Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Monday, December 30, 2013

Benghazi According To The New York Times


Gary L. Bauer
Campaign for Working Families


The New York Times is taking heat today for some revisionist history on the Benghazi attacks. Four Americans, including our ambassador to Libya, died when the U.S. consulate in Benghazi came under siege on the 11th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks and the Obama Administration abandoned them.

In a massive 7,000-word report, the Times declared that there is "no evidence that Al Qaeda or other international terrorist groups had any role in the assault," which the paper asserted, "was fueled in large part by anger at an American-made video denigrating Islam."

This latest Times rewrite on Benghazi contradicts its prior reporting, and even the Obama Administration's belated admissions. Fox News reports that "sources who were on the ground that night" are blasting the New York Times' essay as "completely false."

Benghazi is a huge stain on the credibility of the Obama Administration, including the credibility of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. With speculation about 2016 growing every day, perhaps that is why the Times felt the urgent need to attempt to expunge the record.

By trying to resurrect the "blame the video" lie, perhaps the lefties at the New York Times thought they were doing Hillary Clinton a favor. Instead, they have only stirred up a hornet's nest. Congressional Republicans pushed back yesterday on the Sunday talk shows. Even one California Democrat conceded, "…the intelligence indicates that al-Qaeda was involved."

But if the New York Times wants to have this fight, bring it on. Let's empower a select committee to issue subpoenas and hold public hearings. No more stonewalling. Let's hear from the CIA and State Department witnesses who have been bullied into silence. Let's finally get the answers that the families of Christopher Stevens, Sean Smith, Tyrone Woods and Glen Doherty deserve.

Staff Members from Robert Hurt's Office to Hold Local Office Hours in Fauquier and Greene Counties

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Staff members from Congressman Robert Hurt's (R-Virginia) office will hold Local Office Hours in Fauquier and Greene Counties on Friday, January 3 to meet with constituents who need assistance with federal agencies. For more information, please visit our Local Office Hours Interactive Map.

 

9:00 to 11:00 am

Fauquier County

Warren Green Building, 1st Floor Meeting Room

10 Hotel Street

Warrenton, VA

 

1:00 to 3:00 pm

Greene County

Greene County Administration Building

Board Conference Room

40 Celt Road

Standardsville, VA

 

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Today's Obamacare Headlines


Gary L. Bauer

Obamacare continues to be a major headache for millions of Americans and the Obama White House. Here are the latest problems making headlines:

  • Obama is touting figures suggesting that as many as one million Americans have signed up for Obamacare. But industry experts are saying that far fewer people are technically enrolled. While people are filling out applications online, some insurance companies report that only 10% of applicants have actually paid their premiums. And if you don't pay, you're not enrolled.

  • Why aren't people paying their premiums? Sticker shock. According to this analysis from USA Today, "More than half of the counties in 34 states using the federal health insurance exchange lack even a bronze plan that's affordable -- by the government's own definition…" Obama's Affordable Care Act (aka Obamacare) was sold on a myriad of lies, one of the biggest being that it would be "affordable."

  • In what the New York Times labeled as a "vague announcement," the Obama Administration moved the goal posts yet again Tuesday, declaring a "special enrollment period" for anyone whose policy was cancelled and who experiences trouble with the glitchy healthcare.gov site. Even the left-wing Times conceded that Obama's constant unilateral changes to the law "amount to a sweeping exercise of executive power…"

  • Politico labeled the ongoing disastrous rollout of Obamacare a "PR nightmare," and compared its many problems to a monster in a horror film that just keeps coming back.

VISIT AMERICAN VALUES


Tuesday, December 24, 2013

The Greatest Gift Ever Given


Gary L. Bauer
VISIT AMERICAN VALUES


I recently ran across a depressing PBS news report. It was headlined: "Move Over 'O Holy Night,' Only Half Of Americans See Christmas As Religious."

The story was based on a recent Pew poll finding that while 92% of Americans will celebrate Christmas, only 51% say it is more of a religious holiday. If barely half the country recognizes that Christmas is a celebration of Christ's birth, is it any wonder that God is increasingly unwelcome in the public square?

