OhioAmerican Energy specifically notes that the only reason they’re closing their operation – which will eliminate 239 jobs – is because of President Obama and Joe Manchin’s job-killing regulations.

As OhioAmerican Energy’s Press Release Reads:

“OhioAmerican Energy, Inc. (“OhioAmerican”), a Subsidiary of Murray Energy Corporation (“Murray Energy”), today announced the closure of its coal mining operations near Brilliant, Jefferson County, Ohio.  Regulatory actions by President Barack Obama and his appointees and followers were cited as the entire reason. ‘Mr. Obama has already destroyed 83,000 megawatts of coal-fired electricity generation in America,’ said Mr. Michael T. W. Carey, Vice President of Government Affairs for Murray Energy.”  (OhioAmerican Energy, Inc. Coal Mining  Operation Closed In Eastern Ohio, Press Release, 7/31/12)

“The consequence of Senator Joe Manchin siding with President Barack Obama’s job-killing regulations is simple: 239 people who work in the coal industry have lost their jobs,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Brian Walsh.  “If Joe Manchin and Barack Obama continue their war on coal, soon thousands of West Virginians will be out of a job and energy rates will skyrocket.” 

The post Barack Obama & Joe Manchin’s Job-Killing Regulations Forces Another Coal Plant To Shut Down appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

When Barack Obama was the Democratic nominee for President in 2008, he had no greater friend and supporter than then-West Virginia Governor Joe Manchin, despite Obama’s demonstrated record as an anti-coal, big government liberal. 

At press conferences and campaign events, Manchin said he was “totally committed to Senator Barack Obama being the next President of the United States,” and routinely shared his view that Obama was the right leader at the right time to lead America forward and get the economy back on track.   And even after Obama lost West Virginia by 13 points in the 2008 election, Manchin still wholeheartedly endorsed Obama’s massive stimulus spending bills, telling West Virginians that the Obama stimulus “would make a big difference in the job market” and that it had provided a “shot in the arm” to West Virginia.  

Over the last two years, Republicans have regularly highlighted Manchin’s past support for President Obama and his big government agenda.  Click below for example:

Of course now that he’s in the Senate where he is facing re-election and sharing the top of the ticket with a President who is still deeply unpopular in West Virginia — and only after our country has suffered under three years of failed Obama economic policies – longtime politician Joe Manchin is suddenly singing a different tune.  

Manchin tells National Journal this week that, “these first three and a half years haven’t been that good to West Virginia” and that he would talk to West Virginians and base his eventual decision on who to support for President based “on what is best for his constituents.”  

“Whether it was claiming to oppose ObamaCare and then voting for it, claiming to be a fiscal conservative even after supporting the Obama spending policies, or now claiming to oppose President Obama after unabashedly supporting him in 2008, Senator Manchin has shown a remarkable willingness to literally say or do anything to win re-election,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Brian Walsh said today.  “Instead of this election-year rhetoric, Joe Manchin needs to explain to West Virginians why he so proudly supported Barack Obama three years ago, despite his anti-coal record, and then offer three simple words – ‘I am sorry.’”  

BACKGROUND …

Joe Manchin: An Unabashed Supporter Of Barack Obama in 2008:

• “Despite Some Of The Attacks On Obama As An Anti-Coal Liberal, Manchin Said He’s Confident That West Virginians Will Benefit From An Obama Presidency. ‘I Feel Very Comfortable Working With Him,’ Manchin Said. ‘I Talked To My Colleagues, Governors Around The State That Have Coal. We’re Going To Form A Coal Coalition And Work With Him. He’s Been Very Receptive.’” (Jake Stump, “Manchin Pledges To Keep Building Economy,” The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 11/5/08)

• Manchin: “We Are All Totally Committed To Senator Barack Obama Being The Next President Of The United States. I Can Assure You That.” (Governor Joe Manchin, Remarks At DNC Press Conference, 6/10/08)

• Manchin: “I Can Assure You That [Obama] Is Ready And Willing To Work Closely With All Of Our State’s Democrats, Republicans And Independents To Achieve A Victory For All Of America In November, and he is definitely looking forward to coming to West Virginia again soon. I have assured him that the people of our state will join him in doing our part to achieve the change that our nation so desperately needs.” (“Manchin Says He Will Back Obama,” Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 6/6/08)

• “‘After This Election, Congress Will Be In The Democratic Column. The U.S. Senate Will Be In The Democratic Column. Give Us Barack Obama And Joe Biden At The Top,’ Manchin Said.” (Paul J. Nyden, “‘Tour For Change,’” The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 10/19/08)

