CONGRESSMAN SOUDER DARES VOTERS TO HOLD HIM ACCOUNTABLE ON TERM LIMITS

FORT WAYNE – According to an article in the Warsaw Times Union, 3rd District Congressman Mark Souder dared voters to hold him accountable for his failure to uphold his promise to limit his terms in office.

“I ran on 12-year term limits in Congress,” Souder admitted during an address to the Kosciusko County Silent No More group on Monday evening. “This is my ninth race and I have been through eight primaries, and voters have had the chance to not vote for me.”

“Unfortunately, Congressman Souder has been less than forthright when it comes to his term limits pledge, ” noted Phil Troyer, a fiscal conservative challenging Souder in this year’s Republican primary. “When his 12-years in Washington expired, Congressman Souder claimed he should not be held to his promise because the district had changed. However, as the Fort Wayne News Sentinel recently reminded us, congressional districts are redrawn every 10 years. Therefore, Congressman Souder has essentially admitted he never intended to keep his pledge.”

“If we are going to change the atmosphere in Washington, we need statesmen who will stand behind their word,” Troyer stressed, “not politicians who later claim their fingers were crossed. The voters will have another chance on May 4th to hold Congressman Souder to the pledge he made during his initial campaign 16 years ago. I have faith they will do the right thing.”

FORT WAYNE READER CALLS TROYER THE FIRST SERIOUS CONSERVATIVE TO CHALLENGE CONGRESSMAN SOUDER

FORT WAYNE – The Fort Wayne Reader put 3rd Congressional candidate Phil Troyer on this week’s cover under the heading “Conservative Contender – with Phil Troyer, 3rd District conservatives might have their first serious candidate to challenge Souder.”

“I thought Michael Summers did a great job of capturing the essence of my campaign,” commented Troyer, “If you want to know why I decided to get into the race and what I hope to accomplish if I am elected, you need to read this article.”

The full article can be found at http://www.fortwaynereader.com/story.php?uid=1617.

TROYER DEMANDS CONGRESSMAN SOUDER RETURN MISAPPROPRIATED TAX DOLLARS

FORT WAYNE – Indiana 3rd Congressional District candidate Phil Troyer strongly criticized Congressman Mark Souder as being out of touch with the concerns of the average taxpayer following disclosure the Congressman had used taxpayer dollars for personal luxuries while traveling on foreign junkets.

In an article entitled, “U.S. Lawmakers Keep the Change,” The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that many lawmakers fail to comply with the law by returning unspent daily allowances granted to them by the State Department when traveling overseas. The authors of the story interviewed twenty Members of Congress, and some indicated they had used their daily stipends for “shopping or to defray spouses’ travel expenses.”

One example cited in the story was a $200 painting Congressman Mark Souder purchased while in Turkey. According to the article, Souder originally hung the painting in his office but later moved it to his home.

The amount of the daily allowance varies from country-to-country, but Members can request an additional $50 per day if they believe the standard daily stipend will be insufficient. The money is supposed to be used only for legitimate travel expenses of the Member – not their spouses – but Congressman Souder admitted, “The extra money and the plus-ups are really for the spouses.”

“At a time when northeast Indiana is facing double digit unemployment and many families are struggling to make ends meet, it is beyond belief that our congressman would use taxpayer dollars on shopping sprees for himself and his wife,” noted Troyer. “It shows just how out of touch he has become after 16 years in Congress. He had no legal right to misappropriate tax dollars to his own personal use and needs to repay the money – immediately.”

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Troyer Discusses Need for Fundamental Reform on “The Pat Miller Show”

FORT WAYNE – Phil Troyer, Republican candidate for Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District, discussed the need for fundamental reform in Washington and his impressions of the primary campaign during a half-hour interview on “The Pat Miller Show” on WOWO (AM 1190) this past Saturday.

A podcast of Troyer’s appearance can be found at www.wowo.com.

TROYER DRAWING NATIONAL MEDIA ATTENTION

FORT WAYNE – While local media outlets wait for the “traditional election season” to begin, national media outlets are already noting that the 2010 elections may be anything but “traditional” and they are keeping an eye on Phil Troyer’s challenge of 16-year incumbent Congressman Mark Souder in Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District.

