Voice For Liberty

Tag: Americans For Prosperity

  • AFP responds to Obama attack

    Attacks by President Barack Obama on Americans for Prosperity for its promotion of limited government and free markets are a signal that these principles are resonating with Americans.

    Now AFP has formulated a video response to the president.

    While some characterize the president’s remarks as a personal insult to each of AFP’s 1.2 million citizen members, I see it as evidence that AFP has grown to become “America’s leading conservative grassroots organization,” as described in a recent article penned by Richard Viguerie. Obama wouldn’t even bother to mention the name Americans for Prosperity if he wasn’t concerned about the group’s effectiveness.

    In his remarks, the president attacked AFP for spending millions on television advertisements against Democratic Party candidates. The president didn’t note that every dollar given to AFP is a voluntary contribution.

    This is in contrast to the way the Democrats operate. The Wall Street Journal has noted, for example, that the recent spending bill passed earlier this month is a boon for Democrat campaign funds: “The National Education Association and other unions will thus get as much as $100 million in additional dues from this bill, much of which will flow immediately to endangered Democratic candidates in competitive House and Senate races this year.”

    This week AFP is holding its annual Defending the American Dream Summit in Washington. I’ll be there along with probably two thousand other citizen activists from across the country.

  • Wasteful government spending must stop

    As part of its campaign against wasteful government spending, Americans for Prosperity Foundation has started a television advertising campaign and companion website to help Americans learn more about the harmful effects of the stimulus plan promoted by President Barack Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid.

    In just a handful of years, AFPF has grown to become “America’s leading conservative grassroots organization,” according to a recent article penned by Richard Viguerie. The recent attacks on AFPF by President Obama are evidence of this.

    According to AFPF President Tim Phillips, “This first ad called ‘Hollywood’ details how the failed $862 billion Obama/Pelosi/Reid ‘Stimulus’ bill was wasted on pet political projects, how it cost every American family an average of $10,000 and how it in reality killed genuine private sector jobs.”

    The companion website at SpendingCrisis.org has useful information that citizens can tap to learn more about the stimulus spending, as well as government spending in general. The site carries the headline “Washington, we’ve got a problem.”

    In particular, an issues page gives some reasons as to why high government spending is bad for America.

    As an example, under the heading “Government Spending is Inherently Wasteful,” we find “It’s regarded as a virtual truism that no one spends someone else’s money as well as they spend their own. The only people who seem to disagree are politicians.”

    Other facts highlighted include:

    • This year, the federal government will borrow about $12,500 per household to pay for its spending.
    • Despite claiming that the $862 billion stimulus package would keep unemployment below 8 percent, it is hovering around 9.5 percent with few signs of improving.
    • Public employees earned more than $120,000 per year in salary and benefits on average, compared to about $60,000 in the private sector.
    • From anti-poverty spending programs to defense and education, the federal government now spends a record $30,543 per household.

  • Kansas primary legislative elections 2010

    Here’s a look at the August 3, 2010 Kansas primary election contests that had the possibility of changing the character of the Kansas House of Representatives, and in one case, the Kansas Senate.

    A Kansas Chamber of Commerce endorsement is a reliable measure of a candidate’s conservative credentials from a fiscal perspective. The Kansas Economic Freedom Index and AFP legislative scorecards provide additional insight into legislators and their voting records.

    Here are races where there may be a shift in the makeup of the House, sometimes depending on the results of the November general election.

    In Kansas House District 17 (parts of Shawnee and Lenexa) the Kansas Chamber of Commerce endorsed Kelly Meigs, and she defeated one-term incumbent Jill Quigley 53 percent to 47 percent in the Republican primary. Bryan Cox has filed as a Democrat. Quigley had a liberal voting record, scoring just nine percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index.

    In Kansas House District 29 (parts of Overland Park) conservative challenger Richard Downing wasn’t able to defeat first-term incumbent Sheryl L. Spalding (19 percent on KEFI), although the margin of Spalding’s victory is just 29 votes of 2,695 cast and could possibly change. The winner will face Democrat Doug Dowell in the general election.

    In Kansas House District 65 (Junction City and parts of Geary and Wabaunsee counties), Barbara Craft did not seek re-election. Her Kansas Economic Freedom Index rating of 19 percent places her in the left-wing Republican camp. The Kansas Chamber did not make an endorsement in this district, but Republican primary winner James P. Fawcett has been described as a conservative. He’ll face Democrat Larry Hicks in November.