Looking back at 2013, it is hard to not get discouraged: The Supreme Court overturned thousands of years of history and religious teaching by accepting a radical redefinition of marriage. The trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell highlighted the horror of the culture of death that exists in America today. And the controversy involving Duck Dynasty's Phil Robertson shows just how far the left has pulled America from our moral foundation.

America is at cultural crossroads.

But no headline, no sorrow of life should turn our hearts from the love of God and the greatest gift ever given!

When the Christ Child came into the world, his cry pierced the night and split all of human history in half. No one can predict the headlines in the weeks and months ahead, but we can rest assured that one day every head will bow and every knee will bend before the King of Kings.

PBS notwithstanding, Christmas is indeed a religious celebration. To help set the tone, I'd like to share with you the lyrics to the classic Christmas hymn, O Holy Night:

Oh, holy night, the stars are brightly shining;
It is the night of the dear Savior's birth!
Long lay the world in sin and error pining,
Till He appeared and the soul felt its worth.
A thrill of hope, the weary soul rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees, oh, hear the angel voices!
Oh, night divine, oh, night when Christ was born!
Oh, night divine, oh, night, oh, night divine!

Led by the light of faith serenely beaming,
With glowing hearts by His cradle we stand.
So led by light of a star sweetly gleaming,
Here came the wise men from Orient land.
The King of kings lay thus in lowly manger,
In all our trials born to be our Friend!

He knows our need— to our weakness is no stranger.
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!
Behold your King; before Him lowly bend!

Truly He taught us to love one another;
His law is love and His Gospel is peace.
Chains shall He break for the slave is our brother,
And in His Name all oppression shall cease.
Sweet hymns of joy in grateful chorus raise we,
Let all within us praise His holy Name!

Christ is the Lord! Oh, praise His name forever!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!
His power and glory evermore proclaim!


My friends, I thank God for each and every one of you. Your prayers and encouragement sustain me as we continue to fight the good fight for faith, family and freedom.

Merry Christmas! And may you enjoy all of God's richest blessings in the year ahead.





Email of the Day



 

Friday, December 13, 2013

Rep. Robert Hurt Statement Following Passage of Bipartisan Budget Agreement

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after voting in favor of the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2013, which passed the House 332-94.

 

“Fifth District Virginians know that we need to put an end to the reckless government spending in Washington that has brought us to a $17 trillion debt. Since coming to Congress, addressing the crippling national deficit and debt has been my top priority.

 

“After years of Senate unwillingness to act on budget policy, I am encouraged by the fact that we have stopped the pattern of handing over our congressional budgetary authority to the executive branch and exercised our constitutional duty to establish the spending priorities for our great nation.  This budget plan reduces our long-term deficit without raising taxes.  We have exchanged one-time cuts for long-term spending reforms that are not only good deficit reduction policy, but will also secure our military readiness by giving our troops the resources they need to defend our nation.  

 

“This budget plan is not a solution to our debt crisis, but it is a step in the right direction. I look forward to continuing to fight for true spending reform and for policies that will balance our budget and guarantee a brighter future for all Virginians and Americans.”

 

Facebook Pic of the Day - Twitter Smackdown





Wednesday, December 11, 2013

How Low Can He Go?


Gary L. Bauer
VISIT AMERICAN VALUES

Late last month, President Obama quipped about his low approval ratings, “[T]he good thing about when you're down is that usually you got nowhere to go but up.” But Obama’s statement was premature at best.

A new Quinnipiac University poll finds the president’s approval rating has dipped to 38 percent among registered voters, with barely one in three approving of Obama’s actions on health care and only four in ten approving of his Iran policy.

Worst of all for Obama, his advantages among young and Hispanic voters have virtually vanished. A minority— 49 percent —of 18-to-29-year-olds now say they disapprove of Obama’s job performance, while 50 percent of Hispanic voters feel the same way.

What’s more, majorities also believe Obama is not “honest and trustworthy” and that he lacks “strong leadership qualities.” That’s bad news as Obama looks ahead to his legacy.

