Reactions
to
President
Obama's
State
of
the
Union, January 24, 2012
Candidates (alpha) | Interest
Groups
Newt
2012
Newt
Gingrich Response to State of the Union
Coral Gables, FL – Newt
Gingrich released the following statement
responding to President Obama’s State of the Union address:
We have a crisis of work in this country and tonight President Obama
proposed nothing in the way of policy changes that will get us to
robust job creation and dramatic economic growth.
Instead, the president described his conviction that his big government
is built to last and should be paid for with higher taxes.
But bigger government and higher taxes will not lead to jobs and
growth. Bigger government and higher taxes will instead lead to more
people on food stamps, a situation which the President and his party
defend as a fair outcome.
Here we have to confront the truth about President Obama.
Economic
growth and prosperity is not really at the top of his agenda. He will
always prefer a food stamp economy to a paycheck economy and call it
fair.
For the president and a large part of the political class, it’s about
their power, their right to rule. They just want to take money
from
Joe the Plumber – the small business people who makes over 90 per cent
of the new jobs -- and redistribute it to the government bureaucracy
and their political friends and allies. That’s why so much of
that
nearly trillion-dollar stimulus didn’t create jobs but just went into
the pockets of special interests who support President Obama and the
leadership of the Democratic Party.
No better example of this exists than in the crisis of American energy.
President Obama and his political allies – not of few of whom love
living in energy inefficient houses or driving gas-guzzling luxury
vehicles – openly admit they want gas prices to remain high so that the
rest of America will learn to live more modestly. They think it’s good
for rest of us. Only recently, the president canceled the
Keystone XL
Pipeline that would have created countless new jobs and helped America
on the way to energy independence because he wanted to appease the far
left of his party. And yet not a single word on the Keystone XL
pipeline tonight.
To create jobs and growth in this country, we must start with dramatic
tax reform that lowers taxes and maximizes capital investment and job
creation. We must return to a dollar as good as gold whose purchasing
power is the same in thirty years as it is today. We must
dramatically
expand American energy production. We must have smarter regulation at
the same time we abolish destructive and costly regulatory systems
beginning with Obamacare,Dodd-Franks, and Sarbanes-Oxley. And finally,
unlike the current administration, we must have faith in job creators.
With these policies the state of the union will be much better.
They
will create an explosion in job creation and lead to robust economic
growth and a return to prosperity. Furthermore, a paycheck
economy
will put us on a path to balanced budgets and paying down our national
debt.
###
Contact:
R.C. Hammond
Press Secretary
Ron Paul 2012
Presidential Campaign Committee
Ron
Paul Responds To Obama’s State Of The Union Speech
“Tonight, President
Obama once again showed that he does not represent
the fundamental change this country needs.”
LAKE JACKSON, Texas – See below for 2012 Republican Presidential
candidate Ron Paul’s response to President Barack Obama’s State of the
Union address.
“Tonight, President Obama once again showed that he does not represent
the fundamental change this country needs. Instead of offering
solutions to the problems our country faces, the President was intent
on delivering a campaign speech, further dealing in the typical
Washington political gamesmanship that has gotten us exactly nowhere
close to improving the lives of the American people.
“In a speech where much of the rhetoric was devoted to job creation, it
was strange that President Obama would brag about his job-destroying
national health care plan, Obamacare, and the Dodd-Frank bill, which,
contrary to the President's claims, guarantees future taxpayer bailouts
of large institutions. Unfortunately, President Obama's ‘job creation’
policies amount to little more than continuing to allow government
bureaucrats to pick winners and losers, which is a recipe for continued
economic stagnation.
“President Obama claims to want an economy where everyone gets a fair
shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same
set of rules. Yet he remains committed to the same old system of debt,
deficits, bailouts, and cronyism that created our economic problems.
The President speaks of giving us energy independence from unstable
nations, yet he refuses to allow the type of development needed to
achieve this goal, while at the same time his administration hands out
favors to the politically connected – those given to the likes of
Solyndra, who fail to produce jobs or energy but succeed in ripping off
the taxpayers.
“Of course, President Obama refuses to even mention the role the
Federal Reserve plays in creating an economic system where some are
denied a fair shot or even to support my efforts at bringing
transparency to the Federal Reserve. Also not mentioned by President
Obama is the very crucial need for reining in spending and balancing
the federal budget. What is called by some 'the greatest threat to our
national security' seems not to be of great importance to this
President, although I, like many Americans, believe it to be cause for
immediate measures, like the $1 trillion in spending cuts that would
take place in my first year as President under my
Plan to Restore America.
“In the area of foreign policy and civil liberties, President Obama's
rhetoric may be different, but the substance of his polices - as shown
by his administration's defense of the TSA’s treatment of my son,
Senator Rand Paul, is hardly ‘change we can believe in.’ No wonder more
and more Americans, especially young people, are rejecting the phony
alternatives of Obama and establishment Republicans and embracing my
campaign to Restore America Now.”
