FREEDOMWORKS 08/09/2015

Jeb Bush and the Common Core Debacle  -by Remso Martinez During the first round of the 2016 GOP presidential debates, Jeb Bush was pressured by the moderators to explain his history of pushing for Common Core implementation across the country. In his statement, Bush said: “I don’t believe the federal government should be involved in the creation of standards directly or indirectly, the creation of curriculum or content. It is clearly a state responsibility. I’m for higher standards…” In his statement though, Bush avoided the specific answer the moderators wanted, which was whether or not he did or did not endorse the current Common Core curricula be adopted by various states. This isn't the first time Bush has dodged the question, back in December of 2014 Bush had this to say about the implementation of off a common curricula adopted by states. Read more here... FreedomWorks' Congressman of the Month - John Fleming- by Logan Albright Each month, FreedomWorks will spotlight a Member of Congress who embodies our key principles of less government, lower taxes, and more freedom. For the inaugural edition of FreedomWorks’ Congressman of the Month program, we’re highlighting Rep. John Fleming of Louisiana. Fleming was one of the first to join the House Freedom Caucus, and has been a consistent voice for liberty in Congress, since he was first elected in 2008. A physician by trade, Fleming has demonstrated a willingness to lead on the health care debate that many of his colleagues lack. In 2013, he worked with the Republican Study Committee to introduce the American Health Care Reform Act, one of the most conservative alternatives to ObamaCare to be seriously proposed. Fleming was also a key player in the 2013 fight to defund ObamaCare. Read more here... Why the Meadows Fight Matters- by Adam Brandon via The Hill When Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) introduced a resolution calling for Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to step down, a lot of people were eager to dismiss his actions as those of a lone loon with nothing to lose. When a member of Congress so publicly challenges the leadership of their own party, it’s always a long shot, but it’s important to understand why what Meadows is asking is neither crazy, nor unreasonable. Meadows’ list of grievances, if one takes the time to read it, does not read like some fringe manifesto. What Meadows is asking for is what all of Congress should be demanding, a fair and open process with the sort of oversight and accountability that is appropriate for the country’s principal lawmaking body. Read more here...  Over 75 Activists Rallied in Support of Rep. Mark Meadows in NC on Saturday Over 75 local grassroots activists in North Carolina’s 11th Congressional District rallied on Saturday in support of their congressman, Rep. Mark Meadows, and his resolution to vacate John Boehner from the speakership. See more here. Why Socialist Bernie Sanders is Wrong about Health Care Being a Human Right  - by Remso Martinez  Last week, National Nurses United (NNU) hosted a rally to celebrate the anniversary of Medicare. During the rally, NNU took the opportunity to host Independent-Socialist Senator Bernie Sanders, who is seeking the Democratic nomination for president. Sander's speech to the crowd shed further light on his socialist views on the future of healthcare in the United States. In his speech, Sander's stated that “healthcare is a right, not a privilege of all Americans", which is far from the truth. The debate over whether or not the right to life correlates with the right to health care has been an issue since the late 1800's. The truth of the matter is that while you do have the right to your life (meaning no one has the right to murder you, force you into slavery, dictate the terms of your existence through coercion or forced aggression), this right is what is known to philosophers as a negative right; while the right to purchase and receive health care is a positive right. First, we must define what is a right, before we go any further. Read more here... Sen. Mike Lee on Civil Asset Forfeiture Congress is Closer Than Ever to Enacting Justice Reform - by Jason Pye The House of Representatives has already adjourned for the August recess. The Senate is expected to finish up its business this week before members leave Washington. The recess will not be a quiet one for members. They are gearing up for several tricky legislative initiatives and battles when they return in September, among which will be justice reform. The momentum for justice reform has been building over the last several months, and it appears as though the will exists to get something big done before the end of the year. Most of the discussions revolve around some kind of front-end sentencing reform, including the "safety valve" exception to mandatory minimum sentences for nonviolent offenders, and back-end reentry reform for offenders who, through rehabilitative programs, have demonstrated that they are at low-risk of committing another crime. Read more here... McConnell Preemptively Surrenders in Spending Fight- by Logan Albright In order to effectively negotiate, it’s important to come to the table from a position of strength. You have to make the other side believe that you will fight for your priorities and not take no for an answer. Most importantly, you should never let your opponent know that you’re prepared to cave at the drop of a hat, even if you are. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has already made this cardinal mistake in the government funding battle scheduled for later this year. Read more here... EPA: A Rogue Agency- by Michael Greibrok The Fourth Circuit has joined a growing number of courts, including the Supreme Court, in slapping down actions by the EPA. The court recently denied the EPA’s challenge to a discovery order from a federal judge in West Virginia. The case, Murray Energy Corp. et al. v. Gina McCarthy, involves §321 of the Clean Air Act. This section creates a nondiscretionary duty for the EPA to conduct continuing evaluations of potential loss or shifts in employment due to EPA regulations under authority of the Clean Air Act. Read more here... Sign up for the FreedomWorks Morning Update If you want an update like this newsletter twice a week, be sure to sign up for the FreedomWorks Morning Update! The Morning Update is your tool to keep up-to-date with all the threats to your freedom. Sign up here. Make freedom work, Iris Somberg Press Secretary, FreedomWorks