March 26, 2021, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising Gov. Bill Lee (R-Tenn.) for pushing legislation to remove Chinese Communist Party propaganda centers, called Confucius Institutes, from state universities in Tennessee:

“Governor Bill Lee has taken an important step in unwinding the state of Tennessee from the influence of the Chinese Communist Party by pushing legislation to deny Confucius Institutes from the public university campuses in the state.

“Confucius Institutes have been at the center of the Chinese government’s efforts to buy their way into influence over the U.S. higher education system. In Tennessee, the Governor has ordered a shutdown of the Institutes at their public colleges and universities turning away the Chinese government payola for allowing them to infiltrate the schools.  In the past, public colleges in the state of Tennessee have received $2.5 million, which Governor Lee is foregoing in the future.

“Both the states of Texas and Utah are also considering legislation to shutter Confucius Institute offices in their universities.  Americans for Limited Government urges all fifty states to discontinue all affiliations with this Chinese Communist Party influence operation in light of President Biden’s decision to welcome them with open arms.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or email media@limitgov.org.

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Fairfax, Va. – Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to President Joe Biden’s call to ban America’s most popular all-purpose sporting rifle.

“The murder of 10 Coloradans on the fifth anniversary of the Islamic terrorist attack in Brussels, Belgium, is no excuse for Congress to attack U.S. citizen’s right to keep and bear arms. Demagoguery aside, this tragedy points to the larger problem of hate groups within America. Disarming the rest of us due to the crazed actions of one person is akin to closing down every mosque in the United States because the shooter happened to be Muslim. Neither is acceptable and it is time those on the Left who continually attempt to exploit tragedy, to just stop.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-478-4643 or email cmortensen@getliberty.org.

March 8, 2021, Fairfax, Va.–Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging the Senate Judiciary Committee bring back Attorney General nominee Merrick Garland to explain what he meant in his college writings a review of the musical “The Fantasticks” when he wrote “Most important are the Jones-Schmidt songs themselves, simple and engaging melodies with a few tender ballads like ‘Try to Remember’ and some hilarious group numbers like ‘it Depends on what You Pay,’ which provides a shopping list of rapes for sale (e.g. ‘the military rape–it’s done with drums and a great brass band.’)”:

“While historical context does matter, Merrick Garland should be called back to the Senate Judiciary Committee to answer questions from his college writings that appear to condone rape and kidnapping. It is clear that in this day of cancel culture, that if any Trump nominee were to ever praise a song whose lyrics included lines such as ‘A pretty rape! A literary rape! We’ve the obvious open schoolboy rape, With little mandolins and perhaps a cape…’, which was altered in 2006 by the songwriter Tom Jones, that they would be pilloried with no chance for response.

“It is fair to request that Judge Garland reappear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to clarify what he meant when he said the number, ‘It Depends on What You Pay,’ about rape was ‘hilarious’. Cancel culture, which is effectively deleting Dr. Seuss from Read Across America Day based on post-modern interpretations of some of his works, is little more than the French Revolution mob beheading anyone who ever aggrieved them. To end it, the left must be held accountable to the same standards as the rest of America. As believers in free speech, it is our heartfelt belief that Garland should be given every opportunity to clarify what he meant, rather than simply being cancelled.”

Attachments:

“It Depends on What You Pay,” Original lyrics: https://www.lyricsondemand.com/soundtracks/f/fantastickslyrics/itdependsonwhatyoupaylyrics.html

Rape!
R-a-a-a-pe!
Raa-aa-aa-pe!

A pretty rape!
A literary rape!

We’ve the obvious open schoolboy rape,
With little mandolins and perhaps a cape.
The rape by coach; it’s little in request.
The rape by day, but the rape by night is best.

Just try to see it.
And you will soon agree, señors,
Why
Invite regret,
When you can get the sort of rape
You’ll never ever forget.

You can get the rape emphatic.
You can get the rape polite.
You can get the rape with Indians:
A very charming sight.
You can get the rape on horseback;
They’ll all say it’s new and gay.
So you see the sort of rape
Depends on what you pay.
It depends on what you
Pay.