###
Buddy
Roemer
for
President
Obama is All Talk
No Action
Baton Rouge, LA–
Governor Charles E. “Buddy” Roemer released the following
statement following President Obama’s State of the Union remarks:
Tonight’s State of the Union address is a time-honored tradition, and I
show utmost respect for the Office of the President of the United
States and appreciate the words he shared with the country
tonight. I
do have the responsibility, though, as an American citizen, to ask some
tough questions of the President. I have to ask why, Mr.
President,
Congress has not been able to pass a budget in two years? Why have tax
reform, immigration reform, fair trade reform with China, the banking
reform - all the policies you talked about tonight – why have
none of
those things been accomplished, when you’ve had three years in office
to make progress on them?
Now you say that you want to introduce a new unit to investigate
abusive mortgage lending practices that led to the housing crisis, and
a ‘trade enforcement unit’ to tell us what we already know about
China’s manipulation of currency and unfair trade practices.
There’s a
big difference between President Obama and myself – I don’t believe
that the solution to the government’s problems, and to the peoples’
problems, is MORE government. The solution is better government,
and
smarter government – adequate legislation to regulate lending, like
that which Glass-Steagall provided, and tough action against China’s
practices rather than a bloated investigation. Instead, I
wouldn’t be
surprised if the Obama administration started contracting with one of
Newt’s many firms to serve as consultants for this new mortgage
unit.
I was surprised to hear the President use the words ‘money in
politics.’ That’s my issue, and I’ve been talking about it since
I
declared my candidacy for the Republican nomination for
president. But
unlike President Obama, I live the message, not taking a single penny
from PACs or Super PACs, which distort and corrupt our politics.
Limiting stock ownership by elected officials, keeping bundlers from
lobbying, banning insider trading by members of Congress – which is
illegal for EVERYONE, by the way, not just members of Congress – those
are great things, but as long as PACs and Super PACs are buying our
elections, they won’t mean anything. How can a president who is
planning a billion dollar reelection campaign decry the influence of
money in politics?
I have to say, I felt like the President and his speechwriters have
been reading my website and brushing up on my speeches, because I’ve
never had every idea I’ve been going around the country talking about
stolen. Go to my website, and read my speech in front of the
Chinese
Embassy in Washington. Read my speech from the National Press
Club.
Read my speech from Iowa, where I talk about ending ethanol
subsidies.
Energy, fair trade, deregulation, immigration reform – the President
finally talked about all of them tonight, except for the most important
one – corruption. President Obama would have you believe that
Washington is broken, but it is not. It is corrupt. And it
will be
corrupt as long as you are raising money from the same Wall Street
one-percenters who got us into the very mortgage crisis you’re now
concerned about. After just two years in office, you have
reverted to
the job you do best – being a full-time campaigner. The policies
you
proposed tonight, I agree with many of them. But they will never
happen until we take the money out of the equation. The country
is
looking to you, Mr. President. They are looking to you for
leadership,
and for reform. Not for pretty speeches and gutless
action. End the
corruption, lest we continue our drift into economic mediocrity.
Governor Buddy Roemer is a four-term Congressman and former
Governor of Louisiana. He is known for refusing PAC and special
interest money, implementing campaign finance reform, turning around
Louisiana’s failing economy and cutting the state’s unemployment rate
in half in just four years. Roemer is a candidate for President of the
United States. His website is www.BuddyRoemer.com.
###
Romney for President
MITT
ROMNEY DELIVERS PREBUTTAL TO PRESIDENT OBAMA’S STATE OF THE UNION
ADDRESS
Boston, MA –
Mitt Romney today delivered prebuttal remarks to President Obama’s
State of the Union Address in Tampa, Florida. The following remarks
were prepared for delivery:
Thank you. It’s good to be in the Sunshine State. It breaks
my heart to visit plants like this one.
In
2008, this plant closed because of the economic downturn. In a
normal
recovery under strong leadership, it could now be full of workers.
Here
in Florida, people used to wake up and look forward to a hard day’s
work and a good, honest wage. The money they earned helped
support
families and build communities. Today too many factory floors are
silent, warehouses are deserted, corporate offices are empty, and real
estate endeavors are abandoned. Floridians are struggling to find
a
job, keep a home, and raise a family.
As
I’ve traveled across America, I’ve heard similar stories in virtually
every corner of this country. High unemployment and record home
foreclosures. Debt that’s too high and opportunities that are too
few. This is the real state of our union. But you won’t
hear stories
like these in President Obama’s address tonight. The unemployed
don’t
get invitations to sit with the First Lady.
Instead,
tonight, the President will do what he does best. He will give a
nice
speech with a lot of memorable phrases. But he won’t give you the
hard
numbers.
Like 9.9 – that’s the unemployment rate in this state.
