Pullen for the Party

Congress and Gas Prices

RNC National Committeeman, Bruce Ash, tackles the pressing issues of the day.

This week's commentary: Congress and Gas Prices

Click below to listen: Download AshonGas.mp3

"Who Will Teach Our Children?"

Last week, I participated in the 92nd Arizona Town Hall. For those of you who may not be familiar with this organization, Arizona Town Hall is a private, nonprofit civic organization created 46 years ago, which brings together civic and business leaders from around the state and country twice a year for the purpose of analyzing and addressing the state’s economic, cultural and social issues.

This most recent Town Hall focused on the current and future problems with Arizona’s education system. The provocative title for the conclave was "Who Will Teach Our Children?" The 190 attendees were made up heavily of public school teachers and administrators, public school board members, university faculty and administrators, union representatives, a few civic leaders and business leaders and one lone Arizona Republican Party official, yours truly.

While the majority of those in attendance were on the opposite side of the ideological spectrum from me, this did not stop us from having a quality and in-depth conversation about the challenges facing our children, parents, teachers, our state and country. Almost everyone in attendance agreed that our state and national public education systems are not adequately preparing our children to compete in the global economy.

Twenty-six years ago, a blue ribbon committee on education appointed by President Reagan delivered the seminal report “A Nation at Risk”. This report in part stated, "Our Nation is at risk. The educational foundations of our society are presently being eroded by a rising tide of mediocrity that threatens our very future as a Nation and a people." This was a clear call to arms. Our education system was underperforming when compared to many other industrialized countries around the world. We risked falling behind if we did not act immediately to reverse this trend. Of course, anyone familiar with the political process in our country understood where this would lead.

Over the next quarter of a century, unprecedented amounts of money were thrown at the problem. Spending on education in terms of inflation adjusted dollars more than doubled in the time period. In the same time frame, national test scores and high school drop out rates did not improve. Policy makers from around the country suddenly realized that our efforts over the years had yielded precious little in comparison to the amount of wealth and brain power that had been poured into solving this national crisis.

The apparent failure to improve our educational system has been well documented by several recent publications including, Educational Myths by Jay P, Greene, 2005; Tough Choices Tough Times, by The National Center on Education and the Economy, 2006; and How the World’s Best-Performing School Systems Come out on Top, by McKinsey and Company, 2007.

The graph (found on slide 14 here) from the Tough Choices Tough Times power point summarizing their report says it all.

The gains students have made in the U.S. on NAEP Scale Scores are insignificant when compared to the increase in total expenditures per pupil. For example, in 1971 the average per pupil expenditure was $3,400 and the average 4th-Grade reading score on the NAEP test was 208. In 1990 the average per pupil expenditure was $6,800 and the test score average was 209. In 2002, it was $8,997 and 217, respectively. This represents an increase in expenditures of almost 300 percent with a corresponding improvement in test scores of just over 4 percent. Not the kind of return on investments that would make Wall Street analysts enthusiastic and glowing in support of our educational system. Dismal performance of this scale in the private sector would result in immediate action by shareholders long before this time. But it gets worse. P Trends in Academic

Not only are other countries around the world spending less per pupil to educate their students, but over the course of the past 40 years they have made large gains in the percentage students graduating from high school as well as test scores when compared to students in the United States. During the 1960’s in the U.S., roughly 85% of working-age adults had completed high school. Compare this number to Korea, which in the 1960’s only had about 35% of its working-age adults with high school educations. Now, spring forward forty years and the United States is at roughly 90% and has been stuck there for thirty years, while Korea and many other nations made significant progress over the past 40 years and have surpassed us.

This picture is painted (found on slide 12 here) in even grimmer detail by the following numbers. For every 100 9th graders: 68 will graduate on time; of those 68, 40 will enroll directly in college; of those 40, 27 are still enrolled the following year; and of those 27, 18 earn Associates Degree within 3 years or a B.A. within 6 years. The simple fact of the matter is the United States has made little gains in education over the past 40 years, and many of the world’s countries with which we compete are not only catching us, but passing us.

With these sobering facts along with many others so elegantly and powerfully presented by Mark Tucker, author of Tough Choices Tough Times, to the Town Hall participants assembled for dinner on the opening day, we got down to business. Next time, I will focus on some of the paradigm shifting conclusions and solutions reached in the Town Hall by its participants regarding how to fundamentally restructure public schools in Arizona and our nation in order to make our children competitive in a global economy. There is little time left to waste as we have squandered much of our competitive advantage.

