Republican Weekly Address 1/30/2010

Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) delivers the weekly address for the GOP. Collins does an excellent job poking holes in the Obama administration's handling of the Christmas day attempted terror attack on US citizens. The failures of that day illuminate the glaring weaknesses in the President's approach to combating terrorism in general.

Republican Weekly Address 1/23/2010

WASHINGTON, DC – Delivering the weekly Republican address, House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH) provides a prebuttal to President Obama’s upcoming State of the Union address. Boehner says Republican Scott Brown’s victory in the Massachusetts special election gives Washington Democrats a choice: work with Republicans to create jobs and get our economy moving again or double down on the job-killing policies that are making matters worse. Boehner also outlines Republicans’ better solutions to address today’s challenges, including a no-cost jobs plan and the only health care bill that would lower premiums up to 10 percent. The transcript of Leader Boehner’s address follows the video below

“I’m House Republican Leader John Boehner.

“I’m speaking to you from the Capitol, where next week, President Obama will deliver his first State of the Union address.

“This is a fitting time to pause and take stock of where we are.

“Nearly a year ago, the President signed into law a trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ with promises that jobs would be created ‘immediately’ and that unemployment would stay below eight percent.

“Since then, roughly three million Americans have lost their jobs while red ink and bailouts have piled up as far as the eye can see.

“My home state of Ohio has endured nine straight months of double-digit unemployment. And for the better part of those nine months, Democrats in Washington have been focused on this government takeover of health care that working families just can’t afford and want nothing to do with.

“This is what happens when government overreaches and stops listening to the people. Washington Democrats believe government knows best how to spend your hard-earned money. Democrats believe we’re just one new tax, one more czar, and one giant bureaucracy away from solving all of your problems.

“That’s not the America that I know growing up with 11 brothers and sisters as the son of a bar owner. And as I travel the country, I meet a lot of people who feel the same way.

“For months now, a political rebellion has been brewing – one born from the American people’s opposition to greater government control over our economy and their lives.

“That rebellion propelled Republican Scott Brown to victory in this week’s Massachusetts special election.

“Scott’s win in the bluest of blue states gives us new hope that common sense will prevail. That maybe now, the hard work and entrepreneurship of the American people will no longer be stifled by Washington Democrats’ costly, job-killing agenda, an agenda Republicans have stood on principle and fought tooth and nail against.

“But we know better. We know that Washington Democrats will pull out all the stops to try and shove through this government takeover of health care, with its Medicare cuts and tax hikes. If there’s a sweetheart deal that needs to be cut, Democrats will cut it. And if there’s a vote that needs to be bought, they’ll buy it.

“Haven’t we had enough of government propped up on payoffs and pork-barrel spending? Haven’t we had enough of the same-old, us-vs-them politics that uses yesterday’s battles to distract us from today’s problems? We’re all in this together, and we need positive, forward-looking solutions to bring us together.

“So for families asking ‘where are the jobs,’ Republicans have offered common-sense solutions to help small businesses invest and hire new workers. We’ve also put forward a responsible budget blueprint that makes the tough spending choices that others just talk about.

“And on health care, Republicans have proposed the only bill that would lower premiums by up to 10 percent. And we do this by implementing some smart, common-sense reforms – whether it’s letting families and businesses buy health insurance across state lines or ending the junk lawsuits that contribute to higher health care costs.

“And we get the job done without cutting Medicare or raising your taxes.

“These solutions aren’t being devised behind closed doors with special interests having the final say. We’re soliciting feedback on Facebook and Twitter. We’re working with governors and mayors every day to develop the best ideas. All of the details are available at solutions.gop.gov.

“President Obama and Democrat leaders in Washington now have a choice: work with Republicans to get our nation back on its feet, or double down on the job-killing policies that are making matters worse.

“So at the State of the Union, we’ll listen to what the President has to say. But make no mistake: if the powers that be in Washington keep turning their backs on the people, Republicans will continue to challenge the status quo and offer better solutions.

“Our fight for reform, for freedom, and for common sense is far from over.

“Thanks for listening.”

Rep. Pete King (R-NY) Delivers Weekly Republican Address

Rep King: “We are a nation at war, and we should act like it. We need to pull together, remain vigilant, and send a clear signal – both to our friends and our enemies – that this government will stop at nothing to protect our homeland. That’s how America sets an example for the world.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Delivering the weekly Republican address, Rep. Pete King (R-NY) addresses the Obama Administration’s response to the terrorist plot to bring down Northwest Airlines Flight 253 and the need for a real, comprehensive strategy to fight and win the war on terror. Rep. King is the ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee; he also serves on the House Intelligence Committee.

