Five House Candidates Earn Recognition from Liberty Republicans in 2012 Primary

Republican Liberty Caucus Endorses Barry Hinckley in Rhode Island Senate Race

Barry Hinckley Represents the Kind of Leader We Need to Restore the Principles of the Republican Party

AUSTIN, TX – At their most recent meeting the National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus voted unanimously to endorse Barry Hinckley in the Senatorial campaign in Rhode Island.  He received the highest praise of the board and is their first selection for endorsmeent in the 2012 election cycle.  Hinckley is an excellent advocate for the principles of limited government and individual liberty to which the Republican Liberty Caucus is dedicated.

“Rhode Island has a unique history as a bastion of liberty and free thought, dating back to its founding by Roger Williams,” said RLC National Chairman Dave Nalle.  “Those ideas inspired the creation of the Republican Party and I believe that Barry Hinckley is a leader who can help restore the party to those principles of limited government and individual liberty. He is dedicated to giving the people of Rhode Island a real voice in Washington.  He is exactly the kind of Senator we need to send to DC to work with our 2010 endorsees like Mike Lee (UT) and Rand Paul (KY).”

“Taking back the Senate is a key goal for Republicans in 2012, but it’s only a victory if we elect the right kinds of Republicans – ones who are pledged to serving the people and not special interests,” observed  RLC Director Bill Westmiller.  “Barry Hinckley represents a new generation of Republican leaders who will govern based on principle tempered by pragmatism and who will roll back federal spending, end the cycle of uncontrolled debt and stand up for the rights of the people.”

Following on the election of more than two-dozen RLC endorsees to the House and Senate in 2010, the RLC has set a goal of doubling that number in the 2012 election. With a larger core of newly elected, principled representatives in Washington we can swing the debate away from the big government status quo and crony capitalism and towards the government of citizen legislators our founders intended.

In 1774 John Adams wrote that the revolution had been completed “in the minds of the people” before conflict ever broke out, and we believe that a similar revolution in attitude is taking place in the United States today. The people are no longer content to sit idly by and accept the dictates of an out of control government. We demand the restorations of our liberties and real accountability, and if we do not get it we will keep voting out complacent and unresponsive office holders until they get the message.

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More information on the Barry Hinckley campaign can be found at http://www.hinckleyforsenate.com/

Republican Liberty Caucus Endorses Brian K. Hill in Connecticut Senate Race
Brian Hill Represents the Kind of Leader We Need to Restore the Republican Party

AUSTIN, TX – At their most recent meeting the National Board of the Republican Liberty Caucus selected Connecticut Senatorial candidate Brian K. Hill as one of their first endorsees for the 2012 election season.  Hill is an oustanding candidate who represents the principles of limited government and individual liberty to which the Republican Liberty Caucus is dedicated.

“The party establishment in Connecticut has put forward two candidates in this Senate race who represent only the interestes of big government and crony capitalists,” said RLC National Chairman Dave Nalle.  “Brian Hill is a real grassroots alternative with solid credentials and innovative ideas.  He is dedicated to giving the people of his state a real voice in Washington.  He is exactly the kind of Senator we need to send to DC to work with our 2010 endorsees like Mike Lee (UT) and Rand Paul (KY).”

“Brian Hill is a champion of individual liberty and limited government who will not give ground on fundamental principles and will hold both the Democrats and our own party leadership accountable for their failures,” observed  RLC Vice-Chairman Ed Lopez-Reyes.  “He will take up the serious work of rolling back federal spending, ending the cycle of uncontrolled debt and speaking up for the rights and interests of the people of their states.”

Following on the election of more than two-dozen RLC endorsees to the House and Senate in 2010, the RLC has set a goal of doubling that number in the 2012 election. With a larger core of newly elected, principled representatives in Washington we can swing the debate away from the big government status quo and towards putting the best interests of the people first.

In 1774 John Adams wrote that the revolution had been completed “in the minds of the people” before conflict ever broke out, and we believe that a similar revolution in attitude is taking place in the United States today. The people are no longer content to sit idly by and accept the dictates of an out of control government. We demand the restorations of our liberties and real accountability, and if we do not get it we will keep voting out complacent and unresponsive office holders until they get the message.

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More information on the Brian K. Hill campaign can be found at http://briankhill.com/

Since his election in 2010, Justin Amash (RLC-MI) has been one of our big successes in the House of Representatives. He has been a consistent voice for liberty and fiscally responsible government and has set a new standard of accountability which ought to be an inspiration for everyone in public office. Since he was elected he has posted multiple updates to his Facebook page every day that the House is in session detailing the issues being voted on and explaining his votes and his decision making process.