• “Both Manchin And Rockefeller Spoke Of Their Personal Relationship With Obama. ‘I’ve Talked To Barack Obama, And I’ve Met With Barack, And I’ve Had Dinner With Barack, And I’ve Never Met A Person At That Level That’s Willing To Form A Partnership,’ Manchin Said.” (Colin Booth, “West Virginia Dems Rally Local Support,” The [West Virginia University] Daily Athenaeum, 11/3/08)

• “Manchin Said He Told Obama On The Phone That He Had His Full Support. The Governor Insists Obama Is The Better Man To Help The Stumbling Economy And That He Takes An Interest In State Issues. ‘They talk about Joe the plumber, I’m going to tell you about Joe the governor,’ Manchin said Wednesday. ‘We’re looking for partnership. We’re looking for someone who understands how hard-working people should be treated in the most respectful and fairest possible way.’” (Jake Stump, “Obama Says W.Va. Still In Play,” The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 10/30/08)

• “‘It’s About The Economy,’ The Governor Continued. ‘West Virginia Has Done Very Well, But We Can Come Down With This National Economy As It’s Sinking Right Now. I Think [Obama] Would Be A Tremendous Partner. I’ve Never Seen A Presidential Candidate Or Heard Of One Reaching Out To The Governors State-By-State To See How They Can Work And Make Things Better.’” (Jake Stump, “Obama Says W.Va. Still In Play,” The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 10/30/08)

• “Not Even A Day Removed From His Own Inauguration, Gov. Joe Manchin Applauded Obama’s Inaugural Speech And Deemed The Frenetic Washington, D.C., Atmosphere Electrifying. The governor flew to the nation’s capital early Tuesday to witness history in the making as Obama was sworn in as president of the United States. Manchin said he could think of only one other time in his life when Americans felt so much hope and enthusiasm over a single political figure, and that was the inauguration of John F. Kennedy. ‘I remember as a child in the 60s everyone being so excited about a new president,’ said Manchin, who was 12 at the time. ‘I never imagined seeing anything else like it since then. But this is something special. There’s so much optimism and excitement. His speech was just excellent.’” (Jake Stump and Justin D. Anderson, “Manchin, Others Praise Long-Anticipated Speech,” The Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 1/21/09)

Before The Inauguration, Manchin Said Obama’s Plan For A Stimulus Package Would Jumpstart The Economy

• In December 2008, Manchin Said Obama’s Plan For An Economic Stimulus Package With Funding For Infrastructure Projects Would Jumpstart The U.S. Economy Immediately By Creating Jobs And Demand For Construction Materials. “After meetings with President-elect Barack Obama on Monday and Tuesday, Gov. Joe Manchin said he is convinced Obama will move quickly on economic stimulus packages for the states. Manchin said federal funding for highway construction and other infrastructure projects would jump-start the U.S. economy by immediately creating jobs and demand for construction materials. ‘With infrastructure projects, these jobs are ready to go tomorrow,’ Manchin said Tuesday afternoon, after Obama met with the Democratic Governors Association Monday evening and the National Governors Association Tuesday morning in Philadelphia.” (Phil Kabler, “Obama Will Help, Manchin Says,” The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 12/3/08)

• “Manchin Said, ‘He’s [Obama’s] Not Just Throwing Money At This (Recession). He Wants To Make Sure There Are Investments And Value.’” (George Hohmann, “Manchin Says Obama Here To Help,” Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 12/3/08)

By Early 2010, Manchin Claimed The Stimulus Had Provided A “Shot In The Arm” To WV And Would Make A Different In The Job Market

• In January 2010, “Manchin Said Federal Stimulus Money Had Provided A ‘Much-Needed Shot In The Arm’ To West Virginia, But The Funds Won’t Address All Of The State’s Challenges.” (Eric Eyre, “Manchin Calls For Lower Business Taxes, More Construction,” The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 1/14/10)

• In February 2010, Manchin Said The Stimulus Would “Make A Big Difference In The Job Market.” Q “Looking back at the success of the stimulus package, there seems to be a sense that a lot of states are making hard decisions and maybe it wasn’t such a great thing after all. Do you share that assessment? Do you think it’s fair?” . . . Gov. Manchin: “There’s an awful lot of that money that is coming out now going towards infrastructure — projects, state by state, I think it will make a big difference in the job market.” (Press Conference With Governor Joe Manchin (D-WV) et al, 2/22/10)

The post Facing Re-Election, Joe Manchin Now Sings A Different Tune On Obama Presidency appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to hear arguments on President Barack Obama’s massive health care overhaul, West Virginia voters are reminded that U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) voted earlier this year to keep the measure, known as ObamaCare, as the law of the land.