Or 25 percent – that’s the percentage of foreclosed homes in America
that are right here in Florida.
Or $15 trillion – that’s the size of our national debt.
Instead,
tonight, President Obama will make the opening argument in his campaign
against a “Do Nothing Congress.” But, we shouldn’t forget that
for two
years, this President had a Congress that could do everything he wanted.
With huge Democratic majorities in the House and Senate, President
Obama was free to pursue any policy he pleased.
Did he fix the economy?
Did he tackle the housing crisis?
Did he get Americans back to work?
No.
He spent $787 billion on a stimulus bill and put us on track to borrow
and spend $5 trillion in just his first term.
He forced through Obamacare – a trillion-dollar entitlement we don’t
want and can’t afford.
He took over auto companies and student loans.
He
stacked the National Labor Relations Board with union yes-men who, in
turn, did favors for his campaign contributors and favorite friends.
When we needed stability and solvency, he gave us Solyndra.
When we needed a climate for private investment, he gave us Cash for
Clunkers.
When
we needed more domestic energy to keep prices low and create jobs, he
imposed bans on oil drilling and turned his EPA regulators loose to
slow our development of natural gas.
He’s
spearheaded one of the largest expansions of government in American
history. And he’s paying for it with money borrowed from China.
Three years ago, we measured Candidate Obama by his hopeful promises
and slogans.
Today, President Obama has amassed an actual record of debt, decline,
and disappointment.
This President’s agenda made these troubled times last longer. He
and his allies made it harder for the economy to recover.
Instead
of solving the housing crisis and getting Americans back to work,
President Obama has been building a European-style welfare state.
He
has pushed for a second stimulus and deep cuts to our national
defense. He’s asking the American people for another trillion
dollars
– and another term in office.
He keeps telling people, “We can’t wait.” To which I say, “Yes, we can.”
Tonight,
the President will deliver his State of the Union. But make no
mistake: What he’s really offering are partisan planks for his
re-election campaign.
The President has been telling people that his agenda will create an
economy that's “built to last.”
Well, let’s talk about what has lasted.
What
has lasted is unemployment above 8% for 35 straight months. What
will
last is almost as much debt in four years as all the prior presidents
combined. What will last are home values that are too low and
foreclosure rates that are too high. And a legacy of debt that
will
imperil future generations.
What is critical is that we make today Barack Obama’s last State of the
Union.
The
President’s agenda sounds less like “built to last” and more like
doomed to fail. What he’s proposing is more of the same: more
taxes,
more spending, and more regulation. And all of his proposals
involve
“big” government and “big” price tags.
Tonight,
we’ll also be treated to more divisive rhetoric from a desperate
campaigner-in-chief. It’s shameful for a President to use the
State of
the Union to divide our nation. And someone ought to tell
him: In
order for the economy to truly “work for everyone,” everyone needs to
be working.
But
more than anything, I expect the President will take this opportunity
to take another victory lap. In big speeches, he tends to tell
tall
tales about an America that’s thriving on his watch.
In
2010, he announced that “the worst of this economic storm has
passed.”
I know the people of Tampa don’t believe that. Today, 24 million
Americans are struggling for work. 2.8 million Americans have
lost
their homes. But President Obama believes he ranks among the four
best
presidents in history.
Here
in Florida, you know better. You know that this President has run
out
of ideas. He’s run out of excuses. And, with your help,
2012 will be
the year he runs out of time.
If
tonight were the first message to Congress in a Romney administration,
I’d have the courage to tell the American people how it is and tell
Congress what we really need to do. I wouldn’t spend my time
blaming
others for how we got in this mess; I’d explain how we’re going to get
out of it. I’d use the State of the Union to lay out an agenda
that
will get our country back on track and get our fiscal house in
order.
My agenda would make government simpler, smaller, and smarter.
As President, I will repeal unnecessary regulations and restore our
good credit rating.
I will reduce tax rates and simplify the tax code, especially for
middle-income Americans.
I
will streamline regulation, ensure the prompt review of projects, and
order agencies to focus on economic growth. The Keystone Pipeline
is a
real “shovel-ready” project that would put 20,000 Americans back to
work. Three years of review is long enough. The President
was wrong
to reject it. I will approve it.
I
will open up new markets for American goods, and open up our lands so
that we can finally develop our energy resources. A revolution in
drilling for natural gas has opened up new supplies that will create
American jobs, provide affordable energy, and offer our manufacturers a
competitive edge. My administration will support the development
of
these resources, not find excuses to stand in the way.
If
I were speaking to Congress tonight, I’d note that it’s now been one
thousand days since the Senate last passed a budget. That’s
irresponsible. It’s unacceptable. And, as President, I will
cut
spending, cap spending, and finally balance the budget.
I
would pledge to do all that a President can to get America working
again. When it comes to the economy, my highest priority would be
worrying about your job, not saving my own.
