No NASA Cuts: Stockman urges Obama to adopt Smartquester

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman Thursday once again urged Obama to drop his plans for across-the-board sequestration cuts and instead adopt the “Stockman Smartquester.

“Obama is threatening to move ahead with his sequestration cuts if Republicans don’t give in to his demands for higher taxes,” said Stockman. “Republicans already gave Obama tax hikes without spending cuts. Obama needs to stop bullying people, drop his own sequester and reduce spending with smart cuts.”

“I’m working to avoid needless cuts to critical programs like NASA and permitting for oil, gas and timber,” said Stockman. “Obama wants to use his sequester to spread fear and panic.”

While Obama’s sequester seeks $83.4 billion in spending cuts, the Stockman Smartquester saves even more money, $84 billion from just five programs, without touching essential services.

“Not only does the Stockman Smartquester save even more money than Obama’s blunt sequester cuts, it cuts spending without touching critical programs like police, schools and NASA,” said Stockman.

The plan, five simple spending cuts which meet Obama’s sequester reduction targets without cuts to essential programs, is outlined below:

Eliminate the government’s “free cell phone” plan that has ballooned into the ObamaPhone giveaway, 41 percent of which goes to people not even eligible:
$2.2 billion in savings

Eliminate ObamaCare’s “Public Health Slush Fund,” which even Democrats want to eliminate:
$10 billion in savings

Require food stamp recipients, the numbers of which have exploded under Obama, to actually be eligible for food stamps:
$26 billion in savings

Eliminate overpayments for ObamaCare exchange subsidies:
$44 billion in savings

Eliminate Obama’s “renewable energy” fund in the Energy Department
$1.8 billion in savings

TOTAL SAVINGS
$84 billion

Stockman requests White House records after weak, suspicious response to Obama anti-gun campaign

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) Tuesday sent certified letters to The White House and Organizing for America requesting all documentation on President Barack Obama’s anti-gun campaign to determine what, if any, fraudulent or deceptive tactics are being used.

The request comes after Obama issued a national call for Americans to contact their member of Congress using Twitter to demand anti-gun laws.  Despite the national call by Obama himself, only 16 members of Congress were contacted. Stockman received only 16 messages, ten of which resemble “spam” messages from computer-generated accounts.  Only one could be verified as coming from an actual constituent.

“Not only was the response to President Obama’s anti-gun call for action embarrassingly pathetic, it appears to be generated mostly by spammers.  Congress deserves to know what, if any, fraudulent or deceptive tactics to influence policy were carried out with White House knowledge.  We hope the President will live up to his word on transparency and tell the truth about his deceptive anti-gun campaign,” said Stockman.

“For the President himself to issue a call to action and only get 16 responses, only one of which can be verified as an actual constituent, is a massive failure.  Not only is he doing as bad job as President, he can’t even do a good job community organizing,” said Stockman “We get hundreds of real emails, phone calls and letters every day from real constituents who have composed their own messages supporting the civil right to keep and bear arms.  I deeply appreciate everyone who takes the time to contact me regardless of their opinion.”

“The President exudes weakness.  The incumbent President spent $1 billion dollars on his re-election campaign and managed just 51 percent of the vote. Under Obama Democrats have lost four Senate seats and 55 House seats. It’s no surprise he got only 16 responses to a national call to action,” said Stockman.  “He is leading his party into oblivion.”

“I’m signed up on Obama’s email through three different accounts to three different names.  Had I responded to that email I could have posed as three different people,” said Senior Communications Adviser Donny Ferguson. “People use the telephone and postcards when they want to communicate with Congress.  People use Twitter to troll, scam and sell fake real estate.  The choice by Obama to use Twitter instead of methods that can be verified screams desperation and deception.”
 
The letters, which are attached, were sent to White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough and Organizing for Action Executive Director Jon Carson.

Stockman slams Obama’s ‘scarequester’ scheme to release criminals

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) demanded the White House stop releasing illegal aliens from federal custody as part of an administration effort to build public fear of Obama’s own sequestration plan and give him leverage to demand tax hikes.

“Obama is releasing illegals into the streets before his sequester in hopes of using fear as negotiating tactic for higher taxes. He’s literally placing American lives in danger for partisan gain,” said Stockman.

“Rather than cut spending for the free ObamaPhone giveaway Obama is releasing criminals from federal custody.  He proposed sequester, demanded it as a condition of a debt increase and signed it into law.  He’s using his sequester to needlessly threaten public safety if he doesn’t get his tax hikes,” said Stockman.

“It’s childish, reckless and beneath the dignity of the office,” said Stockman.  “Even Bob Woodward accuses Obama of ‘madness.’”

