January 5th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement in reaction to the speech given by Rep. John Boehner upon being elected the Speaker of the House of Representatives of the 112th Congress:

“Speaker Boehner understands that to serve as a representative is a trust with the American people based on the consent of the governed, not an entitlement for the powerful. In his words, it is the ‘People’s House’ that he will be leading, merely as its caretaker, mindful that if the House Republican majority does not act on the express wishes of the people, that it will indeed be a temporary majority.

“The challenges are great. Washington now has its claws in health care via ObamaCare, the financial sector via Dodd-Frank and the takeovers of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and energy via the Environmental Protection Agency’s carbon endangerment finding. These must be undone and repealed, and we praise Speaker Boehner’s commitment to these issues.

“John Boehner is one leader in Washington who did get the message of November’s elections, and Americans for Limited Government congratulates his elevation to the House Speaker’s chair. His leadership in the minority against the Obama agenda in 2009 and 2010, against the ‘stimulus’, ObamaCare, carbon caps and taxes, and Washington’s unsustainable spending, is one of the major reasons why Republicans regained a majority in November.

“Americans for Limited Government looks forward to working with the new Republican majority in the House and responsible Democrats to bring the nation’s fiscal house into order, begin to pay off the national debt, and roll back an ever-expansive government.

“It will be up to Mr. Boehner to lead the charge to return the government to its limited constitutional functions, to the states, and most importantly, to the people.”

Attachments:

Excerpts of House Speaker John Boehner’s Speech, January 5th, 2011.

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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January 4th, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on the national debt topping $14 trillion:

“This is where we are. With the national debt topping $14 trillion, it stands at 95 percent of the Gross Domestic Product, which is almost a full year of all goods and services the entire economy can produce. As it approaches the $14.294 trillion debt ceiling, incoming House Speaker John Boehner has a decision to make. Attaching $100 billion of spending cuts to that vote may sound nice, but it isn’t one-tenth enough of what needs to be done.

“Instead, House Republicans should use that leverage to extract at least $800 billion of across the board cuts, bringing the budget to 2007 spending levels of $2.7 trillion. Then if lawmakers wished to keep entitlement and defense spending where they currently are, they would have to find about another $200 billion of cuts or so to make from the discretionary budget. And then after that, keep cutting until the budget is balanced, no more debt needs to be contracted, and the debt can finally begin to be paid off.

“The way to begin to do that is to attach the $800 billion of spending cuts to the debt ceiling increase legislation. That includes ending the bailouts, ‘stimulus’, and selling government ownership of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. The House will have done its job and increased the debt ceiling to help refinance current debts. Then Harry Reid and Barack Obama will have the choice to make: Accept the spending cuts or block the debt ceiling increase and default. The burden will be on them, and the blame will be on them should they fail to raise the debt limit. Those are the terms of the American people.

“The alternative is to just kick the can and raise the ceiling without any cuts or too little cuts attached, and watch as the debt becomes larger than the entire economy this year or next. As the Federal Reserve becomes the government’s top lender, printing hundreds of billions of dollars just to refinance the debt. And, as the national credit rating is eventually downgraded. The dollar will continue to sink, interest rates will have nowhere to go but up, and the ultimate collapse that occurs will be on the heads of every politician who refused to cut spending when they had the chance.”

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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January 3rd, 2011, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today urged the incoming Republican Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, to investigate Obama appointee Arturo Valenzuela for “the weak appeasement policies of the Obama Administration in Central and South America.”

Wilson, in his letter to Representative Ros-Lehtinen, blasted the Obama Administration’s failure to respond to the invasion of Costa Rica by Nicaragua, and urged her to bring Barack Obama’s Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Arturo Valenzuela, to the House to testify.

The letter contends that the Obama Administration’s failure to respond to the invasion, and instead to announce Nicaragua’s candidacy for U.S. aid from the Millennium Project, has emboldened America’s enemies in the region, including Venezuela dictator, Hugo Chavez. “The ineptitude of the Obama Administration has not gone unheeded in the region,” Wilson wrote.

In December 2010, U.S envoy Larry Palmer was banished for being “disrespectful,” according to Chavez. “In reality, Palmer was voicing U.S. concerns that Columbian drug cartels are being financed by Venezuela,” Wilson wrote.

Wilson noted the invasion of Carelo Island along the San Juan River by Nicaraguan military forces had no basis: “In fact, according to the official maps of both countries, the land has always been Costa Rican. It is in fact an illegal invasion by Nicaragua of Costa Rica, an historically peaceful country which has no standing military.”

But according to a recent Washington Post editorial, the Obama Administration “has not condemned the Nicaraguan land grab. In fact, the State Department has yet to say anything about the matter.” Wilson called the silence “inexcusable” in a statement

Wilson also brought forward concerns that Nicaraguan dictator Daniel Ortega is cementing his rule on power so that he can serve for life by arbitrarily flouting constitutional restrictions from running for re-election.

