CRAIGforCONGRESS

Missouri's 7th District, U.S. House of Representatives

 

 

 

Bringing LIBERTY to Capitol Hill -- 2008
OZARKS VIRTUAL TOWN HALL
Saturday Morning, August 30, 2008, 10:30am



A Discussion of The President's Saturday Morning Radio Address

Click here to listen to a replay of the August 30, 2008 Ozarks Virtual Town Hall

Notes and Summary of the President's Address -- Labor Day

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  This weekend, millions of Americans will celebrate Labor Day.  This holiday is an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of hardworking Americans all across our country - from teachers, farmers, and health care professionals, to firefighters, police officers, small business owners, and workers on the assembly line.    (continued below)


How the President Differs from the American vision of "Liberty Under God":

  • America was founded on the philosophy of "Liberty Under God."
    • "Liberty" means freedom from government suppression of ideas and confiscation of wealth
    • "Under God" means we have a personal responsibility to love God and neighbor.
    • Human beings are endowed with the right to property by God, not the government.
  • America's Founding Fathers created a nation they called "an experiment in Liberty"
    • The Experiment in Liberty made America the most prosperous and admired nation in human history.
    • During the 20th century, numerous nations experimented with government central planning.
    • The experiments in government central planning resulted in poverty and mass death (USSR, Red China, etc.).
    • The Free Market -- "capitalism" -- creates prosperity; the government inevitably creates recession, depression, poverty.
  • The voluntary transactions entered into by hundreds of millions of Americans at home and in their businesses, based on the combined knowledge of millions of investors, business owners, and managers of households, all of them accountable to the discipline of profit-and-loss, organizes the nation's economic activity better than a handful of politicians trying to please special interests and get re-elected.

President Bush's
Saturday Morning Radio Address

Another Perspective:
"Liberty Under God"

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning.  This weekend, millions of Americans will celebrate Labor Day.  This holiday marks the traditional end of the summer season.  It is also an opportunity to reflect on the contributions of hardworking Americans all across our country - from teachers, farmers, and health care professionals, to firefighters, police officers, small business owners, and workers on the assembly line.  

Is there any American who does not fit into the broad category of one who "labors?" What is the real purpose of "Labor Day?" Answer: advance the power of unions. It should have been called "Union-Organized Labor Day."

The American workforce continues to be the marvel of the world.  Yet many working families have been weathering tough economic times.  There are families across our country struggling to make ends meet.  There is an understandable concern about the high price of gas and food.  And many Americans are worried about the health of our housing and job markets.

It is capital, not just labor, that makes labor productive.

 

The United States is bankrupt.

I share these concerns about our economy.  Yet there have been some recent signs that our economy is beginning to improve.  While the housing market is continuing to experience difficulty, the decline in home sales has leveled off recently, and sales are rising in some parts of the country.  Orders for some durable goods, such as business equipment, are rising.  And earlier this week we received a report that America's economy grew in the second quarter at an annual rate of 3.3 percent - surprising analysts who were predicting an economic recession.  Economists are great with statistics. None of these statistics refute the problem mentioned above: The United States is bankrupt.
These welcome signs indicate that the economic stimulus package that I signed earlier this year is having its intended effect.  The growth package will return more than $150 billion back to American families and businesses this year.  Many Americans who received tax rebates are spending them.  Businesses are taking advantage of tax incentives to purchase new equipment this year.  And there are signs that the stimulus package will continue to have a beneficial impact on the economy in the second half of the year.   Economic Stimulus Packages

The "Stimulus Package" was discussed on

Labor Day is also the traditional start of the election season.  In the coming months, it will be tempting for some in Congress to try to score political points instead of getting work done for the American people.  Our citizens deserve better.  We still have time to accomplish important goals for our country.  My Administration remains hopeful that we can work with Democratic leaders in Congress on bipartisan measures to help Americans cope with this period of economic uncertainty.    
We need to work together on a comprehensive approach to our energy problems.  I've called on Congress to permit us to tap vast, unused sources of oil and gas, expand domestic refining capacity, and encourage the development of alternative energy sources.  Congress continues to stand in the way of this comprehensive approach.  At a minimum, Democratic leaders in Congress should move forward on common-sense energy proposals that have bipartisan support - and it is not too late to do this. They should act responsibly by lifting the ban on offshore drilling, expanding access to oil shale, and implementing long-term tax credits to spur the development of alternative sources of energy like wind, solar, and nuclear power.   See last week's Ozarks Virtual Town Hall on Energy.

The "energy crisis" is the creation and fault of the government.

We need to work together to open up markets for American goods.  Exports account for a greater share of America's gross domestic product than at any time in our history.  It is not too late for Congress to approve free trade agreements with strong allies like Colombia, Panama, and South Korea - so that we can create more opportunities for American farmers, ranchers, and entrepreneurs.  We should also open up our market for foreign goods, whether they open their markets for our goods or not.

Free Trade is good, managed trade is not. These trade agreements create new unconstitutional governments.