Arizona officials tell Fox News that Immigrations and Customs enforcement officials plan to release 10,000 illegal aliens from federal custody to meet the terms of Obama’s sequester.
House Republicans have passed two bills to replace Obama’s sequester with targeted spending cuts.  Obama refuses to negotiate and is now demanding tax hikes in exchange for an agreement to end his sequester.

Congressman Stockman's Weekly Column

You’ll be hearing a lot about “sequester” this week.

And you deserve to know the truth, how it will affect Southeast Texas and how my proposed alternative, the Stockman Smartquester, reduces more spending than Obama’s sequester without touching vital services.

Under an agreement proposed and demanded by President Obama to raise the debt ceiling in 2011, unless the White House and Congress agree on a plan to reduce federal spending by March 1, 2013, a series of small across-the-board spending cuts will take place. These broad, very shallow, cuts amount to $83.4 billion, which is just two percent of the total current budget. Even with sequester federal spending will be higher than it ever was under President Bush.

The plan was proposed by President Obama. He demanded it be part of the deal to temporarily increase the debt ceiling. He signed it into law. He once vowed he would veto Republican efforts to replace it with spending cuts targeted at waste.

And now, like Dr. Frankenstein, he’s running from his own creation, claiming a two percent cut will create “devastation” and demanding Congress agree to his terms before he’ll agree to any changes to federal spending. He is using his March 1 deadline like a time bomb.

It’s how Obama has governed since he took office. He constructs bad policy, gives it a deadline and refuses to negotiate or compromise. When the deadline is near, then he claims his opponents are pushing the country into a crisis and they must agree to his terms to stop the
crisis (which he created.) He is helped every step of the way by a compliant national media.

Not happy with just creating bad policy, Obama is also falsely claiming the tiny cuts will force the government to lay off local police officers and firefighters.

That’s flat-out untrue. Not only are the cuts so tiny they can be taken entirely out of wasteful programs, what gets cut will be decided by Executive Branch officials, of which Obama himself is the Chief Executive. He can tell officials what to cut to meet his own sequester terms.

Former White House adviser Peggy Noonan calls it "government-by-freakout." It’s irresponsible and childish from a White House that once accused Republicans of “hostage taking.” And it
must stop.

Even The Washington Post’s Bob Woodward, a reliably liberal voice who exposed Richard Nixon’s Watergate scandal, is fed up with Obama claiming Republicans proposed sequester and refuse to compromise. In a Sunday column Woodward writes:

“My extensive reporting for my book ‘The Price of Politics’ shows that the automatic spending cuts were initiated by the White House and were the brainchild of [White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew] and White House congressional relations chief Rob Nabors…Obama personally approved of the plan for Lew and Nabors to propose the sequester to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.).”

Republicans only agreed to include Obama’s sequester because he made it clear he would not compromise or agree to a deal, allowing the country to “go over the fiscal cliff” and max out its
borrowing unless Congress agreed to automatic spending cuts – with the intention of using the panic that would create to give him leverage in agitating for higher taxes.

Republicans have passed two different bills replacing Obama’s sequester cuts to vital services with cuts to wasteful programs. But Senate Democrats refuse to hold a vote on passing them and are working with Obama to push the nation into sequester so they can exploit the panic.

Woodward calls out Obama for falsely claiming Republicans won’t compromise, and for exploiting the crisis he created for political gain:

“..the final deal reached between Vice President Biden and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) in 2011 included an agreement that there would be no tax increases in the sequester in exchange for what the president was insisting on: an agreement that the nation’s
debt ceiling would be increased for 18 months, so Obama would not have to go through another such negotiation in 2012, when he was running for reelection. So when the president asks that a substitute for the sequester include not just spending cuts but also new revenue, he is moving the goal posts.”

Under Obama’s sequester, programs vital to Southeast Texas could bear the brunt of spending cuts, even though there is plenty of waste that should be eliminated instead.

Obama could again seek cuts to NASA, along with denying funds for port security and dredging and holding up federal permits for logging and gas and oil exploration.

The Obama administration has also announced they are willing to shut down Beaumont’s regional airport to meet the spending cuts, rather than take the cuts out of bloated federal payrolls or idle “stimulus” programs.

Obama wants sequester because he can make spending reform traumatic by cutting vital services and first responders, instead of waste and welfare, to make the issue toxic to voters.

Obama also wants sequester so he can focus his cuts on his political opponents, while rewarding his political cronies by shielding them from spending reform.

That’s reckless, irresponsible and no way for an adult to govern.

Instead, I proposed Friday the “Stockman Smartquester” alternative.

The Stockman Smartquester saves even more money, $84 billion from just five programs, without touching essential services. Not only does the Stockman Smartquester save even more money than Obama’s blunt sequester cuts, it cuts spending without touching critical programs
like police, schools and NASA.

