Ed Martin For Congress » Taxes

Why We Must Have a Balanced Budget Amendment

Webmaster — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 22:44:33 +0000

The current debate over debt limits, deficits and spending cuts are important, but we cannot lose sight of the fact that the budget that will be agreed upon is only binding until the next budget is passed. Though Senators and Representatives speak loftily about trillions cut over ten years, the fact remains that Congress cannot bind its future hands. The next fiscal year is a clean slate, and once the heat is off it is back to mortgaging our children’s future to pay off well-connected interests.

Almost every state in the union has a balanced budget requirement in their constitution. Some are weak, some are strong, some are easily gamed by legislators, but they are there to protect the fiscal health of the state.

Only the constitution of a state can bind a future state legislature to fiscal responsibility. Only the constitution of the United States can bind future Congresses to the will of the States, a fact made all the more critical since the Federal government can print money whereas the States cannot.

Neither party has had the stomach to balance the nation’s books save for one short period in the 1990s. The latest spell of runaway spending has terrified the nation and roiled the people who see their children born with obligations in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Yes, we must stop spending more than we receive, but I have no faith that we will see fiscal discipline over the long haul without a balanced budget amendment. It is a shame that our political class must have such a sword dangled over their heads, but 70 years of profligate spending and half-hearted attempts at restraint have proven utterly that it is desperately needed.

Freedom Week Countdown – My Pledge to YOU – Jobs

Webmaster — Wed, 27 Oct 2010 13:09:33 +0000

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: Theresa Petry, (314) 807-7077
All Other Campaign Inquiries: (314) 256-1776

Jobs, Jobs, Jobs!

(ST. LOUIS, MO.) Oct. 26, 2010 – Jobs are without a doubt Ed Martin’s main focus. His dedication to creating shovel ready jobs is evident from his grassroots effort Shop Local-Hire Local to his determination to stop Cap and Trade, his Agricultural Advisory Group, lowering the regulatory burden on small businesses, to simply where he buys his shoes.

Ed Martin’s pledge today is: “I will work tirelessly and do everything possible to create shovel-ready jobs for Missouri’s 3^rd district. I will fight Cap and Trade and work to lower the regulatory burden on our small businesses. And I will not vote on a stimulus plan that simply benefits my family and does not create jobs.” – Ed Martin

Congressman Carnahan voted for the bailout of Chrysler. The auto company closed its Fenton plant and moved the jobs to Mexico and Canada. He never demanded any accountability in his bailout bargain vote. Carnahan also voted for spending billions on a stimulus bill that only created 568 jobs in Missouri’s 3^rd district. That stimulus funneled a $107 Million cash payment to his brother, Tom Carnahan’s wind mill farm. His brother’s wind farm may be why he also voted for Cap and Trade – which would be crippling for everyone from farmers, small businesses and families. Carnahan’s vote for the government takeover of health care also proved to be job-killing in this district.

For more information about Martin’s background and the campaign, visit EdMartinforCongress.com, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @ed4congress.

Theresa Petry
Press Secretary
“Ed Martin for Congress”
(314) 807-7077 (cell)

theresa.petry@edmartinforcongress.com
www.edmartinforcongress.com

Have You Read The Stimulus Bill Yet?

Webmaster — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:13:35 +0000

Charlie Brennen, host on KMOX radio in St. Louis asks Russ Carnahan point blank if he has read the 1000 page stimulus bill…

Hear the complete audio:

Carnahan to Sign Lame Duck Pledge for Jobs?

Webmaster — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:30:02 +0000

IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Press Contact: Theresa Petry, (314) 807-7077
All Other Campaign Inquiries: (314) 256-1776

Call on Congressman to Support Small Business/Job Growth

(ST. LOUIS, MO.) Sept. 30, 2010 – Today, Ed Martin sent a letter to Congressman Russ Carnahan requesting he sign a Lame Duck Pledge for Jobs. The Pledge states the Congressman will vote NO on any job-killing bills brought to the House floor by Nancy Pelosi as Congress convenes during the November/December lame-duck session of this Congress. It specifically addresses Cap and Trade, Amnesty for Illegal Immigrants, the Death Tax, Arbitration, Secret Ballots for Union Workers, and so called “Stimulus” money to special interests and family members.