As
President, I will reverse the Obama-era defense cuts. I believe a
strong America must – and will – lead the future. I will insist
on a
military so powerful that no one would ever think of challenging it.
That
is the State of the Union I would deliver tonight. My plans
protect
our freedom and preserve opportunity. They reflect common-sense
solutions and conservative values. And, over the past seven
months,
that agenda has rallied millions of Americans to our cause.
Our
campaign is about more than replacing a President; it is about saving
the soul of America. This election is a choice between two very
different destinies.
President
Obama wants to “fundamentally transform” America. We want to restore
America to the founding principles that made this country great.
This President puts his faith in government. We put our faith in the
American people.
Ours
is the party of free enterprise, free markets, and consumer
choice.
The Republican Party stands for personal responsibility and equal
opportunity. We don’t demonize prosperity. We celebrate
success.
That’s
the difference between our party and this President. He leads the
party of big government. He believes in ever-expanding
entitlement.
He’s wrong. We’re right. And this is a battle we cannot
lose.
During
my 25 years in business, I helped companies like Staples and the Sports
Authority grow from start-ups to international enterprises. I
turned
around companies, a state government, and an Olympics. And I am
passionate about our economic liberty because I have seen it reward the
hard work of many – and create prosperity for all.
I
have the experience to get America back to work. I have the
judgment
we need in the White House. And I will offer a real choice in the
coming campaign.
Tonight
will mark another chapter in the misguided policies of the last three
years – and the failed leadership of one man. But Americans know
that
our future is brighter and better than these troubled times.
We still believe in the hope, the promise, and the dream of America. We
still believe in that shining city on a hill.
A year from now a President will be giving another State of the Union
address. The choice before us is clear.
Do we want a president who will try to explain again why his policies
haven’t worked?
Do we want a president who will keep promising that this time he will
get it right?
Do we want a president who keep telling us why he’s right and why we’re
wrong?
Or do we want the sense of excitement that comes with a new beginning?
We
are Americans and Americans don’t have to settle for a president who
argues that things could be worse. We know that things can – and
must
– be better.
If you want to make this election about restoring American greatness,
then I hope you will join us.
If you believe the disappointments of the last few years are a detour,
not our destiny, then I am asking for your support.
If you share my belief that we need to scale back government so that we
can expand prosperity, then I need your vote.
Thank you. And God bless the United States of America.
###
Rick
Santorum for President
SANTORUM RESPONDS TO STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS IN
REAL-TIME
Sarasota,
FL - Republican Presidential Candidate Rick Santorum will be providing
a real-time response to President Obama's annual State of the Union
address this evening via Twitter @RickSantorum and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RickSantorum.
9:18pm - Rick
Santorum has a bold plan to bring manufacturing jobs back to our shores
- proposing a 0% tax rate for manufacturing companies as an incentive
to hire hard working Americans. Learn more at
http://MadeInAmericaPlan.com/
9:20pm - Under
President Obama's watch our national debt has risen over 4 trillion
dollars already. Rick Santorum has voted for a Balanced Budget
Amendment and has a bold plan to reduce the deficit by 5 trillion
dollars in 5 years. http://www.ricksantorum.com/spending-cuts-and-entitlements-reform
9:23pm - The
White
House TARP Bailout promise? - $787 billion stimulus would create
3.3 millions jobs by 2010 ... Results? - For 840 of his Obama's first
1000 days unemployment has been over 9%. Learn about Rick Santorum's
conservative economic action steps to revive our nation's economy at http://www.ricksantorum.com/made-america
9:41pm - The President's energy policy is beholden to
environmentalists - he should have supported Keystone Pipeline.
9:50pm - "There
were several of us in the United States Senate in 2005 and 2006, who
saw the problem with Freddie and Fannie ... I was on the Banking
Committee and we voted to move forward to solve this problem ... We
need to allow capitalism to work. Let these companies realize these
losses." ~ Rick Santorum during last night's GOP debate.
9:55pm - "I
opposed the single biggest government intrusion into the private
sector, the Wall Street bailout, the TARP program. I opposed it because
it violated the principles and the spirit of our Constitution." ~ Rick
Santorum - Click like and share if you agree! http://RickSantorum.com/
10:07pm - Barack
Obama talks about a basic American Promise - we can't afford to promise
things to people in the forms on new entitlements. We can encourage
everyone to word hard in a land of freedom in pursuit of the American
Dream. Join our Fight at http://RickSantorum.com/
SANTORUM
RESPONDS
TO
PRESIDENT
OBAMA'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS
Sarasota,
FL - Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum made the following
comments in reaction to President Obama's State of the Union Address.
Rick
Santorum said: "Tonight Barack Obama transformed the President's annual
State of the Union address into the kick-off of his re-election
campaign. From beginning to end, the American people heard more of the
same - empty promises and grand platitudes that will do nothing to help
the millions of Americans who are unemployed or under employed find a
good paying job.