Rep. Amash has had his position in the 2012 election weakened by a redistricting plan designed to strengthen the positions of big-government incumbents in his state by transferring some of his voters to their districts and saddling him with more Democrat votes. It’s still a very winnable district, but he needs all the help he can get.

The key to winning elections for liberty candidates when fighting the entrenched system of perpetual incumbency is to raise money from outside of a single district and to reach out to Liberty Republicans all over the nation for support. With Ron Paul retiring we need to hold on to every seat we can. I don’t do this often, but I’m sending out a plea to Republican Liberty Caucus members and supporters nationwide to do what they can to help keep Justin Amash in Congress.

The best way to donate is through his 48-hour moneybomb which ends tomorrow. You can donate at AmashforCongress.com.

As a consumer you know that you can’t spend money without any limit and take on endless credit without eventually getting in over your head. Congress doesn’t seem to understand this. They’re getting ready to raise the Debt Ceiling and write themselves another blank check. The problem is that when they run up debt we pay the price and it gets passed on with interest to our kids and their kids.

As a nation we’re in well over our heads and this is not the time to take on more debt. We don’t have to raise the debt ceiling and despite the fearmongering holding the line on debt will not lead to default or disaster or other negative consequences. All we have to do is make the cuts our government can easily afford as we go. Government revenue will keep coming in at more than 85% of what they want to spend and all they have to do is limit their spending to that level, paying interest on the debt first so we don’t hurt our credit rating. It just takes a little leadership with some backbone.

We urge you to write or call your Senators and Representatives to encourage them to vote against raising the debt ceiling. You can copy and paste the text below and send that to them, or modify it or replace it with your own thoughts. Use the link at the end to find the addresses to email or to get the phone number for their offices.

Dear Senator/Representative X:

I want our government to live within its means the same way that I have to. It doesn’t make any sense to spend more than it takes in through tax and other revenues. Just adding on more debt isn’t the answer and will lead to a ballooning debt which will become harder and harder to pay back. Government needs to tighten its belt the same way that citizens are with fewer jobs and higher prices.

Please. Instead of raising the debt ceiling, take the lead among your colleagues in calling for immediate ongoing spending reductions to keep spending within the limits of available revenue. Pay the service on the debt first, then necessary entitlements like medicare and social security and then prioritize the rest of the spending based on real need. There are so many things which government does which we can live without or do ourselves or through our state governments, it shouldn’t be hard to find places to save. You might start by looking at our current overseas wars, agricultural subsidies and the Departments of Energy, Homeland Security and Commerce.

The days of irresponsible government in this country have to be over. The people want less government, not more, and we are no longer willing to pay such a high price for services we never asked for. We want a return to Thomas Jefferson’s idea of “a wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring one another, shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth of labor the bread it has earned.”

I hope I can count on you to justify my past and future support by taking the lead in holding the line on debt and putting our government back on the right track.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

Just click on this link to find contact info for your representatives.

RLC chapter chairmen in four states have recently weighed in on pressing issues in their states and have been published or received notoriety for their efforts:

• In Peach Pundit, Georgia RLC Chair Travis Bowden argues that a proposed shift in power violates the Georgia Constitution in “The Role of the Lt. Governor“;

• At her blog, Nebraska RLC Chair Laura Ebke opines that having both Ron Paul and Gary Johnson in the presidential race is a good idea.

• In NH Insider, New Hampshire RLC Chairman Andrew Hemingway argues that Republicans should end their typical view of government and instead adopt a new perspective;

• At RedState, Wisconsin RLC Chair Mike Murphy’s efforts to rescind a promise between Democrat and Republican incumbent politicians has been exposed as a result of his tireless work.

Our RLC state chapters are busy building momentum for electoral successes in 2012. Please get involved today!

Laura Ebke says its beneficial to have two liberty candidates in the 2012 GOP race.

Raise your hand if you support torture.

Republican Liberty Caucus Advisory Board member Congressman Ron Paul had stern criticisms of the Paul Ryan budget proposal. According to Dr. Paul,

“We don’t have a king today, but, unfortunately, I think we’re drifting to a point that our big government is king — and the government tells us what we can do and be responsible for us. And, if we don’t have a house, they’ll give us a house. If we don’t have education, they’ll give us free education. If we’re hungry, we get food stamps. And deficits don’t matter. And if you need money, you print the money. And we have this moral obligation to police the world. It goes on and on … the king will take care of us.”