“If Congressman Carnahan would take the time to listen to the small business owners in our district, as I have, then he would know that signing this pledge is in the best interest of everyone. He must realize that our local businesses and families are struggling and hurting. The fear of even more government red tape is such a burden that it is stifling business, clamping down on job growth and ultimately detrimental to our families – his constituents. The Congressman can’t be for the people – yet vote against them,” said Ed Martin.

For more information about Martin’s background and the campaign, visit EdMartinforCongress.com, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @ed4congress.

Theresa Petry
Press Secretary
“Ed Martin for Congress”
(314) 807-7077 (cell)

theresa.petry@edmartinforcongress.com
www.edmartinforcongress.com

Labor Day, 2010

Webmaster — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:06:49 +0000

Labor day is a day first established to celebrate ”the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations.” Today all of America’s workers enjoy the holiday, both those who are and are not organized. The interests of both categories of workers have converged and in most ways we are all in the same boat. As we enjoy the lovely weather and take the day off from our labors, I think it is important to look at where we are when work resumes on Tuesday.

Too many Missourians are out of work. Recessions are part of the cyclical life of an economy. I have lived through at least three, depending on how you count them, and while it is frustrating and worrisome, America has always bounced back, stronger than before.

This recession has enjoyed a great deal of “help” from the Federal government, or at least what has happened has been billed as help. As the various schemes to “help” the average worker have unfolded, we find the only folks helped were the politically connected.

Consider the Chrysler bailout, ostensibly to help stabilize the job situation for auto workers. First, the deal shut-down hundreds of dealerships. Sales staff were laid off at these firms, along with union service workers, disproportionately in areas away from an urban center. The decisions to shut down one dealership over another had nothing to do with the long-term economic health of the company, but rather was done under an airy rubric of “shared sacrifice.” In reality, the closures brought no measurable improvement to Chrysler’s bottom line, and may be a long-term detriment as buyers switch to other makes that have a local presence.

Fenton workers certainly shared in the “sacrifice” as they watched their tools, equipment and jobs packed up and shipped to Mexico and Canada. Their children and grandchildren will be paying the taxes that cover the cost of Chrysler’s bailout with no job to show for it. The Chrysler bailout fiasco is an unfortunate example of this congress’s incompetence.

The stimulus, another attempt by Congress to borrow enormous sums of money to shore up the economy is proving to be a colossal failure. Among the few types of projects we can all agree create jobs that benefit us all are “infrastructure” projects. How many times did we hear “shovel ready” jobs. The River Des Peres was built during the Great Depression era and benefits St. Louis to this day. However, in nearly a trillion dollars of borrowed money that we will have to pay back, only about 5% is going toward those sort of long-term infrastructure jobs. What of the other 95%? Did Russ Carnahan tell us only 5% will be going toward “shovel ready jobs? Who do we blame for this bald-faced lie?

Any reasonable person would see spending 300 million dollars in our district to make 561 jobs as an insulting waste of resources America simply does not have, but that’s what we have done here in Missouri’s 3^rd District. Millions of dollars have evaporated into the pockets of the politically astute. Congressman Carnahan’s brother Tom is in line to receive $90 million stimulus dollars for his wind farm, one example among thousands of insiders getting their “fair share” at our expense, with no accountability whatsoever, and no jobs as promised.

America’s workers are the most productive in the world, and we love to work. Our government has been overtaken by nannies bent on regulating every aspect of our lives and greedy politicians who cloy and grasp at every dollar they can send to their friends who in return send pennies on the dollar in campaign contributions for favored treatment. 55% of Russ Carnahan’s campaign war chest comes from political action committees who want to keep their place at the trough he fills with borrowed money.

The private sector is being strangled with red tape and robbed with high taxes, wrecking jobs that exist and preventing job growth that would normally occur naturally after an economic correction. It is Congressmen like Russ Carnahan tightening the collar.