Rather
than call for decisive action in allowing projects like the Keystone
Pipeline or reducing the regulatory burden his Administration has
imposed, the President declared war on those who are most successful in
our society. Barack Obama should realize he's the President of all
Americans, but sadly, he has instead chosen to govern and campaign as
the Divider-in-Chief.
We
need to unite America and create an environment that rewards hard work
and success, allowing people the opportunity to rise in society. We
need a President who will rebuild the sector that built American
economic greatness - manufacturing. My plan is diametrically opposed to
that of the President's. Barack Obama speaks of raising taxes and
imposing barriers to growth, my plan would eliminate the corporate
taxes on manufacturers, eliminate the burdensome regulations of this
Administration, and free our market to explore for the energy necessary
to grow our economy.
Our
Party needs to provide a clear contrast with Barack Obama in the
general election. Our campaign does just that by focusing a
positive
message of a resurgent American manufacturing sector, an Administration
that will believe in American exceptionalism
again, and valuing the dignity of each and every human life. America
deserves better than what they heard from Barack Obama tonight. "
To
learn
more
about
former Senator Rick Santorum, please visit www.RickSantorum.com.
###
Gary
Johnson
2012
GOVERNOR GARY
JOHNSON ON THE SOTU: ONLY IN THE TWILIGHT ZONE THAT IS WASHINGTON...
January 24, 2012, New York, NY --Former New
Mexico Governor and current presidential candidate Gary Johnson
released the following statement in reaction to the President's State
of the Union address:
“If the idea tonight was that the President would fulfill his
constitutional duty to give us ‘information of the State of the Union’,
we should be able to expect some truth. I didn’t hear much truth. Truth
is that the real unemployment rate is probably still above 10%. Truth
is that after all the hand-wringing and deals of the past couple of
years, instead of cutting spending, the President and Congress are
going back to the well for another $1.2 Trillion debt limit increase.
And the truth is we are seeing nothing from either the President or the
Republicans that will really change any of those unacceptable
realities.
“Only in the twilight zone that is Washington could a President
who has bailed out and stimulated our economy to death stand in the
Capitol and declare there should be ‘no bailouts, no handouts, and no
cop-outs’. Can anyone spell GM or TARP or Solyndra?
“The President said we deserve a government that plays by the
same rules as millions of hard-working Americans. Perhaps that should
begin with the government not borrowing and printing 43 cents of every
dollar it spends – something hard-working Americans can’t and don’t do.
“Until we see a real plan – not a Washington smoke and mirrors
plan – that puts a stop to deficit spending and really puts America
back to work, all of this rhetoric is just wasted breath.”
####
Tea
Party Express
Herman Cain Delivers Tea Party Response to SOTU
TONIGHT!
SACRAMENTO, Calif., Jan. 24, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Tea Party Express, the nation's largest tea party political action
committee, is teaming up with Herman Cain
who will deliver the Tea Party response to the State of the Union
Address tonight. The response is being held at the National Press Club
in Washington, D.C., immediately
following the GOP response.
Amy Kremer,
Chairman of the Tea Party Express, said, "It is unfortunate that
without even hearing the President's State of the Union Address, we
already know what to expect: more grand spending plans, a demonization
of capitalism and job creators, and why he is not responsible for the
lethargic state of our economy.
"In
2010 Americans clearly stated their objection to the out-of-control
size, cost, and intrusiveness of the federal government. Unfortunately,
instead of taking on the challenge, President Obama has turned every
opportunity to address the nation into campaign stump speech.
"Americans are tired of the big talk, empty promises, and
blatant arrogance coming out of Washington.
That
is
why
Tea
Party Express decided to go outside the beltway this
year and have Herman Cain
deliver the Tea Party response. As someone that has created jobs and
thoroughly understands the issues that face our nation, Mr. Cain will
provide a candid assessment of the state of our nation, while putting
forth the bold solutions Americans demanded overwhelmingly during the
Midterm elections.
"We are happy to see that the GOP has picked Tea Party
conservative and successful Governor Mitch
Daniels to give their response. America is looking for
leadership and Gov. Daniels has done a remarkable job providing just
that in Indiana," Kremer concluded.
The Tea Party response will be streaming live at www.TeaPartyExpress.org
and will last approximately 7 minutes.
To schedule an interview with Chairman Amy Kremer or to inquire about the event,
contact Shawn Callahan at 916-768-2686.
Contact: Shawn Callahan,
916-768-2686 or Shawn@FrontLineStrat.com
Occupy movement
Members of OWS, Occupy
DC & Occupy Portland Respond to SOTU
"The
State of the 99%"
This
2012 “State of the 99%” response to the State of the Union will be
delivered by a group of Occupiers assembled outside in a well-lit spot
at McPherson Square following the conclusion of the President’s State
of the Union address and/or the Tea Party response. The presentation
will unfold this way: one participant will begin in the center/front of
the group, in the middle of the camera frame, surrounded by the others.