Napolitano and the deficit

RNC National Committeeman, Bruce Ash, tackles the pressing issues of the day.

This week's commentary: Napolitano and the deficit

Click below to listen: Download ash_on_napolitano.mp3

Breaking the Rules, Hurting the Economy

Earlier this month House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) sidelined legislation to ratify the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between the United States and Colombia. Pandering to her protectionist friends and Democrat campaign bank-rollers, the trial lawyers and labor unions, Speaker Pelosi subverted long-standing House rules to block, and effectively kill, the FTA. At a time when America’s economy is hurting, it makes no sense for the Speaker of the House, along with Arizona’s freshmen representatives, Harry Mitchell and Gabrielle Giffords, to block legislation which would increase American competitiveness, increase jobs and help get our economy back on track.

The President and/or his designee(s) are the only persons, by law, allowed to enter into agreements, treaties, etc… with foreign countries. What President Bush and U.S. Trade Ambassador Susan Schwab have done is successfully extend working trade relationships with several countries including the aforementioned Colombia as well as Peru and South Korea. These countries have entered into good faith agreements with the United States which would benefit not only the economies of each of the respective countries but the people as well.

Right now, our trade system is flawed. The U.S. encourages imports but exports are discouraged. Goods from Colombia are imported into our country free of tariffs but U.S. companies are hit with high tariffs when exporting products to Colombia. The majority of the companies which export to Colombia are small and medium sized business. The FTA would eliminate these tariffs and level the playing field for American job providers.

Yet, despite the benefits to American companies and workers, Democrats including Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchel, led by Nancy Pelosi, are bent on allowing our stature in the world dissipate into nothingness. By failing to bring the Colombia FTA to a full up or down vote on the House floor, Democrats have turned their back on America’s allies throughout the world.

The Democrats have no other explanation for their stance other than the fact they are pandering to big labor and trial lawyers. To date, 67 editorials have been penned supporting not only a vote for the FTA but outright passage of the deal. On the other side, 0 editorials have been published in opposition to the deal. The Los Angeles Times, not the most conservative of papers, said in an editorial entitled Pelosi Plays Politics on April 12th,

"Halting the vote wasn't about the U.S. economy and it wasn't about Colombia. It was politics. That's to be expected from Washington in an election year, but Pelosi's partisan considerations should not override her national duty. She should schedule a vote on the agreement, and Congress should approve it."

Rather than fight for American jobs and boosting the American economy, Mitchell and Giffords are kowtowing to Speaker Pelosi and the elitist left. The labor unions and trial lawyers who fund their campaigns came out against the Colombia FTA and they followed suit. Giffords and Mitchell know who butters their bread and their not afraid to show it. It’s time these two freshmen members start putting Arizona businesses and families first. Call on Speaker Pelosi to bring the Colombia FTA to the floor for a vote. No more perverse subversion of House rules for political purposes. It’s time to take a stand for America.

Weekly Round-Up

Another week has passed here at the AZGOP and with the election now only 192 days away, we are quickly approaching the 2008 State Convention. I’ve talked about the convention in our weekly newsletter, The Tusk Times, on a few occasions and want to use this opportunity to discuss the convention in further detail.

The convention will be held on May 10th at the Mesa Convention Center. Over the course of the first three weeks of April, County and Legislative District committees gathered to select delegates and alternates to the State Convention. Roughly 1,200 delegates were chosen as well as a large number of alternates. These delegates and alternates represent Republicans throughout our great state. At the convention they will cast their vote to select delegates and alternates to the Republican National Convention being held the first week of September in St. Paul, MN. The delegates will caucus at the State Convention based by their congressional districts.

Although the major part of the State Convention will be the selection of delegates to the National Convention and electing your National Committeeman and National Commiteewoman, various resolutions will be up for debate and approval. These resolutions express the sense of the Arizona Republican Party in regard to specific policy issues. Such issues may include: border security, healthcare, right to life, taxes and the state budget. Many vendors will be represented at the convention. They will be selling GOP paraphernalia including buttons, pins and pens, hats, t-shirts, bags and, of course, elephants. Many candidates for office will be present collecting signatures and five dollar Clean Elections donations. The event should be a great time for everyone. This will be a truly historic event for the AZGOP as our very own U.S. Senator John McCain is our presumptive nominee for President of the United States.

