Rick Crawford for Congress

U.S. Representative for Arkansas' 1st Congressional District

Democrats’ Opinion about Healthcare Entitlement Improves

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According to the Democratic polling firm Rasmussen Reports, Democrats attitudes toward President Obama’s healthcare entitlement program are improving.  The report states:

Sixty-five percent (65%) of Democrats now are optimistic about the nation’s current course, a 17-point jump from the week before. Thirty percent (30%) are not. A week ago, Democrats were almost evenly divided on the question: 48% said the country was headed in the right direction, and 44% felt it was going down the wrong track.

It is unclear if Democrats in Arkansas are also becoming more favorable toward the new law, but this poll is certainly a cause for concern to anyone who cares about the direction our country.

I believe many, if not most, Democrats in Arkansas do not favor giving taxpayer-funded health insurance to 32 million people when our government is on the hook for $56.5 trillion and growing at a rate of $340 million an hour.  When people understand the deep, deep financial hole our country is in, I have to believe there is overwhelming opposition to spending trillion more – regardless of party.

In less than 12 years, interest payments on the national debt will be more than what we spend on national defense.  It will be more than we repay in Social Security benefits.  It will even exceed what our government pays for Medicare.  In less than 12 years, our nation’s interest payments will be larger than any other single budget program in our entire government.

Join me is spreading this message throughout the First District and we will seize control of the House from Nancy Pelosi and start the long process of restoring fiscal responsibility.

Are President Obama and Congress Serious About U.S. Fiscal Crisis?

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President Obama’s National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform announced Tuesday that it would hold its first meeting on April 27th.  The purpose of the commission is to address our nation’s near- and long-term budget crisis, which has now reached near epic proportions.

The Congressional Budget Office recently revealed that interest on the national debt will become the single largest line item in the U.S. annual budget within 12 years.  This was before Congress passed the new entitlement program that will add billions more to our debt in the near-term.  It also assumes low interest rates, which most experts believe is improbable.

To put this in perspective, the best-case scenario is that in 12 years, and realistically in fewer years, interest payments on the debt will exceed expenditures for all other single purposes including national defense, Social Security, and Medicare.  How could this happen?  Because we have continually elected professional politicians who are more interested in cutting deals to get reelected than in implementing meaningful budget reform.

The creation of President Obama’s fiscal commission is a perfect example.  Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi refused to establish a Congressional commission that would develop recommendations to present in a straight up or down vote before Congress.  President Obama declined to use his political capital to push this legislation through, instead focusing his attention on worsening our country’s financial condition by creating a new entitlement program for 32 million people.

President Obama’s commission will develop a plan and present it to Congress later this year – in time for the President to stand before the American people to proclaim he cares about this issue.  If only he were serious.  If only he had used his position to reduce the deficit instead of making it worse.

I have served in the military, held a top secret security clearance, and engaged in critical missions.  Our nation is in desperate need of leaders who will devote their lives to addressing the monumental issues that face us.  You have my duty-sworn pledge to attack the political pandering that has led to our great country being on the brink of self destruction.  You have my word that I will stand up to the professional politicians in both parties who put self interest before the people’s interest.  We as citizens must take back our country by force at the election box, and you have my word that I will carry through with the mission until the job is complete.

Rick Crawford Blasts House Congressional Leaders for Intimidation Tactics

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Rick Crawford today called on Speaker Pelosi and other Congressional Democrats to cease employing abusive intimidation tactics against American companies that are required by law to report adverse financial conditions to pension funds, mutual funds, individual stockholders, and other investors that own company shares.

“At Speaker Pelosi’s direction, House Democratic committee chairmen are lining up public interrogation sessions for some of our nation’s leading job creators, including John Deere, Caterpillar, AT&T, and Verizon Communications,” said Crawford.  “Instead of attacking the great American companies who provide tens of thousands of jobs, Congress should be taking a hard look at the true costs of the new healthcare entitlement program.”