That person will deliver the first line of the speech, and will then be
echoed by the People’s Mic. That person will then read their second
line, and as the People’s Mic echoes the second line, that person will
move off to the side and rejoin the group, while another person will
step into the center spot to read the next two lines, with each line
again echoed by the People’s Mic. This will continue, cycling through
the crowd, with each person reading two lines and being echoed by the
People’s Mic.
Mic check! [mic check] Mic check! [mic check]
Fellow Americans, good evening! [Fellow Americans, good evening!]
We are men and women of the 99 percent
Many of us have spent many months at Occupy Wall Street
and at other Occupations across the country and around the world
We are here tonight to report on the State of the 99 percent in America
Of course most Americans know the state of the 99 percent very well
But sometimes the one percent, on Wall Street and in Washington, need a
reminder
Financially, the state of the 99% is not strong
That is an understatement.
Never in our lifetimes have so many hard-working Americans
Faced so many difficulties, so many uncertainties, so many indignities
In Occupy camps around the country
We find Americans from all walks of life
[3 personal story couplets]
Some of us have had it rougher than others
And it turns out living in camps is no picnic either
But we do not give up easily
And we take inspiration from the brave Americans who came before us
From Dr. King, who gave his life fighting for economic justice
From the Suffragettes, who insisted the voice of women be heard
From all of those brave or foolish enough to believe in America's
defining idea
the idea of democracy
That we are all created equal
And we all have an equal voice in shaping the laws we all live by
America
Let’s be honest.
When our courts tell us corporations have more right to speak than we
the people do
That’s not democracy.
When pepper spray and midnight raids make a joke of the 1st Amendment
right to assemble.
That’s not democracy.
When
defrauding clients, blowing up our economy, forging thousands of
documents and seizing people’s homes illegally is not a crime
but protesting all that is a crime
That’s not democracy.
Our America is not a democracy, not yet.
We all know why: Wall street owns Washington.
Bribery is legal, and the laws we live by are for sale to the highest
bidder
That is why our government serves the very rich and powerful
at the expense of the rest of us
It protects the bonuses of bankers and Wall Street executives,
while failing to keep hard-working families in their homes;
It shields offshore tax havens for the very wealthy,
while letting our bridges, schools, and infrastructure fall apart;
There have been dark periods in our nation's history, when corruption
became the norm
when grave injustices stood in the way of America living up to its best
ideals.
But time and time again, Americans stepped up to take back their
government and correct our course.
Today Occupy Wall Street and the 99% movement step into this proud
American tradition.
But fear not, one percent!
We are not here just to help the 99% at your expense.
We are here to help you too.
For when you’ve begun to think rigging the game is fair game
When you regard hard-working Americans as undeserving of a middle-class
life
and unworthy of the profit their own work creates
When you treat the people who build your buildings and serve your food
and raise your children and patrol your streets
without respect
You have not only lost touch with our humanity
You have lost touch with your own humanity
You need to find it again, for everyone’s sake
Real democracy will do you good
We are the 99%
We are here to create the democracy we have all been promised.
We are the 99%.
Our finances are weak, but our spirit is strong.
We are the 99%.
Our spring is coming.
Blair FitzGibbon
Vice President, FITZGIBBON Media, Inc.
Communications
Workers of America
CWA
Commends
President Obama’s State of the Union Remarks On Keeping Good
Jobs in the U.S.
and the Harmful Influence of Corporate Money in
Politics
Washington, D.C. – In response to
President Obama’s State of the Union address, the Communications
Workers of America issued the following statement:
The
Communications Workers of America commends President Obama for his
focus on creating an America that is built to last with an economy that
works for everyone, not just a wealthy few.
It’s critical to
bring quality jobs back to the U.S. by eliminating tax benefits for
companies that send U.S. jobs overseas. CWA strongly supports
legislation that would end taxpayer subsidies for corporations that get
tax breaks, then move call center jobs offshore, among other measures.
Corporations have had too much power in writing legislation that
rewards corporate interests and abandons U.S. workers, when it comes to
manufacturing and services. Too many corporations routinely put
short-term profits ahead of loyalty to the nation and workers who have
made their success possible.
An America built to last cannot be
one in which corporate money determines who is elected and what issues
are debated. That’s why CWA supports measures to limit the
outsized
and harmful influence of corporate money in U.S. elections.
One
of CWA’s top priorities for 2012 and beyond is raising awareness of the
corrosive influence of money in politics. Recent related activities
include mobilizing CWA members on the two year anniversary of the
damaging Citizens United Supreme Court ruling that established
corporate personhood; backing Governor Andrew Cuomo’s push for
voluntary public financing of New York political campaigns, and working
alongside local leaders across the country to adopt model city council
resolutions that state, in part, that “corporations should not receive
the same constitutional rights as natural persons.”