    In House District 110 (Osborne, Rooks and Russell Counties, Cities of Ellis and Victoria, Buckeye, Catherine, Ellis, Herzog and Victoria townships) three Republicans vied to fill this seat previously held by Dan Johnson with his 16 percent Kansas Economic Freedom Index score. Chamber-endorsed Dan L. Collins won. No Democrat filed in this district, so this is a certain pick-up for conservatives.

    In House District 69 (parts of Salina) Chamber-endorsed Tom Arpke defeated incumbent Republican Deena L. Horst, who has represented the district since 1995. Horst had earned a score of 69 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index. On AFP’s rating for this year she scored 60 percent and 100 percent the year before. She voted for the big-spending budget this year, but not the sales tax increase. Arpke will face Democrat Gerrett Morris — not to be confused with Garrett Morris of Saturday Night Live fame — in November.

    Kansas House District 120 (Cheyenne, Decatur, Norton, Phillips and Rawlins counties) is a loss for conservatives as incumbent John Faber lost to challenger Ward Cassidy. The winner will face Democrat Robert Strevey in the general election. The Chamber had endorsed Faber, who earned a Kansas Economic Freedom Index rating of 72 percent and an AFP rating of 90 percent. A resident of St. Francis, Cassidy and his wife are public school employees, and he lists education as one of his priorities. When public school employees say this, it usually means that spending on schools is a priority over everything else. His website also says he pledges to “look at every means possible to increase revenue within the state without raising taxes.”

    In Kansas House District 124 (Grant, Morton, Stanton and Stevens counties, Haskell County: City of Satanta and Dudley Township, Seward County: Seward Township), incumbent Bill Light did not seek re-election. Republicans Dan Widder and J. Stephen Alford sought the Republican party nomination, with no Democrats having filed. The Chamber endorsed Widder. Alford narrowly won with 51 percent of the vote. Light was a left-wing Republican with a Kansas Economic Freedom Index rating of 11 percent. Alford, endorsed by liberal Senate President Stephen Morris (his own KEFI rating is only seven percent), can’t be much more to the left than Light.

    There were a handful of instances where moderate or liberal Republicans withstood challenges by conservatives.

    In Kansas House District 9 (Allen County plus parts of Woodson, Coffey, Anderson, and Franklin Counties, including the city of Iola), the Chamber selected Raymond “Bud” Sifers over incumbent Bill Otto in the Republican primary. Otto won with 56 percent of the vote. No Democrat filed. Otto is sometimes difficult to classify. He scored 60 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index, but only 40 percent on AFP’s scorecard for this year after rating 82 percent the year before. This year, Otto voted against the spending bill but for the sales tax increase, the only member of the House to vote this way on these two bills.

    In Kansas House District 60 (parts of Emporia) incumbent Republican Don Hill defeated challenger Daniel Buller. Hill scored a very liberal nine percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index and is mentioned as one of the leaders of the left-wing Republican faction of the House that votes for spending and tax increases. Hill will face Democrat Michael “Mike” Dorcey in the general election.

    In Kansas House District 64 (Clay County plus parts of Dickinson, Geary, and Riley counties) incumbent Republican Vern Swanson was challenged by Michael Musselman. Swanson won. No Democrat filed. Swanson scored 19 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index.

    In Kansas House District 68 (parts of Morris and Dickinson counties including Council Grove and Abilene) two-term incumbent Republican Tom J. Moxley was challenged by Calvin Seadeek Jr. Moxley has a liberal voting record, scoring 19 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index. There is no Democratic party opponent in the general election.

    In Kansas House District 70 (Chase and Marion counties, plus part of Butler County) Cheryl Green challenged first-term incumbent J. Robert (Bob) Brookens (KEFI 19 percent). Brookens won with 60 percent of the vote. There was no Democratic Party filer.

    In Kansas House District 71 (parts of Salina) incumbent Charlie Roth withstood a challenge by two opponents in the Republican primary. There is no Democratic Party filer. Roth scored a liberal nine percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index and played a leadership role in passing the statewide smoking ban in the House of Representatives this year.

    In Kansas House District 83 (Eatborough and parts of east Wichita) veteran incumbent Jo Ann Pottorff defeated conservative challenger Kyle Amos. The Chamber chose Amos for its endorsement, and Pottorff scored a low 13 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index. Sean Amore is the Democratic Party opponent in the general election.

    In the Kansas Senate, there was one election this year. The appointed incumbent for Senate District 7 (In Johnson County the cities of Countryside, Fairway, Merriam, Mission, Mission Hills, Mission Woods, Prairie Village, Roeland Park, Westwood, Westwood Hills, and parts of Leawood and Overland Park) is Terrie Huntington, and she faced a conservative challenge from David Harvey. Huntington’s votes for the big-spending budget and the sales tax increase earned her a Kansas Econimic Freedom Index score of 20 percent, and led to the Kansas Chamber endorsement of Harvey. Huntingon won with 54 percent of the vote.