Blame can be laid at Valenzuela’s feet, said Wilson. “Weakness invites aggression,” he wrote to Ros-Lehtinen. “Valenzuela’s background indicated a very weak policy by the U.S. to defending free nations in Latin America from the Marxist regimes that seek to overthrow them” and provided the basis for ALG’s opposition to the appointment.”

“Valenzuela has argued for ‘dialogue and an opening towards Cuba,’ defended Venezuela’s cracking down on press freedom while serving at Freedom House, and sat on the advisory board of Americas Watch with George Soros, a group that supported reinstating Manuel Zelaya to power in Honduras,” Wilson noted.

“It’s time that Arturo Valenzuela be held to account for the Obama Administration’s appeasement of authoritarian regimes in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and elsewhere,” Wilson concluded in a statement.

Attachments:

Letter to House Foreign Affairs Chairwoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, December 3rd, 2011.

Arturo Valenzuela Background, Americans for Limited Government, July 2009.

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December 22nd, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Award-winning Americans for Limited Government (ALG) cartoonist William Warren is honored to have five of his best cartoons published in the book, Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year, 2011 Edition.

“William Warren is very deserving of this honor,” said ALG President Bill Wilson. “We are proud and privileged to have him work for ALG. He produces great work and it is no wonder that five of his cartoons were selected for the book.”

With new cartoons featured three days a week on ALG’s website, Warren’s cartoons are right on with the political issues of the day with an added dose of humor.

In an exclusive interview with ALG News, Warren talks about life as a conservative cartoonist, his influences, and his views on contemporary political events.

Warren gave his thoughts on what makes a funny political cartoon: “A funny and successful cartoon must be rooted in truth. If it’s a lie, no one will find it amusing. Secondly, it has to put a clever spin on an issue and twist that issue to the point of absurdity. And it has to be delivered well, which is where art, caricature, composition, and style come into play.”

Attachments:

“ALG’s Award-Winning Cartoonist Talks Skills, Passion and Talent,” December 22nd, 2010.

“Obama Monument,” February 2nd, 2010.

“Veered to the Left,” March 10th, 2010.

“Earth to NASA,” July 7th, 2010.

“How ‘Bout a Cold Drink,” July 27th, 2010.

“Insurmountable Odds,” September 2nd, 2010.

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December 20th, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement in support of a 74-day continuing resolution to keep the government funded until March 4th:

“Senate Republicans have forced Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Democrats to acknowledge the elections. The omnibus ploy was insulting to the people and dangerous for our nation. Now the hard work of cutting the federal budget begins. The 74-day continuing resolution under consideration will give the next Congress the opportunity to actually make spending cuts to begin to bring our fiscal house into order in 2011 instead of continuing to kick the can.

“It is no longer Congress’ job to borrow and spend billions of dollars it doesn’t have. Now, its job is to cut spending and to find a way to reduce the national debt so that we can return to a sustainable path as a nation. That is what the American people voted for in November.

“As a nation, we must stop heaping new debt on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren. That is what the American people expect, and that is the standard they will hold their representatives to, whether they are Democrats or Republicans. The fiscal crisis that looms and the hard choices we face are shared by all Americans.”

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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December 17th, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement in support of a 60-day continuing resolution to keep the government funded until February 18th:

“The American people owe Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell and Senate Republicans a debt of gratitude for leading the charge against the 2000-page $1.27 trillion omnibus monstrosity. In November, the American people spoke out against increasing the national debt, and now they have been heard in Washington. But more must be done.

“Congress should now pass Senator McConnell’s 60-day continuing resolution, and then go home. After that, it will fall on the next Congress to begin the hard work of bringing our fiscal house into order, cut spending, and return the nation to a sustainable path in the New Year. Defeating the omnibus is just the beginning, and not the end, of the work ahead of us.”

Attachment:

“Sovereign Debt Crisis Can Happen Here,” ALG President Bill Wilson, December 14th, 2010.

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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December 17th, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement in opposition to HR 5116, a bill with $7.4 billion in new spending sponsored by Senator Jay Rockefeller and cosponsored by Senators Alexander, Kay Bailey Hutchison and Jeff Bingaman:

“Not a day after the American people demanded that the wasteful spending come to an end with the omnibus bill, the Senate is already back to its old tricks. Now the so-called ‘America Competes Act’ has been put on the fast track to get unanimous authorization by the Senate. This is just more corporate welfare, even after omnibus was defeated, and it is outrageous. Where are the spending cuts the American people were promised?

