pcox, Author at Advancing American Freedom

AAF Continues National Conservative Leadership

July 24, 2023

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) launched a new series of targeted ads, continuing its nationwide advocacy campaign to hold Democrats accountable for the radical agenda of the Biden administration. The six-figure ad buy will target an initial list of six congressional districts—KS-03, MI-07, VA-07, VA-10, OH-09, and NM-02—encouraging Americans to demand Congress take action on key issues:

Energy: Stopping President Biden’s Ban on Gas-Powered Vehicles
Safety & Security: Securing the Border and Restoring Safety in our Communities
Government Spending & Inflation: Cutting Funding for Biden’s Radical, Inflationary Policies
China: Preventing China from Purchasing U.S. Land

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“Americans are bearing the full impact of the radical policies of the Biden administration,” said AAF Executive Director Paul Teller. “Advancing American Freedom will continue to lead the conservative response to this Administration’s failures and urge Congress to reject its disastrous agenda. Our campaign will continue through the fall, engaging with millions of Americans in support of the policies that will restore prosperity and security in our country. We look forward to working with our allies on Capitol Hill to advance our positive, pro-American agenda.”

The problem with the ‘New Deal Right’

July 19, 2023

President Richard Nixon had no scruples about using state power to pursue his political goals, embracing the New Deal model that created our nation’s insolvent entitlement programs, the administrative state, and some of the greatest abuses of the Constitution and government power in our nation’s history.

For a second term, President Donald Trump is looking to the “last New Deal president” for a blueprint, even down to reviving Nixonian-style budget impoundment to thwart the constitutional power of Congress over the federal purse. This is not solely a Trump phenomenon. Over the last several years, a political bloc on the Right that is happy to see Republicans embracing state power for the common good has been growing.

This loosely confederated “New Deal Right” seeks to justify “strong rule in the interest of attaining the common good” and “an illiberal legalism that is not ‘conservative’ at all, insofar as standard conservatism is content to play defensively within the procedural rules of the liberal order,” as Adrian Vermeule puts it. Much like Franklin Delano Roosevelt was happy to trample the constitutional order to threaten the Supreme Court, pass his entitlement programs, and imprison Japanese American citizens, the New Deal Right refuses to make reforms to FDR’s programs, ignores the First Amendment when it protects political opponents, and is happy to abuse government power to punish its enemies.

Beyond the lack of moral limits, however, is a concerning abandonment of the American free enterprise system for a Democrat-lite playbook of cronyism and overregulation. In the pages of Compact magazine, you can find the New Deal Right writing screeds alongside actual Marxists against the free market. One of these New Dealers’ most prominent intellectuals even helped write an entire book about “redeeming the administrative state.” Call me crazy, but I’ve always thought the point was to abolish it, not call it down the aisle to accept Jesus as its lord and savior.

Like Nixon before them, members of the New Deal Right reject timeless Republican beliefs: that limited government and free market economics are the surest path to the common good, not activist government.

Traditional conservatism has always emphasized individual liberty as a fundamental value that should be protected by the government. The New Deal Right, on the other hand, prioritizes the collective good over individual rights (even arguing that COVID-19 demonstrates the need for “ample power to cope with large-scale crises of public health,” the last lesson we should be learning in the aftermath of the pandemic).

New Dealers of the Right inevitably push policies that traditional conservatism finds abhorrent. Bureaucratic micromanagement of private businesses, government activism to promote strange new values, and mandatory vaccinations for healthy people are all likely outcomes under a regime seeking the “common good” without being grounded firmly in conservative principles.

Today, what is more concerning than the Biden administration’s push for left-wing priorities is far too many Republicans accepting its premises. Our movement wins when it sticks to the three-legged stool of limited government, economic freedom, and conservative principles, not parroting Democrats’ talking points. Instead, we have a New Deal Right that is looking to China for economics and good governance lessons .