These days, what we need in Congress are men and women with a conscience. One of my ancestors is James P. Mitchell (my grandmother’s father’s cousin, though we called him our “great uncle”) who served as Eisenhower’s Labor Secretary. Secretary Mitchell was well-regarded by both labor and business owners for his fairness and obvious concern for the workers of America. As I have come to understand my uncle’s career and approach, I see a man who knew that business owners and their employees need each other to succeed. This congress is punishing business owners without regard to the effect on the tens of thousands who are being thrown out of work, or kept off payrolls all over the country. I will work to be a leader like Secretary Mitchell, who provided commonsense leadership and put the needs of the people first.

No more wealth redistribution, giveaways to family members and campaign donors. Stop the takeover of health care, energy, and finance. Congress needs to change direction and chip away at the taxes and regulation that are creating uncertainty in the business community and destroying growth.

No more bailouts. No more regulatory burdens and stifling taxes for small business. I mean to go to congress and get the IRS and the bureaucracy off the neck of small business. From this new, free environment will flow jobs, jobs, jobs. Congress just needs to get out of the way.

Call on Carnahan to Pay Yacht Taxes

Webmaster — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 16:53:36 +0000

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Theresa Petry, (314) 807-7077

Carnahan should follow Senator Kerry’s Lead and Pay Up

(ST. LOUIS, MO.) July 28, 2010 – Join Ed Martin for a press conference at the St. Louis landing of the Mississippi River across from the Arch. As word spreads of Senator John Kerry coming forward to pay taxes on his yacht moored in another state, Ed Martin calls on Congressman Russ Carnahan to step forward and pay his taxes too.

When: Today July 28, 2010 at 11:30am

Where: Top of the stairs near the Arch

Just like Senator Kerry avoided paying taxes on his 76-foot yacht mooring it in Rhode Island, Congressman Carnahan is avoiding paying personal property taxes on his 42-foot yacht by docking it in Alton, Illinois instead of his hometown.

Unlike Senator Kerry, who in a recent written statement said, “The payment is being made promptly,” Congressman Carnahan continues to dodge taxes and questions surrounding his yacht. Kerry came forward in a matter of days; Carnahan’s tax evasion was brought to light in April yet the Congressman is still trying to sweep it under the rug.

Carnahan’s scandal delves deeper than just tax evasion too. His boat, “Attractive Nuisance,” went unregistered for years according to the U.S. Coast Guard Maritime Information Exchange. And he neglected to disclose his LLC on his yacht for years too.

For more information about Martin’s background and the campaign, visit EdMartinforCongress.com, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @ed4congress.

Theresa Petry
Press Secretary
“Ed Martin for Congress”
(314) 807-7077 (cell)

theresa.petry@edmartinforcongress.com
www.edmartinforcongress.com

Russ Carnahan – Mini Rangel?

Webmaster — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 18:19:07 +0000

Representative Charlie Rangel, after years of foot-dragging by The Most Honest, Most Open and Most Ethical Congress in History™, has actually been charged by the House with ethical lapses, and actually faces an investigation.

Why did it take so long for The Most Honest, Most Open and Most Ethical Congress in History™ to get around to looking into what are clear and egregious violations? To quote the Beatles, Congressman Rangel got by with a little help from his friends.

One of his friends was Congressman Russ Carnahan. In his time in office, Russ Carnahan repeatedly voted to keep investigators out of the powerful Ways and Means Committee chairman’s affairs. At least five times, Russ Carnahan was part of the ad hoc “Save Charlie Caucus”. You can imagine how appreciative Charlie Rangel must have been. Considering the comparison below between Russ Carnahan and Charlie Rangel, you can imagine how much Russ Carnahan would appreciate the precedent.