Perhaps Obama can take solace in the rousing round of applause he received at Nelson Mandela’s funeral in Pretoria, South Africa, on Tuesday. Unfortunately for Obama, Pretoria’s 8,000 miles away from the audience that matters: the American people. More and more, it seems Obama’s most ardent supporters are those who are furthest removed from the effects of his policies.






Rep. Robert Hurt Introduces Legislation to Bring Fairness to Smaller Generic Drug Manufacturers

 

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) introduced legislation along with Congressman Phil Roe (R-Tennessee) that would level the playing field for generic drug user fees so that smaller manufacturers would be expected to pay fees that would reflect the relative size of their firms compared to drug company giants.  Hurt released the following statement following its introduction:

"I am proud to have introduced this legislation that addresses an important issue harming small generic drug manufacturers in Virginia's Fifth District and across the country.  The Food and Drug Administration is imposing user fees in a way that places a disproportionate burden on these small manufacturers, which create good jobs in places like Charlottesville, Virginia.  The expectation that all manufacturers pay the same fees, regardless of their size, is unrealistic and should be adjusted to accommodate these smaller companies so they can continue to innovate, produce and compete.  It is my hope that this bill moves swiftly through the legislative process so that these manufacturers are afforded relief in a timely manner," Hurt said.

Smaller companies across the nation have been grappling with the one-size-fits-all fee structure that the FDA created pursuant to the Generic Drug User Fee Act.  One manufacturing facility in Charlottesville, Afton Scientific, which provides pre-sterilized and packaged components such as sterile vials, has seen first-hand the effects of FDA's unfair implementation of fees.  Tom Thorpe, CEO of Afton Scientific, said, "I appreciate the recent action taken by Congressman Hurt on behalf of small generic drug manufacturers in the Fifth District and across the country and for his continued dedication to supporting small businesses as a key player in creating jobs.  This amendment represents an important correction to the Generic Drug User Fee Act which now threatens our smaller and emerging drug manufacturing facilities that provide great jobs and many vital small quantity drugs."  


Update on Ballot Security Issues in Fairfax


December 11, 2013

To date, Fairfax County election officials have failed to account for a discrepancy between their report and the certification provided by the Fairfax Clerk of Court. 

Obenshain counsel William H. Hurd sent a letter Dec. 9 to request an explanation for the serious ballot security issues raised in the certification from Fairfax County. The letter is available here: http://markobenshain.com/images/uploads/FFX-ObenshainLetter1.pdf

Fairfax County Electoral Board Secretary Brian Schoeneman responded yesterday evening in a letter available here:  http://markobenshain.com/images/uploads/FFX-ObenshainLetter1.pdf

This afternoon, Obenshain counsel William H. Hurd again asked for an explanation regarding unanswered questions, as well as an explanation for a major discrepancy between the account in the letter sent this morning and the certification from the Fairfax County Clerk. The letter is available here: http://markobenshain.com/images/uploads/FFX-ObenshainLetter2.pdf

It reads, in part, "...there is an obvious and major discrepancy between your report and the certification provided by the Fairfax Clerk of Court. According to your report, ballots from the Tyson's precinct, both voted and unused, were found in a warehouse on November 18, 2013, and delivered to the Clerk "by staff" that same day. Contradicting your report, the Clerk's certification makes no mention of any ballots being received on November 18. Instead, the Clerk's certification states that ballots were received in his office on November 20, 2013, two days later. This discrepancy suggests a two-day gap between the time the Tyson's precinct ballots left the warehouse and the time they were delivered to the Clerk for safekeeping. This two-day gap is especially troubling since it involves not only ballots that were presumably cast legitimately on Election Day, but also unused ballots that could, in the wrong hands, provide a means for tampering. Your report makes no attempt to resolve this discrepancy, but completely ignores it."

The letter also notes, "Ballot security is an extremely important part of protecting the right to vote, and we are distressed by the lapse in ballot security in Fairfax County. Restoring public confidence requires, at a minimum, a full disclosure of the facts."

ON THE WEB


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Update on Ballot Security Issues in Fairfax



Monday, December 9, 2013

Staff Members from Robert Hurt's Office to Hold Local Office Hours in Lunenburg County


WASHINGTON, D.C. – Staff members from Congressman Robert Hurt's (R-Virginia) office will hold Local Office Hours in Lunenburg County on Friday, December 13 to meet with constituents who need assistance with federal agencies. For more information, please visit our Local Office Hours Interactive Map.