In an article entitled “The Tea Party vs. the GOP” on the blog The Daily Beast, Adam Clymer, former Chief Washington Correspondent for the New York Times,cites Troyer’s criticism of Congressman Souder and his support of congressional earmarks as an example of the insurgent campaigns conservative candidates are mounting against incumbent Republicans.

“Another freelance writer recently contacted me for comments regarding the same topic,” noted Troyer. “Even before Scott Brown’s stunning victory in Massachusetts, some members of the national media had already noticed that a populist ground swell was building outside of the traditional party apparatus.”

“I have received enthusiastic responses from the local 9/12 groups I have addressed, and I am scheduled to appear before additional groups in the coming weeks,” said Troyer. “These are people who are motivated to make a difference in the 2010 elections, and I am working hard to earn their support.”

“It is not enough to simply expose Congressman Souder’s record on spending – although it certainly plays well with these groups,” noted Troyer. “They are looking for candidates to support fundamental reforms in Washington. That is why the Class of 2010 – Compact with America, that I developed with another candidate – Liz Lauber from Missouri – is so important. It not only demonstrates my commitment to these reforms but also is an attempt to provide a platform that like-minded candidates can gather around.”

Clymer’s article can be found at http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2010-01-26/the-tea-party-v-the-gop/.

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TROYER SIGNS PLEDGE TO REPEAL HEALTH CARE BILL

FORT WAYNE – Republican congressional candidate Phil Troyer today signed the “Repeal It!” pledge circulated by The Club for Growth. The pledge, which has been signed by 21 Members of Congress and 84 House and Senate candidates, reads as follows:

“I, Phillip J. Troyer, hereby pledge to the people of my district (IN-3) upon my election to the U.S. House of Representatives, to sponsor and support legislation to repeal any federal health care takeover passed in 2010, and replace it with real reforms that lower health care costs without growing government.”

“Voters are looking for real commitments from candidates this year, not campaign slogans,” noted Troyer. “With this pledge and the ‘Class of 2010 – Compact with America’ that I announced last Thursday, I am telling the voters exactly what I will do if I have the honor of being elected their next congressman. It is time we hold Members of Congress accountable. If I break any of the promises I make during this campaign, I would hope the voters would throw me out of office and try again with another candidate – just as I am asking them to hold Congressman Souder accountable for his voting record on spending issues and failure to push for real reform during his 16 years in Washington.”

The Compact with America

CLASS OF 2010 – COMPACT WITH THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

If I am elected to Congress as a freshman legislator in 2010, I promise the American people I will fight for the following principles that will result in restricting the power of the federal government over our lives and return government back to its original constitutional powers:
1. Support Term Limits: Support a Constitutional Amendment to Limit the Terms of Members of Congress.

The 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution limits the number of terms any person can serve as President of the United States. We need to once again create part-time citizen legislators and end the power of full-time politicians.

Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to amend the Constitution to limit Senators to two (2) elected terms and members of the House of Representatives to six (6) terms. As part of this limitation, I will also co-sponsor legislation to disqualify Members of Congress from participating in the federal pension system.
2. Create Transparency: Give Voters The Opportunity To Read the Bill and Limit the Length of any Legislation.

In the Internet Age, there is no reason why Congress cannot provide the American people with the opportunity to review each potential piece of legislation before their representatives are required to vote on the matter. This practice will also hold Members of Congress accountable as they will no longer be able to claim that they did not know what was in a bill when they voted on it. In addition, there is no reason why any bill should be longer than a typical novel.

Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to create a legislative page on the Internet and require that any bill must be posted on that page in its totality for a period of at least five (5) days before the bill may be voted upon in either chamber of Congress and limit the size of any single piece of legislation to two hundred (200) pages. I will also co-sponsor legislation to require each member to certify that they have read the legislation and understand it.

3. Live By The Constitution: Require Citation of Constitutional Authority.

Members of Congress are bound by the U.S. Constitution, and Sections 8 and 9 of that document limit the power of Congress. However, many Americans believe Congress is usurping the powers granted to the people under the 10th Amendment.

