June 10, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting allegations by Restore Public Trust against Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao:

“It is clear that the professional left has its sights on attacking Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao in what is a coordinated campaign. Secretary Chao is being targeted for two reasons: she is an extremely effective conservative Cabinet member who is effectively pushing the Trump agenda and as a proxy attack on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

“Secretary Chao has been her father’s daughter for her entire life.  For those on the left to suddenly discover after decades of dedicated service to our nation that her father runs a shipping business is disingenuous at best.  Secretary Chao has served with distinction not only as the Transportation Secretary, but before that as Labor Secretary, Deputy Secretary of Transportation and as Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission.  She is perhaps the most qualified leader of the Transportation Department in history, and is scrupulous in following the rules.

“Attacks on her for maintaining a relationship with her father who is part of the regulated community are both unfair and unfounded. I am proud to have worked for Secretary Chao in the George W. Bush administration, and can attest that she is the exact kind of uber-competent Cabinet Secretary that America can be proud.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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June 7, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising President Donald Trump for effectively using tariffs and trade policy to get a deal with Mexico to curb illegal immigration:

“President Trump’s threat to put escalating tariffs on Mexico if it would not act to curb hundreds of thousands of illegal immigrants passing through their country has worked. Retaining the right to enact them should Mexico fail to follow through on its agreement, President Trump has demonstrated leadership where others would have shrunk from the responsibility. Without the tariff there would be no deal. Trump was willing to take a bold stand and stood strong to resolve a dispute with our neighbor to the south. That is how to put America first.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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June 7, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers:

“A 3.6 percent unemployment rate is incredible, so it would be misleading to characterize the May labor employment report negatively.  Wages continue to rise with 3.1 percent year over year gains continuing in May, meaning Americans have more money in their pockets even when measured against inflation.  This is great news.

“It is concerning that for the past four months employment growth in the manufacturing field has stalled, and it is incumbent upon Congress that they pass the USMCA trade agreement which will give a shot in the arm to the manufacturing surge from the first two years of the Trump presidency.

“While some may nitpick about various aspects of today’s reports, the fact remains that America is working. Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, and Whites are all working.  People are finding new jobs when they leave prior employers as evidenced by the time unemployed measurement in the household survey, and once again those who are working are making more money.

“One interesting question will be answered by the mid-month state by state employment report.  It is quite possible that job growth is being impinged by state lawmakers passing tax increases in states like Oregon trying to wring more dollars for the government out of a great economy, and in doing so creating localized job creation poison pills.  We will know more later this month when that specific report comes out.

“Having said all this, 3.6 percent unemployment rate with rising wages is great news for America’s economic future.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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June 6, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) for backing up President Donald Trump’s 5 percent tariff against Mexico to strengthen his negotiating hand in bringing unprecedented illegal immigration under control:

“House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy got it exactly right when he voiced support for the President’s trade and immigration policy with Mexico. House Republicans sustained the presidential veto when Congress attempted to overturn the national emergency to build the wall, and now House Republicans are reinforcing the President’s tariff promise if Mexico does not stop the free flow of illegal immigrants through their country. The President of Mexico is not being undermined by his legislature but unfortunately the knee-jerk opposition to President Trump’s policies have the effect of undermining the U.S. government’s ability to get the immigration crisis under control.

“Minority Leader McCarthy’s unambiguous stand sends a clear message to Mexico that the President holds all the cards and it’s time for them to start enforcing their laws against illegal immigration over their southern border.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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June 5, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising President Donald Trump’s strategy to secure rare earth minerals for the U.S., and urged cosponsors for the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act:

“We praise Trump’s actions to make it easier to mine rare earth minerals in the U.S., which are critical to national security and building the advanced weapons systems to keep us several steps ahead of our adversaries. The next step is for Congress to pass the National Strategic and Critical Minerals Production Act that will allow more rapid development of vital rare earth mining. Every member of Congress who has sworn to pledge and uphold the Constitution of the United States should immediately cosponsor this critical legislation. There is no excuse to continue to allow China to use rare earth minerals to extort the United States of America.”

Attachments:

“China not as great a threat on rare earths as they’d like you to think,” By Robert Romano, May 30, 2019 at http://dailytorch.com/2019/05/china-not-as-great-a-threat-on-rare-earths-as-theyd-like-you-to-think/

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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June 4, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement joining President Donald Trump in urging Americans fed up with CNN to cancel their AT&T service:

“President Trump made waves when he called for people to cut the cord on AT&T phone service in response to the fake news outlet – CNN – which is controlled by what used to be the phone company.  Americans for Limited Government has been on record for more than a year in opposition to the consolidation of information delivery companies that the AT&T/TimeWarner merger represented.  Now, that the ill-conceived merger has occurred, AT&T owns the CNN problem and their phone service provider competitors don’t.

