June 14, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to reports that Saudi Arabia beginning to accept payments in other currencies besides the U.S. dollar for oil:

“It is being widely reported that Saudi Arabia will begin accepting multiple different currencies in exchange for oil, presumably ending the U.S.-Saudi petrodollar agreement. Why does this matter? Because for the last fifty years, the Saudis only accepted the U.S. dollar for oil, forcing world governments to in part accumulate U.S. treasuries in order to purchase the one commodity that makes the world go round, black gold, Texas tea, as an old 60s sitcom called it.

“What is the practical effect? As the need to have U.S. dollars rather than Chinese yuan or Indian rupies or euros is negated, the world demand for U.S. Treasuries will go down. Each year, we sell around $9 trillion of treasuries to buyers around the world. The market for these is at least partially driven by the demand to purchase them with that demand partially created by the need to have them to transact business around the world.

“Now that the artificial oil demand is lessened, the allure of U.S. treasuries will be significantly more tied to the interest rate they pay. Less demand, more supply — due to an on-going $2 trillion deficit and rolling over maturing treasuries — equals higher interest payments on the debt. Higher interest payments on the debt equals higher annual deficits and more inflation due to the increased cost of borrowing. Needless to say this vicious cycle is bad for our nation’s short and mid-term economic outlook.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 12, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging that FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg be removed from his position immediately by President Joe Biden:

“Americans for Limited Government agrees with House Financial Services Committee Chairman McHenry that FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg must be fired immediately due to the widespread malfeasance and mismanagement at the agency detailed in the 200-page plus independent report requested by the FDIC Board of Directors.

“Gruenberg’s callous response that he will resign once someone else is put in place misses the entire point that system-wide change at the Agency is needed right now, not whenever someone else is approved to take the helm. When a ship is stuck on the shoals of employee abuse, the captain doesn’t get to call the shots – the captain gets replaced immediately. Gruenberg’s refusal to participate in today’s House Financial Services Committee hearing is a slap in the face to Congress and a sign of true cowardice in his refusal to face and respond to an inquiry about the abuse of employees at the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation under his watch as Chairman. Gruenberg is the problem and not the solution.

“It is telling that the Biden White House, which virtue signals non-stop on whatever is the latest social issue of the day, has failed to follow the President’s day-one promise to fire anyone immediately who disrespects – let alone abuses – their colleagues. As today’s hearing is proving, it is time for Gruenberg to go in order to begin reestablishing trust amongst the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation workforce. This is a test of whether Joe Biden will fire someone immediately who has overseen what Sen. Joni Ernst called an Animal House-like atmosphere at an agency that Americans trust to oversee our banking system. Failure to fire Gruenberg would mark just one more sad example of Joe Biden’s administration talking a big game, and shrinking back when it comes time to back it up. Martin Gruenberg should be fired today.

“Protecting our nation’s banking system is a big job.  It is a job that needs to be done without the distraction of sexual harassment, abuse of disabled employees, and intimidation. It is time for the Biden White House to fire Martin Gruenberg immediately and stop putting their political and policy agenda ahead of the need for a functioning Agency overseeing the nation’s banking system.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 7, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement in response to the latest jobs numbers:

“Almost 30% of the nation’s job growth over the past twelve month comes from the growth of local, state and federal government hiring even though government only makes up 15% of everyone with jobs.  That’s right, out of the 2.1 million new jobs created over the past year according to the U.S. Department of Labor, 617,000 of them were government jobs.  According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, total government employment in May of 2024 reached an all-time high of 23,319,000, up about 1.5 million since Joe Biden took office with federal employment alone up more than 1.1 million.

“Hiring non-productive paper pushers and armed Internal Revenue Service agents don’t create wealth, but instead are a drag on the overall economy.  The irony is that one impact of draining the swamp in DC would be a jump in reported unemployment as the bloated federal bureaucracy would be trimmed. One thing no one should be surprised about is that Biden has significantly grown the size of the government workforce pouring money into the coffers of his government employee union benefactors.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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June 6, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the imprisonment of Steve Bannon:

“The decision to revoke Steve Bannon’s bail and require him to report to prison by July 1 with his sentence set to end in early November is a stark reminder of the two-tier justice system.  Bannon’s ‘crime’ was filing an appeal based upon the mainstream legal theory that counselors to the President have a legal shield when it comes to providing official advice.  This shield is important as without it, outside advisors on foreign policy would be required to testify under penalty of perjury about whatever was discussed between them and the President. It is common and necessary for presidents to seek consultation with people outside of their administration, particularly as it pertains to political matters. After the Court ruled against Bannon’s immunity from interrogation, he agreed to appear before the laughable and reprehensible January 6 Committee of the House of Representatives, only to be told that they didn’t really want to hear from him, they wanted to jail him. Imagine a world where David Axelrod went to jail for not appearing before Congress to discuss political discussions he had with Barack Obama. That is the world that is being thrust upon us, as Steve Bannon’s decision to have the Court determine whether he was compelled to testify has resulted in his conviction and imprisonment.