Russ Carnahan	Charles Rangel
Voted for tax increases, but avoided Missouri personal property taxes by parking yacht accross the river in Illinois	Voted for tax increases, but simply did not pay his taxes
Used his position to get 90 million in stimulus funds for his brother Tom Carnahan’s company, Wind Capital Group	Used his positions to get tax breaks for donors to a library named after him.
“Forgot” to disclose ownership in two corporations, one that owned his yacht, the other used in a sweetheart real estate deal with two campaign donors.	“Forgot” to pay taxes on rental property in the Dominican Republic.
Paid himself “rent” for office space out of campaign contributions, though his corporation did not appear to own office space.	Using rent controlled apartments for office space

Charlie Rangel is a lifelong liberal, clearly I disagree with him vigorously on issues. He is also a wounded veteran, having served his nation honorably. I find it tragic that over the decades his career rotted out – an argument for term limits I believe. Russ Carnahan’s lapses are a miniature version, different largely in degree, not by type. Russ and Charlie have parallel voting records, and in less than a decade, Russ has carved out a similar path toward the worst precincts of Washington.

I am running my campaign like I want Washington to run – lean and thrifty. I am proud of how the campaign staff squeezes every drop of benefit from contributions. You can count on your contribution of any amount – $10, $30, $50 or $100 beign used wisely.

In just a few days, the primary will be over. Some of you have the means to give the maximum prior to the election. Your total contribution of $2400 before August 3rd will helpo us win in November.

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	Ed Martin for Congress 6037 Hampton Avenue Saint Louis, Missouri 63109

Stimulus – Epic Failure

Webmaster — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 15:47:38 +0000

I heard a pastor say that you can either be humble, or be humiliated. The chart below, adapted from the slick packet used by the Nancy Pelosi and Barack Obama to sell America on mortgaging our future, details how the arrogance of the Obama administration is meeting its nemesis. Far from the mild unemployment and speedy recovery, we have historically high unemployment and we seem stuck there with no end in sight.

Nothing about this is surprising. Tea party activists all across the nation warned against the $787 billion dollar stimulus. We knew from managing our own financial lives that America cannot borrow and spend its way into prosperity. The Federal government has no money of its own to waste, it can only take it from the private sector – or in this case obligate. Billions in spending will, like night follows day, lead to billions in taxes. Businesses clinging by their fingernails know that various regulations like Cap and Trade and programs such as Obamacare will increase the cost of hiring a new employee or expanding their business. Couple this with the inevitable tax increases, the massive spending is having the opposite of its promised effect.

There is zero satisfaction in pointing this out, only the bitter knowledge that Congressman Russ Carnahan lacks the basic economic understanding that government spending of this nature benefits the economy. The American constitution in defining narrowly what the Federal government may do had the added effect in keeping the Federal government out of the way of the private sector. For two centuries America was able to pay its bills, only occasionally going into debt, then retiring that debt responsibly. This congress has found a wide variety of spending opportunities and have frivolously wasted it on pet projects that do nothing to deal with our most pressing issue – Americans need jobs.

The only thing that can save America is Americans. We need congress to stop spending, reduce regulation, relax taxes and undo legislation that has been signaling businesses that the Federal government is going to punish their efforts to prosper with higher taxes and increased red tape.

Rubberstamp Russ and the Limousine Liberals

Webmaster — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:43:33 +0000

America is $13 trillion in debt, but Russ is fronting an international boondoggle

Russ Carnahan has a new Limousine Liberal friend. Don Cheadle, lately in Iron Man II has glommed on to Congressman Russ Carnahan. Why? Because our congressman is pushing some cockamamie conservation scheme that “Directs the President, through the Coordinator for Global Conservation, to establish the International Conservation Strategy to help combat global natural resource and biodiversity degradation in developing countries.”

Mr. Cheadle who “has grown as a global activist since appearing in ‘Hotel Rwanda,’” has latched onto the effort to take our hard-earned cash and waste it on a Hollywood cause. Your tax dollars at work.

Thirteen trillion dollars ($13,000,000,000,000) – that’s how much debt America is in. To put this in perspective, this figure is over 90% of our gross domestic product for a year.