Released last week, the Paul Ryan budget has been praised by some conservatives. Many on the left have said Ryan’s plan is unfair to the elderly and the poor — who would also be affected by Ryan’s approach to Medicare and Medicaid — and benefits corporate interests and the wealthy. Ryan’s budget is set to pass the GOP-controlled House this week.

Paul, who will turn 76 this summer, said Ryan’s plan doesn’t go nearly far enough toward dismantling the welfare state. “We are dealing with a problem in Washington as a budgetary accounting problem and that’s not it. It’s a philosophy problem. What is the philosophy of government? What should the role of government be?”

The Congressman went on to question the role of government in the economy and welfare system. “(Paul) Ryan doesn’t reject (the) notion (of a government-run welfare system). I do.”

Congressman Paul also criticized spending on “maintaining our empire” and “being the policeman of the world.”

“All great societies have ended for foreign policy reasons,” Paul said. “That’s what brought the Soviets down.” Paul, a likely 2012 Presidential candidate, said he also opposes raising the nation’s federal debt limit.

The Republican Liberty Caucus of Wisconsin has been critical of Congressman Paul Ryan for his previous support of Big Government.

Here is a summary of what the bipartisan agreement in Congress on the 2011 budget compromise gained Republicans:

• The largest spending cut in U.S. history. The agreement will immediately cut $38.5 billion in federal spending – the largest spending cut in American history in terms of dollars – just months after President Obama asked Congress for a spending “freeze” that would result in no cuts.

• Hundreds of billions in spending cuts over the next decade. The agreement will cut hundreds of billions of dollars from the federal budget over the next decade – “real money,” as the Wall Street Journal editorial board recently noted.

• An end to the “Stimulus” Spending Binge. The agreement begins to reverse the “stimulus” spending binge that began in 2009 – signaling the official end of a period of unprecedented government intervention that former Federal Reserve Board Chairman Alan Greenspan and other economists say hurt job creation in America by crowding out private investment.

• Guarantees Senate Vote on Repeal of Obamacare. The agreement reached with Senate Democrats guarantees a Senate debate and vote on legislation that would repeal President Obama’s government takeover of health care in its entirety. The House passed such legislation in January as part of the Pledge to America.

• New Tools in the Fight to Repeal Obamacare. The agreement will generate new tools for the fight to repeal Obamacare by requiring numerous studies that will force the Obama Administration to reveal the true impact of the law’s mandates, including a study of how individuals and families will see increased premiums as a result of certain Obamacare mandates; a full audit of all the waivers that the Obama Administration has given to firms and organizations – including unions – who can’t meet the new annual coverage limits; a full audit of what’s happening with the comparative effectiveness research funding that was in Obamacare and the president’s failed “stimulus” spending bill; and a report on all of the contractors who have been hired to implement the law and the costs to taxpayers of such contracts.

• Denial of Additional Funding to the IRS. The Obama administration has sought increased federal funding for the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – money that could be used to hire additional agents to enforce the administration’s agenda on a variety of issues. This increased funding is denied in the agreement.

• A Guarantee of Senate Vote and Debate On Defunding Planned Parenthood.  The agreement with Senate Democrats guarantees a Senate debate and vote on legislation that would end federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

• Ban of Taxpayer-Funded Abortion in DC. The agreement includes a complete ban on federal funding of abortion in the District of Columbia, applying the pro-life principles of the Hyde Amendment (“D.C. Hyde”).

• Mandatory Audits of the New Job-Crushing Bureaucracy Set Up Under Dodd-Frank. The agreement subjects the so-called Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created by the job-destroying Dodd-Frank law to yearly audits by both the private sector and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to monitor its impact on the economy, including its impact on jobs, by examining whether sound cost-benefit analyses are being used with rulemakings.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 31, 2011
CONTACT: Dave Nalle at 512-656-8011 or chairman@rlc.org

Grassroots Republican Caucus Calls for Government Shut Down
Americans Are Tired of Paying for Irresponsible Leadership

WASHINGTON, DC — Speaking for thousands of grassroots activists nationwide, Dave Nalle, Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus, advised lawmakers not to compromise on the budget or to expect to be held accountable.

“Republicans who were elected to significantly cut the size of government should listen to the will of the people — or expect to be held accountable in the next election,” said Nalle.  “The proposed cuts are too little and too late and further compromise with Democrat politicians who are not serious about downsizing government will betray the results of last November’s elections.  If standing up for fiscal responsibility means the government must be shut down, then it is on the heads of the big spenders and let them pay the political price for it.  Shut it down!”