First, we eliminate the government’s “free cell phone” plan that has ballooned into the ObamaPhone giveaway, 41 percent of which goes to people not even eligible. That’s $2.2 billion in savings

Then, we eliminate ObamaCare’s “Public Health Slush Fund,” which even Democrats agree needs to be done. That’s $10 billion in savings

Then, we require food stamp recipients, the numbers of which have exploded under Obama, to actually be eligible for food stamps, saving $26 billion.

We also eliminate, and require repayment of, overpayments for ObamaCare exchange subsidies. That’s $44 billion in savings

Finally, we eliminate Obama’s “renewable energy” fund in the Energy Department, notorious for financing failed projects connected to Obama campaign donors. That saves you $1.8 billion.

That’s $84 billion in savings, meeting the terms of Obama’s $83.4 billion in sequester cuts without touching vital services or harming Southeast Texas.

Clearly you don’t need to target police officers and airports to find just two percent to cut. President Obama’s hysterical press conferences are intended to mislead you and create fear.

Will President Obama agree to the Stockman Smartquester? Or will he continue to push bad policies on timelines and use the ensuing panic to engage in destructive and childish theatrics?

It’s time for the President to lead.

Stockman statement on 2-23 Day of Resistance

I whole heartedly endorse the February 23rd “2-23 Day of Resistance” and urge every gun owner, and everyone concerned about civil rights and peace, to call their member of Congress and urge him or her to oppose all anti-gun legislation.

The right of the people to keep and bear arms in an unalienable civil and human right.  An armed populace is the reason the United States are the world’s oldest and most stable democracy.

The purpose of the Second Amendment is clear.  Every peaceful person should be able to possess arms without restrictions, reporting or permission to serve as an unorganized civilian military force to resist violence, oppression or invasion.

And that is why I have introduced several pieces of legislation to not just fight gun control, but restore the Second Amendment’s full constitutional protections.

The Safe Schools Act would repeal the federal government’s failed, deadly experiment with so-called “gun free school zones.” Since their introduction in 1990, the number of mass shooting on college and school campuses has increased 500%.  So-called “gun free school zones” have made our schools more dangerous.

Senator Rand Paul and I are working together to pass the Restore The Constitution Act.  This bill would repeal any past, present or future Executive Order that violates the Second Amendment or assumes the legislative power of Congress.  It would stop Obama’s anti-gun power grabs before they can even be signed.

I have also introduced the Veterans Second Amendment Protection Act, which would stop the gun grabbers’ plan to strip peaceful veterans of their right to keep and bear arms just because they once sought counseling.  Under this bill, no veteran can be denied a gun without going through the courts and under due process of law.  Gun grabbers plan to use a broad, vague definition of mental illness to strip millions of mentally healthy people of their gun rights, and they’re specifically targeting veterans.

And that’s just my first few weeks back in Congress.  There will be much more.

But I need you standing with me.  Please support my efforts to protect – and restore – the Second Amendment.

The statistics are clear.  More guns and more gun capacity in the hands of civilians leads to less crime and more peace.  Women especially need to be armed, even if the official and repeated position of the Democrat Party now seems to be that woman are mentally incapable of figuring out how to use a gun.  I suggest they come to Texas and speak to our intelligent, empowered women.

We can and will win this fight because more and more Americans understand the right to keep and bear arms is a basic human and civil right that makes society more peaceful.  But we won’t win the legislative battle unless all of you begin contacting your congressmen and making it clear any vote for any anti-gun legislation will put them out of a job.

God bless each and every gun owner, and God bless Texas.

‘Stockman Smartquester’: Stockman releases alternative to ‘Obamaquester’

‘Like Dr. Frankenstein, Obama is running from his own creation’

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman Friday released his own “Stockman Smartquester” alternative to President Barack Obama’s “sequester” plan which requires $83.4 billion in across-the-board cuts if a spending plan is not agreed to be March 1.

While Obama’s sequester seeks $83.4 billion in spending cuts, the Stockman Smartquester saves even more money, $84 billion from just five programs, without touching essential services.

“Obama proposed sequester, demanded it be part of the debt deal, signed it into law and angrily promised to veto the GOP efforts to repeal it,” said Stockman, “Now, like Dr. Frankenstein, he’s running from his own creation.  It is an intentional untruth to say sequester cuts must come from police officers and schools.  It’s a tiny cut that barely moves the needle on federal spending.  You can meet sequester targets by instead eliminating a small amount of waste, which is what the Stockman Smartquester does.”

“Not only does the Stockman Smartquester save even more money than Obama’s blunt sequester cuts, it cuts spending without touching critical programs like police, schools and NASA,” said Stockman.