Friday House Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman and Energy and Commerce Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Bart Stupak wrote to the heads of John Deere, Caterpillar, AT&T, and Verizon Communications requesting that the companies testify in sworn statements before Congress.  The letters request specific information about accounting methods, emails among senior company officials, and comes with the implicit threat that subpoenas would be issued for companies that refuse to comply with the Congressional request.  The information is due by April 9, 2010, and the hearings are set for April 21, 2010.

Waxman’s call for hearings came after Speaker Pelosi told Democrats to go on the “offensive” in defending and calming public doubts about the new entitlement program.

“This liberal Congress seems to be friendlier toward prisoners at Guantanamo than American job creators,” concluded Crawford.  “Especially during an once-in-a-lifetime economic recession, we should be seeking to work with businesses, not trying to cripple and intimidate them.  I believe that we would have been much better served if Congrress would have focused on creating jobs and addressing the national fiscal crisis rather than spending money we do not have on a new entitlement program for 32 million people that will only put government between us and our doctors.”

Social Security Tipping Point

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The news this week from the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) about Social Security is sobering.  For the first time in the program’s history, it will pay out more in benefits than it receives in contributions.  CBO had predicted this “tipping point” would not occur until 2017.

The news highlights Washington’s untruthfulness about what it has been doing with the surpluses all these years.  In a number of stories I read about the earlier-than-expected deficit, government officials were quoted as saying the program is in no immediate danger because there is a $2.5 trillion trust fund.  Really!?  A trust fund with actual money in it?

But, of course, we all know this is not true.  The truth is that the politicians we elected through the years spent every dime of the surplus money.  Consequently, not only is the $2.5 trillion not sitting in a “trust fund” somewhere in Washington, but these same politicians spent another $12.5 trillion MORE than they had in revenue.

Unfortunately it gets worse.  The sum of the U.S. government’s unfunded promises is $56.5 trillion…and growing by roughly $3 trillion each year.  That is $340 million an hour!

What impact will this have on our economy?  Will foreign governments at some point decide lending to the U.S. is risky? Is this sustainable?  How will it impact our children and grandchildren?

The answer to each of these questions is heartbreaking.  But while our political “leaders” have not been truthful, we must also accept responsibility.  If we do not engage in the debate, if we do not rise up to elect leaders who will force Washington to change its ways, if we do not act on the principle of “government by the people,” then we will in fact leave our children and grandchildren a country in complete financial ruin.

I think it is clear that we can no longer trust professional politicians to take the bold action that is needed.  All of the other candidates in the race for Arkansas’ First Congressional District have spent their lives in politics.  Please join me in bringing real change to our government.  Not more entitlement spending that we cannot afford, not more pandering about “I’m for YOU!” but someone who will vote to put our financial house back in order so that we do not leave a catastrophe for our loved ones.

My wife Stacy and I feel passionate about this and we just can’t imagine doing this to our children.  Please join us today in making a difference.  Join my facebook page, forward this article to others you think care about our future, and, if you are so inclined, consider a small financial contribution that will help me buy radio and TV time to communicate this message to a broader audience.

Respectfully,

Crawford Chides State Democratic Party for Lurching to Change Subject from Healthcare

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Rick Crawford today called Gabe Holmstrom’s PR stunt a blatant attempt to divert attention away from President Obama’s creation of a massive new entitlement program.  “Gabe is an incredibly clever political operative,” said Crawford.  “Changing the subject is something our politicians and their spinsters have been doing for far too long.  Instead of talking about the fact that every man, woman, and child in America each owes $184,000 as their share of the unfunded promises our politicians have made, Mr. Holmstrom wants to talk about the President’s birth certificate.”

