Defunding Obamacare Toolkit for Activists Summer 2013

TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
Defunding Obamacare
Toolkit for Activists
Summer 2013
Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
Table of Contents
How to Use this Toolkit…………………………………………………………………………………………………… 3 Why the Senator Lee Letter…………………………………………………………………………………………….. 4 Text of Senator Lee’s Letter……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5 Talking points on Obamacare………………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 Sample Social Media posts…………………………………………………………………………………………........ 7 The Relationship between Obamacare and the IRS: A Frightening Connection…………………. 8 How to Write a Letter to the Editor………………………………………………………………………………….. 9 Suggested Responses for Congressional Offices………………………………………………………………… 10 Sample letter to Senator about Defunding Obamacare………………………………………………………. 12 Sample letter to Congressman about Defunding Obamacare……………………………………………… 13 Media Clips and Highlights of the Exempt America Tour……………………………………………………. 14 About Tea Party Patriots………………………………………………………………………………………………….. 17 2
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How to Use this Toolkit Dear Patriots: Tea Party Patriots’ support team provides weekly toolkits that correspond to the major legislative battles taking place in Washington, DC. This toolkit aims to provide background information and sample tools for engagement on the topic of defunding Obamacare. This toolkit is designed to be used by individuals and groups alike. We have included many resources, such as letters to the editor, which can be signed by an individual or an entire tea party group. We encourage you to use the sample blog posts, sample social media, and sample letters as a guideline to start your own creative process. If you see something missing, or have any recommendations for future toolkits, please let us know. We always love to hear how local groups and individual activists are using these resources to get engaged. In liberty, The Tea Party Patriots’ National Support Team Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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Why the Senator Lee Letter? The implementation of Obamacare is widely acknowledged to be a train wreck. The problems with the law are numerous and even President Obama, one of the most ardent advocates of the law, recognizes the problems with the law and has been attempting to exempt his political friends from the full impact of the law. In other instances, President Obama and his administration have illegally delayed implementation of several key provisions of the law because the law simply is not ready to take effect. President Obama has offered thousands of waivers to unions and politically-­‐connected businesses over the past three years. Big Labor, Big Businss, and Big Government have all received their own special carve-­‐outs, exemptions, and waivers. But what about the rest of America? If this law is not ready for prime-­‐time, doesn’t it make sense to exempt all Americans? At Tea Party Patriots, we think all Americans deserve an Obamacare exemption. The law’s regulations and taxes are already forcing businesses to shed employees and cut back on employees’ wages. Doctors have warned that the law will damage the doctor-­‐patient relationship. And millions of individuals across the country have already seen major changes to their health insurance plans, including dramatic price increases. Senator Mike Lee (R-­‐UT), recently wrote a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, in which he calls upon the Senate to stop funding Obamacare. Despite what many critics claim, the letter does not call for shutting down the government. The letter simply makes the common-­‐sense case that we must not fund a law so severely flawed that it is already damaging our economy and our nation’s health care industry. The text of the letter can be found on the following page. We encourage you to call your Senator and ask him or her to sign this letter today! Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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Talking Points on Obamacare •
Our nation simply cannot afford Obamacare. The new law adds trillions to our nation’s debt. •
Obamacare’s mandates and regulations are already driving up health insurance costs. Obamacare gives bureaucrats and other unelected officials in Washington, DC too much power. The law creates more than 150 new agencies, boards, and commissions made up of unelected people who are not accountable to us! Furthermore, the law grants hundreds of new powers and authorities to the Secretary of Health and Human Services. Obamacare’s “individual mandate” is an attack on individual liberty. The individual mandate requires all citizens to buy government-­‐approved health insurance or pay a fine to the IRS. The IRS is greatly expanded because of Obamacare. The IRS, which has already proven its lack of trustworthiness with our personal and sensitive information, will hire 16,000 new agents. Our health records and tax records will be housed in one central database, and the same IRS agents who illegally targeted conservatives will now have access to our personal health care records. Obamacare’s implementation has been going so badly that President Obama has resorted to illegally delaying implementing some of the law’s key provisions. As the Executive Branch, and the enforcer of laws, he has no Constitutional power to rewrite the sections of the law that are inconvenient to his administration or unpopular with his supports, such as the unions. The Obama administration has issued more than 1,000 waivers and exemptions for the law to their political allies in Congress, in Big Business, and in Big Labor. •
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Sample Social Media Posts on Obamacare Note: The two special hashtags we are using for this effort are: #dontfundit and #nomoretrainwrecks.
