George Allen for United States Senate
It was great to see such a tremendous response to our “Ask George Allen” page, thank you for your questions! I’m sorry I can’t get to every one of them, but please keep them coming by submitting them here: I’ll try to answer as many as I can in the coming weeks! Click on the link below to see my answers to this week’s questions.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 27, 2011
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
It’s Time for Real “Energy Action”
From The Daily Caller
By George Allen
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Two months ago, President Obama announced his latest stimulus proposal, which is a continuation of the same failed policies we’ve seen over the last three years — higher taxes to fund more costly government spending programs.
Absent from the president’s rhetoric was any mention of unleashing America’s energy resources, a proven way to create more than a million new, good-paying jobs here in the USA.
Virginia and the nation deserve better. With 9.1 percent unemployment and more than 14 million Americans looking for work, it is time for this administration to start viewing America’s energy resources as a blessing, not a curse.
One of the major components of my comprehensive, pro-growth plan for jobs — “The Blueprint for America’s Comeback” — is the aggressive pursuit of energy freedom by opening up access to America’s plentiful energy resources and taking control of our own energy destiny.
Fortunately, an opportunity exists for the president to take real action right now to strengthen America’s energy security and create jobs.
Earlier this month, I joined Governor Bob McDonnell and leaders from across Virginia in urging the Obama administration to approve the construction of an advanced pipeline linking Canada and the United States.
The Keystone XL Project will bring more than 700,000 additional barrels of domestic and Canadian oil each day to refineries in Texas. Construction alone will mean jobs for as many as 20,000 Americans, and related economic activity is projected to bring around 100,000 additional hires. Property tax revenues in states through which the pipeline passes could exceed $5 billion, meaning more resources for schools, roads and public safety. And the energy flowing through the pipeline will be from our closest neighbor and ally, not from an unstable and unfriendly foreign regime.
With so much to gain, why is the White House delaying? The Obama administration has yet to approve the permit needed for construction to begin. Bureaucrats and politicians in Washington, D.C. are standing in the way of a project that would create thousands of new jobs, increase our long-term supply of affordable energy and generate revenues without raising taxes.
When it comes to energy, this is just the latest contradiction between the president’s words and his actions. Since 2008, President Obama has touted the job-creating promise of his energy agenda. Instead, we see misused taxpayer funds for unreliable, expensive energy schemes; higher fuel prices; blocked energy development of American coal, oil and natural gas resources; and continued high unemployment over 9 percent.
The good news is that America has the most plentiful energy resources of any country in the world. Our reserves and recoverable oil, natural gas and coal exceed the resources of such energy giants as Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.
Despite this bounty, our dependence on foreign oil is greater today than it was in the days of President Jimmy Carter’s gas lines. Federal bureaucrats continue to hold America’s energy resources “off limits,” and promising ventures like the Keystone pipeline are stopped at the Canadian border.
Read More: http://dailycaller.com/2011/10/27/its-time-for-real-energy-action/
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It’s Time for Real “Energy Action”
The Daily Caller
By George Allen
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Two months ago, President Obama announced his latest stimulus proposal, which is a continuation of the same failed policies we’ve seen over the last three years — higher taxes to fund more costly government spending programs.
Absent from the president’s rhetoric was any mention of unleashing America’s energy resources, a proven way to create more than a million new, good-paying jobs here in the USA.
Virginia and the nation deserve better. With 9.1 percent unemployment and more than 14 million Americans looking for work, it is time for this administration to start viewing America’s energy resources as a blessing, not a curse.
One of the major components of my comprehensive, pro-growth plan for jobs — “The Blueprint for America’s Comeback” — is the aggressive pursuit of energy freedom by opening up access to America’s plentiful energy resources and taking control of our own energy destiny.
Fortunately, an opportunity exists for the president to take real action right now to strengthen America’s energy security and create jobs.
Earlier this month, I joined Governor Bob McDonnell and leaders from across Virginia in urging the Obama administration to approve the construction of an advanced pipeline linking Canada and the United States.
The Keystone XL Project will bring more than 700,000 additional barrels of domestic and Canadian oil each day to refineries in Texas. Construction alone will mean jobs for as many as 20,000 Americans, and related economic activity is projected to bring around 100,000 additional hires. Property tax revenues in states through which the pipeline passes could exceed $5 billion, meaning more resources for schools, roads and public safety. And the energy flowing through the pipeline will be from our closest neighbor and ally, not from an unstable and unfriendly foreign regime.
With so much to gain, why is the White House delaying? The Obama administration has yet to approve the permit needed for construction to begin. Bureaucrats and politicians in Washington, D.C. are standing in the way of a project that would create thousands of new jobs, increase our long-term supply of affordable energy and generate revenues without raising taxes.
When it comes to energy, this is just the latest contradiction between the president’s words and his actions. Since 2008, President Obama has touted the job-creating promise of his energy agenda. Instead, we see misused taxpayer funds for unreliable, expensive energy schemes; higher fuel prices; blocked energy development of American coal, oil and natural gas resources; and continued high unemployment over 9 percent.