“The sad fact is that Congressman Berry, who voted for and against this massive new entitlement program, wants to avoid addressing the long-term financial problem facing our country,” continued Crawford.  “While he talks about balancing the budget back home, he has enabled Speaker Pelosi and President Obama to push through a massive new entitlement program that will use taxpayer money to pay health insurance premiums for 32 million Americans.  We need elected officials who will stand up and say, ‘STOP!  Stop digging the hole deeper.’  We need an elected official who will stand up to say our government will not expand or create any new government programs until we restore fiscal soundness.  If we do not do this, our children and grandchildren will pay taxes that are double or triple what we pay today…and that is the best-case scenario.”

Healthcare Vote Highlighted Leadership Void

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As I watched last night’s healthcare debate, and the final vote that will enact a new massive entitlement program, I couldn’t help but think about how we got here.Unfortunately, Republicans and Democrats alike have failed us in recent years. Ethical violations, special interest deal-making, and saying one thing while doing another has led to the lowest approval rating of Congress in the modern era.

The primary reason why Republicans were unable to prevent passage of this multi-trillion dollar entitlement program is because they had played the same games when they were in power. Simply put, when you are a two-faced hypocrite, people don’t care what you say.

Folks, we need leadership. We need people who will go to Washington swearing on their life that they will fight the budget and process gimmickry regardless which party seeks to employ it. Country first, party second…period.

Our nation is truly at a crossroad, and I am not sure many have an appreciation for the trouble in which our republic finds itself.  Yes we now have $12 trillion in debt that has been piled up by both political parties. Yes our deficit, the yearly shortfall that adds to our total debt, has been averaging more than $1.5 trillion.  But what our “leaders” rarely talk about is the $56.5 trillion we have in total unfunded promises.

Add it all up and it equates to $184,000 for every man, woman, and child in America. While anyone with common sense would know that we must stop digging the hole deeper, last night Congress used a nuclear bomb to blast the hole even deeper.  And guess who gets to pay for it?

As I pondered this question myself, I realized that what we are doing is quite disturbing. Each generation leaves an inheritance for the next – usually a house, some land, etc.  In our case, we are leaving a brand new, 20,000 square-foot multi-level mansion. In the basement, however, is a dirty bomb of unpaid bills that will obliterate our kids and grandkids not long after we have slipped into the by-and-by.  While some may draw comparisons to certain spine-less acts of war, it really boils down to the superlative form of Selfishness.

Our elected officials have abandoned the founding principles that made our country great. If we are to return to these principles, and avert devastation for our kids and grandkids, then we must not only vote the self-serving hypocrites out of office in November but replace them with men and women who will swear to restore fiscal discipline.

Three Reasons to Oppose the Healthcare “Reform” Bill

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I wanted to take a moment and articulate three reasons why I would vote against the healthcare reform bill that will be considered in the House of Representatives Sunday afternoon.

  • The United States simply cannot afford to enact a new entitlement program. Our government is currently saddled with a burden of $56.5 trillion in unfunded promises, which is a burden far too heavy for our long-term economic and political stability. Ringing up trillions more in bills that our kids and grandkids will have to repay is unacceptable. Excluding the price for a new entitlement program, our government will have to more than double current tax rates to pay for these unfunded promises. Do we really want to triple tax rates?
  • The “reform bill” will do nothing to control cost. Sure the bill provides a few Band-Aids that make a good snake-oil pitch to people who haven’t studied the issue. However, it is mathematically impossible to provide taxpayer-funded healthcare to 30 million people and expect the initiative to “save” money. Interestingly enough, the Congressional Budget Office didn’t point to any provision that would provide meaningful healthcare cost savings. Instead, the bill raises taxes to offset some of the bill’s price tag.
  • The bill currently provides taxpayer money to pay for abortions. This is unacceptable. Period. The executive order that President Obama and Speaker Pelosi are offering as a fig leaf to protect pro-life Democrats whom they are pressuring to support the bill is meaningless. An executive order can be rescinded at any time by any president. As I have stated previously, one of Obama’s first acts as president was to rescind several executive orders.

The Healthcare Games Continue

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Today Congressman Berry told the Tolbert Report that he remains undecided on the house healthcare measure that will be considered on Sunday. News reports that President Obama has proposed addressing concerns of abortion by signing an executive order to bar public funding of abortion. This is one of the weakest possible ways to address this issue.

