More and More

Written on March 11, 2010 at 5:10 pm, by Jeff Leieritz

The Treasury Department announced yesterday that last month was the highest budget deficit ever with a deficit of $220.9 Billion. To put this in perspective, our nation’s debt grew by $5.48 million per minute last month.
Washington is on a crash course. The debt, unemployment and overall growth in the scope and role of government are not sustainable but what also frustrates me is the lack of a tipping point. The voters have sent message after message to Washington through the growth and activism of the tea party movement to victories in New Jersey and Virginia last November and what seemed like the clearest message: Scott Brown winning Ted Kennedy’s old seat in Massachusetts. Despite a clear majority of Americans wanting this wreckless course stopped, more spending from Washington, fewer jobs and a healthcare bill that seems to never finally die.
While Washington still seems stuck on its own agenda the world has been receptive to the global recession. A couple of weeks ago, the Index on Economic Freedom officially downgrading the United States from their most free classification for the first time. The Index ranked the United States as the second most free nation in North America behind Canada. It should come as no surprise then that the Canadian dollar is once again expected to pass the United States dollar sometime this year.
The problem of the devaluation of the United States dollar is not a problem unique to the Obama Administration. In September of 2007 the Canadian dollar passed the United States dollar for the first time since 1976. As Representative Thompson wrote earlier this week, we simply cannot afford to keep paying for today’s government with tomorrow’s dollar. Our debt and size of government keeps growing and our jobs keep disappearing.
While Washington’s direction is beyond frustrating, voters’ outrage gives hope to a new wave of common sense conservative members of Congress who have had to balance their own checkbook. Maybe they can finally teach Washington how to balance its own.

Just Put it on Our Card

Written on March 8, 2010 at 5:03 pm, by Mike Thompson

The Congressional Budget Office reported on Friday that President Obama’s budget would add an astounding $9.8 trillion to our country’s debt over the next decade.

That would put the debt caused by Washington’s reckless decisions at $20.3 trillion by 2020; an unthinkable 90% of our GDP. There are currently only 11 countries that operate with public debt that is greater than 90% of GDP, and it isn’t a promising list. If the current proposed budget is passed, the United States would rank 12th worst in public debt as a percentage of GDP, worse than Nicaragua, Sri Lanka, Egypt and Jordan.

Robert Bixby, the Executive Director of the Concord Coalition, a deficit watchdog group, said the budget “points out the unwillingness of the administration to raise the revenues to pay for the size of government being proposed.”

Mr. Bixby was correct in his assessment of the deficit, but revenue is not only problem. The real problem lies at the end of his sentence; “the size of government being proposed”. Washington’s refusal to live in the real world and responsibly address the challenges we face is why I decided to run for Congress.

I have two young children and like you, I fear their future will be saddled with the debts and bad decisions of our current leaders. The Obama Administration, the liberal Democrat Congress, and even some members of my own party are leading us down a path toward financial destruction and a loss of the freedoms and opportunities we hold dear. We cannot sustain this irresponsible course and we cannot afford to give its proponents 2, 4 or 6 more years in office.

Putting today’s wants on the credit card for future generations to pay is not “hope” or “change.” It’s the same selfishness and overreaching Washington has been doing for years. The Congressional Budget Office reports that $5.6 trillion is needed just to pay off interest this decade. That $5.6 trillion is more than 10 times our entire national debt just 2 years ago.

Unfortunately, the only way to change the way Washington works is to change the people representing us in Washington. I am running for Congress to reverse this trend of greed, corruption and passing the buck. The leveraging of our future and our children’s future must end.

As always I’d love to hear from you. What do you think about the President’s current budget proposal?