    Conservatives withstood some challengers in these districts.

    In Kansas House District 13 (Eureka, Yates Center, Fredonia, Neodesha and surrounding area) the Chamber endorsed incumbent Forrest Knox over challenger Trent Forsyth in the Republican primary. No Democrat filed. Knox scored 95 percent on the Kansas Economic Freedom Index, and Forsyth was endorsed by the liberal teachers union. Knox won with 54 percent of the vote.

    In Kansas House District 94 (parts of west Wichita and part of Attica, Delano, and Waco townships), incumbent conservative Joe McLeland handily defeated two challengers, including one endorsed by the liberal Wichita Eagle editorial board. There is no Democratic Party candidate in this district

    In Kansas House District 121 (Graham, Sheridan, Sherman and Thomas counties), Brenda McCants challenged incumbent Jim Morrison, with no Democrat filing for the general election contest. Martin Hawver, dean of Kansas Statehouse reporters, described this as a a race “more about experience — coming up to reapportionment — than philosophy, not a moderate/conservative split.” But Morrison had the Kansas Chamber’s endorsement and a reliably conservative voting record.

  • Wichita event: The future of innovation and investment in broadband

    The FCC has proposed reclassifying the Internet as a public utility to get total regulatory control. How can you help stop the FCC Internet takeover?

    Learn about the efforts to keep the Internet in the free market during a free lunch seminar, “The Future of Innovation & Investment in Broadband” next Thursday at the Wichita Petroleum Club. Hear from Bruce Mehlman, co-chair of the Internet Innovation Alliance and former Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Technology Policy in the George W. Bush administration, on efforts to expand broadband access and how to keep the Internet in the free market.

    Registration is free when you RSVP, but seating is limited. Register by 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 6, for a chance to win a $500 Apple Store gift card!

    The event is from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm on Thursday August 12, at the Wichita Petroleum Club, on the ninth floor of the Bank of America Building at 100 N. Broadway (north side of Douglas between Topeka and Broadway) in Wichita, Kansas (click for a map and directions)

    This luncheon is sponsored by Americans for Prosperity-Kansas, Mid-American Communications Alliance, Wichita Independent Business Association, and Kansas Policy Institute.

    Registration is free when you RSVP by clicking on action.mocomm.org/rsvp. Learn more by calling Susan Estes of AFP at 316-681-4415, or by email at sestes@afphq.org.

  • At RightOnline, John Fund is hopeful, but warns

    At Saturday’s general session of the RightOnline conference at The Venetian in Las Vegas, Wall Street Journal columnist John Fund told the audience of 1,100 conservative activists that they will win in November, but opposition is already planning to derail the victory.

    Fund said he is doing double duty this weekend, covering both RightOnline and the Netroots Nation conference, a gathering of liberal — or “progressive” — activists. He said that the attendees at Netroots Nation are sullen, depressed, and confused. “People don’t seem to want to change America quite the they way they want to.”

    Fund said that at the time of last year’s Netroots Nations conference, the health care bill was sinking in the polls. Liberals were told that all they had to do is to pass the health care bill, and the American people will embrace it. Fund asked “Well, how’s that working out for you?” The health care bill is as unpopular as it was on the day it passed.

    He told the audience that a new poll says that 55 percent of Americans believe that the word “socialist” best describes President Barack Obama. Even his own party is having questions, Fund said.

    He told how pollster Pat Cadell — Jimmy Carter‘s pollster — says that polls indicate the country is in a “pre-revolutionary mentality.”

    In the last 18 months, Fund said that the American people — having been disappointed by both political parties — have decided to take things into their own hands: “Politics is too important to be left just to politicians.”

    Fund said that by harnessing the power of the Internet and new media, conservatives have been able to create a political force that has astonished the entire political community, telling the audience that they now have more power to influence government than any previous generation.

    As evidence, Fund said that conservatives have scared their adversaries into a panic. They have lashed back using scare tactics, including the charge of racism. Referring to BigGovernment.com‘s $100,000 reward for video evidence of an alleged ugly racial incident on Capitol Hill, he noted it has gone unclaimed.