Nalle’s statement came in response to the revelation that Republican House Speaker John Boehner is trying to make a back-room deal with moderate Democrats to pass a budget with only $33 billion in cuts for the fiscal year.  Chairman Nalle’s outrage was echoed by grassroots leaders of the Republican Liberty Caucus, who conferred to discuss a response to the failure of party leaders and determined to remind their representatives that the Republican grassroots elected them to end the era of out of control spending and dramatically downsize government.

Florida RLC Chairman Matt Nye observed that “spending at every level of government is out of control, but nothing compares to the fiscal insanity we are witnessing in Washington, D.C. This new batch of Republicans was elected to get America’s financial house in order, but to date they have failed utterly and completely. It is hard to understand how such a simple fact of reality – that you cannot consume more than you produce – is so hard for our elected officials to understand and act on when regular Americans do it every day in their own households.”

At-Large RLC Board member William Westmiller of California asked, “Why shouldn’t Republicans support the shutdown all non-essential government services?  If the Democrats refuse to cut those marginal services, GOP leaders should be promoting creative solutions like privatization. For example, if the government can’t afford to run national parks, they should be sold to the highest bidder and the receipts applied to reduce the national debt.”

David Williams, Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of North Carolina, said, “Last year North Carolina voters made it clear that they want sweeping budget cuts and a government that lives within its means. The new Republican majority Congressional delegation, the state’s first in over 100 years, will earn the respect and continued support of North Carolina voters if they follow through on their pledge to restore fiscal discipline without tax increases.”

And Michael S. Murphy, Chairman of the Republican Liberty Caucus of Wisconsin, observed that, “The message sent by the American voter was not heard clearly enough by the Republican Congressional leadership. With the exception of a few Liberty Republicans that emerged from the Tea Party Movement, the Republican establishment has proven yet again that they can’t be trusted with responsible budgetary governance. The only way to halt runaway deficit spending is to shut down the government to save our Republic from the irreversible financial abyss it’s about to dive into.”

Concluded Dave Nalle, “Today the National Republican Congressional Committee sent me a fundraising email signed by Speaker Boehner. Why would grassroots GOP donors take a donation request seriously from the ‘leader’ who is about to compromise with the Democrats on a totally unacceptable budget? The House GOP Leadership is making a mockery of the peoples’ call to cut spending.”

“Shut the government down. Come home to your districts for a week or two and hold some town hall meetings.  Give us a chance to remind you face to face why we’re so fed up with the way you’re spending our money and ignoring the debt problem,” said Nalle

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The Republican Liberty Caucus is a nationwide grassroots organization which promotes individual liberty and limited government within the Republican Party.   You can find more information about the Republican Liberty Caucus at www.RLC.org.

“In 2005, I wasn’t involved in politics in any substantive way. I had never really thought about running for office. I began looking for organizations that shared the beliefs I had — and that’s when I came across the Republican Liberty Caucus. And, really, it’s what’s started my move toward running for office.” – Justin Amash

Congressman Justin Amash, 30 year old freshman RLC member from Michigan, is undoubtedly a rising conservative star with an extremely bright future. I was already impressed after spending some time with him at this year’s Republican Liberty Caucus national convention, but the longer I follow him, the more I find to like. Rarely am I this taken with a person’s integrity; and next to never is the said individual a politician, let alone a Congressman. But Amash is a glaring exception to that general rule, and I couldn’t be more excited about the precedents he’s setting. When I say that Amash is a model for the next generation, I mean it on many levels.

For starters, Amash is a pioneer when it comes to social media – which fits well with the fact that he’s only 30. At facebook.com/repjustinamash, he posts every single vote he takes with an explanation of his rationale, and links to the roll call. I’m not aware of any other politician doing this, especially so religiously. It demonstrates Amash’s dedication to transparency; another aspect of his character that I find impressive.

Additionally, it’s quite rare for politicians to be accessible the way Amash is. While it’s impossible for him to answer every single question posted on his Facebook page, I’ve noticed that he almost always responds to constituents – and on occasion, others as well. When an issue is so contentious as to merit commentary from large numbers of people, he’ll often post clarifications to his positions, and reiterate his well thought out logic.

What all of this really comes down to is the fact that Amash is highly process oriented. He takes the business of voting, and doing it within a constitutional context seriously; a model his colleagues should learn from. On his aforementioned Facebook page, Amash posted a note, explaining why he sometimes votes “present”:

“I will vote “present” on legislation in three circumstances:

(1) when I could otherwise support the legislation, but the legislation uses improper (e.g., unconstitutional) means to achieve its ends. This situation often arises when legislation is drafted in such a way that the law does not apply equally to persons or entities that are doing the same thing;

(2) when Representatives have not been given a reasonable amount of time to consider the legislation; or

(3) when I have a conflict of interest, such as a personal or financial interest in the legislation—a circumstance that hasn’t happened yet and I don’t anticipate happening.”

