Bob Goodlatte - Government, Inc. Leads to Red Ink for Our Nation’s Small Businesses

Guest Post from Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Four years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court handed down its decision in the now-notorious case of Kelo v. City of New London, which authorized the government to take private property from individuals for nearly any reason under the guise of eminent domain, even to give to other private individuals or entities. The public outcry over this decision was so great that it forced states to enact laws to significantly rein in their own eminent domain powers.

Unfortunately, House Democrats did not learn the lessons of the Kelo decision. A few weeks ago, they passed H.R. 4173, the so-called “Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.” This bill would allow a team of federal bureaucrats to decide that a private business poses a risk to the economy. Incredibly, the bill then allows the federal government to take over that private business and even gives the government the right to sell off the business’ assets. What’s worse, to pay for these takeovers, the bill sets up a permanent $150 billion slush fund.

While the alleged purpose of this bill is to prevent a concentration of money and power in a small number of large corporations, the bill would have the opposite effect. Knowing that the federal government will swoop in and take over any companies that it deems “too big to fail,” creditors and investors will be drawn to lend money to the largest corporations because of the implied guarantee that the federal government will step in to repay these loans. The flow of capital will thus go to the largest corporations rather than where the money is really needed – small businesses and entrepreneurs, which are the true innovators and job creators of the U.S. economy.

The bill also creates a separate, new bureaucratic agency and bestows upon it broad authority to impose burdensome regulations on any business that lends money, extends credit or enters into repayment plans with consumers. These regulations would hit everyone from doctors and hospitals to furniture and department stores.

It is efforts like H.R. 4173 that prompted Ronald Reagan to warn us against those who would have us believe that a small intellectual elite can manage the people better than the people can manage themselves.

For all of these reasons I have cosponsored H.J.Res. 57, a Constitutional amendment prohibiting the United States government from owning or having any interest in any private company or corporation. This bill will prevent future taxpayer-funded bailouts of private corporations and help get government out of the way so that small businesses and entrepreneurs can access capital to innovate and create the jobs that are so desperately needed today.

In this case, as in so many others, government is not the answer, government is the problem. To contact me about this or any other matter, please visit my website at www.goodlatte.house.gov.

Roanoke City Council Race

Today incumbent Gwen Mason has decided not to seek re-election. While we have often disagreed with her on the issues, she should be thanked for her service.

This leaves Dave Trinkle, Bill Bestpitch, and Valerie Garner in the race for the Dems. I am sure this will change a couple times before the deadline for their primay filing on 1/4 at 5pm. There are rumors that a prominet local attorney will enter the Dem primary but this remains to be seen.

People of Roanoke let's make sure we have the right people in this race to move Roanoke forward. If you or anyone you know is interested in running please let me know aboitnott@cox.net your city needs you.

Muddle Huddle?

As some of you may know I am a Cowboys fan and I love the week we play the Redskins. After last week though I was offended not as a Cowboys fan but as a former Rec League football coach. When the Redskins ran the muddle huddle on the fake FG two thoughts went through my head. First are they really running the muddle huddle of Rec League fame. Second I was highly offended when they completly screwed it up. I am offering my Muddle Huddle coaching skills to Dan Snyder, had I known the qualities needed to be the Redskins coach I would have applied.

About The Lack Of Traffic On This Blog

If you're a frequent reader of this blog you've probably seen a significant drop off in activity since the November elections. In fact, several of you have commented to me about it.

My explanation - sometimes you just need a break. Adam and I both have very time consuming jobs, we both have families with small children and we're both Unit chairs. While we're in the middle of campaign season, maintaining this blog is an everyday part of our roles as Unit chairs. However (speaking just for myself here) I never intended to be a "day in day out" blogger offering my commentary on the news of the day. Frankly, I can't imagine anyone would really care about my thoughts that much. And honestly, I'm a little worn out from the election we just went through (I'll call it blogger's fatigue).