Here at home, Biden wants to grow government and spend our nation into bankruptcy. But too many Republicans are listening to the Right’s New Dealers and are now terrified to talk about entitlement reform.

There is a temptation within the conservative movement to abandon the old ways of fighting for our cause, our principles. The Left, unconcerned with using state power to punish its enemies and refashion society according to current vogues, has enjoyed cultural dominance and a slew of political victories. The New Deal Right would have us emulate them and become progressive conservatives.

None of this will help Republicans win elections, nor will it restore our country to the vital soil that has ensured our national greatness for nearly two and a half centuries. We do not need to adopt new, progressive values. We need leaders with the courage and ken to cling to timeless principles. Otherwise, conservatism lacks anything worth conserving.

John Shelton is a policy adviser for Advancing American Freedom. He received degrees from Duke University (M.Div.) and the University of Virginia (B.A) and lives in Washington, D.C., with his wife, Katelyn, and their children.

Opinion: Iowa should pass abortion ban to advance the fight for life

July 12, 2023

Paul Teller, Executive Director of Advancing American Freedom

Iowa state lawmakers have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to give the people of Iowa a new beginning for life.

Today, Iowa legislators can vote ban abortion once fetal cardiac activity is detected in the womb, which often occurs during the sixth week of pregnancy. This bill is substantially similar to the law passed in 2018, which was unfortunately blocked by a single district judge. Now, lawmakers have the chance to right that wrong and send a clear message that judicial activism will never be allowed to silence the will of the people and their duly elected representatives.

Since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, dozens of states have adopted new common-sense limits on abortion. While some critics complain that these restrictions are “too harsh,” the fact is that tens of thousands of unborn children have been saved since the fall of Roe. Iowa now has the chance to join the growing chorus of states that have taken an unmistakable stand on the side of life.

The bill’s 6-week limit would be entirely reasonable and mainstream. Every reasonable person knows that a heartbeat is the dividing line between life and death. Currently in Iowa, abortion is legal until late in the second trimester. Most European nations ban abortion at the end of the first trimester. That means Iowa’s current abortion policy has more in common with China and North Korea than it does with the nations of Europe. By passing the heartbeat bill, lawmakers can move Iowa away from the fringe and squarely back into the mainstream of Western thought and jurisprudence.

And it is important for lawmakers to act as soon as possible. With little chance of winning in the Legislature, the radical left will no doubt pin their hopes on judicial activism once again. That will likely mean a long and drawn-out court battle before the law can actually take effect. That’s why it is important for lawmakers to act now — the sooner the bill is passed, the more lives it will save.

The end of Roe did not mark the end of the battle for life. It only signaled the end of the beginning. The Supreme Court has stated that abortion policy must be set by lawmakers, not unelected judges. That means our task is nothing less than to win the fight for life — not only at the federal level, but also in every statehouse in America, until the scourge of abortion is eliminated from our society once and for all.

For all those who believe that every life is created in the image of God, the pro-life movement will remain the great moral cause of our time, and we must never rest or relent until the sanctity of life is returned to the center of American law.

AAF Applauds House Efforts Combatting ESG

July 11, 2023

Advancing American Freedom issued the following statement ahead of the House Financial Services Committee holding the first of six hearings on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) investing and the government regulators who enable ESG.

“ESG is a thorn in the side of American energy production, and everyday Americans are the ones who pay the price for this type of governance,” said AAF Executive Director Paul Teller. “AAF applauds the work of House Financial Services to hold government regulators accountable for their promotion of ESG and looks forward to ESG being addressed throughout the appropriations process.”

Background
Advancing American Freedom has been an outspoken critic of ESG. In 2022, AAF launched an energy independence campaign that included placing targeted advertisements in congressional districts and hosting a nationwide series of policy events. In 2023, AAF released a legislative agenda to combat ESG and led multiple coalition letters to Congress calling for anti-ESG legislation to be passed.

