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Boehner receives
Ashbrook Award
Feb. 10, 2011
ASHLAND, Ohio – The Ashbrook Center at Ashland University presented its
annual CPAC Ashbrook Award to the Honorable John Boehner, Speaker of
the United States House of Representatives, on Feb. 10 at the
Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington D.C.
Marvin Krinsky, chairman of the Ashbrook board, released the following
statement:
“Only in America can you go from mopping the floors of a tavern in
Carthage, Ohio, to becoming Speaker of the House. We’re fortunate to
have a principled Reagan conservative like John leading the House, and
we’re honored to have the opportunity to present him with the Ashbrook
Award this evening,” Krinsky said. “John Boehner handled both the
stunning victory in November and the tragedy in Tucson in a very
statesman-like manner. Mr. Ashbrook would be proud to have a fellow
Ohioan like John Boehner leading today’s fight for a smaller, more
accountable, and less costly government.”
President Ronald Reagan was the first recipient of the CPAC Ashbrook
Award in 1986. The award is given annually in memory of former
Congressman John M. Ashbrook, who was one of the founders of the
American Conservative Union. The American Conservative Union organizes
the annual CPAC conference.
The Ashbrook Center at Ashland University (www.ashbrook.org) offers
educational programs and events for students, teachers, and citizens
about liberty and enduring principles of the American Constitution.
Dedicated in 1983 by President Ronald Reagan, the Ashbrook Center is an
independent center at Ashland University, governed by its own board and
responsible for raising all of the funds necessary for its many
programs.
Boehner’s comments in
their entirety to CPAC:
Boehner to CPAC:
Remove shackles of debt, excessive regulation and over-taxation
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) today
addressed attendees of the Presidential Banquet at the 2011
Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) after receiving the
John M. Ashbrook Award. Boehner addressed the need to “liberate our
economy from the shackles of debt, excessive regulation, and
over-taxation” to help create new jobs. The full remarks as prepared
are below:
“Thanks to David Keane for his leadership; congratulations to Al
Cardenas, the new ACU chairman; and special thanks to Cleta Mitchell
for her leadership and friendship.
“I’m honored by this recognition – but as with the office I hold, this
isn’t about me.
“I wouldn’t be Speaker of the House if Americans last year had not
stood up and reasserted control over their government. And many
of the people in this room helped lead that uprising. So... I
should be thanking you.
“Our new majority is intent on honoring the commitment we made to the
American people.
“We pledged we would listen, and we pledged we would do things
differently if given the opportunity to run the House.
“We pledged we would focus on stopping the job-crushing spending binge
in Washington.
“We pledged we would focus on jobs and spending, and stopping the
Washington regulatory assault that has led to massive uncertainty in
the private sector.
“We’re going to keep our word.
“I’m a former small businessman. Ran a small business, met a
payroll, created jobs.
“I’ve seen first-hand how government makes it harder for small
businesses to create jobs and make ends meet.
“Excessive government regulation crushes jobs.
“This is why our majority will pass a resolution to inventory and
review federal agency rules and regulations that may be making it
harder create jobs and grow the economy.
“This is why we’re going to pass Geoff Davis’ REINS Act, which requires
congressional approval for any new regulation with an economic impact
of more than $100 million.
“Excessive government SPENDING crushes jobs, too.
“By printing and borrowing all this money, the government is creating
uncertainty, and crowding private capital out of the market.
“Every tax dollar the government takes is a dollar that Americans are
unable to invest in their families, their businesses, and our economy.
“The American people fundamentally get this. When are the
politicians in this town going to figure it out?
“I want to read you a couple of quotes, which (giving credit where
credit is due), I got from a great column by a gentleman named Jay
Hartz, which I encourage you all to read. The quotes:
‘Unions [and their liberal allies]. . .want more welfare, which would
push up the deficit. They also want a national health program, which
would push up the deficit borrowing. . .This waste of investment hurts
all Americans, but it hurts [workers] most of all.
‘Liberal economic theorists argue that a large budget deficit will
stimulate the economy and produce jobs. In reality, however,
large deficits destroy jobs.’
“These comments could have come from me, or Eric Cantor, or Mitch
McConnell on any given day right now.
“But they were actually uttered nearly 40 years ago, by the late great
Congressman from my state of Ohio, John Ashbrook.
“He was directing his comments not just at the Left, but also at some
in his own party who had begun to subscribe to the Left’s way of
thinking.