The good news is that America has the most plentiful energy resources of any country in the world. Our reserves and recoverable oil, natural gas and coal exceed the resources of such energy giants as Saudi Arabia, China and Russia.
Despite this bounty, our dependence on foreign oil is greater today than it was in the days of President Jimmy Carter’s gas lines. Federal bureaucrats continue to hold America’s energy resources “off limits,” and promising ventures like the Keystone pipeline are stopped at the Canadian border.
A-Team: Last week George Allen headlined a fundraiser for Republican House of Delegates candidate Brian Schoeneman in Centreville, where he talked about jobs, transportation and the importance of this year’s State and local elections. He also discussed how his Freedom to Work agenda would keep jobs and tax dollars in Virginia by increasing competition for construction contracts and repealing the Depression-era Davis Bacon wage laws that are driving up costs.
Brian Schoneneman Reception Attracts Dozens of Supporters
Centreville Patch
By Irene Oladei
Centreville played host to a number of local and state politicians this week, including former governor and senator George Allen.
Allen, who is running for senate in the 2012 election against former Virginia governor Tim Kaine, headlined the fundraiser for 37th District Republican candidate Brian Schoeneman on Tuesday at the Centreville home of Wayne and Vickie Hull.
Allen emphasized the economy and transportation in Northern Virginia during his remarks.
“The number one issue is jobs,” Allen said. “Federal and state decisions affect this.” He said that the federal government uses the Davis-Bacon Act (DBA) wages, a Depression-era law, to determine how transportation contracts are granted for interstate projects throughout the state.
“Federally involved and federal-funded projects restrict competition in favor of unions,” he said. “Ninety-five percent of Virginia contractors are non-union.” He argued that a majority of federal transportation contracts go to contractors in neighboring states, costing Virginians not only jobs, but money.
Listen to Virginians, Mr. President
The Washington Times
By George Allen
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
President Obama just witnessed the defeat of his flawed stimulus bill that called for tax hikes to pay for more of the same failed policies that we have seen come out Washington. Even some Senate Democrats expressed the same concerns I have heard from Virginians – the bill is “terrible,” “invested far too little in actual job creation” and they can’t “support raising taxes so Washington can spend more.”
Such a setback should make apparent to the president what Virginia families know: Higher taxes and more government spending do not create jobs. Instead of working to reinvigorate the entrepreneurial spirit of America with the right economic, energy and education policies, the president has chosen to go on a taxpayer-funded bus tour to try to convince Virginians a second stimulus and higher taxes are a solution to our country’s problems.
As Mr. Obama makes a few stops in the Commonwealth on his bus tour, I hope he takes time away from his campaign events to listen to Virginians. The people of Virginia are anxious and worried about their families losing their jobs, looming tax increases, high fuel and electricity costs hurting their budgets and the rising health care costs and job impediments due to Obamacare. Here’s some advice:
1. Really listen: The president is visiting Virginia at a crucial time in the course of our history. America has had 32 consecutive months of unemployment above 8 percent, 1.5 million people have lost their jobs since the failed $825 billion stimulus and our confidence in the future is down. Incomes have dropped to levels not seen in 15 years. For the first time in the nation’s history, our credit rating is down – a further strain on the economy as well as our belief in the American Dream.
Families in Virginia know we are not better off due to the policies of Mr. Obama and former Democratic Gov. Tim Kaine during the past nearly three years. As a result, more and more people are becoming pessimistic about the future, concerned that the opportunities to succeed that they had in life won’t be around for their children and grandchildren. The president should take a break from his campaign events to really hear this message.
2. Do what works: Rather than recycle failed policies, Mr. Obama and Mr. Kaine, who was also chairman of the Democratic National Committee, need to focus on how to turn our economy around. It is time for America’s comeback. It starts with a pro-growth agenda based on our foundational principles of freedom, opportunity for all and personal responsibility rather than mandates, dictates, redistribution and dependency on government.
Click here to read more
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 7, 2011
“Proud”
Henrico, VA – At a Democrat meeting in Lynchburg, the News & Advance reported that Chairman Kaine said that he is “proud” of Virginia’s business success during his time as governor and “plans to put his record against his competition.”
Americans have suffered through nearly three years of the policies that Tim Kaine championed as President Obama’s hand-picked Democratic National Committee Chairman, and today the September jobs report fell “below the level economists say is needed to dent unemployment.” (National Journal, 10/7/11)
That may be a record to be “proud” of in Washington, but not Virginia.
The Kaine Record as Governor…
The Kaine Record as President Obama’s hand-picked Chairman of DNC…
“‘Proud’ is one of the last words Virginia families would use to describe Chairman Kaine’s record, which includes saying the President’s $800 billion failed stimulus would ‘jumpstart the economy,’ and pushing for $4 billion in higher taxes as Governor while the State lost over 100,000 jobs,” said Bill Riggs, Allen campaign spokesman. “His allies in Washington might be proud of that record, but Virginians have had enough of these policies that aren’t working to turn our economy around and help businesses create jobs.”