All of that is to say I'll continue to post when I get the urge (and I assume Adam will too) but activity will be much lighter for the next few months. However, don't fret. Soon enough we'll have the Roanoke and Salem City Council elections to focus on and that'll roll right into the 2010 Congressional elections. Then the fun will start all over again.

If you're a reader out there who would like to guest post on a topic while our posting is slow, shoot me an email and we'll consider it. Thanks.

Another Dem in the City Council Race

Yesterday Valerie Garner of Countryside and theroanokefreepress.com fame tweeted that she is going to make another run for City Council. I assume since she is working on petitions she is running as a Dem. This makes the current field of Dems: Trinkle, Bestpitch, & Garner. According to the Roanoke Times Gwen Mason remains undecided. I would not be shocked to see Cranwell or Ballin enter this race either.

Alot of you have asked about the GOP field. Since we are holding a Mass Meeting on 2/17 signatures are not needed which is why we are able to deliberate a little more before candidates announce. There is a lot of work going into this decision and we hope to let people know soon who is running.

Trinkle wants four more years

Today the Roanoke Times reports that Councilman David Trinkle is seeking re-election. While this is not news it does officially kick-off campaign season. I will save my commentary till all the candidates are in the field.

To see the article click here.

http://www.roanoke.com/politics/wb/229755

Bob Goodlatte - Urging Caution on Sweeping Climate Change Proposals

Guest Post from Congressman Bob Goodlatte

Currently, government officials from around the globe, including President Obama and top U.S. officials, are gathering in Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations Climate Change Conference. These officials are hoping to create a new treaty containing stringent and enforceable requirements to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. While specifics of the treaty are still being worked out, there is reason to believe that the treaty will call for dramatic emission reductions that will cause serious economic harm to our already fragile economy.

This conference convenes at a time when there is increasing evidence that climate science is far from settled. In recent weeks, internal information from the East Anglia University's Climate Research Unit in England has been released showing that some researchers suppressed science that disproved the theory of global warming and unethically controlled the scientific peer-review process. What makes this so concerning is that the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change heavily relied on East Anglia University’s research to prove global warming trends and to press the rest of the world to take action based on these trends. Given this discovery, the international community should re-evaluate enacting a treaty that might be promulgated on bad science.

In advance of the commencement of the climate change meetings in Copenhagen, and despite the discoveries at East Anglia University, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced they are compelled to address greenhouse gas pollution under the Clean Air Act. Effectively, the EPA has stated it will regulate carbon dioxide, which occurs naturally in the environment and we even exhale, like it is sulphuric acid. The timing of the announcement serves to prove to negotiators in Copenhagen that the Administration intends to force Congress to act and pass climate change legislation.

Congress should not act based on the expectations foreign governments may have regarding what the U.S. should do on climate change. And, Congress should not act out of fear that the EPA will take on some sort of excessive regulatory action. It is not the EPA’s job to tell Congress how to legislate. Congress has oversight over the EPA and can, if necessary, cut off the agency’s ability to over-regulate in this manner. Proposals, like cap and trade legislation and the Copenhagen treaty, to address climate change cut off most of our traditional sources of energy, which are the life-blood of the American economy. Given these economic consequences, Congress should approach this issue very carefully and thoughtfully, especially given the allegations of bad science pushing global warming proposals forward.

I believe it is important for our nation to reevaluate our energy and environmental policies. However, Congress must work for solutions based upon what is best for the American people not due to pressure by foreign governments or overzealous bureaucrats. To contact me about this or any other matter, please visit my website at www.goodlatte.house.gov.

Dems Reorganize and Council Race Clearer

According to the Roanoke Times the Roanoke City Council is now 100% full of Democrats. This is interesting as we head into 2010 Council Races. Looks like Culter is out and Bestpitch is running for that spot.

I would also like to welcome Mr. Caldwell to the Chairmanship.