“A generation ago, John Ashbrook was taking on the establishment of his
party, urging Republicans to reject the idea that we can borrow and
spend our way back to prosperity.
“The party ultimately heard John Ashbrook’s call. The result was
the presidency of Ronald Reagan. . .a new approach to governing. . .and
the largest peacetime economic expansion in our history.
“Ashbrook – and Reagan – understood the American economy doesn’t run on
government spending. It runs on freedom.
“A generation later, we’re experiencing a similar realignment.
And today it’s the tea party movement calling us to our senses.
“Courtesy of President Obama, Americans have witnessed the grand
failure of the notion that massive spending and borrowing by government
will jumpstart private-sector job creation.
“A trillion dollars in wasteful ‘stimulus’ spending left Americans
asking: Mr. President, where are the jobs?
“And now President Obama is asking us to raise the national debt
ceiling – without any commitment to cutting spending at the same time.
“Instead of offering a budget that ends the spending binge, the
administration is preparing to offer a budget that will destroy jobs by
spending too much, taxing too much, and borrowing too much.
“With all due respect, this isn’t “winning the future.” It’s
spending the future.
“What we need is a path to prosperity – one that unleashes the
greatness of our people and the awesome potential of the American
economy, by getting government out of the way.
“Americans see that the spending binge in Washington is hurting job
creation – not helping it. They’re calling on their leaders to
stop the job-crushing spending binge and cut spending.
“Based on his State of the Union address and his budget, it looks like
the president still isn’t listening.
“But we are. We’ve gotten the message.
“The American people have directed us to cut spending. We
will. And there’s no limit to the amount we’re willing to cut to
help get our economy moving again.
“Let me be very clear about this: we are going to exceed our Pledge to
America. We are going to cut $100 billion in discretionary spending
next week.
“Write it down. $100 billion in discretionary spending. “And we
aren’t going to stop there.
“Once we’re done with the CR, we’re going to cut mandatory spending.
“And this isn’t just about how much we spend, but how we spend it.
“Every committee has been tasked with doing real oversight.
“And you’re going to see us fight to end taxpayer funding for abortion
once and for all.
“The other side says our spending cut plan, drafted by Paul Ryan, will
cause ‘pain and suffering.’ Baloney.
“What will truly cause pain and suffering is the status quo – doing
nothing – leaving the spending process on autopilot and squandering our
nation’s future.
“Our majority will not stand for that.
“Our goal is to liberate our economy from the shackles of debt,
excessive regulation, and over-taxation.
“As I told my colleagues – this isn’t about us. It’s about the
American people. Our job is to follow their will, as we said we
would.
“There’s another nice thing about an open process: it means Democrats
can offer their amendments, too.
“If they’re good ideas, the House can incorporate them.
“And if they’re bad ideas, the House can defeat them.
“Either way, both sides will have a chance to make an argument and the
best ideas will win.
“That’s how it should be. I don’t think anyone in this room is afraid
of the battle of ideas. I’m not.
“Our last majority lost its way when it focused more on winning the
vote than winning the argument.
“That’s how things like earmarks became a problem. That’s why spending
kept growing.
“Let me be clear: we will not make the same mistake this time.
Not on my watch.
“When I spoke at CPAC last year, I said a new Republican majority would
take on earmarks. Well, that was one of the first things we did. We
banned them.
“I said we would post all bills online at least 72 hours before a vote
and that we’d install cameras in the powerful Rules Committee. We did
both.
“I said that while others mock the Tea Party and call them names, we
would listen to them, stand with them, and walk among them. And that’s
exactly what we’re doing.
“But as we work to keep our Pledge, I’m going to need your support
every step along the way.
“Remember: we only have a majority in one half of one branch of
government.
“Right now, Washington is still a Democrat-run town.
“To really make an impact going forward, we need to keep the momentum
going. We need the American people to stay engaged in this fight.
“The federal government is as big as it is today, touching all areas of
life, because the Left is determined.
“Determined to spend more. Determined to tax more. And
determined to keep growing the size of Washington.
“We need to be equally determined to stop them.
“We need to be equally determined to build the smaller, less costly,
more accountable government that the American people want and deserve.
“I know I am. And I know you are. And I look forward to
continuing to work with you on this journey.
“So thank you again for this honor.
“Thank you for all that you’ve done for our conservative cause, all
that you’re doing, and all that I know you will do in the year ahead.
“God bless.”
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