    Fund said there is now evidence as to why the charge of racism is made. Quoting Mary Francis Berry, Professor of History at the University of Pennsylvania, former chairwoman of the United States Commission on Civil Rights, and an influential civil right leader, he said: “Tainting the tea party movement with the charge of racism is proving to be an effective strategy for Democrats. There is no evidence that tea party adherents are any more racist than other Republicans, and indeed many other Americans. But getting them to spend their time purging their ranks and having candidates distance themselves should help Democrats win in November. Having one’s opponent rebut charges of racism is far better than discussing joblessness.”

    Fund said there’s good news: “You’re going to have a big victory in November.” But already the “beltway party” — that being the members of both parties who want to spend your money — is already plotting to thwart you. He said that Trent Lott, the former Senate majority leader, told a newspaper that “We don’t need any more Jim DeMints here in the Senate.” (DeMint is a conservative South Carolina senator who opposed increased spending during the Bush administration, and opposed bailouts.)

    Fund told the audience that a major problem is the upcoming lame duck session of Congress, where members of Congress who have just been defeated may vote on major legislation. He also said we have to be wary of Democrats who campaigned as moderates, but inevitably govern as liberals. President Obama fits in this category, he said.

  • RightOnline in Las Vegas this week

    Later this week the RightOnline Conference takes place in Las Vegas, Nevada.

    This is the third year for this conference. It’s held at the same time — and in the same city — as the Netroots Nation. Or NutRoots, take your pick.

    The event features a lot of training and some great speakers. Michele Bachmann will headline the Friday dinner, and the Saturday general session features speakers like Andrew Napolitano, Mike Pence, Robert McDowell, Herman Cain, Erick Erickson, and John Fund.

    RightOnline is sponsored by the Americans for Prosperity Foundation. Click on Podcast: Erik Telford Previews the RightOnline Conference to hear an interview with AFP’s Erik Telford. To keep up on Twitter, the hasthag is #ro10.

  • Charles and David Koch, supporters of free markets and economic freedom

    Economic freedom and market-based policies create the most opportunity and prosperity for everyone, including the poor and the environment, says Richard Fink, and that’s why Charles and David Koch of Wichita-based Koch Industries, Inc. support these principles and public policy organizations that work to advance them.

    In the following article, Mark Tapscott of The Washington Examiner interviews Richard Fink, president of the Charles G. Koch Charitable Foundation and an executive vice president of Koch Industries, Inc.

    In the article, Tapscott explains that economic freedom and free markets are not the same as big business. Fink explains the role of the Kochs in supporting institutions that promote economic freedom and free markets. He says that the tea party is a positive development of citizens concerned about government growth and spending, and that accusations that it is an “astroturf” movement controlled by corporate sponsorship is nonsense.

    What if all businessmen were as dedicated to free markets as the Kochs?

    By Mark Tapscott

    Among the biggest obstacles to restoring American freedom and prosperity is the fact too many corporate executives are all too happy to play footsie with government bureaucrats, usually in an attempt to gain a competitive advantage over competitors.

    Consumers — and taxpayers — are always the biggest losers when Big Government and Big Business get in bed together.

    One result is that instead of having to put consumers first, the corporations put the bureaucrats first. Prices go up, the quality of service goes down, and not infrequently corruption eventually results (See Enron and cap-and-trade, for example).

    But there are honest leaders in the corporate world who go a different way. Charles and David Koch of the Wichita-based Koch Industries are among the preeminent examples of such men and women.

    They’ve built one of the world’s largest private corporations based on the principles of free markets and competition.

    For more than 40 years, the Kochs have also been aggressive supporters of those principles in the public policy arena, a fact that always flusters critics of economic freedom.

    Continue reading at The Washington Examiner.

  • AFP Kansas releases candidate questionnaires

    As part of its mission of voter education, the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity is surveying candidates and making their responses available to the public.

    The first batch of returned questionnaires may be read at AFP Kansas 2010 candidate questionnaires. Additional responses will be added as AFP receives them.

  • More Stossel video to be shown in Wichita

    This Tuesday the Kansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity is sponsoring an event titled “Stossel in the Classroom.” The event will feature a DVD video presentation by John Stossel, followed by group discussion. This is a follow-on to a similar event held last month.

    Stossel’s most recent book is Myths, Lies and Downright Stupidity: Get Out the Shovel — Why Everything You Know is Wrong. His appearance in Wichita last year was reported on by me in John Stossel urges reliance on freedom, not government, in Wichita.

    The event is from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm on Tuesday, June 15, at the Central Branch Wichita Public Library at 223 S. Main. The event will be held in the patio meeting room.

    For more information, contact John Todd at john@johntodd.net or 316-312-7335, or Susan Estes, AFP Field Director at sestes@afphq.org or 316-681-4415.