Supreme Court Considers Lifting Ban on Handguns

Written on March 2, 2010 at 4:29 pm, by Mike Thompson

Today the Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments about whether the city of Chicago’s citywide ban on handguns violates the Second Amendment. Just two years ago in Heller v. District of Columbia the court ruled correctly in getting rid of the gun ban in District of Columbia. In that case the court affirmed the Constitutionally-provided right to keep and bears arms by ruling the Second Amendment gives individuals a right to possess guns for self-defense and other purposes.
In the nearly two years since the Supreme Court struck down the District of Columbia’s ban on handguns, nearly 200 challenges have been filed seeking to overturn other state and local gun-control laws or to reverse firearms convictions.
With the increasingly invasive and overreaching policies of Congress and the Obama Administration, it is more important than ever to stand firm for our constitutional rights and individual freedoms. As you know, I am a staunch advocate for personal responsibility, individual liberty and state rights. I cherish my rights as a citizen of this great nation and will jealously protect them in the face of continued infringement by government.
Do you agree with me that our Second Amendment rights are as fundamental as freedom of speech and religion? Or should the right to keep and bear arms be subject to lesser Constitution protections?
As always I’d love to hear from you. What do you think about the pending Supreme Court decision?

Reliance on Government at All-Time High

Written on March 2, 2010 at 2:37 am, by Jeff Leieritz

Last year Americans were more reliant on their government than ever before. For the first time since the Great Depression Americans took more money from the government in the form of welfare checks than they paid in taxes. This contributes to the already record deficits that we have run up over the past year.

While consumer spending did actually increase in the second half of last year wages and employment did not. The spending that did increase was due mostly to the record government spending which essentially subsidized a recovery.

In order to achieve real economic growth, and avoid the double dip recession the US Chamber of Commerce warned about, money and control once again be placed in the private markets.

Simply put the current spending trend simply is not sustainable. The government can not afford to further hedge our economic future by spending more than it is taking in. While the debt ceiling can be raised as it was earlier this year eventually debts must be paid and the more we put off till tomorrow the greater danger to our economy.

Shining Light

Written on February 24, 2010 at 1:12 am, by Jeff Leieritz

Today Senator Jim Inhofe called for an investigation by the Department of Justice into the actions of former Vice President Al Gore and other climate change activists. Senator Inhofe called for an investigation into research misconduct and criminal acts by the scientists involved.

With more and more inconsistencies in the arguments made by climate change advocates including the recent resignation of U.N. Climate Change Official Yvo de Boer I believe Senator Inhofe is right to call for this investigation. I’d like to applaud our fellow Oklahoman for his continued efforts to shed more light onto the questionable data presented by some of the climate change scientists.

These scientists are receiving tax payer money to conduct their research which needs to stop. Especially given the partisan nature and inconsistencies in their research, including the British High Court’s 2007 ruling that Al Gore’s film “An Inconvenient Truth” be shown in public school’s only if accompanied by a disclaimer that the film presents a “one-sided” view.

Senator Inhofe has made attempts in the past to look further into the inconsistencies in the research presented by climate change scientists only to be blocked by Democrats controlling the Senate. Hopefully the Democrats in the Senate will change course and allow his investigation to proceed.

The “Stimulus” One Year Later: 2.8 Million Jobs Lost

Written on February 18, 2010 at 2:18 am, by Mike Thompson

One year ago today President Obama signed the so-called $787 billion stimulus package.  It was an act Speaker Pelosi proclaimed as “a hallmark achievement of this Congress.”  Now, as the President and those who have supported the stimulus bill celebrate their hallmark and contemplate a 3^rd stimulus under the guise of a “jobs bill,” an additional 2.8 million Americans are unemployed. That’s more than 5 times the population of Oklahoma City.

The Democrats’ so-called stimulus bill was passed with the promise that it would create 3.5 million jobs by December 2010.  The reality? Millions of jobs lost, staggering deficits, an explosion of the national debt, and continuing signs of a struggling economy.  In that same time frame, over 1 million additional Americans have all but given up hope of finding a job and are no longer even seeking employment.

The stimulus has created tens of thousands of additional government positions,  but trading dozens of private sector jobs for one government job is not a road to recovery.  It is a road to further ruin.

Are you as fed up with these reckless policies as I am? Are you tired of promises and political pandering?

Growing debts and deficits, greater intervention by the federal government, and reductions in individual liberty are not the answer. They are the problem.

As always I would love to hear from you. What do you think can be done to create jobs?