Sample Tweets for Twitter: Senators, don’t fund Obamacare! #dontfundit Thank you, @SenMikeLee for your leadership! #dontfundit Obamacare is a train wreck. #dontfundit #nomoretrainwrecks Sample Post for Facebook:
When Obamacare was signed into law in March of 2010, then-­‐Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi famously said we had to “pass the law to find out what was in it.” How right she was. Over the past three and a half years, Americans have seen first-­‐hand that the law was poorly designed and was passed under false pretences. Democrats in Congress promised that the law would expand coverage, reduce the deficit, and improve quality care. On each count, they were wrong. Even those who initially supported the law, including Congressional staffers and union leaders, are now seeing the law’s negative impact and requesting their own waivers. Over the past three years, the White House has issued numerous waivers and exemptions for Big Labor, Big Business, and Big Government. Even Congress now has its own special exemption from the health care law. One of the most important aspects of the rule of law in the United States is the fair and equal application of the law. We should not have one set of laws for one group of people and a completely different set of laws for other groups of people. But with Obamacare, that’s exactly what is happening. The ruling elite in Washington, DC does not have abide by the very law they wrote and are forcing us to live under! Similarly, the unions and big businesses with political connections have managed to secure their own exemptions. But what about the rest of Americans? Don’t we deserve to be exempt from this harmful law that is already damaging the economy? Learn more at www.exemptamerica.com Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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The Relationship between Obamacare and the IRS: A Frightening Connection Obamacare gives unprecedented powers and authority to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) – the same agency that for three years was targeting and harassing conservative organizations. Obamacare includes 47 major changes to the revenue code. According to the IRS Inspector General, these 47 changes "represent the largest set of tax law changes the IRS has had to implement in more than 20 years." In order to implement all of these Obamacare tax rules, the IRS has requested funding for 1,954 new agents to begin in 2014. Perhaps the most frightening aspect of Obamacare’s expansion of the IRS is the fact that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the IRS are now working together to create a massive online database with personal information. This database is the largest personal database the government has ever attempted. The database is called the Federal Data Services Hub and is a central portal where individuals’ medical records, citizenship information, criminal records, and all of their tax information on file with the IRS will be collected. The IRS must be reined in, not given more powers and authority. Obamacare is an unwieldy law that gives a dangerous amount of control and discretion to an agency that has already proven how untrustworthy it is. Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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How to Write a Letter to the Editor What is a Letter to the Editor? A letter to the editor is a letter written to the Editor of a newspaper. The letter is an opportunity for you to express your opinion about a recent article published in the paper or an issue in the news. Writing letters to the editor is an important engagement tool for activists. They allow activists to do the following: 1) Reach a broader audience than you normally would have; 2) Hold your local journalists accountable; 3) Present alternative views on political issues. Letters to the editor are usually found in the first section of the newspaper or on the editorial page. Guidelines for Getting a Letter to the editor Published Most newspapers publish guidelines with their specific requirements for getting a letter published, but here are some general rules that will help you get your letter to the editor published. * Include your name and address and a telephone number where you can be reached. * Be respectful and courteous, even when disagreeing with the Editorial Board about a specific issue. * Be specific. If you are opposed to Obamacare, mention the specific reasons why. Provide examples. * Cite your sources. If you include any quoted material, be sure to correctly cite your source or attribute the quote. * Use proper grammar. Spellcheck your letter and be sure to use proper grammar. Refer to The Elements of Style for a great overview of effective writing. * Be concise. Letters to the editor are much more likely to be published if they are 300 words or less. Make your point as clearly and concisely as possible. Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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Suggested Responses to Congressional Offices & Members of the Press about Defunding Obamacare Part I: Possible Responses to Arguments from Congressional Staffers about Defunding Obamacare 1. CONGRESSIONAL STAFF REPLY: "Even if you 'shut down the government' Obamacare still has mandatory spending so you cannot stop funding it." -­‐-­‐-­‐> Let's be clear, we are calling to fund the entire government except for the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and nothing more extreme than that as you are falsely implying. Do not put words in my mouth.1 -­‐-­‐-­‐> Stop passing the buck and acting as if the House of Representatives and the Senate have no authority in the country. It was Congress that made the portions of the Affordable Care Act "mandatory" and Congress can change that by passing a bill and sending it to the President to sign. -­‐-­‐-­‐> The President has already amended this law unlawfully and unconstitutionally by delaying the business mandates and by allowing the Office of Personnel Management to pay subsidies for Congress and their staff, effectively exempting them from the law. Congress is doing nothing to stop those things. We are calling for the lawful, constitutional legislative process to take place. Are you going to stand for the rule of law or not? Are you going to allow big business and yourself to be exempt from a law you expect me and other taxpayers to abide by and pay for? 2. CONGRESSIONAL STAFF REPLY: "No, Congress and their staffers are not exempt from Obamacare/Affordable Care Act." -­‐-­‐-­‐> President Obama illegally authorized the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to effectively exempt high-­‐paid Congressional staffers from the full impact of Obamacare.2 By allowing OPM to grant subsidies to Congressional staffers ($5,000 for individuals and $11,000 for families), the Congressional staffers are granted a de facto waiver from Obamacare. While the rest of Americans will experience health insurance rate increases and pay decreases, Congress and the Obama Administration found a way to circumvent the law for themselves.3 1 For additional information about mandatory spending, see this article by The Heritage Foundation: http://www.heritage.org/research/factsheets/2013/08/can-­‐appropriations-­‐bills-­‐defund-­‐obamacare 2 For more information, see this article: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/355176/congresss-­‐obamacare-­‐
waiver-­‐michael-­‐f-­‐cannon
3 For additional information, see this article: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/aug/7/opmfleshes-out-congresss-obamacare-subsidy-rule/
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-­‐-­‐-­‐> The President has already amended this law unlawfully and unconstitutionally by delaying the business mandates and by allowing the Office of Personnel Management to pay subsidies for Congress and their staff effectively exempting them from the law. Congress is doing nothing to stop those things. We are calling for the lawful, constitutional legislative process to take place. Are you going to stand for the rule of law or not? Are you going to allow big business and yourself to be exempt from a law you expect me and other taxpayers to abide by and pay for? Part I: Possible Responses to Questions from Members of the Media about Defunding Obamacare 1. What happens when you shut down the government and you are blamed for it? -­‐-­‐-­‐> We are simply calling to fund the entire government except for the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare. -­‐-­‐-­‐> If Congress is willing to defund this terrible law and stand up for the American people, the American people will support them. -­‐-­‐-­‐> Does the President, does Congress actually want to stand up and give big business, big labor, and big government exemptions, delays, and waivers yet not give the people the same treatment? We are a country where all men are created equal. Congress and the President are acting above the law and not treating themselves equally. Are they really willing to do that? 2. What about the uninsured who will get their care from the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare? -­‐-­‐-­‐> Health insurance does not equal health care. There are several studies that show that patients on Medicaid have no noticeably improved health outcome over people who completely lack health insurance. After studying 800,000 patients, the study’s authors at the University of Virginia concluded that patients on Medicaid (a program that Obamacare greatly expands) are just as likely, and sometimes more likely, to die than patients without any health insurance coverage.4 3. What about the people with pre-­‐existing conditions who cannot get health insurance without the Affordable Care Act/Obamacare? -­‐-­‐-­‐> Health insurance does not equal health care. There are several studies that show that patients on Medicaid have no noticeably improved health outcome over people who completely lack health insurance. After studying 800,000 patients, the study’s authors at the University of Virginia concluded that patients on Medicaid (a program that Obamacare greatly expands) are just as likely, and sometimes more likely, to die than patients without any health insurance coverage.5 For full details about the academic study, see this link:
http://www.americansurgical.info/abstracts/2010/18.cgi
5 Ibid.
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Sample Letter to Senator about Defunding Obamacare
Note: This letter is specifically designed for those Republican Senators who campaigned against Obamacare or have spoken against Obamacare, but are not supporting the Defund effort. [INSERT YOUR NAME]
[INSERT YOUR ADDRESS]
Senator [FULL NAME] [ADDRESS] _______________________ _______________________ [INSERT DATE]
Dear Senator: I am writing as your constituent to tell you that I am extremely disappointed that you have not yet signed Senator Mike Lee’s letter to defund Obamacare. Senator Lee has written a very simple letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, urging the Senate to defund Obamacare. This letter, despite what critics claim, is not an effort to shut down the government. Congress does have the authority to defund Obamacare while fully funding every other government program. Senator Lee’s letter asks the very important question: If President Obama will not implement Obamacare as it is written, why should the American taxpayers be forced to fund it? Obamacare, by the President’s own tacit admission, is simply not ready to be implemented. He and his administration have taken it upon themselves to delay certain aspects of the law and to rewrite other portions. Why should Americans be expected to pay for this lawlessness? Given the failures of Obamacare, it is imperative that you and your colleagues in the Senate vote for defunding Obamacare in a single Continuing Resolution bill. Americans are tired of the gimmicks and games in Washington, DC. We understand that the language to defund Obamacare must be in a single CR, and we will not settle for any gimmicks this time. You have consistently voiced your opposition to Obamacare, an unworkable and unfair law, and I applaud you for doing that. But signing Senator Mike Lee’s letter is one of the easiest steps you could take to help ensure that this law – with its devastating implications for our nation’s health care system and economy – does not go into effect. It is baffling that someone as staunchly opposed to Obamacare as you claim to be would sit this fight out. If you vote to fund Obamacare, you are voting for the unfair exemptions and the illegal delays and waivers. As Senator Lee correctly notes, if you fund it, you assume ownership of Obamacare. I hope we can count on you to sign your name to the Mike Lee letter and support defunding Obamacare in the Continuing Resolution. Sincerely, _________________________________
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Sample Letter to Congressman about Defunding Obamacare
Note: As of September 9th, the House Republican Leadership is preparing to offer a gimmicky bill that would provide political cover for Republicans who vote for funding Obamacare. [INSERT YOUR NAME] [INSERT YOUR ADDRESS] The Honorable[FULL NAME] [ADDRESS] [INSERT DATE] Dear Congressman: I am writing as your constituent to tell you that I am extremely disappointed that you have not yet signed Congressman Mark Meadows’ letter to defund Obamacare. Congressman Meadows has written a very simple letter to the House Leadership, urging them to defund Obamacare. This letter, despite what critics claim, is not an effort to shut down the government. Congress does have the authority to defund Obamacare while fully funding every other government program. Obamacare is an unworkable and unaffordable train wreck. Obamacare was passed under the pretext that it would lower health insurance costs, expand health care access, and reduce the federal deficit. On each of these counts, Obamacare has failed. In order to mitigate the damage of this terrible law, President Obama and his administration have offered thousands of waivers and exemptions to Big Government, Big Labor, and Big Business. But for the rest of America, we are forced to comply with this law, despite its many shortcomings and failures. We are now hearing that Majority Leader Eric Cantor and several other House Republicans are preparing to offer a Continuing Resolution through a legislative gimmick that would allow the House GOP to vote for a bill that would fund Obamacare, without having to take the blame for it. In other words, this is a Republican-­‐orchestrated effort to dupe the American people into thinking the Republicans have voted to oppose Obamacare funding, when in fact they are simply creating a political shenanigan to provide “cover” for themselves. Americans are tired of the gimmicks and the political maneuvering. When you are on the campaign trail or back in your district, you claim to share our concerns about Obamacare. But when you are in Washington, it’s politics as usual. Americans