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 7, 2011
Statement from George Allen on the September Jobs Report
Henrico, VA – George Allen issued the following statement today on the September jobs report.
“Virginia families are hurting, businesses are struggling and today’s jobs report fell well short of what was needed to bring down an unemployment rate stuck at 9.1 percent. Taxes and burdensome regulations on small businesses pose a problem to our economic growth. It’s been nearly three years and the Obama-Kaine economy has resulted in 32 consecutive months of unemployment above 8 percent, and it’s clear that their policies aren’t making our lives any better.
“My Blueprint for America’s Comeback is a comprehensive pro-growth plan that will help create millions of new, private sector jobs by reforming and reducing the tax burden, reining in punishing regulations from unaccountable, unelected bureaucracies, unleashing America’s plentiful energy resources and putting a stop to the reckless tax and spend pattern in Washington that is stifling our economic recovery. We need to send a message to the rest of the world that America is ‘Open for Business Again!’”
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Advancing a new freedom-to-work agenda for America
The Washington Examiner
By George Allen
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Our Right-to-Work law is one of Virginia’s foundational strengths and competitive advantages. The laws that protect workplace Freedom have made Virginia one of the best places to start or grow a business, but not everyone sees things as we do.
This is especially true in Washington. Rather than recognizing the fact that Right-to-Work laws are good for everyone, President Obama’s administration and his allies seem bent on destroying them.
As I travel around Virginia, I am constantly reminded of the importance of our freedom to work. Virginians remind me about the companies that have relocated to or expanded in Virginia since we declared that “Virginia is Open for Business!” in 1994.
Others recall those 50,000 Virginians who have left the welfare rolls to find gainful employment. I often wonder how successful our economic development and ground-breaking welfare reform efforts would have been in a less job-friendly state.
These are not abstract concepts. These are real jobs created because Virginia respects and protects our Right to Work.
Through executive fiat and the intrusive action of the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB), the Obama administration and their congressional and big labor allies are waging war on private employers under the guise of protecting workers.
They believe that more regulation and government control will protect jobs, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Businesses create jobs when entrepreneurs believe that their anticipated return on investment outweighs the risks.
Over-regulation creates uncertainty and additional risk, which in turn stifles investment and diminishes job opportunities.
The threat to Virginia’s jobs from Washington is real, and it must be checked. From the President’s job-killing monstrous health-care dictates to his gigantic $1.5 trillion tax increase proposal and Executive Orders, bureaucracy and lawsuits trying to tell Boeing where it can build a business, the opponents of our freedom to work are seriously threatening.
That is why I have created a three-part Freedom to Work agenda that will 1) help America’s businesses create jobs; 2) save taxpayers money; and 3) protect the liberty of working men and women.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
October 6, 2011
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
Advancing a new freedom-to-work agenda for America
From The Washington Examiner
By George Allen
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Our Right-to-Work law is one of Virginia’s foundational strengths and competitive advantages. The laws that protect workplace Freedom have made Virginia one of the best places to start or grow a business, but not everyone sees things as we do.
This is especially true in Washington. Rather than recognizing the fact that Right-to-Work laws are good for everyone, President Obama’s administration and his allies seem bent on destroying them.
As I travel around Virginia, I am constantly reminded of the importance of our freedom to work. Virginians remind me about the companies that have relocated to or expanded in Virginia since we declared that “Virginia is Open for Business!” in 1994.
Others recall those 50,000 Virginians who have left the welfare rolls to find gainful employment. I often wonder how successful our economic development and ground-breaking welfare reform efforts would have been in a less job-friendly state.
These are not abstract concepts. These are real jobs created because Virginia respects and protects our Right to Work.
Through executive fiat and the intrusive action of the National Labor Relation Board (NLRB), the Obama administration and their congressional and big labor allies are waging war on private employers under the guise of protecting workers.
They believe that more regulation and government control will protect jobs, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. Businesses create jobs when entrepreneurs believe that their anticipated return on investment outweighs the risks.
Over-regulation creates uncertainty and additional risk, which in turn stifles investment and diminishes job opportunities.
The threat to Virginia’s jobs from Washington is real, and it must be checked. From the President’s job-killing monstrous health-care dictates to his gigantic $1.5 trillion tax increase proposal and Executive Orders, bureaucracy and lawsuits trying to tell Boeing where it can build a business, the opponents of our freedom to work are seriously threatening.
That is why I have created a three-part Freedom to Work agenda that will 1) help America’s businesses create jobs; 2) save taxpayers money; and 3) protect the liberty of working men and women.
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I’ll be speaking with Rick & Jane at 8:50 am on 1070 AM WINA Charlottesville about my new three-part Freedom to Work agenda which will ensure America’s businesses have every possible tool to create jobs. Click here to listen.