The Associated Press reports:

The Supreme Court said Monday it will hear arguments next March over President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul – a case that could shake the political landscape just as voters are about to decide if Obama deserves another term. The decision to hear arguments in the spring allows plenty of time for a decision in late June, just over four months before Election Day. This sets up an election-year showdown over the White House’s main domestic policy achievement. The justices announced they will hear more than five hours of arguments, an extraordinarily long session, from lawyers on the constitutionality of a provision at the heart of the law and other related questions about the act. The central provision in question is the requirement that individuals buy health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty.

“The Supreme Court’s decision to weigh in on ObamaCare is yet another reminder to West Virginians that Senator Manchin voted to keep this onerous federal mandate as the law of the land,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.  “It’s clear that folks in West Virginia continue to reject the Obama-Manchin health care overhaul, yet Manchin continues to side with President Obama over the objections of his state’s families and small businesses.”

The post As Supreme Court Prepares To Weigh In, West Virginians Reminded That Manchin Voted To Keep ObamaCare appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Even as virtually every major small-business group expressed their concern that a new, permanent tax on America’s job creators would “significantly impair” job creation, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) once again voted in lockstep with President Obama today in support of yet another round of massive government spending – making Manchin three-for-three when it comes to voting for Obama’s “stimulus” spending proposals, despite claiming he’s concerned “about the level of spending that President Obama has proposed.”

“It seems Joe Manchin has never met one of President Obama’s big government spending bills that he didn’t like, and today’s vote is just another example of his reckless spending record in Washington,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond said today.  “It also represents a defining difference in next year’s election – Joe Manchin believes it’s the federal government that creates jobs, through higher taxes and more debt, while Republicans believe government should get its boot off the backs of America’s small businesses so that they can create jobs and grow our economy.”

Notably, Manchin’s vote for Stimulus 2.0 came just one day after President Obama campaigned for his latest spending bill yesterday at an event in the tony Georgetown neighborhood of Washington D.C. – a city which actually received nearly 10 times the national average of funding per capita from the first $825 billion stimulus, but where unemployment has actually increased from 8.6 percent to 11.1 percent since the Democrats charged it to the national credit card more than two years ago.

Meanwhile, as Manchin and his fellow liberal Democrats continue to hold votes on spending bills that are designed to fail, as they remain focused on next year’s election instead of helping the economy, they continue to block a key element of the President’s jobs bill which actually has bipartisan support.  Even as the House of Representatives last week overwhelmingly voted to repeal a tax provision for government contractors that the White House says will help the economy, Senate Democrats such as Manchin refused to hold a vote on it today.

What America’s Job Creators Are Saying About Stimulus 2.0

‘Would Significantly Impair… Small Businesses And Entrepreneurs’

U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE: “The Chamber strongly opposes the job killing tax hikes on small businesses—the drivers of job creation and economic growth in America—provided in the ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act.’” (“Letter On S.1769, The ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act,’” U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, 11/1/11)

• “The ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act’ is a charade because it would do little to address these and other transportation infrastructure challenges.” (“Letter On S.1769, The ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act,’” U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, 11/1/11)

• “…a burdensome and onerous tax increase on Americas small businesses, entrepreneurs and other job creators… it would significantly impair the ability of small businesses and entrepreneurs to create jobs and grow the U.S. economy.” (“Letter On S.1769, The ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act,’” U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, 11/1/11)

• “Simply put, this bill is nothing more than a tax increase masquerading as the answer to America’s transportation infrastructure investment challenges.” (“Letter On S.1769, The ‘Rebuild America Jobs Act,’” U.S. Chamber Of Commerce, 11/1/11)

‘4 Out Of 5 Of The Taxpayers Who Will Face This Surtax Are Business Owners’

“…the Senate legislation would pay for this new stimulus spending bill by raising tax rates on hundreds of thousands of business owners, a job killing tax hike…” (The Tax Relief Coalition Management Committee Letter, 11/2/11)

• “…the Obama Administration’s own data demonstrates that 4 out of 5 of the taxpayers who will face this surtax are business owners…” (The Tax Relief Coalition Management Committee Letter, 11/2/11)

• “…the burden of the proposed tax increases would fall disproportionately on the income of America’s small and mid-sized businesses…” (The Tax Relief Coalition Management Committee Letter, 11/2/11)

• “…the proposal before the Senate is a job killing punitive tax hike that moves our tax code in the exact opposite direction from where we should be going if we want to see job creation and economic growth.” (The Tax Relief Coalition Management Committee Letter, 11/2/11)

“The Tax Relief Coalition (TRC), an organization of more than 1,000 trade associations, corporations and advocacy groups…” (The Tax Relief Coalition Management Committee Letter, 11/2/11)