Following is the text of Rep. King’s address:

“Hi, I’m Republican Congressman Pete King, I serve as the Ranking Member on the House Homeland Security Committee and I’m also a member of the House Intelligence Committee. I have the privilege to represent New York’s Third Congressional District, on Long Island in the suburbs of New York City. “Two weeks ago, the terrorist plot to bring down Northwest Airlines Flight 253 in the skies over Detroit was thwarted by a combination of luck and vigilance. But as President Obama has rightly said, it should never have even gotten to that point. Last year, this terrorist’s father, a widely respected member of his community, went to our embassy in Nigeria and shared his concerns that his son was becoming a radical jihadist. That should have been more than enough to trigger a red flag that would prevent this terrorist from ever setting foot on a plane bound for the U.S. with explosives. “Both parties recognize the need for answers, so bureaucratic reviews will take place and congressional hearings will be held. And while that’s all well and good, this is about much more than whether the no-fly list gets longer or it takes more time to get through the security line at the airport. “This is about whether we’ve learned our lesson. Terrorists still have innocent people in their sights and the will to murder them. They are always working on the next attack, refining their methods, searching the globe for new recruits. In other words, September 11th is not ancient history – it’s all too real. “So, the people in my community certainly get it. American families get it. And now it’s time for the Administration in Washington to stop sending mixed messages and get it too. “One of the first things we need to do is pass the Keep Terrorists Out of America Act, a common-sense bill Republicans have proposed to prevent terrorists from being brought on to our soil. This bill would help stop the misguided plan to put Khalid Sheikh Mohammed and other 9/11 terrorists on trial in downtown Manhattan. It’s an enormous, unnecessary risk, as is housing terrorists at the proposed ‘Gitmo North’ facility near Chicago. “There’s a good reason why the government has had such a hard time transferring these terrorist detainees to other countries. They are the worst of the worst. No one should want them. That’s why we put in place a process by which these terrorists should be held and tried – as enemy combatants, by military commissions. “The Keep Terrorists Out of America Act will also help to ensure that we’re treating terrorism as what it is – a war crime, not a law enforcement issue. We can’t gather the intelligence we need to foil future attacks if we are blindly granting terrorists the right to remain silent. But for some reason, we’ve already done that with the terrorist who tried to bring down Flight 253. “We are a nation at war, and we should act like it. We need to pull together, remain vigilant, and send a clear signal – both to our friends and our enemies – that this government will stop at nothing to protect our homeland. That’s how America sets an example for the world. “Thank you for listening.”

Weekly Republican Address

WASHINGTON, DC - Delivering the weekly Republican address, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) marked the holiday season by paying tribute to the men and women of our Armed Forces. A former Marine, Hunter served three combat tours overseas: two in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. In the address, Hunter also reaffirmed Republicans’ commitment to offering better solutions focused on putting people back to work and helping families address everyday challenges. Audio of the address is available here; video of the address will be available here once the embargo is lifted today at 6:00 p.m.

Following is the text of Rep. Hunter’s address:

“I’m Congressman Duncan Hunter, and I represent the 52nd Congressional District of California, the area around San Diego. “In this holiday season, I hope we all take time to offer thanks and prayers to the men and women of our Armed Forces. Many of these service members will spend the holidays away from home, on the frontlines in Iraq and Afghanistan, at bases and on ships around the world. “I understand the sacrifices they are making. Shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, I quit my job and joined the Marine Corps. Prior to coming to Congress, I was deployed to warzones on three separate occasions, twice in Iraq and once in Afghanistan. Just last month, actually, I had an opportunity to visit with our troops in Afghanistan. “I know we all wish everyone could be home for the holidays, but this is not a time for sadness or regret. Thoughts of home remind us of why we serve: because we’re proud to be Americans, because we want to pass on to our children the blessings of liberty that we inherited from our forefathers, and because nothing matters more to us than protecting our homes and our families. Our hope is that as a result of this determination and sacrifice, we will never again see our cities and citizens under attack. “I hope we also take a moment this year to reflect on those suffering here at home. For too many families, this will be a difficult Christmas. One in ten Americans are unemployed. Nearly six million of our citizens have been looking for work for more than six months – the most on record. “All year long, Republicans have offered common-sense solutions to put more money back into the pockets of hard-working families and to help small businesses create more jobs. We’ve also outlined a plan to lower health care premiums by up to 10 percent. And we have proposed an ‘all of the above’ energy strategy to create more American jobs, ease the strain on family budgets, and clean up our environment. Just as important, these solutions do not raise taxes, grow government, or add to the already skyrocketing debt burden being placed on our kids and grandkids. “After all the promises and all the spending we’ve seen out of Washington this year, out-of-work families are right to be asking, ‘where are the jobs?’ Republicans believe our top priority when it comes to the economy should be simple: first, do no harm. So let’s resolve in the new year to end misguided efforts to create new laws that will cost even more jobs, whether it’s the “cap and trade” national energy tax, the government takeover of health care, “card check,” or even more tax increases. “Working together, we can make the next holiday season even brighter for all Americans. Thank you, happy holidays, and God Bless America.”

