Martha's Blog

The Democrats' Plan for Recovery: More Spending, More Uncertainty, Fewer Jobs

When the Democrats took power more than a year and a half ago, they argued that increased government power and debt was necessary to fight unemployment.  President Obama warned us that without the Democrats’ $787 billion dollar stimulus, unemployment could grow to heights of up to 8.5%, but with government spending, the unemployment rate would stay below 8%. 

Well, we all know the end to that story.  Despite unprecedented government spending and an annual deficit that has surpassed one trillion dollars, we’ve had a net loss of over 2 million jobs across the country, and 10.3% of Alabamians are still out of work today. 

What has been the Democrats’ response to this crisis?  President Obama has suggested another round of stimulus spending and Vice-President Biden stated that the real problem with the first stimulus was that the Republicans didn’t allow it be even larger than it was.

Most Americans know better than to believe this.  What our economy needs is not more of the Democrats’ failed economic polices, but rather a different course altogether.  But Obama, Pelosi, and the rest of the Democratic leadership are intent on forcing more their disastrous policies on our country despite the consequences.

With millions of Americans out of work and the economy stagnant, Democrats decided to focus on pushing though a 2000-page healthcare overhaul that many of them did not read, much less understand.  Speaker Pelosi herself told us that Congress had “to pass the bill so that you can find out what is in it.”   Now we are starting to find out, as businesses large and small are coming to grips with the legislation’s expensive restrictions, mandates, and penalties.  The clear result is expanded government and a weakened private sector. 

And the Democratic belief in greater government control of the economy extends beyond healthcare. Obama and Pelosi have recently tried to use the disaster in the Gulf Coast to revive their economically crippling cap and trade legislation.  By the Obama administration’s own internal calculations, the law would cost American taxpayers $200 billion dollars per year.  That is an additional $1,761 in taxes for each American household. 

The results of these actions are plain to see.  The Democrats have already increased taxes and regulations, and they threaten to do more of the same going forward. Business owners cannot predict what new powers the government will seize or new regulations it will impose.  This unpredictability has led, quite predictably, to a deeper recession and greater unemployment. 

Over the last 18 months the Democrats have shown themselves to be more committed to their ideology of big government than to the economic needs of our country.  Fortunately, November is just around the corner.  It is time to get the Democrats out of the House leadership, to get the federal government out of the way of private citizens, and to get Alabamians back to work

Memorandum on CD-2 Runoff Results

MEMORANDUM

TO:  Interested Parties
FROM: Mike Hamilton, Campaign Manager, Martha Roby for Congress
RE:  Runoff Election Results

Martha Roby’s solid victory in the Republican runoff election yesterday shows that her message is resonating with voters in the Second District and gives her solid momentum entering the general election.

A few interesting points on the results:

• Martha Roby received 60.02% of the vote with 39,157 votes in the primary.
• Martha won 15 of 16 counties in the district.
• Martha won 62% of the vote in the Montgomery media market and 58% in the Dothan market.
• Martha’s strongest county percentage wise was Montgomery, where she received 72% of the vote. She won Montgomery with a 5027 vote margin.
• Martha broke 60% in 7 of the 16 counties in the district.
• Despite there being around 10,000 fewer voters than the 6/1 primary, Martha increased her raw vote totals in 13 of 16 counties.

Overall Republican turnout was up from 2008 in both the runoff and the primary, indicating that Republican voters are motivated and engaged.

• In 2008, 46,552 voters cast ballots in the CD-2 runoff election. This year, 65,243 voters turned out. That’s a 29% increase in turnout.
• In 2008, 56,735 voters participated in the hotly contested CD-2 primary election. This year 74,682 voted, a 24% increase.

Martha’s growing strength across the district, combined with a fired up Republican base spells trouble for Bobby Bright and the Democrats in November.

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Democrats Fail Most Basic Responsibility of Governing

After several months of buck-passing and excuses, the Democrats in Congress made it official last week: they will not offer a budget resolution for Fiscal Year 2011.
  
This will be the first time a House Majority will fail to pass a budget since the Congressional Budget Act was adopted in 1974.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.), who in 2006 called passing a budget the “most basic responsibility of governing,” cited the ballooning deficit as key reason for these move. Earlier this spring, he acknowledged that Democrats were worried about the political consequences of passing a budget in with mid-term elections on the horizon in November. Rather than face a tough vote and give the American public a real sense at the fiscal disaster in Washington, they are kicking the can down the road until after November. 

This is a clear failure of leadership and of political will. Every single member of the Democratic caucus owns responsibility for it.

The Democrats in Congress are like the teenager who crashes the car while speeding and then tries to hide it from his parents. They are afraid of the consequences of the voters learning the true extent of their reckless spending spree.

We need to restore common sense fiscal restraint in Washington. Cut wasteful spending through all means necessary, balance the budget, and restore fiscal discipline that will help the private sector create jobs and get our economy back on track.

Part of leadership is making tough decisions. It’s very clear the Democrats are simply refusing to make tough decisions on spending. I know from experience that it’s not always easy to cut spending – but it’s absolutely necessary.

We need to hold our elected officials accountable. By failing to pass a budget, the Democrats are trying to escape accountability so they can continue their reckless tax, spend, and borrow agenda unchecked.

Despite the best efforts of the Democrats, the American people will not be fooled. The Democrats in Congress will pay at the voting booth, not only for their wasteful Washington spending but for their failure to govern.