• “TRC members represent 1.8 million businesses of all sizes, from every state and from every industry sector – businesses that invest in our economy and create jobs.” (The Tax Relief Coalition Management Committee Letter, 11/2/11)

US Chamber Of Commerce

National Federation Of Independent Businesses

National Association Of Manufacturers

National Association Of Wholesaler-Distributors

Associated General Contractors

International Foodservice Distributors Association

‘Falls Short’ ‘Does Not Include Any Of The Reforms Needed’

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS: “…it falls short of our desire for multiyear funding certainty.” (The Associated General Contractors Of America, Letter, 11/2/11)

• “It also includes a permanent increase in the income tax on individuals, many of whom are undoubtedly small business owners.” (The Associated General Contractors Of America, Letter, 11/2/11)

• “It does not extend the Highway Trust Fund spending authority and it does not include any of the reforms needed to enhance the delivery of transportation improvements that our country needs…” (The Associated General Contractors Of America, Letter, 11/2/11)

• “…could potentially sideline a great bipartisan opportunity to improve and reauthorize the country’s transportation programs.” (The Associated General Contractors Of America, Letter, 11/2/11)

MANCHIN WORDS:

‘Serious Questions About The Level Of Spending That President Obama Has Proposed’ 

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “I have serious questions about the level of spending that President Obama has proposed, as well as the actual effectiveness some of these policies will have when it comes to creating jobs…” (“Manchin’s Strategy For Surviving 2012 In A Red State: Bash President Obama,” The Hill, 9/14/11)

MANCHIN ACTIONS:

Support President Obama’s Stimulus Proposal 3 Times In A Row

Sen. Manchin ‘To Sponsor New Legislation’ That ‘Resembles The Infrastructure Spending’ In Obama’s Stimulus Bill:

• “Manchin is joining several other Senate Democrats to sponsor new legislation after one piece of President Barack Obama’s $447 billion American Jobs Act failed the Senate Oct. 20.” (WOWK-TV, 10/24/11)

• “The bill resembles the infrastructure spending President Barack Obama proposed in his ill-fated jobs bill, which has stalled in Congress. The president’s $447 billion plan also included $50 billion for highways, transit, rail and aviation projects.” (“Manchin Jobs Bill Touts Infrastructure Spending,” Charleston Daily Mail [WV], 10/25/11)

Sen. Manchin Votes YEA On Motion To Proceed To Teacher and First Responders Spending As A Part Of Obama’s Stimulus Bill: (S. 1723, Roll Call Vote #177, Cloture Motion Rejected 50-50: R 0-46; D-49-2; I 1-1, 10/20/11)

Sen. Manchin Votes YEA On Motion To Proceed To Obama’s Stimulus Bill: (S.1660, Roll Call Vote # 160, Cloture Motion Rejected 50-49: R 0-46; D 48-3; I 2-0, 10/11/11)

The post Once Again, Joe Manchin Stands Behind Obama Spending Agenda, Instead of Standing With West Virginia Job Creators appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

As Democrat U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) prepares to hold a press conference at 1:30PM today with Obama Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood to tout President Obama’s latest spending proposal, a $50 billion “infrastructure” stimulus, West Virginians are reminded that – despite claiming he’s concerned “about the level of spending that President Obama has proposed” – Manchin is three-for-three in voting for Obama’s “stimulus” spending proposals.

As Manchin and his friends in the Obama Administration once again tout taxpayer-funded “shovel-ready” “infrastructure” projects, the Washington Post reports today that federal watchdog Gregory H. Freidman – who first raised concerns over the ongoing Solyndra scandal – is “critical of the administration for touting the existence of ‘shovel ready’ projects [in the original $825 billion ‘stimulus’] that needed federal funding in order to be quickly completed.” 

In several of his investigations, Friedman has noted that the political push to quickly create jobs and spur economic development didn’t match up with economic realities on the ground… From the start, administration critics were skeptical that enough such projects existed to spur the economy. And Friedman agrees. “In reality, few actual ‘shovel ready’ projects existed,” he said. Instead, projects benefiting from Energy Department money “required extensive advance planning, organizational enhancements, and additional staffing and training” that delayed the quick distribution of stimulus dollars. 

“Once again, Joe Manchin is saying one thing in West Virginia but doing the opposite in Washington, putting his friend President Obama’s liberal spending agenda ahead of the best interests of West Virginia taxpayers,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.  “Despite claiming he’s concerned about Obama’s spending, Manchin is actually three-for-three in support of Obama’s new ‘stimulus’ spending proposals, and that tells folks in West Virginia all they need to know about who Manchin is looking out for in Washington.” 