Candice Johnson
CWA Communications Director
Public
Campaign
Campaign Finance Watchdog Responds to SOTU:
Important
But
Small
Step
Washington, D.C.—President Obama’s proposal to reduce the influence
lobbyists can buy through their ability to raise campaign cash for
lawmakers is important, but it does not go far enough toward putting
everyday people back in charge of our elections, said campaign finance
watchdog Public Campaign in response to the president’s State of the
Union speech tonight.
“This is an important but small step toward severing the ties
between elected officials and the special interests hoping to influence
them through campaign cash,” said Nick Nyhart, president and CEO of
Public Campaign. “It is the big money behind the lobbyists that’s the
problem. It’s not the hired guns, but those that hire them. You’ve got
to go after the boss. We need big solutions.”
“President Obama should be commended for his speech to address the
‘corrosive influence of money in politics,” said Nick Nyhart, president
and CEO of Public Campaign, “But he and Congress must also push a
constitutional amendment to overturn Citizens United and pass
legislation like the Fair Elections Now Act that would emphasize small
donors in our political system.”
In his speech tonight, President Obama said,
“I’ve talked tonight about the deficit of trust between Main Street
and Wall Street. But the divide between this city and the rest of
the
country is at least as bad – and it seems to get worse every
year. Some
of this has to do with the corrosive influence of money in
politics.
So together,let’s take some steps to fix that. Send me a bill
that
bans insider trading by Members of Congress, and I will sign it
tomorrow. Let’s limit any elected official from owning stocks in
industries they impact.
Let’s
make sure people who bundle
campaign contributions for Congress can’t lobby Congress, and vice
versa – an idea that has bipartisan support, at least outside of
Washington.
Under the Fair Elections Now Act, candidates would raise small
donations of $100 or less from peopleback home that would be matched on
a five-to-one basis. Instead of raising money from Washington lobbyists
or Wall Street bankers, candidates could focus on their constituents.
They’d be accountable to them—not wealthy special interests.
Several House members and Senators have introduced constitutional
amendments to address the Citizens United decision, but Public Campaign
has not yet endorsed any one in particular.
The release is available online at
http://bit.ly/wKdaAJ.
###
National
Gay
and
Lesbian
Task
Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
responds to President Obama's State of the Union address
WASHINGTON, Jan. 24 — The
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force responded to President Obama's
State of the Union speech tonight by reiterating its call for federal
employment protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender
(LGBT) people and an end to the discriminatory “Defense of Marriage
Act.”
Statement by Rea Carey, Executive
Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
“President Obama spoke pointedly tonight of the need to get our
country’s economy moving again, of getting people back to work, and of
tackling the huge economic disparity that is hurting and hampering
families everywhere. We couldn't agree more and urge his administration
and Congress to work together to ensure that everybody — including
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people — have an opportunity to
offer their unfettered best to America.
“This is a challenge right now, in a nation where the rich are getting
richer and everyone else is struggling to tread water. Many families
are hurting, and LGBT families are just as vulnerable to economic
hardship. The fact is, the state of the union for LGBT people remains
largely one of inequality. In many parts of the country, we can still
be fired from or denied employment for simply being who we are, and
marriage inequality relegates our families to second-class status.
“If the president is truly serious about job creation and boosting
America's economic well-being, he must provide leadership to pass
federal employment protections for LGBT people and end the costly and
unjust federal marriage ban. He must also retain the safety net of
services that so many people and families depend upon for their
survival.
“Fairness is not a privilege of power and wealth, but a right of
humanity. America rises to its best when its people are allowed to rise
to theirs. We urge the president to lead the way.”
More from the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force:
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is currently calling on the
president and Congress to:
- Sign an executive order that bars
federal contractors and subcontractors from discriminating against LGBT
applicants and workers.
- Pass employment protections for
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, particularly in light of
the nation's current unemployment crisis.
- Repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
- Pass an LGBT-inclusive Violence Against Women Act reauthorization
bill.
- Pass federal anti-bullying legislation such as the Safe Schools
Improvement Act and the Student Non-Discrimination Act.
- Pass comprehensive immigration reform legislation, including
measures like the Uniting American Families Act and the DREAM Act.
- Pass pay equity legislation such as the Paycheck Fairness Act and
pass paid sick-leave legislation that supports working people.
- Extend federal emergency unemployment insurance benefits without
adding any new barriers for unemployed workers.
- Ensure that LGBT people are included in all federal data
collection.
To learn more about the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force, visit
www.theTaskForce.org
and follow us on Twitter:
@TheTaskForce.
–30–
RATE
Coalition
President Obama
at State of the
Union: “One of Highest Tax Rates in the World”
Washington, D.C. –
In tonight’s State of the Union Address, President Barack Obama
addressed the issue of corporate tax reform telling the American
people, “Companies that choose to stay in America get hit with one of
the highest tax rates in the world. It makes no sense, and
everyone
knows it.”