Thompson Announces New Additions to His Steering Comittee

Written on February 16, 2010 at 1:16 pm, by Jeff Leieritz

Oklahoma Leaders Flock to Mike Thompson’s Campaign

Twelve more influential Oklahomans join Thompson’s growing team

Oklahoma City – State Representative Mike Thompson today announced 12 new additions to his impressive steering committee, headed by Campaign Chairmen Larry Nichols, David Rainbolt and Tim Duit.

New Steering Committee Members Include:

Ann Felton
Randy Allen
Ed Lynn
Jim Cobb
Robert Hefner V
Sean Cummings Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon (Ret.)
Chuck Mills
Renzi Stone
Chad McDougall
David Ostrowe
Jerry Hietpas

“Our economy needs leaders like Mike who will stand strong against bailouts and overspending and will work to grow jobs, not government ”, said Randy Allen, President of Mid-Con Data Company. “His conservative values, integrity and outside the box thinking will make Oklahomans proud”

“Mike Thompson has been a consistent voice standing up for our troops” said Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon (Ret.). “He’ll be a strong supporter of the war on terror and make sure America’s heroes receive the support they deserve”.

Chuck Mills, Former Mayor of Shawnee added “Mike understands how to grow the economy by reducing the burden on small businesses. His work ethic and energy embody Oklahoma values and he’ll be a great asset to us in Washington”.

The addition to Mike Thompson’s steering committee comes on the heels of the majority of State House Republicans endorsing his campaign.

Thompson recently announced his 4th quarter fundraising totals, which keep him atop the field in support from Oklahomans and among the top fundraisers in the nation

“Our campaign has received an outpouring of support from the start,” said Mike Thompson. “I’m truly honored to keep earning the trust of so many Oklahomans.”

Representative Mike Thompson’s full Steering Committee can be seen below:

###

Oklahomans for Mike Thompson
Campaign Steering Committee

Larry Nichols: Chairman, Devon Energy; Chairman, American Petroleum Institute; Former Chairman, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce; Former Co-Chair, 2007 United Way Campaign; Board Member, American Exploration and Production Council; Board Member, Business Industry Political Action Committee; Board Member, National Association of Manufacturers; Board Member, Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association; Board Member, Baker Hughes Incorporated; Board Member, Sonic Corp.

David Rainbolt: Chairman, BancFirst; Former President, Oklahoma Bankers Association; Former President, Last Frontier Council Boy Scouts of America; Former President, Health Center Foundation; Chairman, Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc. ; Board Member, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce; Board Member, Oklahoma State Fair

Tim Duit: President, TTK Construction; Former President, Association of Oklahoma General Contractors

Clay Bennett: Chairman, Dorchester Capital; Chairman Emeritus, Oklahoma Heritage Association; Chairman, Oklahoma City Thunder; Chairman, Oklahoma State Fair Board of Directors; Chairman, Oklahoma Industries Authority; Former Chairman, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce, Board Member, Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc.; Board Member, Oklahoma Boathouse Foundation; Member, Oklahoma Hall of Fame; Board Member, Oklahoma Health Center Foundation

Ron Norick: President, Norick Investment Company; Former Mayor, Oklahoma City; First Vice Chair, Oklahoma State Fair Board of Directors; Member, Oklahoma Hall of Fame; Board Member, BancFirst

Maj. Gen. Rita Aragon (Ret.): Former Commander, Oklahoma Air National Guard; Former Air National Guard Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force; Former Oklahoma Woman Veteran of the Year; Former Edmond Woman of the Year in Government; Board Member, Central Oklahoma American Red Cross; Board Member, Air National Guard “Starbase”; Board Member, Commission on Status of Women in Oklahoma; Former Oklahoma City Principal of the Year; Director of Advanced Programs, University of Oklahoma

Mike McDonald: Chairman, Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association; Co-Founder, Triad Energy

Ann Felton: Campaign Chair, Friends of Jim Inhofe; Member, Oklahoma City University Hall of Fame; Board Member, Oklahoma Christian University; Board Member, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation; Former Chair, Oklahoma City Museum of Art; Former President, Junior League