Finally, I am pleased to announce MICHAEL REAGAN, the son of President Reagan, will be the keynote speaker for the 2008 AZGOP Victory Dinner. The dinner will be held on May 9th at the Phoenix Marriott in Mesa. Proceeds from the dinner go to the Victory Fund which will be used to help Republicans throughout the state get elected. I am extremely pleased to have Michael as our keynote speaker and look forward to his address. For more information and to purchase tickets to the 2008 AZGOP Victory Dinner, please visit our website at www.azgop.org.

RANDY

Fueling the Fire, Part II

Yesterday our office sent out this press release discussing the fact Barack Obama has no real plan to help American consumers with the rising cost of gasoline. His actions have, in fact, worked to raise gas prices. Sure, Obama talks a good game when it comes to what he wants to do for America, most often we hear about his “plan”. Unfortunately for voters, he has remained mum on what his “plan” actually entails. Barack Obama’s platitudes amount to little more than empty rhetoric.

Continuing with yesterday’s theme of Obama’s opposition to immediate gas tax relief for working families throughout the U.S., we find out Obama once supported suspension of gas taxes. But before we discuss this, let’s recap where we stand right now. U.S. Senator John McCain, as part of his plan to help Americans in the sluggish economy, suggested a suspension of the 18.4 cents per gallon federal gas tax from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Such a suspension of the gas tax would save American families an estimated $6.8 billion over the three month span. Today, the average cost of one gallon of regular gasoline in Arizona is $3.406. (www.fuelgaugereport.com, Accessed 4/24/08) If enacted today, Sen. McCain’s plan would bring the cost of gasoline down to $3.222 per gallon, saving the consumer $2.74 per fill-up (based on a 15 gallon tank).

In regard to John McCain’s proposal, Obama said, ‘I’ve said I think John McCain’s proposal for a three-month tax holiday is a bad idea.” This is an interesting stance to take for a man who, less than ten years ago, supported a gas tax holiday and looked for ways in which he could benefit politically from it. Responding to the rising cost of gasoline in 2000, Obama voted to suspend Illinois' state sales tax on gasoline. (S.B. 1310: Senate Third Reading, Passed, 50-0-6, 3/8/00, Obama voted ‘Yea’) Obama went on to say about his vote, which helped families, “I originally voted for the suspension because I thought that it was extraordinary circumstances, given the huge hike in prices…” (Illinois 91st General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 11/15/00, www.ilga.gov, pp.51-52)

If the recent hike in gas prices do not amount to extraordinary circumstances, it’s hard to imagine what truly might. After he voted for the gas tax repeal, he attempted to garner the most political benefit possible from it. As the Illinois Senate debated an amendment to require petroleum marketers to place signs on pumps stating the gas tax was in fact repealed, Obama asked, “I was wondering, can I – in my district, can I have ‘Senator Obama reduced your gasoline prices’? Is that possible?” (Illinois 91st General Assembly Regular Session Senate Transcript, 4/15/00, www.ilga.gov, p.81)

The alarm bells go off immediately when this is brought into the picture. Obama was for it, before he was against it. He looked to benefit politically from his vote and now he is against providing the same relief to Americans he provided to Illinoisans just 8 years ago. This is not the “Audacity of Hope,” it is the audacity of hypocrisy. John McCain offers a pragmatic solution to help American families and Barack Obama outright rejects it; even though he supported such an idea only eight years ago. Whereas John McCain will work to help Americans by putting more money back into their own pockets, Barack Obama is focused on filling the government coffers at the expense of hardworking Americans.

Election Day, again

While Senator Obama downplays his loss in the Pennsylvania primary yesterday and Senator Clinton spins her win as a huge step forward, John McCain keeps rolling along, increasing his lead over both of them. Here is what we know after the votes in Pennsylvania were counted: Clinton and Obama are in a knock-down, drag-out fight. This fight is going to last a few more rounds, at least!

Neither Senators Clinton nor Obama have reached the required number of delegates to secure their party’s nomination and Democrats throughout the nation are starting to get a little worried. Democrat National Committee chairman Howard Dean has come out and practically demanded uncommitted superdelegates make a decision. Obama supporters are telling Clinton to get out of the race because she hasn’t won enough states and she is too divisive a figure to be the nominee. On the other side, Clinton supporters are touting her wins in the “big states” (California, Ohio, Michigan, Florida, Pennsylvania, Texas) as proof of her broad support. Furthermore, Clinton herself has said Obama cannot win the general election against John McCain.

