Letters to the Editor

Fine, Stop Kicking the Can, But Cut Taxes Already!

A 'letter to the editor' in response to Rep. Rob Woodall, submitted by Jason Pfeifle, field organizer for Georgia Fair Share.

(Editor's note: the following is a letter to the editor sent by Jason Pfeifle, field organizer for Georgia Fair Share, in response to Rep. Rob Woodall's letter to the editor on the fiscal cliff titled "Rep. Woodall: 'I Will Not be Complicit in Kicking the Can Down the Road.'") The fiscal cliff is quickly approaching, and itʼs time for our elected officials to get something done. In a recent opinion piece in the Snellville Patch, Representative Rob Woodall called for a comprehensive solution to the pending fiscal cliff and outlined what he thinks that solution should look like: reduced government spending, increased revenue through the closing of tax loopholes, and no changes to current tax rates. But, if Rep. Woodall is so concerned about …

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Tea Party Patriots Meet Tonight

Rep. Rob Woodall scheduled to speak. C4BG members also planning to attend tonight's meeting.

Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) will be the guest speaker at tonight's meeting of the Founding Fathers Tea Party Patriots. Founding Fathers Tea Party Patriots chairman Steve Ramey said he expects a standing room only crowd. "Come hear an exciting and dynamic speaker talk about the issues of our country and his plans to help our nation get back on track," Ramey said in an emailed statement. Representatives from Citizens for a Better Gwinnett (C4BG) also plan to attend. C4BG member Jim Regan said the group has requested Rep. Woodall sponsor a bill to defund the FAA Airport Privatization Program. “Thus far Rep Woodall has not committed to our request,” Regan wrote in a Facebook invitation to the event. “This is our opportunity to show support as …

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MoveOn Gwinnett Rallies Outside Woodall's Office

Activists call on Rep. Rob Woodall to create more jobs in Gwinnett County.

Shouting, "Give me a job, Rob," a dozen people rallied outside Rep. Rob Woodall's Lawrenceville office Wednesday morning at the Gwinnet Justice and Administration Center. The rally was organized by MoveOn Gwinnett, a branch of MoveOn.org. It was part of more than 200 rallies happening across the country as part of National Day of Action. "We're here to tell Rep. Woodall that enough is enough with focusing on cuts. It's time to focus on jobs," said Scott Szymanski, media coordinater for MoveOn Gwinnett. Right now, 9.4 percent of Gwinnett County residents are unemployed. That's lower than the Georgia average at 9.9 percent, but higher than the national average, which 9.2 percent. The group claims Rep. Woodall and congress has been more …

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Cynthia Montgomery

5:49 pm on Thursday, August 11, 2011

MOVE ON please just move on yourselves!!! The comment you made shows you have NO IDEA about economics and how the government is run. How about the slogan, " YES WE CAN" your candidate used as a rally cry & after nearly 3 years it is evident that not only, "NO, HE CAN"T but also HE"S GOT NO CLUE! You can't get anything done because we, small business owners who have been paying for your government…   more ›

Woodall to Speak at Tea Party Meeting

C4BG members also planning to attend.

Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) will be the guest speaker at the Aug. 11 meeting of the Founding Fathers Tea Party Patriots. Representatives from Citizens for a Better Gwinnett (C4BG) also plan to attend. C4BG member Jim Regan said the group has requested Rep. Woodall sponsor a bill to defund the FAA Airport Privatization Program. “Thus far Rep Woodall has not committed to our request,” Regan wrote in a Facebook invitation to the event. “This is our opportunity to show support as we continue to oppose the expansion of Briscoe Field.” The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:30 p.m. at The Flying Machine, located at 510 Briscoe Boulevard in Lawrenceville.

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Woodall Introduces Campaign Finance Reform Bill

Legislation aimed at leveling financial playing field for challengers and incumbents.

Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) has introduced a bill that would only allow campaign funds to be spent during the election cycle in which they are raised. The legislation, known as the “Competitive Elections Act,” is designed to eliminate the advantage large campaign war chests provide incumbents. “The Competitive Elections Act would shut politicians’ proverbial ‘war chests’ that today discourage and intimidate service-minded individuals who otherwise would run for Congress,” Woodall said in a released statement. "You should not have to be a self-funding millionaire to be competitive in a congressional election. If you think you can do a better job than your current Representative and voters agree with you, you should be the next representative…

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Woodall Amendments Cut $5.1 Million From Energy Budget

Money cut would pull $4.9 million for Corps of Engineers study on climate change and $200,000 from program encouraging third to eighth graders and their families to conserve energy.

Two amendments to the Energy and Water Appropriates Bill written and introduced by Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) passed the House Monday. According to a press release from Woodall’s office, the combination of the two will save $5.1 million in taxpayer money. Under a new policy implemented by House Republicans, all money saved from programs cut in appropriations bills can be deposited in a spending reduction account. This prevents money cut from programs like this from being spent on any other projects. The first of the amendment cuts $4.9 million from FY 2012 spending by eliminating a climate change study carried about by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  “This amendment isn’t about whether you believe that the earth’s climate is warming, …

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House Set to Vote Today on Light Bulb Ban

House resolution would repeal the de facto ban on the incandescent light bulb.

Incandescent light bulbs may not be a thing of the past after all. The House is scheduled to vote today on H.R. 2417 or the Better Use of Light Bulbs Act, a bill to repeal sections of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 which essentially call for incandescent bulbs to be phased out in 2012 and replaced with more energy efficient bulbs. Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07), whose district includes Dacula, intends to vote in favor of H.R. 2417 according to his communications director Jennifer Drogus. The Better Use of Light Bulbs Act was introduced by Rep. Joe Barton (R-TX-06). In a statement on his website, Rep. Barton said lawmakers failed to consider the ramifications of the 2007 Energy Act. “The unanticipated consequence of the ’07 …

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Woodall: 'What We're Having Is a Debt Crisis'

Rep. Woodall delivers remarks on the 799th day since the Senate last passed a budget.

Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) addressed the House of Representatives today regarding the nation's looming debt crisis. Woodall said if the country were just dealing with existing debt, a solution might be possible. That however is not the case, Woodalll said. "It’s continued borrowing each and every day. To the tune of 42 cents of every dollar that we spend," Woodall said. Woodall added that mandatory spending -- Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, interest on the national debt -- required every bit of federal revenue. "That means every nickel that we spend for education, every nickel that we spend for transportation, every nickel that we spend on national defense, on homeland security, on the environment, on the courts, every other nickel …

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CBO Report: Federal Debt Will Overtake Economy in 2011

Rep. Rob Woodall says Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security are the primary components of the debt.

A new report by the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) points to a dire fiscal future. “According to this CBO report, our federal debt will overtake the size of the entire U.S. economy this year.  Three programs—Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security—are the primary drivers of this crushing burden of debt,” Rep. Rob Woodall (R-GA-07) said in a released statement. “For years, politicians have chosen to ignore the fact that these are in dire need of reform.  We cannot put this problem off any longer,” he added. Woodall reiterated his support for the Republican’s 2012 budget proposal, also known as “The Path to Prosperity.” “This plan not only drives down wasteful government spending, but it also provides responsible reforms to our …

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Brian Crawford

3:11 am on Thursday, June 30, 2011

It's important to note that 10 years ago, when George W enacted his first budget, the national debt (ND) was $5.8 trillion, most of which had accrued under Reagan and Bush 41. The Clinton administration left a balanced budget and the CBO projected a $5.6 trillion surplus over the next 10 years leaving us essentially debt free, assuming the continuation of the tax and spending policies at that …   more ›