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Weekly Republican Address

This week, Representative Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) explains how the Obama administration's concessions at the Copenhagen climate change (formerly known as Global Warming) conference will wreak havoc on the American economy.

If you have a slow internet connection and would prefer to read Rep. Blackburn's address, the text follows:

“Hi, I’m Congressman Marsha Blackburn, and I have the great honor of representing ennessee’s Seventh District.

“Next week, I and a number of my Republican colleagues in the House of Representatives will head to Copenhagen – Denmark’s capital city – where diplomats and politicians from around the world have gathered in an attempt to try to reach an international, UN-brokered agreement on climate change.

“If President Obama has his way, the Copenhagen conference will produce mandatory emissions limits that would destroy millions of American jobs and damage our economic competitiveness for decades to come.

“To comply with this UN-brokered agreement, Washington Democrats want to impose a ‘cap-and-trade’ national energy tax, a bureaucratic nightmare that would make households, small businesses and family farms pay higher prices for electricity, gasoline, food and virtually every product made in America. This legislation is currently making its way through the Senate after passing the House of Representatives in June.

“President Obama himself has said that as a result of this national energy tax, electricity prices would, and I quote, ‘necessarily skyrocket.’ His own Department of Energy has determined that millions of jobs would be lost.

“Since Democrats in Congress have failed to get a cap and trade bill to the President’s desk ahead of the Copenhagen Summit, President Obama took unilateral action this week to pile more regulation on the backs of families and small businesses in the name of combating global warming. On Monday the President’s EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, took the first step toward imposing costly new regulations on businesses for emitting carbon. My bill, H.R. 391 would stop the EPA.

“Just think of what will happen to small businesses and manufacturers hit with these skyrocketing energy bills, especially when nations like India and China don’t agree to these mandatory emissions limits. With Americans already facing double-digit unemployment, there could not be a worse time to unilaterally disarm our engines of job creation and economic growth.

“In fact, small businesses are already feeling anxiety and holding off on hiring due to the prospect of this national energy tax, a government takeover of health care, and other costly policies Democrats have in the works. These aren’t issues President Obama, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Democrats in Congress will talk about when they are in Copenhagen, but Republicans will.

“Also absent from the discussion in Copenhagen is the Climategate scandal. Recently leaked e-mails reveal climate scientists have a long track record of manipulating data to hide scientific evidence that contradicts the global warming establishment. And why? To bully citizens and lawmakers into supporting job-killing energy tax schemes. This scandal raises serious questions about Democrats’ climate control plans, questions that deserve a transparent investigation – not a rush to judgment – by the bureaucrats in Copenhagen.

“Republicans are all for clean water, clean air, and clean energy. We just don't think we have to tax people out of house and home to get there. That’s why we have proposed an ‘all of the above’ energy strategy that says, let’s put every clean, responsible energy option on the table so we can create jobs, ease the strain on family budgets, and clean up our environment.

“This is one of a series of common-sense solutions Republicans have proposed to empower families and small businesses while Democrats have continued to rely on more spending, more regulation, and more government to try and solve every problem.

“Nothing sums this up more than the trillion-dollar ‘stimulus’ of borrowing and spending that has failed to create jobs ‘immediately’ and keeps unemployment below eight percent as promised. Instead, more than three million Americans have lost their jobs and unemployment has risen to double-digits.

“Given the opportunity to try a new approach, President Obama has instead proposed more of the same ‘stimulus’ spending paid for by borrowing from our children and grandchildren.

“It’s time for Washington to learn the hard lesson that families already know: growing debt only cripples freedom and spending more money than you have is no plan for prosperity. Only Republicans have provided a fiscally responsible blueprint for helping families and small businesses weather this economic crisis and get back up on their feet.

“Thank you for listening.”