All of this amounts to not much more than political posturing. Both candidates will do anything to get their Party’s nomination and to get elected. As we have seen, they routinely try to out-liberal one another as they play to the base of their party. Unfortunately their ideas and their rhetoric often don’t match up. For example: Barack Obama has outwardly touted raising taxes on the “very wealthy”. One such tax Obama plans to increase is the capital gains tax, which he believes will tax only the wealthy. What he fails to realized is 79% of the 8.5 million tax filers who reported capital gains in tax year 2005 had incomes under $100K. Yes, Barack Obama’s tax increase is aimed directly at you.

The fact Clinton and Obama will continue to do battle for their Party’s nomination, maybe even going all the way to the Democrat convention in late August, serves John McCain and Republicans very well. There is no doubt the politics of personal destruction, which Clinton and Obama have perfected over the past months will be focused on John McCain at some point in the future. Until then, we Republicans can use this time to further unite behind our presumptive nominee and begin putting our grassroots network in motion. Retaining the White House this year will take an exceptional effort on the part of all Republicans. The Democrats continue to beat each other up and tear each other down. We must seize the day, seize the moment for party and country.

Pullen's Weekly Round-Up

Another income tax day has come and gone, and Arizona Democrat elected officials have both voted to raise our taxes and vetoed legislation to make tax relief permanent; all in one week: A typical week for Democrats. It’s simply ironic how they took such ardent stands against Arizona’s working families during ‘tax season’.

On Wednesday, Democrat Governor Janet Napolitano vetoed legislation which would have made permanent the state property tax repeal passed by the legislature in 2006. By vetoing the legislation she is subjecting Arizona homeowners and small business owners to a $250 million a year tax hike starting in 2010. Senate President Tim Bee and House Speaker Jim Weiers took a principled stand by passing this legislation and sending it to the Governor. The bill had the backing of a wide variety of organizations representing business, industry and regular homeowners. This move by the Governor is a slap in the face to Arizonans who are struggling to meet the rising costs of fuel, food and other everyday necessities. Equating the tax increase to giving up ‘just a couple of lattés per week’ shows the elitist feelings the Governor holds and how out of touch she is with the average Joes who are struggling to make ends meet. Raising taxes is irresponsible and harmful to the economy. The simple fact of the matter is the government cannot tax it way to prosperity. Wealth and prosperity are created by hard working individuals, businesses and entrepreneurs. It’s best to leave money in the pockets of American families and job providers, not in government coffers.

In Washington this week, freshman Representatives Gabrielle Giffords and Harry Mitchell each voted three separate times to raise taxes on American families. By voting “Yes” on Roll Call votes 186, 192, and 194, Representatives Mitchell and Giffords thrice blocked a Republican motion to make permanent the tax relief packages of 2001 and 2003. This legislation, known as the Tax Increase Prevention Act (HR 2734) is necessary because the Democrat have hidden over $600 billion in tax increases in this year’s budget. The tax increases, which amount to roughly $2,000 per person, are the Democrats’ way of ‘fixing’ government. Both Mitchell and Giffords campaigned in 2006 on providing tax relief to Arizona families. A massive increase like this is not relief. Rather, this is an economic disaster in the making. Over $1 trillion in new wealth has been created since the enactment of the ’01 and ’03 tax relief packages, not to mention the thousands of new jobs in the same time period. There is never a reason or time to raise taxes. Arizona families can’t afford to have more of their hard earned money taken from their bank accounts by Democrats in control of Congress. Rather than keep their campaign promises and side with their constituents, Representatives Giffords and Mitchell sided with liberal Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi. Even after Ben Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, warned against raising taxes in these uncertain economic times, Giffords and Mitchell went along with the MoveOn.org crowd and voted to let the tax binge commence.

This week has obviously focused on tax issues. They are front in center in the debate over the direction of our country. On one hand, the Democrats believe the government is the answer. On the other, Republicans believe in the exceptionalism of individuals and private enterprises to meet the needs of our country. Republicans want to leave taxpayers with more money and less government intrusion. Democrats want to leave taxpayers with more government intrusion and less money. As Thomas Paine wrote in The Rights of Man, “It can only be by blinding the understanding of man, and making him believe that government is some wonderful mysterious thing, that excessive revenues are obtained…” We here at the AZGOP will continue to remove the blinders whenever the Democrats attempt to replace them on Americans.

RANDY

Weekly Wrap-Up

As we end another week in the Grand Canyon State, I thought I’d share my opinions and observations on the politics, policy, and happenings throughout Arizona and beyond.

