GOVERNOR CHRIS CHRISTIE: I think because we’re not doing what we’re doing on the state level where we’re being enormously successful. We’ve got 30 of 50 Republican governors in this country. Why? I think that’s because at the state level, they see the Republican Party as being doers – that we actually get things done for people. And that we are pragmatists, we bring people together, and do so by not violating our principles at the same time. And that’s what I think we’ve done in New Jersey, and that’s why people are responding I think in the way they are.

The video highlights Terry McAuliffe’s past statements claiming drilling in Virginia would not create jobs and his now new support for offshore drilling. His latest flip-flop proves you can’t take Terry McAuliffe seriously on energy issues.

You can view the web video HERE or by clicking on the video below.

“Governor Christie demonstrates the type of results-oriented leadership New Jersey residents expect from their governor. Before Governor Christie took office, Trenton was broken and state government was in disarray. Since then, he’s closed an $11 billion deficit without a tax hike, capped property taxes and enacted historic education and pension reforms.  Thanks to his bold leadership, Governor Christie is well-positioned to secure a second term and continue the progress New Jersey has made since he took office.

“After failing to convince their first, second, third or fourth choice candidates to run for governor, Democrats have now officially nominated Barbara Buono and her consistent record of voting for higher taxes, increased spending, and deeper debt. Voters have made it clear they want to continue the progress New Jersey has made under Governor Christie and avoid the Jon Corzine model of tax-and-spend politicians like Barbara Buono who represent the failed policies of the past.”

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FULL TRANSCRIPT:
“Hello, I’m Sean Parnell, governor of the great state of Alaska.

“If you’ve spent much time watching the dysfunction and gridlock in Washington, D.C., you may have lost faith.

“And yet, across the country, Republican governors have another story: We are balancing budgets, reducing regulations, cutting taxes, and growing our economies, all the while working across the aisle.

“Chief Executive Magazine recently released its annual survey of the best states for business. The result?  The top ten are all managed by Republican governors.

“You see, when states encourage and grow economic opportunity, despite the federal quagmire of damaging regulations, our entire nation benefits.

“Today I want to focus on energy. I want to focus on what local, state and federal governments can do to ensure safe, reliable and affordable access to it.

“First, we need to address some basic, but critical questions:

“Is it better for the U.S. to import energy—or to export it?

“Is it a good public policy for Americans to be employed to produce our energy—or simply consume it?

“Can and should America be energy independent?

“Most Americans agree that energy independence is good for America, for both national security and our balance of trade. But we need our President to allow our nation to grow the energy economy for the benefit of our families.  The Republican House has acted; it’s time for the Democratic controlled Senate to do the same.

“Let me give you some examples.

“Alaska—one of the world’s great hydrocarbon basins—we’re doing our part to secure America’s energy future.

“In our most recent 90-day legislative session, the most productive in a generation, Alaskans worked together across party lines to make Alaska more competitive in a global environment. We reformed our state oil taxes, we modernized our state’s permitting system—all with the goal of creating more opportunities for our people from Alaska’s vast resources.

“In our state, the Alaska Energy Comeback has begun, a comeback that will lead to a brighter economic future for the entire U.S. economy, but we didn’t just stop with state lands. We know our nation’s federal lands contain riches that should be unlocked for the benefit of all Americans.

“Too often, however, the federal government is less than nimble about permitting projects on its own lands. Permitting delays by the Obama administration means delayed job creation for Americans.

“So just last week I offered our state’s expertise and our financial commitment to evaluate the energy and economic potential from oil-rich federal lands.

“Alaska is offering to pay a part of exploration of federal lands in Alaska for energy potential. Now, Alaska developed a comprehensive Oil and Gas Exploration Proposal for the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, otherwise known as ANWR. It details a seven-year exploration plan to complete studies and exploration on this federal land.

“And for this effort, I’m prepared to seek up to $50 million from the Alaska Legislature to help the federal government pay for developing this valuable information from its own land.

“Now, we’ve had this ANWR debate—but the federal government does not have current data on its true energy potential. What we propose is a fact-finding mission on federal lands with the State of Alaska covering up to one-third of the cost, so Americans have the facts on ANWR, and can understand what’s at stake for the country.

“This is just one example of how Republican governors are trailblazing the path to the future. The President and his allies in Congress have many such examples to emulate.

“Recently the Republican majority in the House of Representatives, along with 19 Democrats, passed legislation to approve the Keystone Pipeline, which will create up to 20,000 domestic jobs and transport oil and gas from Canada to the southern U.S. for refining. Now, it’s time for the Democratic-led U.S. Senate to pass this bill—or at least allow it an up or down vote.

“This common sense energy infrastructure project is truly shovel-ready, and yet the White House threatened it with a veto. The project could already be well underway, but the State Department has unnecessarily delayed the project for years.

“And then there’s offshore energy—and there’s a lot of it out there. Coastal governors have gathered together as a coalition to unite behind responsibly unlocking offshore energy development. Each of the eight governors in our coastal states coalition is frustrated by the lack of coordination, by the endless delays and politically motivated inaction by federal agencies.

“While the federal government wastes precious taxpayer dollars on green energy boondoggles that have collapsed in failure and bankruptcy, many with no benefit to America, access to federal lands has been consistently blocked by this administration. Offshore drilling has been stalled. Permitting for energy that can restore jobs across America is delayed. That’s not the ‘all of the above’ energy strategy that the President promised.