“House Republicans have passed two different bills to replace Obama’s plan to cut critical services. Senate Democrats refuse to hold a vote on it and Obama once vowed to veto any plans to stop his sequester,” said Stockman.  “Republicans want responsible spending reductions, but Democrats seem committed to blind, across-the-board cuts to scare people.  I encourage my Democrat colleagues to cease irresponsible blustering and support the intelligent cuts in the Stockman Smartquester.”

The plan, five simple spending cuts which meet Obama’s sequester reduction targets without cuts to essential programs, is outlined below:

The $84.0 billion “Stockman Smartquester” Plan, which saves even more money than $83.4  Obamaquester

Eliminate the government’s “free cell phone” plan that has ballooned into the ObamaPhone giveaway, 41 percent of which goes to people not even eligible:
$2.2 billion in savings

Eliminate ObamaCare’s “Public Health Slush Fund,” which even Democrats want to eliminate:
$10 billion in savings

Require food stamp recipients, the numbers of which have exploded under Obama, to actually be eligible for food stamps:
$26 billion in savings

Eliminate overpayments for ObamaCare exchange subsidies:
$44 billion in savings

Eliminate Obama’s “renewable energy” fund in the Energy Department
$1.8 billion in savings

TOTAL SAVINGS
$84 billion

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Stockman: Pray to end abortions at Beaumont’s ‘Whole Woman’s Health’

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman Wednesday urged Southeast Texans to join him and his staff in 40 days of prayer to end abortions at the “Whole Woman’s Health” facility in Beaumont, Texas.

“The right to life is the great civil rights struggle of our age.  An innocent person’s right to life cannot be violated under any circumstance. No little boy or little girl should be subjected to violence because the government has declared them less than human,” said Stockman.  “We hope 40 days of peaceful, intercessory prayer will change hearts and end the tragedy of abortion.  Even if it saves one life, it is worth it.”

“The only way to stop abortion is through an outreach of love and an effort to legally change laws.  Praying to end abortion at the Beaumont facility is one way to help out,” said Stockman.  “You can do it from your home, your truck or your church.”

“It is a scientific fact life begins at conception.  That’s why future generations will consider abortion the way we do slavery.  They’re all based in the same myth – that some people are less than human,” said Stockman.

Though Beaumont is not in the 36th District, the facility boasts it performs abortions on women “from all over East Texas.”

Stockman and staffers do not plan to advertise the facility’s location by appearing there.  The prayer effort is inspired by the “40 Days For Life” movement, which encourages Christians to pray to end abortion.  The movement is not political or affiliated with the government, and Stockman’s office did not contact or communicate with the group.

Stockman is the original sponsor of the “Sanctity of Life Act” in 1995, a bill that was repeatedly re-introduced by now-retired Congressman Ron Paul.  Stockman is a co-sponsor of the current version, H.R.23, by Congressman Paul Broun.

Stockman is also a co-sponsor of H.R. 61 and H.R. 217, which cut off Title X funds to abortion clinics.

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House tears down Obama Failometer

WASHINGTON -- Officials with U.S. House operations offices ordered Tuesday the removal of Congressman Steve Stockman’s “Obama Failometer” after it had been erected in the corridor of Cannon House Office Building.

The Obama Failometer is a ten-foot-long billboard that uses a fixed mathematical score to calculate four economic indicators from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  The figures from the monthly reports are weighted to provide a balanced total score, which ranges from zero to 1,000.  The Obama Failometer is now stored in Stockman’s office.

“Washington needs more free speech,” said Stockman.  “Millions of Americans are waiting for Obama to reverse his course and create jobs.  The Obama Failometer is an objective, mathematical measure of Obama’s failure to create jobs.  It is an important tool to focus attention on black and Hispanic unemployment and spur discourse on actions that create jobs for everyone.”

“The Obama Failometer may not be allowed in Congress but it will be back somewhere, and bigger,” said Stockman.  “Tearing it down created more labor than Obama has.”

“I am disappointed House officials ordered it torn down.  No one should be offended by frank, objective economic statistics,” said Stockman.  The gap between black unemployment and overall unemployment is higher under Obama than under Bush.  Under Obama we are only creating half of the 321,000 jobs a month needed to restore the economy.  Under Obama the percentage of Americans in the civilian labor force is at an all-time low.”

The Monthly Obama Failometer Score is calculated using four factors, monthly jobs created, the monthly civilian labor force participation rate and the gap between black and Hispanic monthly unemployment against the monthly rate for all Americans combined.  They are weighted so a sharp increase or decrease in one factor won’t distort the overall Obama Failometer Score.

The Obama Failometer is constructed of paper and foam board and affixed to the wall with temporary adhesive tape.  It weighs just a few pounds and does not leave holes or mar paint.