are overwhelmingly opposed to Obamacare. We’re also overwhelmingly opposed to funding this disastrous law. But, perhaps more than anything, we are opposed to the political games that are played in Washington. Americans are paying attention and we are wise to Washington’s antics. For the past two election cycles, Americans have entrusted the GOP with the majority of the House – on the sole basis of the Party’s stated opposition to Obamacare. We expect more out of our leaders than gimmicks and short-­‐term Continuing Resolutions. We demand that Obamacare be defunded for the long-­‐term, and we demand that the Republicans quit playing games to provide political cover for supporting Obamacare. Sincerely, _________________________________ Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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Media Clips and Highlights from Exempt America Tour
USA Today: Tea Party groups push to block funding for Obamacare
Catalina Camia, USA TODAY 4:50 p.m. EDT August 27, 2013 Showdown over government funding for health care law signed by President Obama could occur when Congress returns from summer break. WASHINGTON -­‐-­‐ Tea Party groups are launching a multistate tour Tuesday aimed at garnering support to defund the national health care law signed by President Obama, ending with a Sept. 10 Capitol Hill rally as Congress returns from summer break. The Exempt America tour kicks off in Lexington, Ky., aimed at putting pressure on Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell to support Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky in their effort to withhold government funds to implement the health care law critics deride as "Obamacare." The Capitol Hill rally — featuring Lee, Cruz and Paul among others — will come just a few weeks before the Oct. 1launch date for open enrollment under the health care law. On that date, health insurance exchanges will also begin to help people find and buy insurance coverage as the law mandates. "If these Washington politicians think they can simply go home on summer break and claim they are doing everything they can to get rid of Obamacare, they have another thing coming," said Brent Bozell, chairman of For America, one of the seven Tea Party groups behind the tour. The Obama administration has pressed forward with the law's implementation, noting a Supreme Court ruling last year that upheld its constitutionality. The Exempt America tour stops Wednesday in Austin and targets John Cornyn of Texas, the GOP's No. 2 leader, and on Thursday in Jackson, Miss. to put pressure on Sen. Roger Wicker, R-­‐Miss, a top appropriator. Other stops include Columbia, S.C., on Sept. 3, targeting Sen. Lindsey Graham, and in Richmond, Va., on Sept. 4, aimed at House Majority Leader Eric Cantor. The issue of funding the health care law has divided Republicans, prompting fears of a possible government shutdown. McConnell and Cornyn are advocating a less aggressive approach than blocking government spending and do not support the efforts by the Tea Party groups and their allies in Congress. Any move to not pay for the health care law's implementation would face a battle in the Democratic-­‐
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House Speaker John Boehner is also opposed to the defunding effort. Eighty Republicans — representing more than one-­‐third of House GOP members — recently sent a letter to Boehner saying they support withholding government funds to implement the law. Congress has until Sept. 30 to approve year-­‐long spending bills or adopt a temporary measure that would extend government programs into the next fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1. Before the congressional recess began in August, Lee sent Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a letter saying he and other senators will not support a resolution to fund the government or any appropriations bill if it includes money for the health care law. At least a dozen Republicans have either signed Lee's letter or publicly stated their support. Cruz recently said that he and his Tea Party-­‐backed allies do not have the votes to block funding for the health care law, but said a "grass-­‐roots tsunami" would help them succeed. Sarah Palin, the 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, endorsed the anti-­‐Obamacare movement on Tuesday. "Forced enrollment in Obama's 'Unaffordable Care Act' is weeks away," Palin said in a statement posted by the Senate Conservatives Fund, an organization supporting candidates who buck the GOP establishment. "This beast must be stopped — by not funding it." RedState: This is “Read My Lips” All Over Again And now ForAmerica and Tea Party Patriots have joined together in more town halls and