Dave Lopez: President, American Fidelity Foundation; Former Chairman, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce; Former President, Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc.; Board Member, BancFirst; Chairman, Oklahoma Health Center Foundation; Board Member, Allied Arts; Board Member, Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation; Board Member, Oklahoma Arts Institute; Board Member, Oklahoma City Metropolitan Area Public Schools Trust; Trustee, Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation

Randy Allen: CEO, Mid-Con Data Services; Former Chairman, Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce; Board Member, Kirkpatrick Bank; Board Member, A Chance to Change; Board Member, Oklahoma City National Memorial Foundation; Board of Development Member, Oklahoma Christian University

Chuck Mills: President, Mills Machine Company; Former Mayor, Shawnee, Executive Committee Member, East Central Workforce Investment Board; President, Redbud Arts Council; Board Member, Bison Federal Credit Union; Board Member, Shawnee Police Foundation; Executive Committee Member, Governor’s Council for Workforce and Economic Development; Board Member, Small Business Advocacy Committee; Chairman, Oklahoma District Export Council; Board Member, National Federation of Independent Business; Chairman, Shawnee Municipal Authority; President, Pottawatomie County Historical Society; Board Member, Central Oklahoma Community Action Agency

Renzi Stone: President, Saxum Public Relations; Board Member, Leadership Oklahoma; Board Member, Creative Oklahoma; Board Member, Allied Arts; Board Member, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce; Advisory Board Member, Meinders School of Business at Oklahoma City University

Ed Lynn: Owner, Oklahoma Wings (Buffalo Wild Wings); Board Member, Oklahoma Restaurant Association; Former Chair, Draft Mick Cornett for Congress; Board Member, Oklahoma Small Business Advisory Committee; Board Member, Oklahoma City Convention & Visitors Bureau

Phil Parduhn: President, Pelco Products; Former Citizen of the Year, Edmond Area Chamber of Commerce; Member, Edmond Hall of Fame

Pete Brown: Principal, Cimarron Production; Former Chairman, Oklahoma Energy Resources Board; Former President, Oklahoma Independent Petroleum Association; Board Member, Independent Petroleum Association of America

Jim Cobb: Principal, Cobb Engineering Company; Hall of Fame Member, Oklahoma State University; Board Member, Oklahoma State University School of Engineering

Joe Warren: Principal, Cimarron Production; Member, University of Central Oklahoma Hall of Fame

James A. Pickel: Co-Owner, Smith & Pickel Construction; Board Member, Oklahoma Health Center Foundation; Board Member, Allied Arts Foundation; Board Member, Arts Council of Oklahoma City; Board Member, Cultural Development Corporation of Central Oklahoma City; Board Member, Oklahoma City Arts Center; Board Member, Myriad Gardens Foundation; Board Member, Civic Center Foundation; Board Member, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber of Commerce; Recipient, Dean A. McGee Award from Downtown Oklahoma City, Inc.; Board Member, Oklahoma City Convention and Visitors Bureau

Scott Fischer: Chief Operating Officer, Pointe Vista Development

Kim McLendon: President, Adairs Inc.; Board Member, Oklahoma Restaurant Association

Chad McDougall: Vice President, JMA Energy Company

Jim Duit: President, Duit Construction; Former President, Association of Oklahoma General Contractors; Board Member, T.R.U.S.T.

Kory Warr: Chief Executive Officer, Mayfair Commercial Management; Trustee, Archdiocesan; Chairman, Orthodox Christian Prison Ministry; Board Member, St. Tikhon’s Orthodox Theological Seminary

Steve Edwards: Former Chairman, Oklahoma Republican Party; Former Chief of Staff, United States Senator Jim Inhofe

Steve Young: President, Oklahoma Electrical Supply Company; Board Member, Oklahoma Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association

Sean Cummings: President, Cummings Oil Company; President of the Board, the Children’s Center in Bethany; Former Chairman, YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City

Bryan Timberlake: President, Timberlake Construction; Vice President, Associated General Contractors of Oklahoma

Robert Hefner V: Managing Partner, Hefner Energy Partners

David Ostrowe: President, O&M Restaurant Group; Board Member, Allied Arts

Jerry Hietpas: President, Action Safety Supply

Picking and Choosing

Written on February 15, 2010 at 11:30 pm, by Jeff Leieritz

Touting the continued gains made by American forces in Iraq Vice President Joe Biden said “I am very optimistic about Iraq. I think it’s going to be one of the great achievements of this administration.”