More information on the Monthly Obama Failometer Score and how it is calculated:

FACTORS MEASURED AGAINST GEORGE W. BUSH

Monthly jobs created: The Hamilton Project, a liberal economic policy group, states the economy must create 321,000 jobs a month in order to return the economy to pre-recession employment levels by December 2016, the end of Obama’s term.

Obama promised to not only restore the economy to where it was under Bush, but grow it.  So far Obama has failed to even perform as well as Bush.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by subtracting the number of jobs created in the previous month from the 321,000 jobs claimed necessary by the liberal Hamilton Project and dividing by 1,000 to balance it against other factors.

The BLS reports the economy created 157,000 jobs in January, 164,000 fewer than needed to restore the economy.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 164.

Civilian labor force participation rate:  The civilian labor force participation rate, the ratio between those 16 and over in the labor force against the national population of those 16 and over, is an important measure of economic health.  After puttering along during the Bush administration, including through the “Bush years” of the recession, under Obama it has plunged sharply.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by subtracting the monthly civilian labor force participation rate from the average Bush administration rate and multiplying by 100 to balance it against other ractors. According to data from the BLS, under Bush the average monthly civilian labor force participation rate was around 66.2 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the monthly civilian labor force participation rate for January was a paltry 63.6 percent, close to the record low and a gap against Bush of 2.6 percent.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 260.



FACTORS MEASURED AGAINST OBAMA’S OWN RHETORIC

Black unemployment:  No one has suffered more economically under Obama than black Americans. Obama’s election and re-election has meant crippling poverty for the black community.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by taking the monthly unemployment rate for blacks and subtracting the monthly unemployment rate for all Americans, and multiplying it by 100 to balance it against other factors.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the black unemployment rate for January was a depressing 13.8 percent, while the national overall rate was 7.9 percent.  That is a gap of 5.9 percent.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 590.

Compare Obama’s performance to Bush’s.  The highest monthly unemployment rate ever for blacks under Bush was 12.1 percent.  Obama’s lowest rate was 12.7 percent in January, a figure he largely inherited.  His next lowest was 13.5 percent in March 2009. He has never performed as well as Bush’s worst black unemployment rate.

Bush’s average black unemployment rate was 9.7 percent and an overall national average of 5.2 percent, a 4.5 percent gap that gives Bush a score of 450.

Hispanic unemployment:  Despite winning the Hispanic vote, Obama’s liberal policies have caused widespread damage to the Hispanic community.  Thanks to Obama, they continue to lag behind the national average in many economic factors.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by taking the monthly unemployment rate for Hispanics and subtracting the monthly unemployment rate for all Americans, and multiplying it by 100 to balance it against other factors.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the Hispanic unemployment rate for January was a stunning 9.7 percent, while the national overall rate was 7.9 percent.  That is a gap of 1.8 percent.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 180.

The Hispanic unemployment rate hit its all-time historic low of 4.7 percent during Bush's last term.  It is almost twice that rate under Obama.

THEREFORE, FEBRUARY’S OBAMA FAILOMETER SCORE IS 1194.

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Stockman’s “Obama Failometer” will prominently measure, track and display Obama’s failed economic policies

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman has created the first-ever objective measure of the failure of President Barack Obama’s liberal economic policies, which will be publicly displayed in Congress’ Cannon House Office Building.

“The Obama Failometer is the Astrodome Scoreboard of failed liberal policies,” said Stockman.  “Instead of celebrating home runs it measures how badly Obama is striking out.”

The Obama Failometer is a ten-foot long board that assigns a score to the president’s overall economic performance.  It will be permanently displayed at the entrance to Congressman Stockman’s office at 326 Cannon on Capitol Hill and updated monthly.

Measuring economic failure on a scale of 1 to 1,000, the inaugural Obama Failometer Score has already pegged off the charts at a crippling 1,194.

The Obama Failometer is an objective economic score based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, measured against benchmarks provided by the BLS.  It measures Obama’s economic performance against both President George W. Bush and his own rhetoric.

The Obama Failometer Score is calculated using four factors, monthly jobs created, the monthly civilian labor force participation rate and the gap between black and Hispanic monthly unemployment against the monthly rate for all Americans combined.  They are weighted so a sharp increase or decrease in one factor won’t distort the overall Obama Failometer Score.

The inaugural Obama Failometer Score is a crippling 1,194.  Here is how the Obama Failometer Score is calculated:

FACTORS MEASURED AGAINST BUSH

Monthly jobs created: The Hamilton Project, a liberal economic policy group, states the economy must create 321,000 jobs a month in order to return the economy to pre-recession employment levels by December 2016, the end of Obama’s term.