 

Friday, December  13, 2013

9:00 am to 11:00 am

Local Office Hours in Lunenbur

Lunenburg County Administrator's Office

Conference Room

11413 Courthouse Road

Lunenburg, VA


Sunday, December 8, 2013

Premier of Life Fine Tuned


Don't Forget ... Life Fine Tuned on December 14!


Remember, on Saturday, December 14 you have an opportunity to attend the theatrical premier performance of Life Fine Tuned, a family-oriented movie produced by Nina May, a Rappahannock resident known for her excellent writing and video productions. 

Not only is Life Fine Tuned an excellent movie, but you will get a kick out of watching familiar faces and places in Rappahannock and Culpeper counties.  But you have to see it first!   Please make Saturday evening, December 14, beginning at 6:30 p.m., a family event.  You will be amazed to see the level of expertise in this production and know that much of it was produced and directed in our backyards!  The movie has won numerous awards. 
 
Please go to http://www.culpepertheatre.org/events/life-fine-tuned/ to order your tickets.  There are two price levels...adults and children --- there is no excuse not to bring your child/children to this event. 


See you on Saturday, 


Evelyn Kerr



Friday, December 6, 2013

Statement by Rep. Robert Hurt on the Latest Unemployment Report


WASHINGTON, D.C. Congressman Robert Hurt (R-VA) today released the following statement after the Department of Labor issued the latest unemployment report:

"While I was pleased to see that our national unemployment rate has dropped slightly, the continued threat of excessive regulations, tax increases, and Washington's out-of-control spending culture is stalling our economic recovery, as well as threatening the existence and creation of jobs across the country.

"My colleagues and I in the House have continued to pass bipartisan, pro-growth jobs bills that would help turn our economy around by removing the government as a barrier to job creation to restore certainty to the marketplace. This week, legislation I introduced, the 'Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act,' passed the House with bipartisan support.  At a time when economic uncertainty and over-regulation are hindering job creation in Virginia and across our great nation, it is imperative that we implement policies like this pro-growth legislation to fuel job creation and move our economy forward.

"It is my hope that the Senate does not stall in passing these commonsense House-passed bills that would put us on the path to economic recovery and spur job growth across the nation."

Today's Obamacare Disaster Update


Gary L. Bauer
Campaign for Working Families


Since the December 1st relaunch of Healthcare.gov, Obama and his Democrat allies have been desperately trying to convince the American people that Obamacare is now working smoothly. They are even touting a "surge" of enrollments, which in two days this week exceeded October's total. But despite their wishful thinking and self-delusion, the headlines tell a different story.

  • CBS News reported Wednesday that "insurance companies are still receiving either no data or garbled data from people who put their information in. If that isn't improved, people who think they've enrolled will not have a health insurance policy."

  • One of the major reasons people won't be covered by these technical "glitches" is that the backend payment system on Healthcare.gov is not working. Administration officials tried to address the problem this week by instructing applicants to "pay your premium to the insurance company directly -- not to the Health Insurance Marketplace."

    How many people who have already signed up will know to do this? One Indiana insurance company reports that only 20% of applicants have actually paid. And what happens if they haven't paid by January 1st? Their application is voided and individuals must start the infuriating process all over again.

  • Technical "glitches" aren't limited to the federal website. State exchanges are reporting similar problems. Washington state officials recently discovered errors in nearly 8,000 applications. California has yet to process tens of thousands of paper applications.

  • Meanwhile, vastly more people continue to be enrolled in Medicaid, rather than Obamacare. In Washington state, nearly nine times more people were signed up for taxpayer-financed Medicaid assistance than purchased their own plan through the state exchange. (That entitlement program's costs are certain to skyrocket.)

    But because of all the glitches, some states may stop processing those applications too, potentially affecting hundreds of thousands of low-income individuals.


