Wednesday
Jun112008
Declare your support for freedom
House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.) led a news conference to call for members of Congress to sign the discharge petition for the Broadcaster Freedom Act by Radio Independence Day, July 4th. Both Boehner and Pence voiced their concern on Americans’ right to free speech over the radio.
Pence explained that last year Congress passed a one year ban on enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine which served to stifle free speech on the radio airwaves for four decades. Pence and Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act which would permanently keep “the regulation off the books” but the bill is being blocked by Congress. Pence said that democrats in Congress want to restore the Fairness Doctrine and bring censorship back to the airwaves. He also said that when a petition was brought forth to bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act to the floor, it was signed by every single republican and not one democrat.
Boehner said that the idea of the American government being a censor is “one of the most bizarre things I have ever heard.” He also said that the founding fathers deemed free speech as the nation’s number one priority and that Americans cannot stand by and let this assault on free speech occur.
Both Boehner and Pence agree that if the Act be brought to the floor, it would overwhelmingly pass. They both urged all Americans to contact their members of Congress and ask them to sign the petition. Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham agreed with everyone present that the Fairness Doctrine is a real threat. She ended the conference with regard to her free speech rights by simply saying, “out of my cold, dead hands.”
Pence explained that last year Congress passed a one year ban on enforcement of the Fairness Doctrine which served to stifle free speech on the radio airwaves for four decades. Pence and Rep. Greg Walden (R-Ore.) introduced the Broadcaster Freedom Act which would permanently keep “the regulation off the books” but the bill is being blocked by Congress. Pence said that democrats in Congress want to restore the Fairness Doctrine and bring censorship back to the airwaves. He also said that when a petition was brought forth to bring the Broadcaster Freedom Act to the floor, it was signed by every single republican and not one democrat.
Boehner said that the idea of the American government being a censor is “one of the most bizarre things I have ever heard.” He also said that the founding fathers deemed free speech as the nation’s number one priority and that Americans cannot stand by and let this assault on free speech occur.
Both Boehner and Pence agree that if the Act be brought to the floor, it would overwhelmingly pass. They both urged all Americans to contact their members of Congress and ask them to sign the petition. Radio talk show host Laura Ingraham agreed with everyone present that the Fairness Doctrine is a real threat. She ended the conference with regard to her free speech rights by simply saying, “out of my cold, dead hands.”
tagged 
Boehner, Ingraham, Pence, free speech, talk radio in News/Commentary
Boehner, Ingraham, Pence, free speech, talk radio in News/Commentary
Pence: “Welcome To The Next Installment Of The Party Of Yes”
At a press conference today, leading Republican Party members’ discussed their House Republican Housing Plan proposal.
Congressman Cantor said, “The notion in this country is you work hard, you play by the rules and that you can get a reward. This administration in the housing area doesn't quite jive with that sense of the American spirit. Instead what we have seen are proposals that call upon the 90 some percent of the Americans, who are paying their mortgage, playing by the rules, calling on them to subsidize those who don’t. So the plan we have unveiled today responds to that notion and speaks to all Americans and tries to address the severe problem with excess and home inventories.”
Congressman Cantor added that this was a “central element to addressing the bank failures and capital markets failures.”
The Republican plan says that it can “provide a $5,000 refinancing tax credit to help families cover the costs of a mortgage refinancing, buy down points, or reduce their principle balance (covers refinancing through July 1, 2010).” The plan also states that, “in exchange for a lender investing in keeping a homeowner in their family home by refinancing their mortgage and lowering their monthly payments, if the homeowner agrees to share a portion of future home appreciation with the lender, then the lender will not be taxed on that future profit and the borrower will not incur any tax liability as a result of the refinancing (covers refinancing through July 1, 2010).”
Congressman Pence said, “Welcome to the next installment of the party of yes. Yes to new solutions, yes to alternatives that will resonate with millions of Americans because they are grounded in the timeless personal responsibility.
Congressman Pence added, “Unfortunately our democratic colleagues have only offered failed policies that reward bad behavior and massively expand government programs. The Republicans today unveil a better solution, and when the American people have a chance to look at it I believe most of them will agree.”