Put another way, every dollar produced in this nation from every hour worked, the value of every item manufactured, every service rendered and every good sold for a year would have to be pooled and used to pay off our debt. Obviously that is not how we pay off our debts, but this is the magnitude of our problem.

Any debt counselor will tell someone deeply in debt that they do not have an earning problem – they have a spending problem. Congress has for decades spent more than they took in. Even when tax cuts grew the economy they simply spent even more. Congressman Carnahan’s “global conservation” effort is just another example of a binge spender putting an expensive trinket on the credit card.

Russ Carnahan is an easy rubberstamp for Nancy Pelosi to explode the deficit. He’s voted for bailouts, he’s voted for a failed stimulus, and now he’s pushing some absurd scheme that may save a giraffe in the Serengeti, but it won’t bring the Dodge Ram back to Fenton. At least Russ Carnahan’s Hollywood buddy Don Cheadle may send a fat campaign check.

This is the sort of thing I want to end, but I will need your support. While in congress, I will refuse to go along with boondoggles like this, so I won’t be expecting the help of rich friends and foundations to take on big-government tax and spender Russ Carnahan. That’s why every dollar of support from you is crucial to our campaign. Please consider a generous contribution of $25, $50, or more as a monthly contribution. If you have the means can you plan on budgeting for maximum individual contributions? You can give $2400 before the August 3rd primary, and another $2400 for the November election. I know this is a sacrifice in tough times, but these are the measures we need to make to stop congressman Carnahan and Nancy Pelosi from further bankrupting our nation.

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6037 Hampton Avenue
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Ninety Million Dollar Carnahan

Webmaster — Tue, 11 May 2010 20:07:45 +0000

IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press Contact: Theresa Petry, (314) 807-7077

A Timeline of the Congressman’s Wasteful Spending

(ST. LOUIS, MO) May 11, 2010 – Congressman Russ Carnahan has a long history of being fiscally irresponsible with tax dollars. The new website created and paid for by the Ed Martin for Congress Campaign offers a timeline that pinpoints his wasteful spending while in office. The name of the site www.ninetymilliondollarcarnahan.com directly correlates to the $90 million dollars in federal stimulus money allocated to Carnahan’s brother, Tom, for his windmill farm. Rubberstamp Russ Carnahan’s fiscally irresponsible actions have already cost Missouri’s 3rd district constituents millions to billions of dollars and it continues to rise. Carnahan is costing taxpayers money from his vote on the stimulus bill to help secure his family’s financial gain, to his vote on Obamacare and the deficit extension, not to mention the use of taypayer money to campaign using frank mail.

“I think families should realize the wasteful ways in which their hard earned dollars are being misused by Congressman Carnahan. The timeline shows how time after time he votes to continue the out-of-control spending rampant in Washington, D.C. Since there is little transparency and Carnahan refuses to curb his costly actions you can count on us to disburse the information to constituents ourselves,” said 3rd district congressional candidate, Ed Martin.

Since Congressman Carnahan has such a habit of spending; you can expect the website to be an ongoing work in progress – including ways he himself avoids paying taxes.

For more information about Martin’s background and the campaign, visit EdMartinforCongress.com, or follow him on Facebook and Twitter @ed4congress.

Theresa Petry
Press Secretary
“Ed Martin for Congress”
(314) 807-7077 (cell)

theresa.petry@edmartinforcongress.com
www.edmartinforcongress.com

Ed Martin For Congress » Taxes

Why We Must Have a Balanced Budget Amendment

Freedom Week Countdown – My Pledge to YOU – Jobs

Have You Read The Stimulus Bill Yet?

Carnahan to Sign Lame Duck Pledge for Jobs?

Labor Day, 2010

Call on Carnahan to Pay Yacht Taxes

Russ Carnahan – Mini Rangel?

Russ Carnahan

Charles Rangel

Contribute Monthly

Contribute by Mail

Contribute Today

Stimulus – Epic Failure

Rubberstamp Russ and the Limousine Liberals

Contribute Monthly

Volunteer Today

Contribute Today

Contribute by Mail:

Ninety Million Dollar Carnahan