AAF Calls Out President Biden’s Attack on Middle-Class Homeowners

July 11, 2023

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) led a coalition letter to members of Congress urging support for the Middle Class Borrower Protection Act, legislation that would rollback Biden’s new penalty on middle class homeownership.

“By charging Americans with good credit scores more to buy homes, the Biden administration is punishing financial stewardship and paving the road for another housing crisis,” said AAF Executive Director Paul Teller. “Advancing American Freedom is calling on Congress to pass Senator Braun and Marshall’s legislation and remove this needless burden on future homeowners.”

The full letter to Congress can be found here.

Background

· Americans pay $15,000 every year in fees, penalties, and other burdens imposed by the sprawling administrative state.

· Under the Biden administration, things have gone from bad to worse as agencies like the Federal Housing Finance Agency decide to actively punish Americans for having good credit scores. Borrowers with scores of 680 and above will now pay more when buying a home.

· According to former FHFA Director Mark Calabria, the Biden administration’s decision is “absolutely intended… to subsidize people with bad credit.”

· As Americans continue to try to make ends meet under these growing expenses and government-induced inflation, the Biden administration has attempted to redirect public frustration by waging a war against so-called “junk fees” in the private market.

Impact

· American homebuyers can expect to pay as much as $3,200 more for the same exact home and mortgage.

· Subsidizing risky borrowers with money from financially responsible Americans will make the housing market much less secure.

· Under Biden’s regulatory strangulation, the economy has been weak and wages have dropped even while prices have gone up.

The solution to affordability isn’t more regulations, restrictions, and redistribution. The solution is more free enterprise. You can read more on AAF’s pro-American, free-market policies here: American Opportunity.

AAF Calls for Passage of Heartbeat Bill in Iowa

July 11, 2023

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) announced a grassroots advocacy campaign in Iowa to support the passage of HSB 255/SSB 1223 or the Heartbeat Bill. The campaign will mobilize AAF’s more than 250,000 grassroots activists in the state, while engaging with an additional one million Iowans through targeted digital advertisements, to support ongoing efforts to enact legislation that would protect the unborn at the detection of a heartbeat.

“The pro-life movement continues to stand for the lives of the unborn, but now in a more hopeful world,” said AAF Executive Director Paul Teller. “Since the overturning of Roe last year, tens of thousands of lives have been saved, but there is more work to be done. Advancing American Freedom will continue to lead that fight, and we applaud the pro-life Iowans who continue to defend the lives of the unborn. AAF will continue to raise awareness for pro-life legislation in Iowa and around the country and we look forward to working with state leaders around the country to pass legislation that will protect the sanctity of life.”

Background
Advancing American Freedom has been one of the strongest advocates for pro-life policy, releasing a legislative agenda to enact laws that protect the sanctity of life. In the agenda, AAF calls for states to enact heartbeat legislation and to continue to fight for legislation at the federal level that would defend the unborn.

AAF on Biden Administration Use of Chevron Deference to Expand Abortion

July 7, 2023

Advancing American Freedom (AAF) filed an amicus brief joined by 25 other conservative groups and organizations in Texas v. Becerra, a case that uses the Chevron Doctrine to expand the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to mandate doctors and hospitals carry out abortions, even if contrary to state law.

“The Biden administration is yet again relying on Chevron Deference to increase access to abortion by rapidly expanding the administrative state, going around both Congress and the Supreme Court,” said J. Marc Wheat, General Counsel for AAF. “The Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe righted a 50 year wrong, and now the Biden administration has increased the power of HHS to circumvent the ruling. Our Constitution established three separate but equal branches of government, and Advancing American Freedom will continue to call out these attempts to undermine what our founders intended for our nation.”

Read the amicus brief here.

AAF Applauds SCOTUS Check on Biden’s Student Loan Overreach

Advancing American Freedom issued the following statement after the Supreme Court’s historic overruling of President Biden’s executive decision to cancel student loan debt.

