Trump-Russia links has brought us to the brink of World War III,” By Robert Romano, Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, Feb. 14, 2022 at https://dailytorch.com/2022/02/hillary-clintons-spygate-against-trump-campaign-in-2016-establishing-false-trump-russia-links-has-brought-us-to-the-brink-of-world-war-iii/

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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ALG launches WheresWasden.com to urge Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to fight for Idaho

March 21, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement announcing the WheresWasden.com advocacy campaign for Idahoans to urge Idaho Attorney General Lawrence to fight for Idaho against federal government encroachment:

“When Idaho needed Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to defend Idaho’s values, he was nowhere to be found. Every Monday, I appear on the Zeb Bell at the Ranch radio show in southern Idaho, and a continuing theme for Idahoans is to strongly urge their ostensibly conservative elected representatives to step up their game. Towards that end, Americans for Limited Government has launched an issue advocacy campaign at WheresWasden.com urging Idahoans to contact Idaho Attorney General Wasden and urge him to get into the legal fight for America. State attorneys general from across the nation have led the effort to push back against federal government overreach time and time again, yet Attorney General Wasden has been missing in action and it is important that the people of Idaho ask him why.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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ALG urges HHS Secretary Becerra to follow the No Surprises Act law

March 18, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra to follow the terms of the No Surprises Act law after a federal judge struck the down the law’s implementation:

“Secretary Becerra and the Biden administration sided with big insurance companies by using the rulemaking process to turn the bipartisan No Surprises Act into government price controls by another name. Thanks to Becerra’s incompetence, a federal court threw out those rules and told HHS to go back to the drawing board to implement the law the way Congress intended. Any lawmaker who supported the No Surprises Act should be furious that Becerra tried to turn it into a giveaway to insurers by adopting price controls that would shut down rural hospitals and make it harder for patients to see a doctor when they need one.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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Biden needs to look in the mirror on inflation

March 10, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the latest Consumer Price Index numbers from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“President Joe Biden is pointing fingers all over the world for inflation that has been going on for more than a year for the dramatic increase in the costs of goods and services in America. C’mon, man. In less than 13 months, the inflation rate has gone from 1.4 percent to 7.9 percent, underscoring Biden’s direct responsibility for what is now runaway inflation. As a reminder, before the war in Ukraine even started, inflation was already at 7.5 percent over the prior 12 months.

“Early in Biden’s term, inflation began to rise and the President dismissed it as ‘transitory’ while groups like Americans for Limited Government argued that rampant inflation was baked into the cake as the federal government continued to use Covid as an excuse to for massive deficit spending, borrowing and printing totaling more than $6 trillion. Now the chickens are coming home to roost, and Biden wants to blame the war, instead of his own policies that laid the groundwork for price increases unseen in America for 40 years.”

Attachments:

“With inflation on fire at 7.9 percent, Congress pours on more gasoline with another $1.5 trillion omnibus spending bill,” By Robert Romano, Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, March 10, 2022 at https://dailytorch.com/2022/03/with-inflation-on-fire-at-7-9-percent-congress-pours-on-more-gasoline-with-another-1-5-trillion-omnibus-spending-bill/

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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ALG strongly urges no vote on Omnibus

March 9, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the House to oppose the omnibus spending bill up for a vote this morning:

“The House of Representatives is voting on the Omnibus federal government funding legislation this morning after Congress only received it at 2 a.m.  According to U.S. Rep. Chip Roy, it contains an additional 6 percent increase in spending above the planned increases, not including additional Covid and Ukraine spending; it fails to lift any of the vaccine mandates leaving Americans subject to job loss by federal government regulation, and bans Russian oil imports while not opening up any avenues for additional domestic oil or even authorizing the Keystone XL pipeline. This decision to not make changes to allow the increase in domestic oil and natural gas production ensures that Russian oil will be replaced by Iranian and/or Venezuelan oil — countries led by two of the worse despots in the world.

“This legislation was jointly negotiated by the House and Senate, and unless Senate Republican leadership proves otherwise by opposing it, will represent a complete capitulation by the Senate GOP on the only legislation they have leverage over because it requires 60 votes for passage.  Americans for Limited Government strenuously urges a no vote on this bill.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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Biden’s energy shell game is dangerous to the world

March 8, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement responding President Joe Biden’s oil embargo on Russia, when Biden said, “We’re approaching record levels of oil and gas production in the United States, and we’re on track to set a record of oil production next year”:

“President Joe Biden is playing a shell game when he talks about domestic oil and natural gas production. The truth is, America produced less oil and gas in 2020 because of the Covid pandemic, and much of the subsequent increases in production are a restoration of prior output. But it does not matter if we increase production if we do not increase the capacity to deliver the oil to refineries and the natural gas to customers, including Europe.