Why This Small Business Owner Supports Martha Roby

Dear Fellow Alabamian:

We are now being presented with an opportunity to create a better Alabama and a better America.  As an Alabama business man, I am pleased with the courage and conviction being shown by Martha Roby in her quest to represent us in the Second Congressional District.

As a devoted wife and mother, Martha Roby also has a life steeped in the applied values of family, faith and civic duty.  Martha, her husband Riley, and their children have a strong bond that allows Martha make such a commitment to run for the high office of the United States Congress.

Martha Roby represents a new level of integrity and proven leadership.  As a member of the Montgomery City Council for seven years, Martha has a consistent record for standing firm against unnecessary spending and vehemently opposes new taxes.  It is accurate to state that she can talk the talk and walk the walk as conservative Republican.  I genuinely believe she has and will maintain this position each and every day.

For so many of us in the Second District there is more than our family and business values that we want reaffirmed.  At this point I am concerned about the quality of life and the business opportunities that I want for my children and grand children as they grow and flourish.  I want them to have the same conditions I have enjoyed.  Developing a sound base of good representation in Washington is paramount for this to occur. 

Government of the people has slipped away to certain degree, but this can be reinstated.  Martha Roby has the well founded vision to restore accountability and transparency and the tenacity to bring this vision to fruition.

During the election we have been presented with an overwhelming number of good republican candidates seeking various public offices.  Now it is important that we as the voting citizenry exercise our duty to determine the difference between those who are good and those who are great.  Martha Roby is committed to being the leader who will make a constructive difference in the lives of all of us that live in this Second Congressional District.

On July 13th, when you take that important moment to be the most powerful person on earth as a free American voter, join me and vote for Martha Roby for Congress in the Second Congressional District. You, too, will be making a resounding difference in the future of our great state and country.

Sincerely,

R. Scott Williams, AIA

Are Democrats Using the Oil Spill to Push Cap and Trade?

“You never want a serious crisis go to waste.”  These were the words spoken by President Obama’s Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel, when the credit crisis occurred last year. 

The Democrats in Congress, led by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and with the encouragement of President Obama and Rahm Emanuel, pushed through an overhaul of “reforms” of the financial sector.  Like many of their other reform plans, the financial overhaul didn’t really do much to improve or address the problems that the system truly faces – but it did provide the liberals in Washington with an excellent opportunity to push their agenda through Congress.

Now, with the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the Obama administration and their allies are using this crisis to push for a cap and trade scheme. 

Cap and Trade, which passed the House last year, essentially creates limits (or caps) on emissions.  The federal government then creates a market where it auctions emission allowances to various companies.  Companies who go over their purchased limit are fined, and companies who are under their limit can sell the remainder to other companies.  Each year, the government would decrease the cap on emissions, forcing companies to reduce their emissions.

What does this mean for you, the consumer?  In Alabama it’s estimated that consumers will lose $472 million.

As the government forces reductions on total emissions, two things will happen that that will force energy prices to rise:

• Companies will be forced to completely change their plants and manufacturing processes to create fewer emissions.  For the businesses that survive, this process will be extraordinarily expensive, and the costs will be passed on to the consumers via higher prices for products and services.  Some businesses may even be forced to move their operations overseas in order to keep product prices low, costing Americans hundreds or even thousands of jobs.
• The cost of emission allowances will increase exponentially.  While the government decreases the cap on emissions, the steady demand for individual units will cause prices to increase.  The companies who win these bidding wars will pass on their costs to consumers via higher prices for products and services.

We should not be passing legislation that kills jobs and creates uncertainty for businesses, especially not at a time when unemployment is hovering around 10%.

The Obama administration and Nancy Pelosi won’t let a crisis occur without using it to further their liberal agenda, and this one is no different. 

AL CD-2 Primary Election Memo

MEMORANDUM

TO: Interested Parties
FROM: Mike Hamilton, Campaign Manager, Martha Roby for Congress
RE: Primary Election Results

Coming off Tuesday’s Republican primary I wanted to bring your attention to several statistics from the results, as well as several media reports on the race.

• Martha Roby received 48.6% of the vote with 36,266 votes in the primary, nearly 15,000 votes and 20 percentage points ahead of second place finisher Rick Barber.
• Martha won a plurality of the vote in 13 of 16 counties in the district
• Martha won a majority of the vote in 5 of 16 counties of the district, and was over 45% in 9 counties.
• Martha received more votes than the top two finishers in the 2008 Primary combined.
• Martha won 51% of the vote in the Montgomery media market and 47% in the Dothan market.
• Martha’s strongest county percentage wise was Butler County, where she received 66% of the vote. Barber’s strongest county was Dale County where he received 41% of the vote.
• Martha’s largest margin was in Montgomery with 5513 votes. Barber’s largest margin was 94 votes, in Conecuh County.

National media outlets have also recognized her strong position in the race going into the runoff:

“The tea party did get a candidate in the runoff to face Roby – Rick Barber – but her 49-29 margin on Tuesday makes her a heavy favorite in the runoff July 13.” (“A mixed night for tea party,” Aaron Blake, WashingtonPost.com, 6/2/10)

“A few of these races—AL-02, Alabama governor—will proceed to runoffs, but in all likelihood the leaders (Roby, Byrne) will only grow stronger once the field is winnowed.” (“Another Dent in the Anti-Incumbent Narrative,” Andrew Romano, newsweek.com, 6/2/10)

Martha Roby came within a hair’s breadth of winning the nomination outright in a crowded field. Given the strength and breadth of her support she is well positioned to win the runoff on July 13.