Obama promised to not only restore the economy to where it was under Bush, but grow it.  So far Obama has failed to even perform as well as Bush.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by subtracting the number of jobs created in the previous month from the 321,000 jobs claimed necessary by the liberal Hamilton Project and dividing by 1,000 to balance it against other factors.

The BLS reports the economy created 157,000 jobs in January, 164,000 fewer than needed to restore the economy.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 164.

Civilian labor force participation rate:  The civilian labor force participation rate, the ratio between those 16 and over in the labor force against the national population of those 16 and over, is an important measure of economic health.  After puttering along during the Bush administration, including through the “Bush years” of the recession, under Obama it has plunged sharply.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by subtracting the monthly civilian labor force participation rate from the average Bush administration rate and multiplying by 100 to balance it against other ractors. According to data from the BLS, under Bush the average monthly civilian labor force participation rate was around 66.2 percent.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the monthly civilian labor force participation rate for January was a paltry 63.6 percent, close to the record low and a gap against Bush of 2.6 percent.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 260.

FACTORS MEASURED AGAINST OBAMA’S OWN RHETORIC

Black unemployment:  No one has suffered more economically under Obama than black Americans. Obama’s election and re-election has meant crippling poverty for the black community.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by taking the monthly unemployment rate for blacks and subtracting the monthly unemployment rate for all Americans, and multiplying it by 100 to balance it against other factors.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the black unemployment rate for January was a depressing 13.8 percent, while the national overall rate was 7.9 percent.  That is a gap of 5.9 percent.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 590.

Compare Obama’s performance to Bush’s.  The highest monthly unemployment rate ever for blacks under Bush was 12.1 percent.  Obama’s lowest rate was 12.7 percent in January, a figure he largely inherited.  His next lowest was 13.5 percent in March 2009. He has never performed as well as Bush’s worst black unemployment rate.

Bush’s average black unemployment rate was 9.7 percent and an overall national average of 5.2 percent, a 4.5 percent gap that gives Bush a score of 450.

Hispanic unemployment:  Despite winning the Hispanic vote, Obama’s liberal policies have caused widespread damage to the Hispanic community.  Thanks to Obama, they continue to lag behind the national average in many economic factors.

This Obama Failometer score portion is calculated by taking the monthly unemployment rate for Hispanics and subtracting the monthly unemployment rate for all Americans, and multiplying it by 100 to balance it against other factors.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the Hispanic unemployment rate for January was a stunning 9.7 percent, while the national overall rate was 7.9 percent.  That is a gap of 1.8 percent.  This portion of the February Obama Failometer Score is 180.

The Hispanic unemployment rate hit its all-time historic low of 4.7 percent during Bush's last term.  It is almost twice that rate under Obama.

THEREFORE, FEBRUARY’S OBAMA FAILOMETER SCORE IS 1194.

Obama can set the Failometer to zero by outperforming Bush on the economy and fulfilling his 2008 and 2012 campaign promises to help blacks and Hispanics gain economically.

So far Obama has failed miserably.  The Obama Failometer provides an objective, visual measure of Obama’s abysmal failure.

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Stockman urges Obama to learn from today’s refutation at the National Prayer Breakfast

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) today on President Barack Obama to order a transcript of this year's National Prayer Breakfast keynote address, frame it and hang it in the Oval Office.

The National Prayer Breakfast, an annual D.C. event that gave us President Ronald Reagan’s “Evil Empire” speech, made history again this year with a highly accomplished black doctor directly refuting liberalism and ObamaCare in front of the President.

“President Obama urged us to take to heart what we heard today.  I hope he will take his own advice for once,” said Stockman. “Because what he heard was an accomplished, productive surgeon telling him he is destroying health care, destroying our economy and destroying personal responsibility.”
“Instead of bringing people together, Obama has spent four years trying to cut Americans up into warring factions,” said Stockman.

Dr. Benjamin Carson, a celebrated pediatric neurosurgeon at Johns Hopkins Hospital, gave a 25-minute long keynote address that directly refuted the key tenants of President Barack Obama’s liberal agenda – with Obama sitting just feet away.

Dr. Carson attacked political correctness as “horrible” and dangerous. Dr. Carson credited personal responsibility, not government assistance, for taking from a childhood of poverty to a lifetime of success.

Dr. Carson attacked fiscal irresponsibility, instead urging restrained spending.  “One of our big problems right now...our deficit is a big problem.  Think about it — and our national debt — $16 and a half trillion dollars,” said Dr. Carson as Obama watched.  Obama increased the federal debt by $5.8 trillion in his first term, the worst ever increase in a presidential term.

Dr. Carson went on to press for a flat tax, rejecting Obama’s call for higher taxes on higher earners. 