"Low-Information Leadership"

Obamacare is the president's signature initiative. It was the most sweeping legislative change in decades. It is a massive tax increase that radically alters one-sixth of the American economy and vastly expands the IRS and the government's intrusion into our lives.

Given Obamacare's importance to Obama's legacy (not to mention the political careers of many Democrats), how many times do you think Obama sat down face-to-face with Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, whose office was charged with implementing Obamacare? Just once.

Former Reagan speechwriter Peggy Noonan wrote a brilliant column this week critiquing Obama's leadership (or lack thereof) given the calamitous failure of Obamacare. She described Obama as a "low-information leader," out-of-touch with the real world and overly impressed by his own words. Here are few key excerpts:

    "It's a leader's job to be skeptical of grand schemes. Sorry, that's a conservative leader's job. It is a liberal leader's job to be skeptical that grand schemes will work as intended. You have to guide and goad and be careful.

    "And this president wasn't. I think part of the reason he wasn't careful is because he sort of lives in words. That's been his whole professional life -- books, speeches. Say something and it magically exists as something said, and if it's been said and publicized it must be real. He never had to push a lever, see the machine not respond, puzzle it out and fix it. …He never had to stock a store, run a sale and see lots of people come but the expenses turn out to be larger than you'd expected and the profits smaller, and you have to figure out what went wrong and do better next time. …

    "Commentators like to decry low-information voters -- the stupid are picking our leaders. I think the real problem is low-information leaders. They have so little experience of life and have so much faith in magic -- in media, in words -- that they don't understand people will get angry at you when you mislead them, and never see you the same way again."



FRC Praises California, Maryland for Shifting Focus to Ethical Stem Cell Research


December 04, 2013

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Family Research Council (FRC) is encouraged by a new story from the Washington Times highlighting recent findings from the Charlotte Lozier Institute on state funding for stem cell research. The institute has found that the bulk of stem cell funding grants in California and Maryland are now going to ethical stem cell research, and not unethical embryonic stem cell research - a decided shift in focus for these states.

Of the findings FRC's Senior Fellow Dr. David Prentice said:

"This latest news simply emphasizes what advocates of ethical stem cell research have said for years - adult stem cells are the true gold standard for stem cells. They are certainly golden for patients; more than 60,000 people a year around the world are currently treated with adult stem cells.

"We heard for years that embryonic stem cells were the 'only' stem cells for treatment as well as lab research, and the federal government as well as several states rushed to pour money onto this research. But even in states previously devoted exclusively to embryonic stem cell and cloning research, the majority of grants now are going to ethical, successful adult stem cell studies.

"Embryonic stem cell research relies on the destruction of young human life, and has zero proven successes for patients. Adult stem cells provide effective treatments now for dozens of diseases and conditions, with many more therapies under development. They're the best cells for the job, and all without harming the stem cell donors.

"States such as Kansas, with its new comprehensive Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center devoted to adult stem cell therapies, research, education and physician training, are at the leading edge of the science. Adult stem cell research is showing tremendous progress, while holding the ethical line that defends all human life at every stage of life.

"Adult stem cells save lives," Prentice concluded.

Prentice is an internationally-recognized expert on stem cells and cloning, and has testified before the U.S. Congress, numerous state legislatures, the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the President's Council on Bioethics, European Parliament, British Parliament, Canadian Parliament, Australian Parliament, German Bundestag, French Senate, Swedish Parliament, the Vatican, and the United Nations. This year he helped the state of Kansas establish its Midwest Stem Cell Therapy Center.

To read more about life-saving and ethical adult stem cell treatments, click here: http://www.stemcellresearchfacts.org/


House Passes Hurt Bill to Help Small Businesses Access Capital and Create Jobs

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Robert Hurt (R-Virginia) released the following statement after House passage of H.R. 1105, the Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act, which was introduced by Hurt in May 2013 and passed with a bipartisan 254-159 vote:

 

"I am pleased this important bill has passed the House with bipartisan support.  At a time when economic uncertainty and over-regulation are hindering job creation in Virginia and across our great nation, it is imperative that we implement policies to fuel job growth and move our economy forward.