The kids will love it.
It depends on what you pay!
So why be stingy?
It depends on what you –

The spectacular rape,
With costumes ordered from the East.
Requires rehearsal
And takes a dozen men at least.
A couple of singers,
And a string quartet.
A major production.
Requires a set.

Sounds expensive!

Just try to see it.
And you will soon si,si señors,
Why
Invite regret,
When you can get the sort of rape
You’ll never ever forget.

You can get the rape emphatic.
You can get the rape polite.
You can get the rape with Indians:
A very charming sight.
You can get the rape on horseback;
They’ll all say it’s new and gay.
So you see the sort of rape
Depends on what you pay.
It depends on what you
Pay.

So why be stingy?
It depends on what you pay!
The kids will love it.
It depends on what you –

The comic rape.
Perhaps it’s just a trifle too unique.
Romantic rape:
Done while canoeing on a moonlit creek.
The gothic rape!
I play “Valkyrie” on a bass bassoon!
The drunken rape.
It’s done completely in a cheap saloon.

The rape Venetian
Needs a blue lagoon.
The rape with moonlight
Or without a moon.
Moonlight is expensive but it’s in demand.
The military rape:
It’s done with drummer and a band.

You understand?
I understand.
It’s very grand.
It’s very grand.
It’s done with drums and a great big brass band!
Yeah!

Just try to see it.
I see it!
I see it!
And you will soon si,si señors,
Why
Invite regret,
When you can get the sort of rape
You’ll never ever forget.

You can get the rape emphatic.
You can get the rape polite.
You can get the rape with Indians:
A very charming sight.
You can get the rape on horseback;
They’ll all say it’s new and gay.
So you see the sort of rape

Depends on what you pay.
So you see the sort of rape
Depends on what you pay.
So you see the sort of rape
Depends on what you pay.
So you see the sort of rape
Depends on what you pay.
Depends on what you pay.
Depends on what you pay.
Depends on what you pay.
Depends on what you pay.

So why be stingy?
It depends on what you pay!
The kids will love it.
It depends on what you

Ra-aa-aa-pe!
Ole!

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or email media@limitgov.org.

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March 5, 2021, Fairfax, Va. – Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement on the latest employment numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

“The last month of President Trump’s economic miracle was February 2020.   Today’s release of employment data for February 2021, provides a snapshot of where America’s economic recovery stands compared to the beyond full employment America that existed before the China Virus resulting in more than half a million deaths and economic devastation.

“Today’s unemployment rate is 6.2 percent compared to 3.5 percent a year ago with approximately 4.2 million more people unemployed today than a year ago.  Unemployment has disproportionately impacted teenagers (13.9 percent), and adults with a high school degree (7.2 percent), or who did not finish high school (10.1 percent), who have witnessed an almost doubling of their unemployment rate in the past year. Those who have a college degree have also seen their unemployment rate double from 1.9 percent a year ago to 3.8 percent.  Overall, the number of unemployed has dipped below 10 million for the first time since the full economic impact of the virus was measured in April 2020, when the unemployment rate was 14.7 percent with more than 23 million unemployed.

“Other key measures show that the labor force has shrunk by more than 4.2 million and the labor participation rate is approximately 2 percent down from a year ago.  Some of this could be due to the aging of America and many seniors choosing to leave the labor force as a result of the virus, but there is clearly room for growth in the participation number.

“The good news is that the economic rebound has resulted in 16.8 million people returning to work since April 2020 out of the 25 million jobs that were lost in the pandemic, with some states like South Dakota showing an unemployment rate below where it was in February of 2020.

“The latest unemployment figures from states (December 2020) shows that eleven states engaged in the most draconian economic shutdowns all have significantly higher unemployment rates than the national average.  These states all have Democrat Governors who figure to benefit the most from the currently being considered COVID-19 package billed as economic stimulus.

“Rather than spending another $1.9 trillion that America does not have on boosting long-term unemployment benefits, instead, they should just demand that these states open their economies and allow their citizens to enjoy in the economic recovery.”

Attachments:

Employment Situation Summary Table A. Household data, seasonally adjusted (bls.gov), March 5, 2021, bls.gov.

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 or email media@limitgov.org.