online efforts. ForAmerica and Tea Party Patriots are doing an “Exempt America Tour” targeting Republicans. Their tour covers Lexington, Kentucky; Austin, Texas; Jackson, Mississippi; Columbia, South Carolina; Richmond, Virginia and DC. ForAmerica has 3.5 million fans on its Facebook page and is urging all of them to call their Congressmen. I’m told they’ve already generated over 30,000 calls, including 7,000 to John Boehner. CNN, USA Today, and local media around the country are paying attention to the efforts. An hour after ForAmerica urged people to call Eric Cantor’s office, more than 1,000 people did. In one hour. Politico: House Conservatives Prep for Fiscal Fights Groups like Heritage Action and ForAmerica are pushing conservatives to back proposals to defund Obamacare. “Conservatives, be they elected, activists, or voters, see this as the best last chance we have to stop Obamacare before it cements its place in history and wreaks havoc on our health care system and the economy,” said conservative strategist Greg Mueller. “And, it’s not as hard as some GOPers and Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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the media are making it out to be. It is more hysterics. All the House needs to do is pass CR that funds everything except Obamacare, then toss it to the Senate and let Obama and the Senate Dems, including Red State Dems up for reelection, either not fund the government over it or agree to vote to defund, which essentially delays Obamacare implementation for another year.” CNN: Defund Obamacare Supporters Target Top Republicans Conservatives backing a move to shut down the federal government if funding isn’t cut off for President Barack Obama’s health care law by the end of September are launching a tour starting Tuesday to put pressure on leading Republicans in Congress. The first target of the push by Tea Party Patriots and ForAmerica is Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. The groups are planning a news conference in Lexington, Kentucky, Tuesday, near McConnell’s offices. The Republican is running for a sixth term in the Senate next year. The next day the Tea Party Patriots and ForAmerica will hold an event in Austin, Texas, near Sen. John Cornyn’s office. The number two ranking Senate Republican is also up for re-­‐election in 2014. Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, and House Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia will also be in the groups’ sights during the tour, which is scheduled to conclude September 4. … “Sadly, there are scores of hypocritical Republicans who have just been giving lip service to voters at home with no intention of living up to their promises in Washington. How can they tell their constituents that they are opposed to ObamaCare and then vote to have those same constituents pay for it?” wrote Tea Party Patriots co-­‐founder Jenny Beth Martin and ForAmerica Chairman Brent Bozell in an op-­‐ed in USA Today. Defunding Obamacare Toolkit
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About Tea Party Patriots The Tea Party Patriots’ mission is to restore America’s founding principles of Fiscal Responsibility, Constitutionally Limited Government and Free Markets. OUR CORE PRINCIPLES FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY means not overspending, and not burdening our children and grandchildren with our bills. In the words of Thomas Jefferson: “the principle of spending money to be paid by posterity [is] swindling futurity on a large scale.” A more fiscally responsible government will take fewer taxes from our paychecks. CONSTITUTIONALLY LIMITED GOVERNMENT means power resides with the people and not with the government. Governing should be done at the most local level possible where it can be held accountable. America’s founders believed that government power should be limited, enumerated, and constrained by our Constitution. Tea Party Patriots agree. The American people make this country great, not our government. FREE MARKET ECONOMICS made America an economic superpower that for at least two centuries provided subsequent generations of Americans more opportunities and higher standards of living. An erosion of our free markets through government intervention is at the heart of America’s current economic decline, stagnating jobs, and spiraling debt and deficits. Failures in government programs and government-­‐controlled financial markets helped spark the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. Further government interventions and takeovers have made this Great Recession longer and deeper. A renewed focus on free markets will lead to a more vibrant economy creating jobs and higher standards of living for future generations.