 

"The Small Business Capital Access and Job Preservation Act will reduce unnecessary regulations implemented by Dodd-Frank that inhibit private equity firms from investing private capital into small businesses.  By reducing over-regulation, this bill will promote greater access to capital for small businesses, encouraging the creation of new jobs and economic stimulation across the country. 

 

"I thank my colleagues for joining me in this effort to grow our economy and create much-needed jobs throughout Virginia and America."

 

H.R. 1105:

 

  • Reduces complicated and unnecessary registration requirements that unfairly burden private equity firms that are not highly leveraged.  Private equity invests hundreds of billions of dollars into U.S. businesses each year. Private equity funds did not cause the financial crisis, and they continue to pose no systemic risk to the U.S. economy.
  • By eliminating unnecessary regulations, this bill seeks to expand capital formation so that companies can innovate and expand.  H.R. 1105 is a crucial aspect of the bipartisan Financial Services Committee agenda to improve access to capital for businesses so they can infuse much-needed jobs into our fragile economy.
  • For more information on H.R. 1105, click here.

 

[To view Congressman Hurt's Floor Speech, click here or below.]

 

 

Video Pick of the Day



Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Obama Doubles Down


Gary L. Bauer
AMERICAN VALUES

Politico reports that Barack Obama and his congressional allies are launching "a coordinated campaign" today to try to resell Obamacare to the American people. Good luck. A new Rasmussen poll finds that only 16% of likely voters support it.

People are right to be skeptical. During an interview on CNBC last week, cybersecurity expert David Kennedy warned that it could take "over a year to at least address some of the critical-to-high exposures on the website itself." Morgan Wright, another cybersecurity specialist, said, "There's not a plan to fix this that meets the sniff test of being reasonable."

Security aside, the website continues to produce faulty data. In a front page story today, the Washington Post reports that nearly one-third of applications processed through the Obamacare website contain errors. The Post writes:

    "The mistakes include failure to notify insurers about new customers, duplicate enrollments or cancellation notices for the same person, incorrect information about family members, and mistakes involving federal subsidies. …

    "The errors, if not corrected, mean that tens of thousands of consumers are at risk of not having coverage when the insurance goes into effect Jan. 1"

Monday, December 2, 2013

Quote of the Day


"The President can talk about the website's progress all he wants, but no amount of technology can make up for the biggest ObamaCare errors of all: lost freedom, choices, consciences, and profits."

Tony Perkins' Washington Update


A Thanksgiving Miracle


Gary L. Bauer
American Values


We are getting reports from all over the country of a possible Thanksgiving miracle. Truly, something appears to have happened once believed to be impossible.

On farms in Iowa and in gritty working class neighborhoods in Pittsburg, from sunny L.A. to windy Chicago, we have seen reports that at Thanksgiving meals across the nation, lost sheep came home. As families gazed in wonder in home after home, former "Obamabots" renounced their indoctrination and admitted they had been wrong when they bought into the doubletalk from our community organizer-in-chief.

Sure, these conversions aren't quite a "road to Damascus" experience and backsliding is still possible. But from unemployed college graduates to recently insurance-deprived consumers, the "faith" in "O" has collapsed. God bless America!


Healthcare.gov 2.0

The White House is hailing the relaunch of the Obamacare website, Healthcare.gov, as a success now that it supposedly remains online 90% of the time. Despite all the hype, all is not well. The site crashed when CNN tested it yesterday.

In a report detailing its efforts to rebuild the site, the administration included this telling line: "While there is more work to be done, the team is operating with private sector velocity and effectiveness, and will continue their work to improve and enhance the website in the weeks and months ahead."

After three years and hundreds of millions of dollars down the drain, the administration is now attempting to emulate the private sector. As MSNBC's Chuck Todd put it, "That is an indictment on the whole idea of government as a solution."

The editors of USA Today were particularly harsh in their assessment. In a scathing editorial, the paper noted, as we have many times, that designing a website should have been the easiest part. They wrote:

    "…Obama and his signature effort are nowhere near out of the woods. The system still doesn't have enough capacity to handle a rush. …problems that were overshadowed by the website's catastrophic early failures will loom much larger. … and the almost incomprehensible mismanagement exposed by the website fiasco does not inspire confidence…"