“The programs funded in the bill, including increased spending of $7.4 billion for research grants, ‘green’ jobs and other items, are really irrelevant. No non-essential programs should be getting any additional funding while the nation has a $13.8 trillion national debt that cannot be paid.

“After November, it is no longer Congress’ job to borrow and spend billions of dollars it doesn’t have. Now, its job is to cut spending and to find a way to reduce the national debt so that we can return to a sustainable path as a nation. This $7.4 billion in new spending is completely unnecessary. There should be no new spending for unessential items like this. If the Senate cannot defeat smaller spending items, how will it tackle the larger ones? This is not what the American people voted for in November.

“If Congress cannot find a way to reduce spending and cut wasteful programs, the $13.8 trillion debt will soon be larger than the entire economy. Next year, the Federal Reserve will be the number one lender in the entire world to the government — more than China — with over $1 trillion of printed money. Moody’s has warned that it may downgrade its outlook to negative next year, and it could downgrade the Triple-A credit rating by 2018 if not sooner. Since there is a large bipartisan consensus not to increase taxes in this recession, that means our fiscal house can be brought into order with spending cuts. This $7.4 billion in new spending should be defeated.”

Attachment:

$7.4 billion in new spending, HR 5116.

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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Correction: Ireland would get $15 million for the International Fund for Ireland, not $15 billion to the International Monetary Fund for Ireland.

December 15th, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on $1.27 trillion omnibus spending bill under consideration in the Senate:

“This $1.27 trillion omnibus monstrosity will fully fund ObamaCare for a year and contains over 6,600 outrageous earmarks, favors, kickbacks, and handouts from lawmakers to favored special interests totaling more than $8 billion. That includes $349,000 for swine waste management, $3.5 million for termite research in Louisiana, $6 million for parkland acquisition in Hawaii, and $15 million to the International Fund for Ireland. And yet, at least 4 Senate Republicans are considering supporting this bill: Senators Kit Bond, George Voinovich, Susan Collins, and Bob Bennett.

“The support of Senators Bond, Voinovich, Collins and Bennett would be enough to push this $1.27 trillion omnibus bill across the finish line, and would come in spite of a Senate Republican conference moratorium against earmarks. If Republicans cannot keep their promise to stop spending now, the American people will rightly question their credibility on fiscal matters. The American people have every right to be outraged, but they will pillory any Republican that votes for this. Republicans should stand with the American people against this waste.

“The American people have handed control of the House back to Republicans, and increased their numbers in the Senate, to more than anything else, stop the spending. But Republican support for the $1.27 trillion omnibus bill tells the American people that the decisive verdict they rendered in the November elections has gone unheeded.

“The nation is quickly going broke, and yet Congress continues to spend and pretend that there is nothing wrong. A vote for this omnibus is a vote for another trillion-dollar deficit in 2011. Where are the spending cuts the American people were promised?

“Americans for Limited Government supports Senator Judd Gregg’s amendment for a 45-day continuing resolution. If the current members of Congress have no political will to cut spending now, then the job should fall on the next session. It is time for Senate Republicans to stand for something. But nobody will believe the GOP stands for anything, if they cannot in fact stop anything. The vote on the $1.27 trillion omnibus monstrosity, if it goes through with Republican support, will be a repudiation by Washington of the outcome of the November elections.”

Attachment:

“Sovereign Debt Crisis Can Happen Here,” ALG President Bill Wilson, December 14th, 2010.

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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December 14th, 2010, Fairfax, VA—Americans for Limited Government (ALG) President Bill Wilson today issued the following statement on the budget continuing resolution under consideration in the Senate:

“The current continuing resolution is a transparent ploy by Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to negate the impact of the November elections. The current continuing resolution under consideration in the Senate will lock in the $3.5 trillion budget at current levels for a whole year without any spending cuts. Congressional Democrats should have no power to set in the nation’s budget priorities right now, having been so soundly rejected by the American people in November.

“Despite the dire fiscal crisis the nation faces, with a $13.8 trillion national debt that cannot be paid, and in spite of the American people who are demanding action to cut spending, Congress is busy voting to kick the can for yet another year. A vote for the continuing resolution is a vote for another trillion dollar-plus deficit, and that is simply unacceptable to all Americans. Any politician in Congress that has ever promised to reduce the deficit should vote ‘no’ on this continuing resolution.

“The proper course of action is to instead block the proposed continuing resolution and either propose a new one that locks in FY 2007 levels of $2.7 trillion across the board, or pass a 3 month continuing resolution that will give the new Congress an opportunity to cut spending for FY 2011. A recent International Monetary Fund study shows that successful fiscal consolidation programs around the world have relied primarily on spending cuts, not tax increases. If the current members of Congress have no political will to cut spending now, then they are a failure. They should just get out of the way, and hand the tough job ahead to the new Congress with a short three-month continuing resolution.”

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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