Press release from Phil Troyer, Republican candidate in the 2010 primary for the 3rd District Congressional seat:
GOP Primary Challengers Offer “Class of 2010 Compact with America” Provides Blueprint Republicans Should Stand FOR
St Louis, MO and Fort Wayne, IN – Liz Lauber (R-MO) and Phil Troyer (R-IN), both of whom are challenging seated incumbents in the 2010 congressional primaries, released their “Class of 2010 Compact with America” today and invited non-incumbent federal candidates of any political party to join them in signing onto the ten items listed in the document.
“Republicans have an opportunity to retake the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, but only if they are serious about standing for less government and abiding by the U.S. Constitution,” said Lauber. “The strategy of the House Republican leadership, according to an article published in Politico today, is to spend only twenty percent of their time working on promoting their policies, and eighty percent of their time criticizing the Democrats. That’s a purely political strategy designed to increase their own power instead of standing for meaningful policies and exactly why Republicans are in the minority today.”
In the Politico article, Republican leaders mentioned the GOP is considering the release of “a 21st-century blueprint” after Labor Day. “We don’t need a 21st century document,” said Lauber, “The U.S. Constitution was established as the blueprint for our country’s government over two hundred years ago. It is time for the GOP to get back to basic commonsense, constitutional government.”
“In 1994, Republicans won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives – in large part due to the ‘Contract with America’,” said Phil Troyer, who is challenging 8-term incumbent Congressman Mark Souder in Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District. “Unfortunately, too many within our party abandoned their pledge to support limited government, term limits, and greater accountability in Congress. As a result, they are not viewed as serious about reform. For example, Republicans cannot criticize Democrats for the earmarks in the health care bill if they are submitting earmarked spending requests of their own.”
“If the Minority Leader is to become Speaker he needs stronger players like Phil Troyer standing beside him,” said Lauber. “Although I am challenging an incumbent Republican, I’m not running against the Republican Party. I am offering myself as an alternative to those Republicans are too focused on reclaiming their own power within the current system instead of putting forth serious reforms of that system.”
“National polls demonstrate that voters are not looking to merely replace the Democrat House leadership with incumbent Republicans in 2010,” noted Troyer. “Voters are looking for candidates like Liz Lauber who are committed to reform. In order to regain the trust of the American people, candidates must demonstrate they will push for fundamental changes in how Congress operates. This Compact is our pledge to push for that reform.”
With their announcement, Lauber and Troyer announced that they are in the final stages of designing a website for all non-incumbent candidates to visit and sign onto the Compact.
CLASS OF 2010 – COMPACT WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
If I am elected to Congress as a freshman legislator in 2010, I promise the American people I will fight for the following principles that will result in restricting the power of the federal government over our lives and return government back to its original constitutional powers:
1. Support Term Limits: Support a Constitutional Amendment to Limit the Terms of Members of Congress.
The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits the number of terms any person can serve as President of the United States. We need to once again create part-time citizen legislators and end the power of full-time politicians.
Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to amend the Constitution to limit Senators to two (2) elected terms and members of the House of Representatives to six (6) terms. As part of this limitation, I will also co-sponsor legislation to disqualify Members of Congress from participating in the federal pension system.
2. Create Transparency: Give Voters The Opportunity To Read the Bill and Limit the Length of any Legislation.
In the Internet Age, there is no reason why Congress cannot provide the American people with the opportunity to review each potential piece of legislation before their representatives are required to vote on the matter. This practice will also hold Members of Congress accountable as they will no longer be able to claim that they did not know what was in a bill when they voted on it. In addition, there is no reason why any bill should be longer than a typical novel.
Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to create a legislative page on the Internet and require that any bill must be posted on that page in its totality for a period of at least five (5) days before the bill may be voted upon in either chamber of Congress and limit the size of any single piece of legislation to two hundred (200) pages. I will also co-sponsor legislation to require each member to certify that they have read the legislation and understand it.
3. Live By The Constitution: Require Citation of Constitutional Authority.
Members of Congress are bound by the U.S. Constitution, and Sections 8 and 9 of that document limit the power of Congress. However, many Americans believe Congress is usurping the powers granted to the people under the 10th Amendment.
Therefore, I promise to require that all legislation introduced in Congress to specifically cite the Constitutional authority empowering Congress to enact said legislation.
4. Uphold the Separation of Powers: Hold Votes on Regulations.
The Constitution is clear that all legislative powers reside with the Congress. However, executive administrative agencies currently legislate through the enactment of regulations that often go far beyond the provisions of the law. In fact, the Federal Register now runs over 80,000 pages.
Therefore, I will co-sponsor legislation to prohibit any regulation from going in to effect until Congress has approved it by recorded vote.
5. Protect States Rights: Return Federalism to Its Rightful Form.
The federal government continues to usurp power from state and local governments, even though most Americans prefer to have decisions made by governmental bodies that are closer and more accountable to them.
Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to require a “federalism assessment” for any proposed law or regulation to ensure the rights of states are protected from intrusion by the federal agencies.
6. Create Accountability: Prohibit Earmarked Spending Requests.
The practice of burying pork barrel spending requests in legislation encourages corruption and unnecessarily increases the federal debt. Legislation should be based upon our national interests and not upon the parochial interests of individual Members of Congress.
Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor a bill to prohibit any appropriation of federal funds to a specific municipality, corporation (whether for-profit or not-for-profit), or other entity unless approved by a separate line-item vote. In addition, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to prohibit any political action committee or officers of an entity that receives one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more in federal funds from contributing to the campaign of any Member of Congress for a period of two (2) years following its receipt of federal funds.
7. Ban Socialism: Prohibit the Federal Government from Owning Stock in Private Companies and Require Audit of the Federal Reserve.
As a result of recent bailouts of financial institutions and automakers, the federal government now owns a significant stake in several privately-held companies. This is in addition to the creation of quasi-governmental entities (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) which are permitted to operate as private companies while receiving overt support from the federal government. This practice undermines our system of free enterprise and is unfair to the millions of small businesses who cannot compete against government-supported entities.
Therefore, I will co-sponsor legislation to require the federal government to sell any ownership interests it may hold in private or quasi-private entities and prohibit it from obtaining ownership interests in any such entity in the future. In addition, I will co-sponsor legislation to require an annual audit of the Federal Reserve’s operations.
8. Eliminate Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: Require Every Authorization Bill to Reduce Spending by at Least 5%.
Even as our $12 trillion debt continues to act as a drag on our nation’s economy and endangers our economic viability, Congress refuses to take responsible steps to reduce its spending – even while admitting federal programs include waste, fraud, and abuse.
Therefore, for the next two years, I pledge to vote against every appropriations bill that does not reduce the prior year’s appropriation by at least 5%. In addition, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to eliminate the Departments of Energy, Education, and Housing and Urban Development.
9. Support Fundamental Tax Reform: Either through a Flat or Fair Tax System.
Our federal tax laws have become far too complicated and now require even many middle-class taxpayers to purchase professional assistance to prepare their returns.
Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to enact fundamental tax reform – either through a flat tax or a fair tax. However, I further pledge not to support a fair tax system unless it is coordinated with a repeal of the 16th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the implementation of both an income tax and a national sales tax.
10. Take Taxpayer Dollars For Abortions Off the Table: Prohibit Federal Funding of Abortion.
The American public remains deeply divided over the issue of abortion, with strong feelings on both sides of the debate. Given this deep divide, it is imprudent to use taxpayer dollars to fund a procedure that many Americans equate to murder, as this only enflames the passions of abortion opponents.
Therefore, I promise to oppose any federal funding of abortions, either in this country or through funds provided to foreign countries or international agencies.
There’s 10% unemployment, inflation outpacing wages, massive Federal deficits, billions in IOU’s to China, a looming energy crisis, unresolved wars in two foreign countries, an international jihad against America and he is worried about making sure Congress doesn’t pass a bill over 200 pages? Not how I would run a campaign. This is the major leagues. If you want to get called up out of AAA, you gotta bring the heat. This Tea Party stuff won’t get you elected if that’s all you run on.
Also, in the third to last paragraph before the 2010 compact, they left out the word “who” between Republicans and are. If you want to run for Congress and win, proofread your press releases a little closer. Small mistakes can leave a lasting impression on undecided voters.
Stanley, we have before us a runaway government; one which is out of control. It wishes to extend it’s powers beyond those granted by the constitution. How do we rein that government in? How do we reset the administration’s priorities into serving America, rather than using each crisis, that it creates, as a means for extending its powers?
The power seekers and the rent seekers have distorted our legislative rules. They have denied citizen sovereignty. Every example which you cite, above, is a RESULT of our corrupt legislative bodies and its rules.
The Obama administration is likely to be in gridlock, this year, and the next election will, likely, turn over congress. But how do we dig ourselves out of this mess? Especially, when even Republicans like to abuse power, too.
The first issue is the economy; we cannot confront our other problems until we can afford to pay for them. The economy is unlikely to improve until the government stops meddling in it and the financial markets. Businesses need stability before they will hire again. Every intervention which Obama tries in the market place increases the risk of world trade shutting down like the Smoot/ Hawley Act caused in 1932. Import quotas or protective tariffs will triple our unemployment rates.
The vital issue is that we must put governmental programs on the table so that everyone can see them, rather than hiding them behind closed doors.
If a compact with America fails, because Congress is too corrupt to be reformed, then our next alternative is to call for a Constitutional Convention to pass a Bill of Federalism. This bypasses the Federal Government and appeals directly to the state legislatures.
It would be better if Congress can reform itself, but we citizens must hold a gun to the heads of our representatives to make them do it. We must remind them that they work for us and we will not be bribed into giving them power.