”When I pick up my Bible, you know what I see — I see the fairest individual in the universe — God — and he’s given us a system. It’s called tithe,” said Dr. Carson.  Carson went on to extol their fairness of the flat tax, under which everyone pays the same rate.

Dr. Carson also diametrically opposed ObamaCare, attacking the idea of government bureaucracy funding health care and instead recommending private health savings accounts.

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Stockman: U.S. must reject international plan to control the Internet

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36th) issued the following statement Feb. 6 after FCC Commissioner Robert McDowell testified to a joint meeting of the House Committees on Energy and Commerce and Foreign Affairs:

This week Federal Communications Commissioner Robert McDowell testified before a rare joint meeting of three congressional subcommittees.

Commissioner McDowell issued a stark warning.  The right of Americans to freely access information is threatened by an international plan to place control of the Internet in the hands of the International Telecommunications Union.

In 2014 the ITU will hold a “plenipotentiary meeting” to draw up a new international agreement on Internet regulations and controls.

The likely plan, pushed by countries Russia, Saudi Arabia and totalitarian states like China and Iran would give an international body unrestricted control over the Internet, allow foreign phone companies to charge mandatory fees and create an international registry to track your use of the Internet.

Information is power, power to the people.  Free minds require a free Internet.  Not only are the free exchange of information and the free market in technology development in danger, so is your right to freely express yourself and access information.

As Commissioner McDowell testified before Congress, “allegations that these claims are exaggerated no longer have credibility.”

The United States can and should take action to thwart this threat.  President Obama’s diplomatic appointees must make a free and open Internet a top administration priority.

Congress must adopt a bold and uncompromising position against further international controls of the Internet.  As Commissioner McDowell testified, when the United States Congress speaks on Internet policies the rest of the world follows our lead.

I urge President Obama to make it clear any further international controls, regulations or fees over the Internet will not be accepted by the United States government.  I urge Congress to speak with one voice against any ITU proposal to internationally regulate, control or charge for the Internet.  Both President Obama and the Congress must recruit allies in the private and public  sectors to lead an international campaign against international government control over the Internet.

As Commissioner McDowell notes, any compromise, dithering or failure to boldly lead on this issue cannot be accepted.  Nothing short than the freedom of expression and the freedom to exchange ideas are under threat.  I urge my colleagues to lead today.

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Stockman: Obama has time for Beyonce, but not for budgets

WASHINGTON -- Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36th) issued the following statement Monday after President Obama once again failed to fulfill his legal requirement to propose an annual federal budget:

I am not surprised President Obama has failed to meet today’s legal deadline to submit a proposed budget.  Failure to propose a budget seems to be an annual Obama tradition.

While the House has fulfilled our budget obligations every year, President Obama has spent more time with Beyonce than with his budget staff.  Jobless families are fed up with how Obama always makes his tee time in Hawaii, but can’t make it to a budget meeting down the hall.

President Obama’s failure to once again propose a budget on time, and Senate Democrats’ failure to hold a budget vote in four years, is one of the reasons the economy is failing.  Their failure to come up with a long-term budget creates fiscal uncertainty that hurts job creators and farmers.  You can’t get a loan, expand your business or plan for future growth if you can’t tell the bank what the government has planned for your industry this year.

The House has done our jobs responsibly and on time, but President Obama and Senate Democrats are too busy flying around the world and going to celebrity parties to do their jobs.  They are hurting the economy.  They are hurting consumers.  They are hurting those who grow our food and build our economy.

If President Obama can’t be bothered to do his job, perhaps it’s time to legally remove the President from the budget process.

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Stockman challenges Obama: Come to Texas so I can teach you how to create jobs

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman issued the following statement Feb. 1 after the Obama administration announced unemployment rate had risen to 7.9 percent:

Today’s news the unemployment rate has risen to 7.9 percent is our monthly reminder Obama is failing.  He inherited an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent.  After four years and a Congress that gave him everything he demanded in a $1.2 trillion “stimulus” bill, the only thing that grew was human suffering.

The rising unemployment rate makes Obama’s decision to disband his Jobs Council even more insulting.  Obama wants us to accept unemployment and poverty as the new normal.  Under Obama our only reliable export is failure.

Obama’s stubborn policy of raising taxes on job creators and issuing wasteful regulations means the private sector isn’t growing fast enough to restore our economy.  We can’t afford four more years of Obama’s failed liberalism.

Not only did the unemployment rate rise, the Obama administration once again ‘revised’ past monthly unemployment numbers to show they were higher than previously reported.  Additionally, job growth was less than anticipated and far less than in past months.

Since Obama has completely given up on restoring prosperity, Texas is ready to lead.  I am challenging Obama to come down to Texas, where I will teach him how to create jobs.