“The Supreme Court has correctly ruled that the power of the purse belongs to the legislative branch, not the executive branch,” said J. Marc Wheat, General Counsel for AAF. “The Biden Administration never had the constitutional grounds to cancel student loans, the stunt was about catering to a voting demographic.”

Background:
AAF filed an amicus brief with Americans for Prosperity in Biden vs. Nebraska, a case similar to Biden Vs Missouri.

AAF on SCOTUS Ruling on Race-Based College Admission

Advancing American Freedom praised the Supreme Court’s decision ruling that race-based admission for colleges and universities stood in violation of the Constitution and the Civil Rights Act.

“Admitting some students for their race, while rejecting others for their race is unjust; every student deserves equal opportunity to try for admittance to the world’s best schools,” said J. Marc Wheat, General Counsel for AAF. “The Supreme Court has rightly ruled that admitting students to colleges based on race falls out of step with the 14th amendment and the Civil Rights Act. Our nation needs to remain a country filled with an abundance of opportunity where hard work is rewarded.”

Pistol Brace Rule is Unconstitutional, Anti-American

Paul Teller
Executive Director

As President Biden and progressives in Congress continue to chip away at the Constitution, our circle of freedoms grows smaller by the day. Today, Senate Democrats blocked an effort to overturn the Biden administration’s unconstitutional pistol brace rule.

Pistol braces were designed to help disabled veterans fire pistols safely. Under the ATF’s rule, pistols with a stabilizing brace attachment would be reclassified as short-barreled rifles, and gun owners who fail to destroy or register their weapons with the ATF (at a fee of $200) could face 10 years in jail and ridiculous fines of up to $10,000. The new rule is an about-face from the policy enacted when Joe Biden was Vice President, which declared that attachments do not change the classification of a pistol.

The pistol brace rule is an egregious violation of constitutional rights, and it’s just the latest example of the Left’s war on the Second Amendment. Biden has previously called for a ban on popular hunting rifles and high-capacity magazines, and taken steps to mandate background checks on all gun sales. Liberals in the private sector are rallying to the left’s cause, with credit card companies colluding with liberal politicians to track, monitor, shame – and eventually shut down – legal gun store purchases.

Conservatives in the House did their part, passing a Congressional Review Act resolution, with over 180 cosponsors, to block the pistol brace rule before it goes into effect. With that effort smashed in the Senate, the battle moves on to the courts, where conservatives should have high hopes of defeating the rule once and for all. This year, two federal courts have already reined in another case of anti-Second Amendment executive overreach, striking down President Donald Trump’s ill-advised nationwide ban on bump stocks. Like Biden, Trump decreed his gun control measure through executive fiat, not the legislative process.

As Trump’s bump stock ban and Biden’s pistol brace rule show, bad things happen when Congress abdicates its role as the federal government’s sole legislative authority. And when the issue is Americans’ right to keep and bear arms, the outcome could be deadly for law abiding families – especially in the midst of a sharp increase in violent crime that has occurred in the wake of the left’s Black Lives Matters riots and Defund the Police movement.

When government allows rampant crime – or worse, when it encourages rampant crime by persecuting law-abiding gun owners – government is enabling an assault not just on the American people, but on American liberty itself.

Our Constitution is the greatest charter for freedom in the history of mankind. It is the foundation of the freest and most prosperous country ever conceived. Now more than ever, America needs leaders who will stand up and defend the God-given liberties enshrined in our Constitution.

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pcox

AAF Continues National Conservative Leadership

The problem with the ‘New Deal Right’

Opinion: Iowa should pass abortion ban to advance the fight for life

AAF Applauds House Efforts Combatting ESG

AAF Calls Out President Biden’s Attack on Middle-Class Homeowners

AAF Calls for Passage of Heartbeat Bill in Iowa

AAF on Biden Administration Use of Chevron Deference to Expand Abortion

AAF Applauds SCOTUS Check on Biden’s Student Loan Overreach

AAF on SCOTUS Ruling on Race-Based College Admission

Pistol Brace Rule is Unconstitutional, Anti-American

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