Background Information:

MANCHIN WORDS:

‘Serious Questions About The Level Of Spending That President Obama Has Proposed’ 

SEN. JOE MANCHIN (D-WV): “I have serious questions about the level of spending that President Obama has proposed, as well as the actual effectiveness some of these policies will have when it comes to creating jobs…” (“Manchin’s Strategy For Surviving 2012 In A Red State: Bash President Obama,” The Hill, 9/14/11)

MANCHIN ACTIONS:

Support President Obama’s Stimulus Proposal 3 Times In A Row

Sen. Manchin ‘To Sponsor New Legislation’ That ‘Resembles The Infrastructure Spending’ In Obama’s Stimulus Bill:

• “Manchin is joining several other Senate Democrats to sponsor new legislation after one piece of President Barack Obama’s $447 billion American Jobs Act failed the Senate Oct. 20.” (WOWK-TV, 10/24/11)

• “The bill resembles the infrastructure spending President Barack Obama proposed in his ill-fated jobs bill, which has stalled in Congress. The president’s $447 billion plan also included $50 billion for highways, transit, rail and aviation projects.” (“Manchin Jobs Bill Touts Infrastructure Spending,” Charleston Daily Mail [WV], 10/25/11)

Sen. Manchin Votes YEA On Motion To Proceed To Teacher and First Responders Spending As A Part Of Obama’s Stimulus Bill: (S. 1723, Roll Call Vote #177, Cloture Motion Rejected 50-50: R 0-46; D-49-2; I 1-1, 10/20/11)

Sen. Manchin Votes YEA On Motion To Proceed To Obama’s Stimulus Bill: (S.1660, Roll Call Vote # 160, Cloture Motion Rejected 50-49: R 0-46; D 48-3; I 2-0, 10/11/11)

The post As Manchin Holds “Stimulus” Presser With Top Obama Official, West Virginians Reminded His Words Don’t Match His Deeds appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

But after the bill passed the House of Representatives, it was revealed that, in fact, only 5 percent of the so-called “stimulus” was spent on infrastructure.  A few months later, it was revealed that billions of dollars were given to tax cheats and millions of dollars were spent in fictitious congressional districts like a $1,000,000 project in West Virginia’s non-existent “54^th Congressional District.”

Now that it’s been widely accepted that the first stimulus was a boondoggle that never lived up to Obama and Manchin’s promises, Manchin and Obama want a do-over as Democrats in the Senate will be voting on a $50 billion “infrastructure” stimulus later this week, of which Politico reports Manchin is a co-sponsor.

As The Hill reports: 

President Obama’s proposal to create a national infrastructure bank and spend $50 billion on transportation to stimulate job growth will be up for a vote in the Senate this week. … The president incorporated it into his proposal for a $447 billion jobs act, which the Senate is now voting on in pieces after its rejection as a package. 

“Joe Manchin and President Obama promised their original $825 billion ‘stimulus’ would focus on infrastructure projects, but rather than explaining what went wrong, Manchin wants another $50 billion in government stimulus so he and Obama can have a mulligan,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.  “With our country’s debt at nearly $15 trillion, West Virginia simply cannot afford the job-killing, tax-and-spend experiments of Barack Obama and Joe Manchin.”

BACKGROUND 

Manchin Said Obama’s Plan For An Economic Stimulus Package With Funding For Infrastructure Projects Would Jumpstart The U.S. Economy Immediately By Creating Jobs And Demand For Construction Materials. “After meetings with President-elect Barack Obama on Monday and Tuesday, Gov. Joe Manchin said he is convinced Obama will move quickly on economic stimulus packages for the states. Manchin said federal funding for highway construction and other infrastructure projects would jump-start the U.S. economy by immediately creating jobs and demand for construction materials. ‘With infrastructure projects, these jobs are ready to go tomorrow,’ Manchin said Tuesday afternoon, after Obama met with the Democratic Governors Association Monday evening and the National Governors Association Tuesday morning in Philadelphia.” (Phil Kabler, “Obama Will Help, Manchin Says,” The Charleston [WV] Gazette, 12/3/08)

“Manchin Said, ‘He’s [Obama’s] Not Just Throwing Money At This [Recession]. He Wants To Make Sure There Are Investments And Value.’” (George Hohmann, “Manchin Says Obama Here To Help,” Charleston [WV] Daily Mail, 12/3/08)

The post After Claiming Their First $825 Billion Stimulus Would Be Spent On Infrastructure, Manchin & Obama Want A Mulligan appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

As Democrat Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) struggles to defend his support of ObamaCare, this month’s Kaiser Family Foundation health tracking poll shows that both Manchin and President Obama have even greater reason to fear West Virginia voters at the polls next year: their 2,700 page, $2.5 trillion health care law is less popular than ever.