This week saw a showdown of epic proportions (figuratively speaking) between myself and my counterpart on the Democrat side, Chairman and trial lawyer, Don Bivens. This forum was sponsored by the Harvard Club of Phoenix and moderated by Dr. Bruce Merrill of Arizona State University and what a spirited debate it was. Now as you can probably guess, the Harvard Club leans to the left. In fact, in 2004, employees at Harvard University contributed to the presidential campaign of John Kerry by a margin of 25 to 1. Don Bivens, who is a well respected lawyer and a friend, is a Yale grad so it would not be fair to say the Harvard crowd was entirely behind him.

Time and again, throughout the debate, Don reiterated the phrase, “we are trying to speak to the center with solutions.” This echoed back to the 2006 election when Governor Napolitano essentially ran as a Republican with Cable TV ads trumpeting her tough border position and fiscal conservative spending record. Of course, the Republican legislature literally had to fight tooth and nail to keep her from putting the state further in debt with more spending and well, you know her real position on illegal immigration.

The contrast could not have been clearer. While I spoke about tangible ways we could fix the budget crisis in Arizona, bring our troops home from Iraq with honor, and market based solutions to make our world leading healthcare system more affordable for all Americans, the Democrat Chairman Bivens continued to express “talking to the center” and “trying to find solutions.” Chairman Bivens’ talking points reminded me of similar rhetoric I’ve heard as of late, the populist platitudes of Barack Obama. He tells us he has a plan for America, but never elaborates. He claims to have real solutions to real problems, but never articulates. He argues that he alone can restore America, but never once furnishes details. He has become a pied piper to many young professionals and college students in America, who desperately want to believe Barack Obama, like the hero in an Oscar winning movie, can solve all the problems of the world. His soaring words make me uneasy and bring to mind the verse from Mathew 7:15, “Beware of the false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”

Barack Obama, along with the rest of his Democrat comrades think they live in a utopian world full of ever expanding federal government programs supported with more and higher taxes, paid by the rich. Unfortunately for you and me, it turns out that we are the rich. As some of them are apt to say, “They are going to take things away from us for the common good”. It’s going to take more to fix America, restore confidence, and to move the country in the right directions than fancy words, attractive catch phrases, and bumper sticker policies.

This week, we again witnessed General David Petraeus face off against the Democrat controlled U.S. Senate. The testimony of Petraeus and that of Ambassador Ryan Crocker was grueling. Petraeus and Crocker’s independent assessment of the situation in Iraq was caught in the sights of the Democrat political spin machine. Before the testimony began, liberal Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi launched a preemptive political attack by warning General Petraeus to tell her what she wants to hear and speak nothing of progress. Throughout the two days of testimony, Democrats grilled Petraeus and Crocker on what they perceive as Iraq failures and demanded timelines for withdrawal. They also tried to belittle Petraeus and Crocker as mere puppets of the Bush administration.

The sad truth of the matter is that Democrats would rather play politics with American lives and with our own national security than to accept the real situation in Iraq. They would rather attempt to tar and feather men of great stature, such as Petraeus and Crocker, than allow them to deliver their report. They would rather practice the politics of personal destruction than participate in finding constructive solutions to win the war and bring our sons and daughters home. The Democrat Congress continues to pander and be beholden to such liberal interests as MoveOn.org and Code Pink. They continue to cater to these groups by their attempts to withhold funding for our troops, trying to micromanage our military, and by trying to force artificial time tables in Iraq.

We cannot surrender to terrorists. We cannot cut and run in Iraq. We cannot allow our allies to believe for one instant that we will abandon them to fend for themselves in an environment of irrational extremism. The commitment of America, the resolve of U.S. military forces, and the will of the America people will help preserve, protect, and defend the fledgling democracy in Iraq and force a retreat in those who would do democracy and America harm. Victory in Iraq is victory for the ideals of freedom, liberty, and justice.

Today is an exciting time to be an Arizona Republican. The historic campaign of John McCain adds a local touch to the campaign for the White House. The process leading to the Republican National Convention starts here at home with various caucuses in the counties and legislative districts. Here, delegates are elected to represent their home districts and counties at the 2008 Arizona Republican Convention. Once at the state convention, these state delegates will elect 50 national delegates, 50 national alternates, one national committeeman and one national committeewoman. Throughout this past week, my staff and I have attended several of the local county and legislative district caucuses. It has been a fulfilling experience to see the many Precinct Committeeman turn out and engage in this process. From what we have seen, Senator McCain will enjoy broad base Republican support at both the state and national convention from his home state of Arizona. 2008 will be an extraordinary year to be an Arizona Republican. I encourage you to get your friends, neighbors, coworkers, and family members excited and involved. When we all pull together, we can ensure that we elect Republicans from the White House to the courthouse.