The biggest problem with this approach is that he or any future president simply can sign another executive order to reverse the previous one. One of the first orders of business President Obama conducted was to reverse a number of Bush’s executive orders.

Anyone serious about protecting unborn lives would never agree to this sham “solution.”

Members of Arkansas Delegation Complicit in Nationalized Healthcare

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Congressmen Berry, Ross and Snyder, who all refused to support a measure to block the House of Representatives from “deeming” the Senate healthcare bill as passed, are guaranteeing passage of the healthcare bill this year.  “Even though Congressmen Berry and Ross have pledged to vote against the healthcare bill unless it has substantial changes, their refusal to block the “deeming” process will ensure its passage this year,” said Rick Crawford, candidate for the First Congressional District.

While the House will amend the Senate bill once it has been “deemed” to pass, which would require additional Senate action on the bill, if either effort fails, the President will still be able to sign the Senate bill.  In order for a bill to become law, it must pass each chamber in identical form.  Once the House “deems” the Senate bill as passed, it can be sent to President Obama for his signature.

“President Obama, Speaker Pelosi and Majority Leader Reid have really pulled a quick one over on the American people,” said Crawford.  “The media has yet to pick up on the fact that Pelosi’s move to deem the Senate bill as passed will mean that the Senate bill, in its current form, can immediately become law.  I call upon all candidates in the First Congressional District to condemn this move immediately and demand that Congressman Berry offer a privileged resolution calling on the House to take an “up or down” vote on the Senate bill instead of deeming it as passed without a vote.”

“Republicans and Democrats alike throughout Eastern Arkansas are appalled when I tell them about the games these folks are playing,” continued Crawford.  “Every man, woman and child in American currently owes $184,000 each to cover all of the unfunded promises our government has made.  Now is not the time to add a new massive government entitlement program.”

Weekly Look Inside the Rick Crawford Campaign

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A recent analyzation for The Arkansas Election Line showed Rick Crawford as the frontrunner in the Republican Primary for the First U.S. Congressional District. The report cites Rick’s established campaign effort and strong organization throughout the District as one of the driving forces behind him being the favorite. Click here to read more.

 Nancy PelosiIn Washington, D.C., Democrats are attempting to employ what has become known as the “Slaughter Rule,” a strategy designed to keep House Democrats from having to vote on the actual socialized health care bill itself and only vote on an amendment. This has many calling for checks of constitutionality.

“This represents a departure from the Constitution,” said First Congressional District Candidate, Rick Crawford, referencing Article I, Section 7 of the Constution that states for a “Bill” to “become a Law,” it “shall have passed the House of Representatives and the Senate.” Crawford adds,”Pelosi knows that Americans don’t want this convaluted bill passed and she is attempting to bypass what the nation wants and the Constution purely for political reasons.” Read more about this here.

Nelda SpeaksAnother big endorsement for Rick came this week as Baxter County Treasurer Nelda Speaks announced her support for Crawford for Congress. Holding the position of treasurer since 1996, Speaks has proven herself to be keenly in tune with Baxter County residents for over a decade. Speaks was the first Republican woman elected to the office of County Treasurer and has since run unopposed during her tenure further exemplifying the respect she has garnered from voters all across Baxter County.

“I believe that Rick Crawford is the right choice for the people of Baxter County and the First District,” said Speaks. “Rick is a strong conservative who wants to reclaim the virtues in our Constitution and start using them again in Washington. Rick is a small business owner, understands the importance of Agriculture, and has served honorably in our nation’s military. I could not be more honored to support his campaign to be the next Congressman of the First Congressional District.”

Nelda Speaks joins a long list of prominent Arkansas leaders that have endorsed Rick Crawford, including Mike Huckabee, Asa Hutchinson and Ed Bethune. Read more on all who have endorsed Rick here.

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