The poll’s summary and toplines show a bleak picture for Manchin, Obama, and their fellow Washington Democrats:

• Overall favorability of the law stands at 34%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of very favorable support stands at 12%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of respondents who think they personally will be better off due to the law stands at a mere 18%, an all-time low;
• The percentage of respondents who think the country as a whole will be better off due to the law stands at 28%, an all-time low;
• Approval of the law among Democrats dropped by 13% in the last month to only 52%, an all-time low.

Notably, Manchin voted earlier this year to keep ObamaCare as the law of the land.

“As approval for the Democrats’ massive health care overhaul hits an all-time low, West Virginians will remember that Joe Manchin voted to keep ObamaCare as the law of the land,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond today.  “When will Manchin finally acknowledge the reality that he and Obama’s health care debacle is so unpopular because of its onerous mandates, harmful results to West Virginia’s patients and doctors, and tremendous cost to West Virginia taxpayers?” 

The U.S. Senate Finance and U.S. House Energy and Commerce Committees released a joint report earlier this year, estimating that ObamaCare’s Medicaid spending mandates alone will cost states at least $118 billion through the first decade of full implementation (through 2013).  Specifically, the report reveals that ObamaCare’s new mandates will cost West Virginia $217 million over five years.

The post All-Time Low: Obama-Manchin Health Care Overhaul More Unpopular Than Ever… appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

In August, Congress created the bipartisan Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, otherwise known as the “Supercommittee,” with a mandate of trimming government borrowing by at least $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years.

At the time, Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) tried, and failed, to get himself a seat on the committee, and he said days ago that the committee “should strive for a responsible deficit-reduction package” that will “put our economy back on the right track.”  Over the last 24 hours, however, voters in West Virginia have started to get a better idea of what, exactly, Senator Manchin and his fellow liberal Democrats in Congress meant by that.

Late yesterday, Senate Democrats leaked their current proposal to numerous media outlets, and its highlights include $1.3 trillion in new tax hikes, as well as upwards of $300 billion in new “stimulus” spending sought by President Obama.

“It’s a remarkable commentary on the misplaced priorities and addiction to spending by Democrats in Washington that they would propose massive tax hikes and even more government spending, instead of making a serious effort to pay down our almost $15 trillion debt.  We look forward to hearing from Senator Manchin himself on his party’s proposal,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.

BACKGROUND ON SENATE DEMOCRATS’ “DEFICIT REDUCTION” PROPOSAL…..

• Democrats suggested Wednesday that too much has already been cut from non-defense spending to come up with $1.2 trillion in cuts over the next 10 years, as sources offered a few details about a Democratic proposal to collect $1.3 trillion via tax hikes, stimulus spending and benefits cuts. (Fox News, “Democrats Balk at Non-Defense Spending Cuts, Float Alternative Proposal to Super Committee,” 10/26/2011)

• In a private meeting of the deficit panel Tuesday, Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.), chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, presented a proposal backed by a majority of Democrats on the panel that includes more than a trillion dollars in tax increases. The revenue would partially cover stimulus spending for the economy, aides said.  More than 50 percent of the deficit reduction in the plan would come from tax increases, one source said. (The Hill, “Supercommittee Dems push for stimulus to be part of deficit deal,” 10/26/2011)

• According to congressional sources, the plan includes a roughly equal mix of spending cuts and revenue increases; between $200 billion and $300 billion in new economic stimulus spending that would be paid for with lower interest payments from reducing deficits. (Reuters, “US Democrats seek up to $3 trln in budget savings,” 10/26/2011)

• Congressional Democrats are urging the debt-reduction supercommittee to pursue a far-reaching agreement to slice $3 trillion from the federal budget over the next decade through significant cuts to federal health programs, including Medicare, and as much as $1.3 trillion in new taxes. (Washington Post, “Congressional Democrats offer $3 trillion debt deal,” 10/26/2011)

• Aides said Democrats also had included new spending measures aimed at boosting job-creation in their plan, and proposed using some of the savings they had identified to offset the budgetary cost of these measures. (Wall Street Journal, “Democrats’ Deficit Plan Rejected by GOP,” 10/26/2011)

• Aides confirmed reports that Baucus also pressed members of the super committee to approve the president’s request for as much as $300 billion in new stimulus, another idea GOP members of the exclusive panel have strongly resisted. (ABC News, “Details of Dem Proposal Leak Out of Super Committee,” GOP Silent on Next Move, 10/26/2011)

• What Democrats are doing is playing the exact same game as President Obama played with House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, during the debt limit talks, when he made an offer Boehner couldn’t accept, and then leaked it to the press. In both cases, the point is to feign a willingness to offer cuts to entitlements, and then impose unacceptable conditions on Republicans in attempt to paint them as being intransigent. (Washington Examiner, “Super cmte” Dems propose tax hikes, more stimulus, 10/26/2011)