That concludes this week’s commentary. Thank you for your time and attention. Be sure to catch me next week as we talk about the government’s favorite holiday, tax day. When you have a minute, be sure to check out the new and improved Arizona Republican Party website at www.azgop.org.

RANDY

The Politics of War

I was talking today with one of our staff here at AZGOP headquarters about his experience of being on “The Hill” last year when General David Patraeus and Ambassador Ryan Crocker testified before Congress on the situation in Iraq. Sure, the stories of the Code Pink ladies running around dressed up, the security details and the random protestors acting like fools were interesting to the media. The real point which struck me is this: General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker were there to testify and report, in their own words, what was happening on the ground in Iraq.

This week, General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker will return to Washington to testify before Congress and give a report assessing the situation as it currently stands. Unfortunately for these esteemed public servants, Congressional Democrats led by Nancy Pelosi, have once again turned our military and its mission in Iraq into a political circus. Last week, Speaker Pelosi warned General Petraeus not to, “put a shine on recent events.” As the leader of the most important legislative body in the world, Speaker Pelosi ought to know better than to tell someone what she wants to here in his testimony. She might as well have just come right out and said, “If you don’t say what I want you to, you’re in big trouble.”

General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker are men of service and duty. Their responsibility lies with their troops and their mission. They are not beholden to Congress, the White House or even the Pentagon. The best proof of this comes from the second paragraph of General Petraeus’ testimony last year. He said:

“At the outset, I would like to note that this is my testimony. Although I have briefed my assessment and recommendations to my chain of command, I wrote this testimony myself. It has not been cleared by, nor shared with, anyone in the Pentagon, the White House, or Congress.”

This year will be no different. Democrats, including our own Congressman Mitchell and Congresswoman Giffords, will attempt with all of their might to tie the General’s testimony to President Bush. They will launch negative personal attack ads like the one MoveOn.org did last year calling General Petraeus, “General Betray Us.” And the media will play into the hands of Congressional Democrats who say Petraeus and Crocker are little more than White House pawns and President Bush is simply pulling the strings on his puppets from the Oval Office.

Democrats have already positioned themselves politically to rebuff any real discussion of progress in the upcoming testimony. Rather than listen to the assessment by the leaders on the ground, they have staked out positions and are pandering to their liberal base. In the hoopla of all the partisan potshots taking place over the next few days, I am afraid we will lose sight of some of the progress happening in Iraq as a direct result of the “surge” and the success our military forces are experiencing.

As security has improved, Iraqi citizens have begun to re-engage in the political process. Today, some 90,000 Iraqis belong to local citizens groups bearing the name, “Sons of Iraq.” In the near future, 20 to 30 percent of these “Sons of Iraq” will be incorporated into the army and police forces, as pledged by the Iraqi government. Democrats will tell us, “Iraq can’t support itself and America is bearing the cost.” While America is helping to rebuild the backbone of Iraq, the economic progress goes unmentioned. For example, business registrations have increased by more than nine percent; total inflation has fallen by more than sixty percent; oil production is up (and revenue sharing agreements are coming along) and economic growth is projected to be a solid seven percent this year. Iraq is clearly moving in the right direction.

Furthermore, Iraq is beginning to pick up more of the tab of reconstruction and redevelopment. On reconstruction projects alone, the most recent Iraqi budget calls for the government of Iraq to outspend the U.S. 11 to 1 and it is expected they will soon cover 100 percent of the cost. In the beginning, the United States shouldered the majority of the cost of training and equipping the Iraqi Security Forces. This year, Iraq has budgeted more than $9 billion, which is three-quarters of the cost, to pay for the training and supplying of its security forces. Just as with reconstruction, it is expected the Iraqi government will soon cover the entire cost.

While Democrats will go on a spree of personal attacks over the next few days, let us not forget the progress our dedicated men and women in uniform are making. The political posturing Democrats will do is not what the American people desire at this time. Rather, Americans are looking for straightforward, no nonsense information. They will get this from General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker, unless the Democrat circus takes the spotlight.