“The fact that this President continues to block the Keystone XL pipeline, an obvious partial solution, demonstrates that he is more interested in strangling the U.S. and Europe through high energy prices than making America work again. Americans have seen what is happening in Germany, where their Green New Deal has made them energy serfs to Putin’s Russia.

“Congress needs to shove a real energy development plan down the administration’s throat if the President is unwilling to take basic common sense steps to meet America’s national security interests.”

Attachments:

“Ukraine war, European dependence on Russian oil and gas prove ESG is a threat to national security,” By Robert Romano, Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, March 4, 2022 at https://dailytorch.com/2022/03/ukraine-war-european-dependence-on-russian-oil-and-gas-prove-esg-is-a-threat-to-national-security/

“Higher oil and gas prices will fuel Russia’s military to prosecute its war in Ukraine. The U.S. and OPEC need to speed up production.” By Robert Romano, Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, March 7, 2022 at https://dailytorch.com/2022/02/higher-oil-and-gas-prices-will-fuel-russias-military-to-prosecute-its-war-in-ukraine-the-u-s-and-opec-need-to-speed-up-production/

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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Congress needs to end Biden’s ESG green energy blind spot

March 7, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Congress to end Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) regulations and pension subsidies that divert investment from carbon and nuclear-based energies in favor of green energies that have made Europe dependent on Russian oil and natural gas:

“When even Elon Musk, the greatest beneficiary of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investment to date, says it’s time to drill more oil and gas, and to go nuclear, it shouldn’t be difficult for American policy makers to agree. Unfortunately, the Biden administration, working with major investment firms like Blackrock and Vanguard, have deliberately put their thumb on the scale in favor of non-carbon, green energy, rather than providing the capital needed turn on the oil and gas spigots everywhere when the West needs it the most to offset Russia’s energy stranglehold on key NATO allies including Germany.

“Germany has already made an initial shift in their policy, expediting the opening of two new liquified natural gas terminals and increasing military spending, but in the U.S. the Biden administration refuses to shed their green ESG handcuffs by ending financial services policies that restrict investment oil, natural gas, coal and nuclear energy investment.

“We learned everything we needed to learn about the Biden administration when Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg quipped when he called the war and Russian energy extortion a ‘short term problem’ that didn’t require a ‘permanent solution’ by increasing American energy production. President Joe Biden is demanding $10 billion for Ukraine emergency relief. Congress should insist on policies that foster American energy development to offset Russia on global energy markets, so that our nation doesn’t find itself tomorrow in the same position that Germany finds itself into today.”

Attachments:

“Ukraine war, European dependence on Russian oil and gas prove ESG is a threat to national security,” By Robert Romano, Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, March 4, 2022 at https://dailytorch.com/2022/03/ukraine-war-european-dependence-on-russian-oil-and-gas-prove-esg-is-a-threat-to-national-security/

“Higher oil and gas prices will fuel Russia’s military to prosecute its war in Ukraine. The U.S. and OPEC need to speed up production.” By Robert Romano, Vice President of Public Policy, Americans for Limited Government Foundation, March 7, 2022 at https://dailytorch.com/2022/02/higher-oil-and-gas-prices-will-fuel-russias-military-to-prosecute-its-war-in-ukraine-the-u-s-and-opec-need-to-speed-up-production/

To view online: For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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Vaccine mandate show vote will fail to provide political cover

March 2, 2022, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Senate voting on a Congressional Review Act rescission of President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandates:

“The Senate just completed another ‘show vote’ on ending the Biden vaccine mandates. The Senate GOP has the power to end the vaccine mandates by simply insisting that their enforcement is defunded in the upcoming Omnibus government spending bill.  If the vaccine mandate continues to be funded it will be because the Senate GOP chose to fund it, and having fake votes with no chance of passing will not provide any political cover.  This is a time for choosing, not a time for dodging responsibility — Senate Republicans need to defund the vaccine mandates or explain why they chose to fund them.”

To view online: For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or media@limitgov.org.

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