The Bush administration certainly made mistakes along the way but the decision to add more troops in 2007 was the right decision. The progress that has been achieved in Iraq is a result of the troop surge ordered in 2007 by President Bush. It is preposterous for this administration, which has made blaming the previous administration its bread and butter response, to now claim credit for a policy they so vehemently opposed.

Now that the surge has led to a decrease in violence and criticizing the war in Iraq is no longer politically expedient both have changed their tone. The decision to add troops was strongly opposed by both President Obama and Vice President Biden while serving in the Senate at the time. Biden felt that Iraq was such a lost cause that the nation should be divided into thirds to satisfy the Sunni, Shiite and Kurds. Obama said he knew that the troop surge would actually increase violence in Iraq.

We have heard time and time again from both the Obama administration and the Democratic leadership that the Bush administration is to blame for much of what is wrong with our country. It would only seem fair then to also give due credit for his policies that have proven successful.

Martin Luther King once said “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” This is the type of leadership we need in Washington. The type of leaders that will give credit to their predecessors where credit is due and accept responsibility for their own decisions; whatever the outcome may be.

A Step in the Right Direction

Written on February 11, 2010 at 3:22 am, by Jeff Leieritz

The Senate voted Tuesday to block President Obama’s nominee for the National Labor Relations Board. The vote included 2 Democrats who voted not to confirm Craig Becker.

Becker is a former union lawyer who has taken an aggressive approach in the past towards empowering unions and he favors card check legislation making it easier for workers to unionize.

The blocking of Becker should serve as a sign to President Obama and other union backed Democrats in Washington DC. Americans saw the tax exemptions negotiated behind closed doors in the since failed Senate version of the health care takeover and are sick of special interests being placed before the interests of the majority of Americans.

Washington’s policies have had a disastrous impact on our nation’s job market and the Senate’s rejection of President Obama’s union-backed nominee is refreshing and is certainly a step in the right direction. This should serve as a message to the rest of Washington that special interests, backroom negotiations and politics as usual that have resulted in unemployment hovering around 10 % will not be supported by the American public. To create jobs Washington needs to embrace policies that will support the rights small businesses which will in turn spur job creation.

Keeping special interests from regulating themselves and out of the backroom will help, what else should be done to create jobs?

Practice What You Preach

Written on February 5, 2010 at 11:50 pm, by Jeff Leieritz

This past week President Obama caught some heat for comments he made about Las Vegas which angered Las Vegas businessman and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

In addressing an audience in New Hampshire President Obama offered the following advice: “When times are tough, you tighten your belts. You don’t go buying a boat when you can barely pay your mortgage. You don’t blow a bunch of cash on Vegas when you’re trying to save for college. You prioritize. You make tough choices.”

I’m not sure that I have ever agreed so strongly in principle with the President but there’s a great deal of symbolism in the President’s analysis. While American families are indeed investing in their futures saving for college for future generations of Americans Washington is doing the opposite. We are facing our 3rd consecutive trillion dollar deficit and the Democrats voted this week to increase our debt limit again, this time to a staggering $14.2 trillion. This is the opposite of saving for college i.e. investing in our future; it is bankrupting our future. This debt will be paid by the same generation of Americans that are being responsible on their own and investing in future generations

In agreeing in principle I wish that the President and Congress, Democrats and Republicans, would adhere to their advice and apply it to their own spending habits. Times are tough but we have seen anything but a tightening of the belts. Our nation has taken out a 2nd and 3rd mortgages, please join Mike in helping stop Washington from buying boats while skipping the mortgage.