This speaks to Amash’s unconventional yet refreshing emphasis on procedure. He utilizes (admittedly rare) “present” votes not as a vehicle to avoid taking a position on controversial issues but to, in fact, do the exact opposite by calling attention to inherent problems with certain pieces of legislation. Amash is the most clear and direct Congressman I’m aware of – people simply aren’t used to his approach, since it’s historically been rare for a Representative to vote “present” for any reason other than to avoid the matter at hand. With Amash, that couldn’t be further from the case – and I hope that those who may have assumed that any of his votes are cop outs will reexamine their views on the matter, and engage with Rep. Amash before lashing out.

In fact, in that exact regard, Amash was recently attacked by Fox News’ Greta Van Susteren while I was smiling over the fact that he was the only member of Congress speaking with sense over the partisan noise on the “Defund NPR” issue.

As Amash eloquently explained, again, via Facebook:

“H R 1076 does not actually save taxpayer dollars; it merely blocks CPB (Corporation for Public Broadcasting) from exercising its discretion to send funding to NPR. The funds CPB does not send to NPR under the bill are returned to CPB to be spent subsidizing other private radio producers. I offered an amendment in the Rules Committee to require that any funds not sent to NPR be redirected to pay down the deficit, but the amendment was ruled out of order. Therefore, public broadcasting will not see any reduction in federal funding even if this bill becomes law.”

This kind of action speaks to Amash’s desire to reveal the truth about how Congress actually operates rather than playing up the largely irrelevant partisan talking points of the moment. Amash, like all serious conservatives, is against the federal funding of media on principle. However, unlike many of his fellow Congressmen on both sides of the aisle, he actually wants to address the issue at its root, rather than vote on a fleeting matter that’s getting a bit of attention because of a James O’Keefe gotcha stunt.

Ultimately, what I admire about Amash is that he’s confident enough in his principles to not worry about going against the grain. Why should he be concerned when he’s always able to articulately defend his positions? His style is civil, methodical, and logical to the point where he acts as a foil for the DC as usual crowd; revealing through his dedication to constitutional governance how absurd the status quo (to steal a Mike Church line) in Mordor-on-the-Potomac is.

I would love to see more Congressmen adopt his transparent, informed method of conducting government business. The amount of sense Amash makes amidst the circus that is Washington DC is sadly, what makes him “radical” – yet in reality, he’s anything but. He’s conservative in the most plainly interpreted sense. You always know what to expect from him, because he takes rare yet seemingly common sense positions, such as wanting to comprehend bills before voting on them – and is actually mindful of their constitutionality and cost. You can’t BE more conservative than that! His dedication to the letter of the law and to revealing how recklessly and deceptively our federal government operates should be commended. I can’t help but think that those who criticize Amash either haven’t been sufficiently exposed to the logic of his process – or completely have a handle on it yet oppose him anyway, because they benefit from politics as usual and the propaganda that sustains it.

For those of us who truly want to limit government and are tired of the endless bipartisan pandering that gets us nowhere, the independent-minded Justin Amash is our man. Join me in encouraging others to familiarize themselves with how he’s revolutionizing government. After all, those who irk the traditional talking heads on both sides of the aisle must be doing something right.

RLC Board member Corie Whalen and Congressman Justin Amash.

WHEREAS Libya poses no imminent and clear threat to the United States; and

WHEREAS the Congress of the United States has not declared war against Libya, or in any other way authorized the use of military force against Libya; and

WHEREAS the President has exceeded his authority under the Constitution of the United States, which reserves to Congress the sole power to declare war;

We, the National Committee of the Republican Liberty Caucus, hereby RESOLVE;

THAT the President has violated the War Powers Act, which requires him to notify the Congress of the United States of the imminent use of military force, so as to receive the assent of Congress to the use of military force in a timely manner;

THAT we declare our solidarity with those members of the Congress and citizens of the United States who have sought to avert U.S. involvement in a war in the Libya;

THAT we do not believe the U.S. should be involved in Libya militarily;

AND we call on all those who believe in the Constitution and respect the rule of law to demand an end to U.S. military intervention in Libya.

(Adopted unanimously by the RLC National Committee, March 22, 2011.)

See also: RLC Condemns U.S. Military Action Against Libya; March 24, 2011