Therefore, I promise to require that all legislation introduced in Congress to specifically cite the Constitutional authority empowering Congress to enact said legislation.

4. Uphold the Separation of Powers: Hold Votes on Regulations.

The Constitution is clear that all legislative powers reside with the Congress. However, executive administrative agencies currently legislate through the enactment of regulations that often go far beyond the provisions of the law. In fact, the Federal Register now runs over 80,000 pages.

Therefore, I will co-sponsor legislation to prohibit any regulation from going in to effect until Congress has approved it by recorded vote.

5. Protect States Rights: Return Federalism to Its Rightful Form.

The federal government continues to usurp power from state and local governments, even though most Americans prefer to have decisions made by governmental bodies that are closer and more accountable to them.

Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to require a “federalism assessment” for any proposed law or regulation to ensure the rights of states are protected from intrusion by the federal agencies.

6. Create Accountability: Prohibit Earmarked Spending Requests.

The practice of burying pork barrel spending requests in legislation encourages corruption and unnecessarily increases the federal debt. Legislation should be based upon our national interests and not upon the parochial interests of individual Members of Congress.

Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor a bill to prohibit any appropriation of federal funds to a specific municipality, corporation (whether for-profit or not-for-profit), or other entity unless approved by a separate line-item vote. In addition, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to prohibit any political action committee or officers of an entity that receives one million dollars ($1,000,000.00) or more in federal funds from contributing to the campaign of any Member of Congress for a period of two (2) years following its receipt of federal funds.

7. Ban Socialism: Prohibit the Federal Government from Owning Stock in Private Companies and Require Audit of the Federal Reserve.

As a result of recent bailouts of financial institutions and automakers, the federal government now owns a significant stake in several privately-held companies. This is in addition to the creation of quasi-governmental entities (such as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac) which are permitted to operate as private companies while receiving overt support from the federal government. This practice undermines our system of free enterprise and is unfair to the millions of small businesses who cannot compete against government-supported entities.

Therefore, I will co-sponsor legislation to require the federal government to sell any ownership interests it may hold in private or quasi-private entities and prohibit it from obtaining ownership interests in any such entity in the future. In addition, I will co-sponsor legislation to require an annual audit of the Federal Reserve’s operations.

8. Eliminate Waste, Fraud, and Abuse: Require Every Authorization Bill to Reduce Spending by at Least 5%.

Even as our $12 trillion debt continues to act as a drag on our nation’s economy and endangers our economic viability, Congress refuses to take responsible steps to reduce its spending – even while admitting federal programs include waste, fraud, and abuse.

Therefore, for the next two years, I pledge to vote against every appropriations bill that does not reduce the prior year’s appropriation by at least 5%. In addition, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to eliminate the Departments of Energy, Education, and Housing and Urban Development.

9. Support Fundamental Tax Reform: Either through a Flat or Fair Tax System.

Our federal tax laws have become far too complicated and now require even many middle-class taxpayers to purchase professional assistance to prepare their returns.

Therefore, I promise to co-sponsor legislation to enact fundamental tax reform – either through a flat tax or a fair tax. However, I further pledge not to support a fair tax system unless it is coordinated with a repeal of the 16th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution to prohibit the implementation of both an income tax and a national sales tax.

10. Take Taxpayer Dollars For Abortions Off the Table: Prohibit Federal Funding of Abortion.

The American public remains deeply divided over the issue of abortion, with strong feelings on both sides of the debate. Given this deep divide, it is imprudent to use taxpayer dollars to fund a procedure that many Americans equate to murder, as this only enflames the passions of abortion opponents.

Therefore, I promise to oppose any federal funding of abortions, either in this country or through funds provided to foreign countries or international agencies.

Troyer and Lauber Offer Compact with America

St Louis, MO and Fort Wayne, IN – Liz Lauber (R-MO) and Phil Troyer (R-IN), both of whom are challenging seated incumbents in the 2010 congressional primaries, released their “Class of 2010 Compact with America” today and invited non-incumbent federal candidates of any political party to join them in signing onto the ten items listed in the document.