The RATE
Coalition, whose members and affiliated companies employ roughly 30
million people across all 50 states, applauded the President for his
recognition of the need to reform the tax code, making it fairer and
simpler and improving the prospects of growth and jobs in the U.S.
economy.
“We
agree with President Obama – American companies get hit with the
highest rates in the world. The RATE Coalition is pleased to send
the
President the best idea we have to get the economy moving again
--
reduce the current federal corporate income tax rate down from the
counter-productively high rate of 35 percent,” said Elaine Kamarck,
RATE Co-Chair and former advisor to President Bill Clinton and Vice
President Al Gore. “The President’s recent Jobs Council report
highlighted the fact that ‘a reduction in the rate combined with a
broadening of the base could encourage more investment in the United
States.’ We are confident that Americans of all political stripes
share the President’s goal of renewed prosperity and are hoping for
pro-job, pro-growth tax reform in 2012.”
“Tonight,
we applaud the President for addressing this issue as a fundamental
improvement in our ability to compete economically with other nations,”
said James P. Pinkerton, RATE Co-Chair and former White House domestic
policy adviser to Presidents Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush.
“The
35 percent rate means that American companies are disproportionately
burdened as they seek to compete in the global marketplace. The
President and the Congress should work together to improve American
competitiveness through fundamental tax reform for the sake of economic
growth and more jobs.”
Reforming the corporate tax code create jobs, decrease economic
uncertainty and help America regain the competitive edge:
- Reducing the corporate tax rate to 25 percent would create an
average of 581,000 jobs in the U.S. annually from 2011 to 2020.
- Reducing
the U.S. statutory corporate tax rate to 25 percent (the average OECD
rate) could boost GDP by 2.2 percent and increase employment by 2.13
million workers.
- The U.S.
and Japan have the highest corporate tax rates in the OECD. Between
2000 and 2011, the U.S. suffered a net loss of 46 Fortune Global 500
company headquarters. Japan lost a net of 39.
- The
corporate income tax is the most harmful tax for long-term economic
growth. A 2010 World Bank study demonstrated that corporate tax rates
have a "large and significant adverse" effect on investment.
About
RATE Coalition:
About
RATE Coalition: RATE is a coalition of 25 companies and organizations
advocating for sensible corporate tax reform. Making the tax code
fairer and simpler will help spur job growth and stimulate the U.S.
economy, and make us more competitive globally. RATE members currently
include: AT&T, Altria Client Services Inc., Association of American
Railroads, Boeing, Capital One, Cox Enterprises, CVS Caremark, FedEx,
Ford, General Dynamics, Home Depot, Intel, Kimberly-Clark, Lockheed
Martin, Macy's, National Retail Federation, Nike, Raytheon, Texas
Instruments, Time Warner Cable, T-Mobile, UPS, Verizon, Viacom and Walt
Disney. RATE members and affiliated companies represent over 30 million
employees in all 50 states and support innumerable suppliers and small
businesses. More information about the coalition is available at www.RATEcoalition.com.
###
No Labels
President Obama Endorses No Labels Proposal on Presidential Nominations
Up-or-Down Vote Within 90 Days on Nominations Will Help Fix Washington
At tonight’s State of the Union address, President Obama
endorsed one of No Labels’ 12 proposals in its
Make Congress
Work!
action plan, with his call for the Senate to pass a rule that all
judicial and public service nominations receive a simple up-or-down
vote within 90 days.
“President Obama’s endorsement of the 90 day up-or-down vote on
nominations is a clear validation of No Labels’ agenda,” said No Labels
Co-Founder Bill Galston. “Citizens are frustrated with the endless
gridlock in Washington and want to see real reform to the way Congress
works. No Labels is looking forward to partnering with the President
and congressional supporters from both sides of the aisle to break the
logjam on Capitol Hill.”
In addition, at tonight’s address, No Labels’ campaign for bipartisan
seating led directly to at least 208 members of Congress agreeing to
sit together with colleagues from the opposite party.
Click
here for a full list of members who agreed to sit with members of
the opposite party at tonight’s State of the Union, and
click here to read
the full 12-point Make Congress Work! action plan.
No Labels is a group of Republicans, Democrats and Independents who
want our government to work again. Our dozen proposals to make Congress
work mostly don't require new laws or new spending, and don't favor any
party or particular cause. These are simple, straightforward proposals
to break gridlock, promote constructive discussion and reduce
polarization in Congress. They can mostly be adopted all at once when
the next Congress convenes in January 2013.
For more information on the Make
Congress Work! action plan or to arrange an interview with a No Labels
co-founder, please contact Sarah Feldman
at press@nolabels.org
or (202)
588-1990. To learn more about No
Labels, please visit www.NoLabels.org.
###