We need to work together to keep your taxes low.  At a time of economic challenge, the last thing American families need is a massive tax increase.  It's not too late for Congress to make the tax relief we passed in 2001 and 2003 permanent. Don't forget the inflation tax.
Despite our economic difficulties, there is every reason to be optimistic about America's future.  Our workforce is dynamic and productive.  Our economy is showing that it is resilient.  And our Nation is the most industrious, creative, and prosperous on earth.    
Laura and I wish you a safe and joyous Labor Day weekend.  Thank you for listening.  

Kevin Craig's Platform:


Additional "Liberty Under God" Resources

Government Resources


Revolution Won't Come in a Day

John Adams once wrote that the American Revolution began in 1761, when Massachusetts attorney James Otis began legal challenges to the Writs of Assistance. He lost the case, but "American independence," Adams wrote, "was then and there born." Now do the math. That means it took 15 years to convince the rest of America to declare Independence (1776). Then another seven years of war was required before a Peace Treaty was signed (1783), and then six years before the Constitution was finally ratified (1789). That's almost 30 years. (And Jefferson said we shouldn't go 20 years without another rebellion!) How can we hope to convince Americans to fight for principles they were never taught in government schools? We need to be in this battle for the long term. "Eternal Vigilance is the Price of Liberty."

The Internet Can Speed up the Revolution

Here are ways you can help.

Communicating with Government and Media

  • Contact Congress -- this is from the JBS website, powered by "CapWiz," from Capitol Advantage. Lots of organizations use capwiz. If you don't want to go through the JBS, search for capwiz on Google and find another organization that uses it.
    Notice that you can also contact media through this webpage.
  • Action E-List
    Sign up for the JBS Action E-List and be notified when you can make a critical difference on important issues.
TWIC - A Backdoor Real ID Card
Real ID is dying. But the Department of Homeland Security has a new plan to subject every American to a national ID card anyway. They plan to pick off one occupational field at a time, starting with the maritime industry. One man is fighting back. Meet him, and help stop this backdoor Real ID plan.
Stop the Killer Horse Hormones
The FDA "outlawed" the use of Estriol, an estrogen medication that's bio-identical to human estrogen. Doctors must now prescribe animal-derived estrogen instead. Are bio-identical hormones dangerous, while animal-derived hormones are safe? No. The practice of medicine is moving to chemically identical to human hormones and away from animal hormones. Learn why the FDA decided to endanger women's health in this way, and take action.
End Asset Forfeiture
If the government suspects you used your house or car in a crime, they can take it and sell it at auction. They don't even have to prove your guilt. They call this practice civil asset forfeiture, but it's really theft. It violates the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, 9th and 14th Amendments. It also encourages law enforcement to put profits before justice. Tell Congress to end civil asset forfeiture.
End Asset Forfeiture

Iraqis Vote

 

Support an Iraq Referendum
Americans keep debating when, how, or if to leave Iraq. Maybe we should ask the Iraqi people what they want. After all, it's their country. Tell Congress to request that the Iraqi government hold a public referendum on the U.S. occupation. Learn more »

Make Congress read the laws it passes!

The 'No Legislation Without Representation' Conference

Make Congress read every word of every bill they create before they vote on it.
Urge your Representative and your Senators to sponsor DownsizeDC.org's “Read the Bills Act” (RTBA).

Unelected bureaucrats create tens-of-thousands of new dictates each year. Making rules is the job of Congress, not bureaucrats.
DownsizeDC.org has drafted the “Write the Laws Act” to end bureaucratic “legislation without representation.” Click here . . .

Cap and Trade  

"Cap and Trade" is not the way
The politicians seem to be unifying around "cap and trade" as a way to cut CO2 emissions. If they take this step it may be the largest increase in the size, scope, and intrusiveness of government since the creation of Medicare. Worse still, it may not even achieve its purpose. Please tell Congress to oppose "cap and trade." Learn more »

Support Ron Paul's “American Freedom Agenda Act”
The politicians have done great harm to this country in response to the 9-11 attack. A bill has been introduced that will undo much of that harm.
Learn More »

  Strike at the Root

Iraq Waste

 

Iraq Waste
Big government prospers through failure. Each new failure is used to justify more spending and new powers. Wasteful spending in Iraq is the latest example. One way to change this is to hold government accountable. A new bill in Congress seeks to provide some of the needed accountability. Please support it. Learn more »

Stop The War FOR Terror

Stop the War for Terror
U.S. policy has inflamed the Middle East. It has made terrorism more likely rather than less. We seem to be fighting a war for terror, rather than on terror. This policy must stop. The place to start stopping is with Iran. We must not attack Iran. War with Iran would devastate our economy, disrupt world oil supplies, and recruit more terrorists. Click here to stop this war before it starts.

 

The Democrat Party Radio Address:

The The Democratic Radio Address was a Barack Obama commercial delivered by former Democratic Presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, who claimed there are big differences between the two parties. She told the stories of three people who have medical problems but no health insurance. Hillary joins these three people in wanting to change the entire economy and the medical care of millions of people in order to get coverage for these three people.


Click here for a replay of this edition of the Ozarks Virtual Town Hall