“As someone who has cautioned against an eye for an eye approach to these political prosecutions, the imprisonment of top Trump White House advisor Peter Navarro, impending imprisonment of Steve Bannon, along with the kangaroo court conviction of former president Donald Trump demonstrates that those responsible for weaponizing the criminal justice system against their political enemies must be held to account.  The dangerous game being played by those who clearly have no fear of legal consequences due to their elite status protecting them from prosecution by their friends and wealthy neighbors is shredding any semblance of a politically blind justice system. Trust in an honest the judicial system is the most important American social contract holding our nation together and the Bannon imprisonment will provide more evidence that the very fabric that holds our nation together has been breached. As every person who has ever recited the Humpty Dumpty rhyme knows, once something is broken, it is impossible to put back together.

“For those who embrace ‘fundamental transformation’ of a country that valued a blindfolded justice system the damage done by the Obama-Biden lawfare may be their crowning achievement as the country which once had a judicial system that was the envy of the world has made banana republics shrink in horror at what it has become.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 30, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement blasting the guilty verdict at the trial of former President Donald Trump in New York City:

“There is a statement that a prosecutor could indict a ham sandwich, but in New York City, the saying should be changed to a prosecutor and judge can convict a former president without presenting charges or allowing testimony to counter those charges.  The presumption of innocence does not apply to people doing business or living in New York City if they are not politically compliant. The rule of law which holds together the thin veneer of civilization has been shredded, let’s hope not permanently for the sake of what used to be American ideals.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 30, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement praising the unanimous Supreme Court decision in NRA v. Vullo:

“The left has used lawfare as a means to silence their political foes. The various cases against former president Donald Trump put an exclamation point on the abuse of this power.  But a little discussed, but almost as damaging to our republican form of government which depends upon debate amongst people with diverse opinions to thrive, was the effort by the state of New York to intimidate corporate partners with the National Rifle Association. The Supreme Court today unanimously decided in favor of the National Rifle Association in National Rifle Association v. Maria T. Vullo finding that the state of New York Department of Financial Services unlawfully disrupted and used intimidation to trample the NRA’s ability to partner with insurance companies who had exclusive rights to underwrite insurance products for NRA members.

“In an amicus brief by Advancing American Freedom which Americans for Limited Government joined, we argued that the government cannot accomplish by proxy what it cannot accomplish directly and the Court agreed.  It is hoped that the state of New York is hit with penalties that dwarf the absurd bail requirements imposed on former president Trump to send a message to all state and local government’s that there will be a massive price to pay for using their coercive powers to deny the rights of their political opponents.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 16, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging Congress to reject legislation by House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-Wash.) and Ranking Member Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-N.J.) that would sunset Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act:

“Congress is treading into dangerous territory with the announced sunset of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act being considered. Section 230 guarantees free speech on the internet. Without it, old-style bulletin boards like Free Republic and other alternative voices would have never been allowed to exist in the first place.

“Section 230 allows interactive computer services including e-commerce stores and other small businesses to operate without fear of liability from their user networks collectively consisting of millions of individuals, who also can freely post content, products and communicate with their peers. This is essential infrastructure for interstate commerce and for the free and open internet that the bill fails to offer any alternative for consideration.

“Before Congress acts, they need to understand that neither Truth Social, X nor Rumble would survive in their current forms if this bill passes. Passage of this legislation would have a chilling effect on free speech by demanding censorship of all non-government-sanctioned points of view.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org.

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May 15, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today praised Senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.) and U.S. Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) for stripping a provision from the FAA reauthorization bill that would have prohibited resale of airplane registration numbers:

“There’s an old saying that you can’t fight city hall, but when it came to the FAA reauthorization this year, the little guy did win, thanks to the efforts of Senators Ted Cruz, Marsha Blackburn and Rick Scott, along with U.S. Rep. Scott Perry, who were instrumental in removing a provision that would have ended resale of airplane registration numbers by four small businesses. Americans for Limited Government got involved because the original House bill would have wiped these small businesses off the map simply because powerful lobbyists wanted it to happen.

