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Next April, we will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, which was formed in the wake of the Berlin Airlift to counter the threat of Soviet aggression in Europe. In 1949, NATO began with 12 nations wanting to create a more secure and stable Europe. Over the last 60 years, NATO has continually expanded from Spain to Germany to several former Soviet Republics. Today 26 countries are members of the alliance.
And despite the end of the Cold War, NATO is just as important today. The threat of terrorism in Europe, and Russia’s recent invasion of Georgia, serves as a stark reminder of the need for collective security among Europe’s democracies. Nations such as Albania, Croatia, Macedonia, Ukraine, and Georgia crave the security guarantees that NATO membership offers.
We have witnessed the benefits of NATO expansion and the vitality new members bring to the alliance. The most recent members of NATO have been some of the most powerful voices and strongest leaders in defense of Europe’s interests and willingness to confront emerging threats and challenges. Several months ago, the Czech Republic agreed to house a missile defense system radar, and last month, Poland signed an agreement to base the interceptor missiles needed to shoot down any ballistic missiles aimed at the Europe or the United States. Both of these countries joined NATO less than 10 years ago, but are also some of the strongest supporters of the War on Terror in Afghanistan and Iraq...
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Last night Sen. DeMint joined Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) on CNBC's "Kudlow & Company" to discuss the government bailout of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and the current drilling debate heating up in Congress.
Click here to watch a video clip of the interview.
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Recently, a notable economist who supported the stimulus tax rebate checks mailed out this spring admitted the checks failed to give the economy a much-needed boost.
Martin Feldstein, a Harvard professor who chaired the Council of Economic Advisers under President Reagan, wrote in the Wall Street Journal:
Those of us who supported this fiscal package reasoned that the program would boost consumer confidence as well as available cash.{…}The evidence is now in and that optimism was unwarranted. Recent government statistics show that only between 10% and 20% of the rebate dollars were spent. The rebates added nearly $80 billion to the permanent national debt but less than $20 billion to consumer spending. This experience confirms earlier studies showing that one-time tax rebates are not a cost-effective way to increase economic activity.
Not only were the stimulus checks ineffective, they added nearly $80 billion to our permanent national debt. Once again, our government’s knee-jerk reactions will cost our children and grandchildren for years to come...
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Senator John Thune (R-South Dakota) has signed the letter to protect October 1 as American Energy Freedom Day, and to “actively oppose” any attempt to extend bans on offshore drilling and oil shale beyond their expiration at the end of September.
To date, the following 39 Senators have signed the letter: Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Wayne Allard (R-Colorado), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico), John Ensign (R-Nevada), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Mel Martinez (R-Florida), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Roberts (R-), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Richard Shelby(R-Alabama), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), John Sununu (R-New Hampshire), John Thune (R-South Dakota), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), John Warner (R-Virginia), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
Text of the letter below...
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Today, Senators Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia) and Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota) have signed the letter to protect October 1 as American Energy Freedom Day, and to “actively oppose” any attempt to extend bans on offshore drilling and oil shale beyond their expiration at the end of September.
To date, the following 38 Senators have signed the letter: Lamar Alexander (R-Tennessee), Wayne Allard (R-Colorado), John Barrasso (R-Wyoming), Bob Bennett (R-Utah), Kit Bond (R-Missouri), Sam Brownback (R-Kansas), Jim Bunning (R-Kentucky), Richard Burr (R-North Carolina), Saxby Chambliss (R-Georgia), Tom Coburn (R-Oklahoma), Norm Coleman (R-Minnesota), Thad Cochran (R-Mississippi), John Cornyn (R-Texas), Larry Craig (R-Idaho), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Jim DeMint (R-South Carolina), Pete Domenici (R-New Mexico), John Ensign (R-Nevada), Michael Enzi (R-Wyoming), Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Charles Grassley (R-Iowa), Judd Gregg (R-New Hampshire), Orrin Hatch (R-Utah), Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas), Jim Inhofe (R-Oklahoma), Johnny Isakson (R-Georgia), Richard Lugar (R-Indiana), Mel Martinez (R-Florida), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Pat Roberts (R-), Jeff Sessions (R-Alabama), Richard Shelby(R-Alabama), Ted Stevens (R-Alaska), John Sununu (R-New Hampshire), David Vitter (R-Louisiana), George Voinovich (R-Ohio), John Warner (R-Virginia), Roger Wicker (R-Mississippi).
Text of the letter below...
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Sen. DeMint has announced details of this year's 4th Annual “South Carolina on the Move” Tour. From Aug. 11-15 the senator will visit 14 cities throughout the state to discuss the need to increase American energy supplies and to recognize standout organizations and individuals who are working to make South Carolina a great place to live. Below are the main public events on his schedule:
MONDAY
- 10 – 11:30 AM Tour Starbuck’s Roasting Facility at Sonntag Drive, Sandy Run
TUESDAY
- 7:45 – 8:45 AM Breakfast with Spartanburg Business Leaders at the Spartanburg Chamber of Commerce
- 12:15 – 1:30 PM Greer Chamber Leadership Awards Luncheon at the Thornblade Country Club
- 4 – 5 PM Energy Independence Townhall at USS Yorktown, Patriots Point, Mt. Pleasant
WEDNESDAY
- 11 – 11:30 AM SCOTMA Award Presentation at Charleston VA Hospital
- 3:30 – 4:30 PM Sun City Energy Forum at the Outdoor Pavilion in Sun City Community, Bluffton
THURSDAY
- 12 – 1:30 PM Greenville Chamber Advantage 3rd Quarter Luncheon at the Embassy Suites on Verdae Blvd.
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During a report on CNN's "The Lou Dobbs Show," Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) discusses mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's lobbying of Congress has kept them out of reach of government oversight:
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Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-New Mexico) has filed an amendment to the Democrat “No Energy” bill to force energy companies that currently own oil and natural gas leases to either “use it or lose it.” This rhetoric may make people think Democrats are getting tough on oil companies, but the truth is the federal government is getting in the way of companies who are trying to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.
What Bingaman doesn’t want people to know is that after a company buys a lease, it still needs to get a permit to drill (APD) from the Bureau of Land Management for each hole a company wants to drill. While the permit process should take no more than 120 days, it often takes months and sometimes even years for the federal bureaucracy to complete a single permit. Meanwhile, extreme environmental groups bring frivolous lawsuits against the company to prevent it from drilling.
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During a speech on the Senate floor last week, Sen. Jim DeMint (R-S.C.) said Democrats are just "playing games" with the energy crisis facing the country by refusing to openly debate the issue on the Senate floor.
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