Roanoke County Recount - Altizer Wins

A lot of you were aware that there was a recount going on in Roanoke and some have asked me why we haven't commented on this blog. The answer - I was representing one of the parties so I didn't think it was appropriate for me to comment.

Mike Altizer (current Chairman of the Board of Supervisors for Roanoke County) was being challenged by Pat Patterson. On election day, Alitzer won by a mere 16 votes out of about 5,000. Patterson exercised his right to a recount and the recount occurred yesterday with Altizer actually picking up an additional vote and winning by 17.

A few comments.

First, recounts are largely a waste of time with modern voting equipment. According to statute, you don't really "recount" votes cast electronically, you just confirm the tapes. As such, in this race, there were only 66 votes to actually be "recounted."

Second, while I think they're largely a waste of time and candidates should think long and hard about requesting them, I don't begrudge a candidate who does so when the margin is so close. I wasn't mad at George Allen for not requesting a recount and I'm not mad at Pat Patterson for requesting a recount. Having said all of that, there was a moment in time prior to the recount itself when the Patterson camp should have known without question that it could not pick up any votes. Had the situations been reversed, I would have advised my client at that point to drop the Recount. That is not a critique of my counterpart representing Mr. Patterson because I have no idea what they talked about or considered. I'll just say that the Recount itself could have been avoided in the end and a decent amount of time and money could have been saved.

Third, everyone in Roanoke County handled themselves with complete class and professionalism. From the candidates, to the lawyers, to the Registrar's office, to the Clerk's office, to the Election Officials, to the Recount Court, everyone tried their best to achieve the proper result. Frankly, it was a pleasure to participate.

Finally, we have a great system and the more I observe it up close the more proud I am to be a part of it.

Click here for the Roanoke Times' coverage.

Congratulations to Mike Altizer.

Bob Goodlatte - Common-Sense Solutions Needed to Get Americans Back to Work

Guest Post from Congressman Bob Goodlatte

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics recently released November unemployment numbers. For the second month in a row, the unemployment rate is at 10% -- the highest rate in 26 years. Equally sobering is the fact that last month the national debt surpassed $12 trillion.

Earlier this year, the Congress passed a one trillion dollar “stimulus” bill on the promise that it would create jobs immediately. Instead, three million jobs have been lost since the so-called stimulus bill was signed into law.

At a time when Congress should be working to save and create jobs, a job-threatening policy agenda is working its way through Congress instead. The Democrat budget contained over $1.5 trillion in crushing tax increases over the next 10 years. These huge tax hikes on families, small businesses, and workers will slow economic growth and cost jobs. House Democrats also passed a national energy tax as part of the cap and trade legislation. According to one study, 2.3 to 2.7 million jobs would be lost per year for the next twenty years as a result of the energy tax. And Speaker Pelosi’s government takeover of health care would kill jobs by imposing $729.5 billion in higher taxes on an already struggling economy. It has been estimated that as many as 5.5 million jobs could be lost as a result. The impact of these policies has been to create uncertainty that has halted hiring by businesses, large and small, around the nation.

As a member of the House Republican Economic Recovery Solutions Group, I am committed to finding real solutions to address our nation’s unemployment crisis. The first thing we must do is remove barriers to employment including the threat of higher taxes, new government regulations and costly mandates. It is common-sense that you should not raise costs and taxes on employers at a time when unemployment is at record levels.

In addition, we must restore confidence in America’s economic future by restraining federal spending. This would allow banks who are financing the debt to invest in more productive activities, like small business growth to help turn our economy around. Other common-sense solutions for job-growth include assisting community banks with the downturn in the commercial real estate market, reforming the unemployment system to help those out of work find jobs, lowering federal payroll taxes to assist in hiring and removing unnecessary barriers to domestic energy production.

As we head into the holiday season and many Americans struggle as job losses continue to mount, Congress must abandon its job-killing, tax-and-spend policies and instead focus on real solutions that will create jobs and get Americans back to work. To contact me about this or any other matter, please visit my website at www.goodlatte.house.gov.