• Of course, what else would you expect from a group of lawmakers that hasn’t passed an actual budget in nearly three years? (National Review Online, “Senate Dems Propose Massive Tax Hike, More Stimulus ,” 10/26/2011)

The post Is $1.3 Trillion In Tax Hikes & More “Stimulus” Spending What Manchin Meant By “A Responsible Deficit-Reduction Package”? appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Just days after a bipartisan coalition representing over 1.8 million small businesses in West Virginia and across the country made clear in no uncertain terms that it would further harm their ability to create and grow jobs, U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) ignored the concerns of West Virginia’s job creators and today voted in favor of President Obama’s latest stimulus proposal, which includes a massive tax hike on West Virginia business owners.

As President Obama’s own Treasury Department acknowledges, four out of five people who would be hit by the Manchin-Obama surtax are business owners – the same people we need to create new jobs.  Fortunately, the latest Manchin-Obama stimulus proposal was defeated in a bipartisan vote this evening.

“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, but that’s exactly what Senator Manchin and President Obama are looking to do by ramming through yet another big-government stimulus bill.  Manchin says this vote was just ‘procedural,’ but the truth is, this vote is the one that counts, and it’s a reminder to West Virginians that Manchin continues to put his loyalty to President Obama and anti-coal Harry Reid over the best interests of his state’s families and job creators,” National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond said today.

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND….

Jobs Groups Blast Dem Surtax

Groups Urge Senators To Oppose ‘Job Killing Tax Hike’ on ‘America’s Job Creators’ 

‘Would Seriously Impair Our Ability’ ‘To Put Our Unemployed Back To Work’

“Most importantly, the burden of the proposed tax increases would fall disproportionately on the income of America’s small and mid-sized businesses who pay taxes at individual rates.” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

• “…the proposal before the Senate is a job killing punitive tax hike that moves our tax code in the exact opposite direction from where we should be going if we want to see job creation and economic growth.” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

• “…America’s job creators… are critical to the effort to rebuild our economy and create the jobs necessary to put our unemployed back to work. Unfortunately, the Senate is expected to take up a bill next week that, if enacted, would seriously impair our ability to accomplish that goal.” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

‘4 Out Of 5 Of The Taxpayers Who Will Face This Surtax Are Business Owners’

“…the Obama Administration’s own data demonstrates that 4 out of 5 of the taxpayers who will face this surtax are business owners – and thus, increasing the tax burden on these business owners will reduce the amount of capital that they would otherwise have available to invest in their company or hire additional workers.” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

• “…the Senate legislation would pay for the President’s Jobs Bill by raising tax rates on hundreds of thousands of business owners, a job killing tax hike…” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

• “According to a recently-released Treasury Department study, 392,000 taxpayers reported incomes exceeding $1 million in 2007, 331,000 of those returns included business income, and 311,000 were ‘business owners’ under the Treasury Department’s narrow definition.” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

“The Tax Relief Coalition (TRC), an organization of more than 1,000 trade associations, corporations and advocacy groups…” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11)

• “TRC members represent 1.8 million businesses of all sizes, from every state and from every industry sector – businesses that invest in our economy and create jobs.” (Tax Relief Coalition Letter To US Senate, 10/7/11) 

US Chamber Of Commerce

National Federation Of Independent Businesses

National Association Of Manufacturers

National Association Of Wholesaler-Distributors

Associated General Contractors

International Foodservice Distributors Association

The Manchin-Obama Economic Record: By The Numbers:

The post Manchin Joins Obama In Backing Job-Killing Tax Hike On Job Creators appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Politico reports that the power grab “threatens to further inflame partisan tensions and stymie legislative action,” while the Atlantic notes that it “may fundamentally diminish the powers of the minority party in the Senate,” and that “both liberals and conservatives are troubled by what may come of it.”

Notably, in 2005, the late U.S. Senator Robert Byrd (D-WV) compared the “nuclear option” “to Hitler’s success in winning dictatorial powers from the German parliament.”  As the Allentown Morning Call reported at the time:

In March, Santorum took U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to task for comparing the Republican proposal on curbing filibusters — called the “nuclear option” by some — to Hitler’s success in winning dictatorial powers from the German parliament. “Hitler never abandoned the cloak of legality,” Byrd said. “He recognized the enormous psychological value of having the law on his side. That’s what the nuclear option seeks to do.”

“Last night’s vote is further proof that Joe Manchin is willing to recklessly put his Washington Democrat bosses’ narrow partisan agenda ahead of the best interests of West Virginia and the nation,” said National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) spokesman Chris Bond.  “It’s bad enough that Manchin supports President Obama’s reckless ‘stimulus’ spending and ObamaCare, but his rash move to permanently strip the minority party of fundamental rights is simply outrageous and goes against the interests of our democracy.”