“The media celebrates when Hollywood companies threaten states with boycotts over their state laws, it is time for Americans to send a message to CNN’s corporate masters that the constant drivel of fake news is not acceptable. And the one way that AT&T will understand that CNN’s continued operation as a far-left shill is unacceptable is if Lily gets hung up on by AT&T mobile customers, and those with AT&T serviced landlines completely cut the cord or switch.

“AT&T insisted on keeping CNN as part of their merger with Time-Warner, and now they have to take responsibility for the rogue and dying network.  After all, with ownership comes responsibility and AT&T knew exactly the liability they were acquiring.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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June 3, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting a New York Times hit piece on Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao:

“Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao is an effective conservative member of the Trump Administration and this is why she is under attack by the New York Times under the guise of investigative journalism.  Here is the truth.  Secretary Chao was born in Taipei, Taiwan after her family fled communist China following the communist takeover. As a seven-year-old, Elaine Chao came to America with her mom and siblings to join her father who arrived in 1953 to establish himself before sending for his family. She spoke no English when she arrived but after just two years in America, she was elected president of her class.

“Secretary Chao is one of the hardest working Cabinet Secretaries focused like a laser beam on accomplishing President Trump’s agenda.  Her efforts to mitigate the Obama administration’s regulatory attempt to end the internal combustion engine in vehicles through unattainable federal government mandated fuel efficiency standards is just one example of the Secretary tackling the hard issues of fixing and balancing the former administration’s regulatory excesses creating a sound economic future for transportation in America.

“As someone who worked for Secretary Chao in the Labor Department during President George W. Bush’ administration, I can personally attest that she is an aggressive conservative seeking ways to roll back government and reduce overall spending.  And these attacks are clearly motivated by those with a desire to thwart her through innuendo and sometimes not so subtle racism.

“The fact is that Secretary Chao was appointed to head the Transportation Department after serving not only as Labor Secretary for eight years, but also as the Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Transportation under President George Herbert Walker Bush and the Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission. Having received about three dozen honorary degrees from around the globe, to infer that any of these honorary degrees somehow taints her is patently absurd.

“This attempt to smear Elaine Chao is clearly rooted in fear.  Secretary Chao is an effective conservative working to transform the transportation policy, working against the bureaucrat resisters and former Obama officials who are so often quoted by liberal outlets like the New York Times as if they were objective non-partisans. Among her recent actions which have drawn the ire of the professional left, Chao ended funding for the California high-speed rail and started an inquiry on whether the San Antonio and Buffalo airports religious discrimination against the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain ran afoul of federal law.

“It is no surprise that by carrying out President Trump’s mandate at the Department of Transportation, that Secretary Chao is being subjected to this type of scurrilous attack, and I, for one, am sick of this type of political assassination of someone who has dedicated her life to reining in the administrative state.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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May 31, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement reacting to the latest personal income numbers:

“Lost in the computer algorithm driven stock market volatility is a simple fact: Americans spending in April increased by $40.8 billion or 0.3 percent, and Americans disposable personal income increased by $69.3 billion or 0.4 percent. That’s the report from the federal government’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

“For all the Wall Street hand wringing of late, Americans continue to have more disposable income than in the past, and they are even able to save part of it for the future.  That is great economic news.

“When combined with the latest report on the nation’s Gross Domestic Product showing that our economy grew by 3.1 percent in the first quarter of this year, there are plenty of reasons for continued optimism about the economy moving ahead.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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May 29, 2019, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s resignation:

“Democrats and never-Trumpers never would have believed that the Robert Mueller investigation into the Trump campaign and presidency would end in such ignominious way. Rather than being a launch pad towards impeachment, Mueller’s investigation succeeded in showing that the entire Russian collusion narrative was at best a myth and at worst a hoax. Attorney General Barr is 100 percent correct in seeking to determine if those who pursued and perpetuated this wild conspiracy theory broke the law or if the laws themselves need to be changed to prevent this from ever happening again. We encourage him to not only consider the conduct of the FBI and Justice Department but also the nation’s intelligence agencies as he conducts his cross-government probe.”

Interview Availability: Please contact Americans for Limited Government at 703-383-0880 ext. 1 or at media@limitgov.org

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