Blog

Cassidy Responds To The President's State Of The Union Address

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:35:00 GMT

President Not Listening To The American People

Louisiana Congressman Bill Cassidy released the following statement on the President Obama's State of the Union Address:

"This was a great opportunity for the President to prove that he is listening to the American people. In large measure, he proved he is not."

"It was speech filled with contradiction. The President said job creation is his top priority, then went on to advocate for a Cap & Trade bill that will wreak havoc on the economy. He spoke of lowering health costs, then advocated for bills in Congress that independent experts have said will not lower costs. He spoke of cutting the debt, then advocated for more spending."

"But the President should be commended for advocating serious earmark reform. Transparency, accountability, and oversight are the keys to cutting waste, fraud, and abuse in government, and I look forward to working with him to enact these reforms."

###

Cassidy Calls For Transparency In Health Care Negotiations

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:36:00 GMT

Louisiana Congressman Bill Cassidy made the following statement after signing a Discharge Petition to force a vote on H.Res. 847, a bill that would bring transparency to health care negotiations that are currently being held behind closed doors:

"What began as a conversation about how to make health care more affordable has morphed into dishonest game to pass something - anything at all - without regard for facts, consequences, or costs."

"If the Democratic Leadership were proud of this bill, if they thought it would actually lower costs and improve health care, they wouldn't want it to be a secret; they'd want every camera in Washington. By hiding behind closed doors, they are effectively asking the American people to swallow a bottle of pills now and read the label later."

Background

On eight separate occasions between November 27, 2007 and November 14, 2008, President Obama pledged that all health care reform negotiations would take place on CSPAN to make the debate, "transparent and accountable to the American people."

On December 30, 2009, C-SPAN CEO Brian Lamb wrote to Congressional Leadership to, "respectfully request that you allow the public full access, through television, to legislation that will affect the lives of every single American," and offered to, "commit the necessary resources to covering all of these sessions live and in their entirety."

In response, Speaker Pelosi denied Lamb's request for transparency, saying, "There are a number of things [President Obama] was for on the campaign trail."

The Discharge Petition is a rare procedural maneuver, which, when signed by a majority of the House, will force a vote on a bill the Speaker refuses to bring up for consideration. 158 members of the House, including Cassidy, are co-sponsors of H.Res. 847.

###

Cassidy: Jobs Summit No Substitute For Effective Jobs Policy

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:39:00 GMT

Louisiana Congressman Bill Cassidy made the following statement on the President's Jobs Summit:

"Tax hikes and regulation create uncertainty, uncertainty leads to caution, and caution inhibits hiring. By pushing a budget with $1.4 trillion in new taxes, an $894 billion Cap & Trade energy tax, and a health care bill with $730 billion in tax hikes, the Administration has made small businesses reluctant to hire."

"The facts show that the Administration's tax and spend agenda does not create jobs. The American people were promised immediate job creation when the $787 billion 'Stimulus' bill passed in February. Nine months later, the unemployment rate has risen to 10.2%. Over 30,000 Louisiana workers have lost their jobs during this period."

"Republicans have offered a menu of less expensive and more effective alternatives. If the President is honest about the facts and serious about creating jobs, he'll give these alternatives serious consideration."

Background

Cassidy's economic agenda includes:

The Economic Recovery and Middle-Class Tax Relief Act of 2009 (H.R. 470), an alternative stimulus package featuring broad and targeted tax relief designed to jumpstart consumer spending;
The House Republican Economic Recovery Plan, an alternative economic stimulus proposal providing tax relief for working families, assistance to small businesses, aid for the uninsured, and measures to stabilize the housing market;
The Savings Recovery Act (H.R. 2021), legislation to help restore and build savings through assistance for students, seniors, and families;
The Responsible Homeowner Act (H.R. 1903), legislation aimed at rejuvenating the housing market through targeted incentives and homeowner assistance; and
The No-Cost Stimulus Act (H.R. 1431), a plan to strengthen America's energy security, grow GDP by $10 trillion, and create an estimated 2 million jobs by repealing certain restrictions on the utilization of American energy resources.

###

Bill Cassidy Sets The Record Straight On WAFB

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:09:00 GMT

Talks Social Security, Attack Ads, and Economic Recovery with WAFB

(click on image to see interview)

Bill Cassidy believes in having an open dialogue with American people about the challenges facing our nation. Don Cazayoux and his liberal supporters in DC have spent close to $1 million to spread lies about Bill Cassidy's position on Social Security. In an interview on WAFB this morning, Bill Cassidy set the record straight.

Excerpt of remarks by Bill Cassidy on WAFB:

"I have never said I wanted to privatize Social Security, and if you don't want to talk about issues, if you don't want to talk about the fact that I am the pro-life, pro-Second Amendment candidate who supports John McCain; who is for lower taxes -- who would actually vote for lower taxes instead of just talk about it -- then you make up lies about other issues."

(...)

"Don Cazayoux voted to put the State Retirement system in the Stock Market. Now, he voted for that, thinking it was a good idea -- the State workers version of Social Security -- but now he criticizes me because I point out that people have done that in the past as a way to improve the financial standing.

Now again, if you don't want to talk about the fact that 70% of your contributions are from out of state; that you want to take away the workers' right to a secret ballot, as Mr. Cazayoux does, then instead of talk about my positions -- which is to let the workers have a secret ballot, lower taxes rather than raise them, strengthen Social Security and find a way to do it -- then you attack me."

Governor Jindal: 'Cassidy Will Be A Great Congressman For Louisiana'

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 19:28:00 GMT

Responds to "attack ads from Washington"

(Baton Rouge, LA): Bill Cassidy for Congress will begin airing a new television ad this week, featuring Governor Bobby Jindal. Governor Jindal endorsed Bill Cassidy early in the race and hosted the first campaign fundraiser, but this is the first ad featuring the Governor.

According to a survey of likely voters taken October 22-23 by Fabrizio, McLaughlin & Associates, the race in Louisiana's Sixth Congressional District is a statistical dead-heat between incumbent Don Cazayoux and Republican challenger Bill Cassidy. In that poll, only 40.6% stated that they believed "Don Cazayoux has performed his job as Congressman well enough to deserve re-election."

The ad by Governor Jindal responds to the attack ads from Don Cazayoux and his Washington DC supporters.

Chris Ingram, a spokesman for the Bill Cassidy campaign, issued the following statement:

"Governor Bobby Jindal has a proven record of reform, integrity, and conservative values that the voters of Louisiana know and trust. The Governor was disturbed by the national Democrats' misleading attack ads against Bill Cassidy, and he offered to help set the record straight. Congressman Cazayoux and Liberal Special Interests have spent a million dollars lying about Bill Cassidy, but the voters of Louisiana are tired of DC lies."