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: 

“Shocking” Power-Grab By Senate Dems “Threatens To Further Inflame Partisan Tensions… Stymie Legislative Action,” “Could Be Replicated In The Future To Overhaul Bedrock Rules.”

“It’s known as the “nuclear option,” but just as with real nukes, the bomb is rarely dropped in battle. Reid did tonight.” (Karoun Demirjian, “Harry Reid changes arcane U.S. Senate rules to make a point,” The Las Vegas Sun, 10/6/11)

“In a shocking development Thursday evening, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) triggered a rarely used procedural option informally called the ‘nuclear option’ to change the Senate rules.” (Alexander Bolton, “Reid’s ‘Nuclear Option’ Changes Rules, Ends Repeat Filibusters,” The Hill, 10/6/11)

“…[T]he process employed by Democrats could be replicated in the future to overhaul bedrock rules like the filibuster. For that reason, both parties have tried to avoid employing such tactics to change the rules over the last several congressional sessions, including in a fierce 2005 battle that nearly limited the use of the filibuster.” (Manu Raju & Scott Wong, “Dems Change Rules; Senate In Chaos, Politico, 10/6/11)

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s move to suddenly overhaul a key Senate rule without warning infuriated Republicans and put an already bitterly divided chamber on edge as senators from both sides of the aisle traded angry accusations over whether the fight would fundamentally limit the rights of the minority party”. (Manu Raju & Scott Wong, “Dems Change Rules; Senate In Chaos, Politico, 10/6/11)

“… [U]nder the new procedure, senators can no longer move to waive the rules once a filibuster is defeated — a battle that threatens to further inflame partisan tensions and stymie legislative action at a time when frustration with Congress is at an all-time high.” (Manu Raju & Scott Wong, “Dems Change Rules; Senate In Chaos, Politico, 10/6/11)

“It was a precedent-setting night in the Senate Thursday evening and both liberals and conservatives are troubled by what may come of it.” (John Hudson, “A Night of Chaos in the Senate Worries Both Left and Right,” The Atlantic, 10/7/11)

“Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid overhauled a key Senate rule that may fundamentally diminish the powers of the minority party in the Senate.” (John Hudson, “A Night of Chaos in the Senate Worries Both Left and Right,” The Atlantic, 10/7/11)

And on MSNBC’s Daily Rundown this morning…

KELLY O’DONNELL: …And it really is important, because both sides say they revere the rules of the senate. Why is that so important? Because everybody likes to have a predictable set of rules to fight out these political battles. And what happened is, Harry Reid, Democrat in charge of the Senate, pulled a surprise move, got other Democrats to vote against the call of the referee, if you will, known as the Parliamentarian, to shut down Republicans, who did want to take a political vote, wanted to force the Senate to do what the President has asked, vote on his jobs bill. That’s not popular with Democrats. They’re already retooling it, putting in some different ways to pay for it, so they didn’t want to take that vote. That’s the backdrop of this. But the bigger issue going forward is, you just don’t see the Senate up and change its own rules. That’s really rankled people. And so, there were heated moments, in terms of the way the Senate behaves, when they get their kind of fuming moments, pacing on the floor, that really stands out, that’s unusual. So, if you think about this as – you know, you love sports analogies – so you know, you’re allowed to kind of run down the clock if you’re the minority party. You’re allowed to slow things down. People don’t like it, necessarily, but you’re allowed. Harry Reid decided to change those rules and there will be fallout for a lot of time to come.

CHUCK TODD: I was just going to say, the unintended consequence of this action, long term hit on the Senate.

KELLY O’DONNELL: Yes.

–

Senator Robert Byrd Compared The Republicans Use Of The Nuclear Option In 2005 To Hitler’s Success In Becoming Dictator In Pre-World War II Germany.  “In March, Santorum took U.S. Sen. Robert Byrd, D-W.Va., to task for comparing the Republican proposal on curbing filibusters — called the ‘nuclear option’ by some — to Hitler’s success in winning dictatorial powers from the German parliament. ‘Hitler never abandoned the cloak of legality,’ Byrd said. ‘He recognized the enormous psychological value of having the law on his side. That’s what the nuclear option seeks to do.’” (Jeff Miller, “Santorum backs away from Hitler comment, had scolded Byrd for similar reference,” Morning Call, 5/20/05)

The post In “Shocking” Power Grab, Manchin & Democrat Party Bosses Use “Nuclear Option” To Quash Minority Rights appeared first on NRSC - National Republican Senatorial Committee.