Texas also inherited an economy from George W. Bush.

Unlike Obama’s economy, ours is booming.  Spending cuts, small government and light regulations are the fuel that have the Texas economy roaring.

Texas did it by cutting taxes, while Obama ground America’s to a halt by raising taxes.

Texas fueled jobs by expanding our oil and gas industry, while Obama has siphoned off jobs by slashing oil and gas production on federal lands and aggressively attacking private development with regulations.

Liberals love to blame slower growth in government spending for low job numbers, but the Texas cut spending by $11 billion and job growth exploded.  Government spending is a barrier to prosperity.

While Obama is burying the United States in massive deficits, Texas is sitting atop an $8 billion budget surplus.  Not only is Texas not running deficits, unlike Obama’s government we can pay off our debts.

Texas has a healthy, booming economy because we saw what Obama was doing, and did the opposite.  While Obama is giving up on job creation, Texas is busy trying to fill jobs.

Americans are flocking to Texas to find jobs that don’t exist in Obama’s vision of America.  I am challenging Obama to come to Texas, so I can teach him how to create jobs.  He may contact my office at 202-225-1555 so we can coordinate a travel schedule.

Will he accept my offer, or will he continue to ignore the economy?

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Stockman: Obama disbands Jobs Council so he can focus on partisan attacks

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36th) released the following statement Jan. 31 after President Barack Obama announced he was disbanding the White House Jobs Council:

When President Obama took office in 2009 he inherited an unemployment rate of 7.3 percent.  Today it is 7.8 percent.  We learned yesterday the economy shrank last month because the private sector isn’t growing fast enough.  Four years and $1.2 trillion in debt-generating “stimulus” spending later, we’ve gone nowhere and appear to be sliding backward.

Rather than address our worsening economic crisis, President Obama shut down his Jobs Council today so he won’t be distracted by the economy.  Obama has given up on the economy because it takes his “laser focus” away from splitting Americans into warring factions.  Instead of jobs, Obama is focused on taking away gun rights, funneling taxpayer money to groups that bankrolled his election and expanding the cost of government.

While I will never waver in my defense of fiscal responsibility and gun rights, I am working hard every day to bring back prosperity.  In just three weeks on the job I am already working to make sure Texas ports continue to fuel the state’s miraculous economy.  I am working to pass the REINS Act to protect job creators from unpredictable and pointless regulations, which is one of the biggest barriers right now to new job creation.  Obama opposes us.  I am working to get the Keystone pipeline approved and completed to bring oil to Texas for our refineries, but Obama’s wavering is killing jobs.  I am working to pass the Energy Freedom and Economic Prosperity Act to spur new energy jobs, but Obama is not leading.  In just three weeks I have taken more action to create actual jobs than Obama has in four years, and there will be much more action on my part.

Millions of families are struggling with unemployment and underemployment, but Obama doesn’t care.  Obama doesn’t care that families are losing their homes.  Obama doesn’t care that families must choose between buying groceries or buying medicine.  Obama doesn’t care when it means taking attention away from waging hyper-partisan warfare.

Americans want us to take action to restore the economy.  They want us to cut taxes and eliminate wasteful regulations.  But rather than listen, Obama has turned his back on the American people.
By disbanding his Jobs Council and instead focusing on petty politics, Obama has made it clear his vision for America isn’t one of prosperity and peace, but one of permanent government dependency, more debt and an unceasing focus on division and retribution.

Obama considers the plight of millions to be a bothersome distraction from bitter personal attacks and corrosive partisan warfare.  Americans are looking to President Obama for leadership, not sideshows.  Instead of expanding his political attacks while disbanding his Jobs Council, he should instead do the job Americans elected him to do.

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Stockman: Feds must commit to port and channel dredging, security

WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Stockman (R-Texas 36) released the following statement Jan. 30:

Today I and other Houston-area members of Congress were briefed by port officials on urgent issues facing the Port of Houston and other Texas ports.  I could not agree with them more.

Security and safe passage in ports and shipping channels should be a critical federal issue.  We must make sure ports are dredged, because just one accident can close a port and inflict heavy economic damage on Texans. Ports must have full access to security resources in order to adapt to threats and defend ourselves from another terrorist attack on a vital economic engine.

My top local priority is making sure Texas ports are secured and the channels clear. Our timber, rice, cattle and petrochemical jobs depend on being able to quickly and safely ship from ports like Houston, Cedar Bayou, Beaumont and Orange.

Hundreds of thousands of jobs are at stake. These ports are fueling the Texas economic miracle. I look forward to working with friends and colleagues like Gene Green, Henry Cuellar, John Carter, Kay Granger and John Culberson to do what is right for Texas.

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