“It is fundamentally wrong for government to pick winners and losers by targeting individuals or businesses for deliberate destruction. Fortunately, Cruz, Blackburn, Scott and Perry stood firm against this absurd federal government overreach, resulting in the FAA conducting a study the impacts of the airplane registration numbers. This may be a small issue in a massive bill but it does prove that every once in a while, the little guy can push back win.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org .

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May 10, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning issued the following statement in response to an independent report ordered by the Special Review Committee of the FDIC’s Board of Directors alleging workplace harassment and misconduct under the watch of FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg, urging his resignation or firing:

“On his first day in office, President Joe Biden stated ‘If you’re ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot. On the spot. No ifs or buts.’ The question is whether he was serious. An independent report ordered by the Special Review Committee of the FDIC’s Board of Directors as a result of employee complaints about abuses at the bank regulator paints a damning image of the culture fostered by FDIC Chairman Martin Gruenberg wherein ‘the FDIC has failed to provide a workplace safe from sexual harassment, discrimination, and other interpersonal misconduct.’

“The report specifically found that Gruenberg has verbally abused employees by demonstrating a volatile temper and ‘having been with the FDIC for almost 20 years, and having served as its head for ten of the last thirteen years, leading cultural transformation at an agency that he has led for so long presents unique challenges…’ that ‘hinder his ability to establish trust and confidence in leading meaningful culture change…’

“On May 15 and May 16, House and Senate committees overseeing the FDIC will be hearing testimony from top bank regulators including Gruenberg. In response to the report, Sen. Joni Ernst issued a statement asking pointedly ‘When is Martin Gruenberg’s last day?’ and noted ‘Drunken debauchery, creepy conversations, and an all-around inappropriate atmosphere’ at the agency. Gruenberg’s running of the FDIC with a culture that is equivalent to ‘bankers gone wild’ meets the standard President Biden set for himself for firing his appointees, and if Gruenberg doesn’t resign, he should be fired.”

Attachments: Report for the Special Review Committee of the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP, May 7, 2024, https://www.fdic.gov/sites/default/files/2024-05/cleary-report-to-fdic-src.pdf

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May 6, 2024, Fairfax, Va.—Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning today issued the following statement urging House Republicans to reject the motion to vacate House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.):

“It is anticipated that a Motion to Vacate the Chair will be brought up in the House of Representatives this week.  A vote for the motion is a vote for chaos, which would embolden President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, and be extremely damaging to the limited government agenda.

“It is virtually impossible to satisfy all sides in the Republican Conference on a vast majority of issues.  The national defense contingent has seemingly always traded more domestic spending and increasing mandatory spending liabilities for more Pentagon spending.

“Those concerned about exploding debt refuse to vote for spending legislation which turns a blind eye toward massive government spending increases, even when necessary limitations on Biden’s unconstitutional expansion of government are included. This leaves two choices – a government shutdown of the 30 percent of the government funded by appropriations bills or a higher spending bill dictated by the Democrats.

“Given that there are not the votes to shutdown the government in the House, House leadership is forced to deal with the Democrat-controlled Senate and Biden administration with a very weak hand.

“The Motion to Vacate the Chair which removed Kevin McCarthy from the office and the ensuing two week gut wrenching leadership decision created a very weak Speaker’s office for the rest of this Congress. The current one-vote GOP majority in the House exacerbates that weakness, as any two GOP members can take down the Speaker unless Democrats come to his aid.

“Let’s be clear. Between now and January of 2025, there are not the votes to pass significant limited government legislation into law. This leaves control of the committees as the only way that an agenda designed to pull America back from the precipice the Biden administration has put our nation on can be moved forward.

“Preparing for a robust 2025 needs to become the top priority for the GOP House of Representatives. The likelihood that a bi-partisan majority either protects Speaker Johnson or elects a new Speaker is strong, and it would be foolish to proceed with a Motion to Vacate vote in this political landscape.

“I greatly sympathize with and share the frustration of those who have stated their support for the Motion to Vacate. But unfortunately, the reality on May 6, 2024 is that no Speaker could deliver border fixes in a world where the President politically benefits from continued chaos.

“Our nation is in a time of peril, and it seems as if there is nothing that can be done. Nothing can be further from the truth. What is needed is a recognition of what season we are in. We are in the season of sowing, not reaping. If we are to reap a great harvest in early 2025, GOP Congressional leadership need to be empowering the committees to prepare the ground, plant the seeds and provide ample water and fertilizer to facilitate strong growth. Putting up a Motion to Vacate the Chair vote would be disastrous for this process to succeed.

“Americans for Limited Government urges House Republicans to reject the Motion to Vacate the Chair. It is the wrong action at the wrong time.”

For media availability contact Americans for Limited Government at media@limitgov.org .

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