For the Record…

Why primary Benishek?

Let us count the whys…

The 4 R’s: Read It; Reduce It; Repeal It; Reform It

Dan thinks the three R’s are great for schools. But Congress need’s 4 R’s:

Read It. Dan actually thinks it’s crazy that this should even need to be said, but the biggest change you could make to Congress is to make them all read the bills they’re voting on. Washington’s biggest messes are coming from legislation no one has read.

Reduce It. We’re $13 trillion in the hole, and on the brink of a financial meltdown that will ruin the nation because Congress won’t stop spending. Dan will. It will be hard. It will take lots of sacrifice. But we can’t leave this debt for our kids to pay back.

Repeal It. The health care bill is a mess. It needs to be repealed, and replaced with real reforms to put patients–not bureaucrats–in charge of health care.

Reform It. Out with the career politicians. Out with the special interests. And in with the voices of taxpaying American citizens who agree that enough is enough.

Identify constitutionality in every new congressional bill.

Benishek signed the Contract From America

The Contract from America, clause 1. Protect the Constitution:

Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does.

Audit federal agencies, to reform or eliminate them.

Benishek signed the Contract From America

The Contract from America, clause 5. Restore Fiscal Responsibility & Constitutionally Limited Government in Washington:

Create a Blue Ribbon taskforce that engages in a complete audit of federal agencies and programs, assessing their Constitutionality,

Moratorium on all earmarks until budget is balanced.

Benishek signed the Contract From America

The Contract from America, clause 9. Stop the Pork:

Place a moratorium on all earmarks until the budget is balanced, and then require a 2/3 majority to pass any earmark.

Source: http://www.ontheissues.org/MI/Dan_Benishek_Government_Reform.htm

Number one…the gov’t shutdown…

Vote Date: October 16, 2013 Vote: AYE Bad Vote. Continuing Resolution (GOP Cave-in).

The impasse over the continuing appropriations bill came to an end when, on the 16th day of the partial government shutdown, the House concurred in a Senate amendment that rewrote the House bill H.R. 2775, which had only contained a provision to prevent ObamaCare subsidies to individuals without verifying income, etc. As amended, the bill suspended the federal debt limit through February 7, 2014, and continued funding government operations through January 15, 2014 at the fiscal 2013 post-sequestration spending level. It did not include any provision to defund ObamaCare

On October 16, 2013, Rep. Hal Rogers (R-Ky.) offered a motion to concur in the Senate amendment, and the House agreed to his motion by a vote of 285 to 144 (Roll Call 550).

We have assigned pluses to the nays because the negotiated deal contained in this bill constituted a cave-in by 87 Republicans that ended the government shutdown as well as the Republican attempt to defund the unconstitutional ObamaCare law.

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Number two…the NSA…

Vote Date: July 24, 2013 Vote: NAY Bad Vote.

NSA Surveillance of Phone Records.

During consideration of the defense appropriations bill (H.R. 2397), Rep. Justin Amash (R-Mich.) offered an amendment to end the blanket collection of records under the Patriot Act. Amash’s amendment would also prevent the NSA and other agencies from using provisions of the Patriot Act to collect records, including phone records, from persons who are not subject to an investigation. As Rep. Amash noted during the debate on his amendment, “My amendment … limits the government’s collection of the records to those records that pertain to a person who is the subject of an investigation pursuant to section 215 [of the Patriot Act].”

The House rejected Amash’s amendment on July 24, 2013 by a vote of 205 to 217 (Roll Call 412).

We have assigned pluses to the yeas because any effort to limit the collection of Americans’ personal information by the surveillance state is a good thing. Blanket collection of electronic records of citizens who are not under investigation is a violation of the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition on search and seizure without a warrant

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Number three…this one’s a LULU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Vote Date: June 13, 2013 Vote: NAY Bad Vote.

Indefinite Military Detention.

During consideration of the defense authorization bill (H.R. 1960), Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) offered an amendment to eliminate indefinite military detention of any person detained in the United States, its territories, or possessions, under the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force. Smith’s amendment would call for the immediate transfer of such detained persons to trial in a civilian court. Furthermore, Smith’s amendment would repeal a provision of the 2012 defense authorization law that requires mandatory military custody of members or associates of al-Qaeda who planned or carried out attacks against the United States or its coalition partners.

The House rejected Smith’s amendment on June 13, 2013 by a vote of 200 to 226 (Roll Call 228).

We have assigned pluses to the yeas because indefinite detention without trial is a serious violation of long-cherished legal protections including the right to habeas corpus, the issuance of a warrant based on probable cause (Fourth Amendment), and the right to a “speedy and public” trial (Sixth Amendment). Under the National Defense Authorization Act, the president may abrogate these rights simply by designating terror suspects, including Americans, as “enemy combatants.” A government that would lock up anyone indefinitely without trial is certainly moving toward tyranny, and legislation to prevent this abuse of power is needed.

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Number four…More domestic spying…

Vote Date: April 18, 2013 Vote: AYE Bad Vote.

Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA). This legislation (H.R. 624) would further legalize the massive sharing of private-user online data by Internet companies with federal government agencies, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), that has already been happening for years. As Robert X. Cringely posted in his article “The CISPA Circus: Send in the Clowns” onInfoWorld.com on April 19, the day after the CISPA bill passed in the House: “The problem with CISPA is that in its current form it’s still vague and ripe for abuse. It absolves corporations of being responsible for what happens to the data they’ve collected. It allows data sharing with the entire federal government, not just the parts responsible for ensuring our safety. It circumvents other laws designed to limit governmental access to private information. And it can be deployed for a wide range of perceived threats that have nothing to do with attacks on our nation’s infrastructure.”

The House passed CISPA on April 18, 2013 by a vote of 288 to 127 (Roll Call 117).

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Number five…Another CR…

Vote Date: March 21, 2013 Vote: AYE Bad Vote.

Continuing Appropriations for Fiscal 2013. This appropriations bill (H.R. 933) would finance the federal government through the end of fiscal 2013. Its provisions include five full-year appropriations bills – Agriculture, Commerce-Justice-Science, Defense, Homeland Security, and Military Construction-VA. It would also continue appropriations for the remainder of the federal government at 2012 levels, with certain adjustments. The spending includes $1.043 trillion in “discretionary” (non-mandatory) spending before sequestration.

In general, this appropriations bill perpetuates the Washington spendathon without making the needed decisions to slash government spending and eliminate deficit spending – projected to be $973 billion for fiscal 2013 in the budget Obama submitted in April.

The House agreed to this legislation on March 21, 2013 by a vote of 318 to 109 (Roll Call 89).

We have assigned pluses to the nays because passage of this mammoth continuing resolution provided a way for Congress to perpetuate its fiscally irresponsible, unconstitutional spending habits with a minimum of accountability to its constituents.

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So…if you’re keeping score (there IS more, but time and space etc…) let’s recap…

He signed the “Contract from America”…yet voted FOR not one, but TWO CRs, one of which defeated the sequester…

He voted for not ONE, but TWO domestic spying bills…violating the 4^th amendment…

Identify constitutionality in every new congressional bill.

Benishek signed the Contract From America

The Contract from America, clause 1. Protect the Constitution:

Require each bill to identify the specific provision of the Constitution that gives Congress the power to do what the bill does.

Ahhh, but I repeat myself, or rather On The Issues.org…

Last but NOT AT ALL least…INDEFINITE MILITARY DETENTION…

And THAT was an amendment to the NDAA introduced by a DEMOCRAT!!!!

Had “Enough” of Benishek yet???