“You may have heard that, under the Obama administration, energy production is up. Well, it’s important to note this is only because it is increasing on private lands, while production on federal lands, which belong to you, the taxpayer, has dropped dramatically.

“Alaska and many of the other energy states are focused on responsible and safe oil and gas development.

“And as with the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, ANWR, the opportunity is there: If Washington, D.C. would start working with states to unlock access to federal lands, an economic boom would be felt across this nation, lifting wages, and creating hundreds of thousands of good-paying jobs and improving our national security through energy independence.

“Alaska and many of America’s governors are leading our country’s energy revolution. America’s resources belong to Americans. They should be unlocked for our benefit and not locked up by Washington.

“Thanks for listening, and may God continue to bless the United States of America.”

“Saddled with the worst approval rating of any governor and a difficult path to re-election, Lincoln Chafee flip-flopped again today to switch his party registration. Make no mistake, this was a decision based purely on politics, not policy. Lincoln Chafee’s record as Rhode Island’s governor is clear: fewer jobs and higher debt. With his inability to manage his state or create a jobs-friendly environment, he will fit right in with today’s group of Democratic Governors.”

“After failing to recruit any of their top choices to run, Democrats are now stuck with Barbara Buono’s record of voting to raise taxes 154 times while overseeing out-of-control spending,” said RGA Communications Director Gail Gitcho. “Barbara Buono’s failed policies of higher taxes, increased spending and deeper debt would take New Jersey backwards and erase the progress Governor Christie has accomplished.”

SCRIPT

Barbara Buono by the numbers:

As a Trenton politician, she voted to raise taxes 154 times.

Under her, property taxes up 70 percent.

Backed a 16 percent sales tax increase.

Utilities, nursing homes, cell phones, parking lots, lottery wins, gyms – She taxed them all.

Architect of Corzine’s budget, she drove New Jersey $2 billion into debt.

Barbara Buono by the numbers: taking New Jersey backwards.

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“Mark Schauer’s record is clear: higher unemployment, wasteful spending, and support of the failed policies that led to Michigan’s lost decade. Voters have rejected Schauer’s out-of-touch agenda before and will do so again in 2014. Schauer’s record stands in stark contrast to the successful customer-service focused record of more jobs and balanced budgets under Governor Rick Snyder. Michigan has solidified itself as the comeback state under Governor Snyder and will continue to reject politicians like Mark Schauer who represent the failed policies of the past.”

“After running an anti-coal and anti-coastal drilling campaign for governor in 2009, Terry McAuliffe has flipped on his energy positions after realizing he was on the wrong side of the issue. Make no mistake, McAuliffe will say or do anything to get elected governor.  At this rate, this former DNC Chairman may become a Republican soon.

“With this issue, Terry McAuliffe has again demonstrated he is unable to be truthful with Virginia voters. It’s clear Terry McAuliffe cannot be trusted to be governor.”

Letter Below

Mr. President,

We write to you today to renew our call for the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the unfair and criminal targeting of conservative groups by the Internal Revenue Service.

Common sense says that the Internal Revenue Service’s actions were part of a political witch-hunt. Questions need to be answered about whether these invasive inquiries were driven by political advisors in the White House, or perhaps members of your presidential campaign team. Surely, you do not expect us to believe that IRS bureaucrats solely hatched this very political crusade?

Calls for a special prosecutor to investigate this IRS mess have been bi-partisan, unlike the IRS targeting. Late last week, Mr. Mark Fabiani, former special counsel to President Bill Clinton stated in the Wall Street Journal that “An investigation of yourself, no matter how well done, will not be credible to many people…I just don’t see how an investigation run by the administration will be seen as credible to the doubters.”

Mr. Fabiani is right. The IRS has been unfairly targeting and applying added scrutiny to applicants for tax-exempt status based on their conservative beliefs. The only way to fairly determine if laws were broken is to immediately appoint a special prosecutor.

The steps your administration has taken thus far have been inadequate. We’ve learned the IRS executive responsible for tax-exempt organizations from 2009-2012 is heading up the IRS’ Obamacare implementation division. This is unacceptable. The IRS has proved through mismanagement and corruption that they do not deserve a role in determining American’s health care choices.

As we mentioned in our previous letter, this was Big Brother come to life, and your administration faces numerous unanswered questions about this subversion of American liberty and who allowed these actions to occur. Steps must be taken swiftly to ensure this never happens again.

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Letter Below

Mr. President,

We write to you today disturbed after learning that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has been unfairly targeting and applying added scrutiny to applicants for tax-exempt status based on their conservative beliefs. To be blunt, this is Big Brother come to life and a witch hunt to prevent Americans from exercising their First Amendment rights.

The First Amendment gives Americans the ability to freely express their opinions regardless of their political beliefs. The actions of the IRS are an attempt to gag the voices of Americans who may disagree with the policies and left-leaning ideology of your administration. Quite frankly, this is un-American.

This is a subversion of American liberty and a secret but direct attack against the U.S. Constitution. Immediate action must be taken to ensure this never happens again. Here are two steps that should be taken:

1. Fire any and all employees responsible for this situation.
2. Appoint a Special Prosecutor now to find out if laws were broken and if anyone committed crimes.

The bottom line is that regardless of one’s political beliefs, conservatives and liberals alike must be able to exercise their First Amendment rights without fear that the federal government will abuse them for having differing opinions.

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