“Republicans have an opportunity to retake the U.S. House of Representatives in 2010, but only if they are serious about standing for less government and abiding by the U.S. Constitution,” said Lauber. “The strategy of the House Republican leadership, according to an article published in Politico today, is to spend only twenty percent of their time working on promoting their policies, and eighty percent of their time criticizing the Democrats. That’s a purely political strategy designed to increase their own power instead of standing for meaningful policies and exactly why Republicans are in the minority today.”

In the Politico article, Republican leaders mentioned the GOP is considering the release of “a 21st-century blueprint” after Labor Day. “We don’t need a 21st century document,” said Lauber, “The U.S. Constitution was established as the blueprint for our country’s government over two hundred years ago. It is time for the GOP to get back to basic commonsense, constitutional government.”

“In 1994, Republicans won a majority of seats in the House of Representatives – in large part due to the ‘Contract with America’,” said Phil Troyer, who is challenging 8-term incumbent Congressman Mark Souder in Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District. “Unfortunately, too many within our party abandoned their pledge to support limited government, term limits, and greater accountability in Congress. As a result, they are not viewed as serious about reform. For example, Republicans cannot criticize Democrats for the earmarks in the health care bill if they are submitting earmarked spending requests of their own.”

“If the Minority Leader is to become Speaker he needs stronger players like Phil Troyer standing beside him,” said Lauber. “Although I am challenging an incumbent Republican, I’m not running against the Republican Party. I am offering myself as an alternative to those Republicans are too focused on reclaiming their own power within the current system instead of putting forth serious reforms of that system.”

“National polls demonstrate that voters are not looking to merely replace the Democrat House leadership with incumbent Republicans in 2010,” noted Troyer. “Voters are looking for candidates like Liz Lauber who are committed to reform. In order to regain the trust of the American people, candidates must demonstrate they will push for fundamental changes in how Congress operates. This Compact is our pledge to push for that reform.”

With their announcement, Lauber and Troyer announced that they are in the final stages of designing a website for all non-incumbent candidates to visit and sign onto the Compact.

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Upcoming Events

I will be speaking to the Dekalb County 9-12 Group tonight (Tuesday, Jan. 12) at 6:00 p.m. at the Cupbearer Coffee House in Auburn.

On Thursday, Jan. 14, I will be speaking to the Northeast Indiana 9-12 Group at 6:15 p.m. at the Kendallville Library.

I hope to see you at one of the events.

The Gift that Keeps on Giving

January 5, 2010

Dear Concerned Voter,

I would encourage you to review the opinion piece that ran in the January 4th edition of the Wall Street Journal under the headline, “The Biggest Losers: Behind the Christmas Eve Massacre at Fannie and Freddie.”

The editorial begins, “Happy New Year, readers, but before we get on with the debates of 2010, there’s still some ugly 2009 business to report: To wit, the Treasury’s Christmas Eve taxpayer massacre lifting the $400 billion cap on potential losses for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac as well as the limits on what the failed companies can borrow. The Treasury is hoping no one notices, and no wonder. Taxpayers are continuing to buy senior preferred stock in the two firms to cover their growing losses-a combined $111 billion so far. When Treasury first bailed them out in September 2008, Congress put a $200 billion limit ($100 billion each) on federal assistance. Last year, the Treasury raised the potential commitment to $400 billion. Now the limit on taxpayer exposure is, well, who knows?”

The editorial goes on to point out that, after presiding over a combined $24 billion in losses during the last quarter, the CEOs of Fannie and Freddie are now eligible to earn $6 million annually in salary – in cash. What about the “pay czar” you ask? Not surprisingly, these quasi-governmental agencies are exempt from the rules being applied to private banks who received TARP funds. To quote from George Orwell’s Animal Farm, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others.”

As I frequently note, Congressman Souder’s support of the $700 billion bailout of Wall Street (”TARP”) was the final straw that convinced me someone needed to challenge him in the 2010 Republican primary. Not only are we piling mountains of debt on to our children and grandchildren with these bailouts, we are undermining the very foundations of our free enterprise system.

Just think, after wrecking our housing market, these same bureaucrats now want to “reform” our health care system. Heaven help us.

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