Blog

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 30, 2012

Contact: Tom Guild, Democratic Nominee for Congress in Oklahoma’s Fifth District

Phone: 405-921-3811 or Email: [email protected]

Web: www.guildforcongress.com

The Most Partisan and Worst Congress Ever!

Incumbent Fifth District Congressman James Lankford Should Be Defeated!

           Tom Guild, the Democratic Nominee for Congress from Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District, feels that the current congress is the most partisan and worst congress ever, and that the incumbent, Fifth District Congressman James Lankford should be defeated.

An academic study has been done by well-respected nonpartisan scholars who said the following about the current 112^th Congress, “We have been studying Washington politics and Congress for more than 40 years, and never have we seen them this dysfunctional.”

When the 112^th Congress was sworn in the unemployment rate was 9.1% and it is now 8.2%, despite the disastrous handling of the debt ceiling in May-August 2011 and its refusal to act to create jobs.

House Republicans nearly caused the American economy to go over the fiscal cliff in August 2011 by playing games in raising the debt ceiling, so that the United States could continue to pay the bills that Congress racked up.  This led to the lowering of the U.S. credit rating for the first time in U.S. history.  The credit agency said it lowered the country’s credit rating because, “the downgrade reflects our view that the effectiveness, stability, and predictability of American policymaking and political institutions have weakened at a time of ongoing fiscal and economic challenges.”

To compound the country’s problems, the House Republicans (including Lankford) voted to create a congressional “super committee” that failed to come up with recommendations that could be agreed to by the “super committee”.  This committee failure triggered automatic budget cuts or sequester of more than a trillion dollars to defense and domestic spending, that was required in the law passed setting up the “super” committee.  This created another problem that congressmen who voted for the law are now bemoaning.  They should have known better.

Instead of learning from the debt ceiling and “super” committee disaster, the House Republican Speaker (who Lankford voted to make speaker) says, “We shouldn’t dread the debt limit.  We should welcome it.”

According to Congressional Quarterly this is the most polarized Congress ever.  In 2011, the votes in which a majority of Democrats opposed a majority of Republicans set a new record in the U.S. House.  75.8% of roll call house votes pitted the Democrats against the Republicans.  The average was boosted by some of the 33 show votes House Republicans have taken to repeal the Affordable Care Act.  Some have defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  All 33 votes effected zero change in the law.

It is no wonder that the two lowest scores in the history of the Gallup Poll for a Congress are held by the 112^th, 10% in February 2012 and 11% in December 2011.  This Congress has added to its “do nothing” reputation by passing fewer bills than any Congress since 1947.  They are in last place by a wide margin.

“It is clear to me that this Congress and Congressman Lankford are the problem not the solution.  They are doing nothing to help and taking numerous actions which are harming our country and our economy.  They are extremely partisan, polarizing, and unpopular, and should be replaced in November for the good of the country and the fifth congressional district of Oklahoma,” stated Tom Guild, Democratic Nominee for Congress in Oklahoma’s Fifth District.

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Republican’s Choice for Senate District 13: JAILED

Oklahoma Republican Party Chair Matt Pinnell and President Pro Tempore Brian Bingman Should Call for Their Candidate to Withdraw

Oklahoma City – Republican candidate for Senate District 13, Fred Smith, is currently in jail for failure to pay child support. The seat which covers parts of Pontotoc, Coal, Hughes, and Garvin counties is currently held by Senator Susan Paddack, Ada.

Oklahoma Democratic Party Chairman Wallace Collins said ”This continues a pattern of bad behavior from the Republican party in Oklahoma. How can candidates expect to manage the business of the State of Oklahoma if they are incapable of doing so in their personal lives?”

“It’s outrageous that this individual continues to have the support of the Oklahoma Republican Party. Matt Pinnell and the Republican leadership are responsible for this candidate and are responsible if he stays in this race.” Chairman Collins continued, “I believe that Republican Party Chairman Matt Pinnell and Senate Pro Tempore Brian Bingman should ask their candidate to step down.”

“The failure of the Republican Party’s leadership in this matter is further evidence of their lack of respect for good government and the citizens of District 13. These hard-working Oklahomans deserve better.” added ODP Vice-Chair Dana Orwig.

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 23, 2012

Contact: Tom Guild, Democratic Nominee for Congress in Oklahoma’s Fifth District

Phone: 405-921-3811 or Email: [email protected]

Web: www.guildforcongress.com

Incumbent Congressman’s Vote Puts 16,000 Oklahoma Jobs At Risk
Sequester Legally Required By Incumbent’s Vote May Seriously Damage U.S./Oklahoma Economy

Oklahoma City – Tom Guild, the Democratic Nominee for Congress from Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District, declares that the incumbent Congressman’s vote puts 16,000 Oklahoma jobs at risk and the sequester legally required by incumbent’s vote may seriously damage U.S./Oklahoma economy.

All five of Oklahoma’s House Members, including fifth district incumbent James Lankford, voted for the budget deal enacted into law in August 2011, which called for the appointment of a congressional “super” committee that would work to find common ground for cuts in the federal budget. If the “super” committee failed to reach agreement, which it did, the law supported by the entire Oklahoma house delegation, including the fifth district incumbent, mandates the sequestration of funds (automatic budget cuts) to take effect starting on January 2, 2013. $500 billion of the pending sequestration or automatic cuts would be in the defense department. The rest would be mostly in social programs affecting the safety net.

An academic study showed that 16,000 Oklahoma workers, half in jobs related to the defense industry, would lose their jobs in the next 15 months if the $1.2 trillion in sequester or cuts go into effect.

“Congressman Lankford voted for the 2011 budget deal. He showed poor judgment in playing games with his vote to raise the debt ceiling. His refusal to cast his vote logically and wisely, and his brinksmanship behavior, could ultimately bring the American economy to its knees. His actions led directly to the mess and crisis currently facing our country. His irrational, partisan and ill-advised behavior and vote led directly to the downgrading of the U.S. credit rating in 2011 for the first time in American history.

We would not be in this position if House Republicans would have simply voted to raise the debt ceiling in August 2011 without insisting on budget cuts and without unnecessary drama. This would have allowed our country to pay its bills that Congress has racked up in recent years. Sequestration in January 2013 would likely stifle the current recovery and take the national economy back into recession.

For the incumbent to complain about the pending automatic cuts (sequestration), caused by his vote in Congress, is a day late and a dollar short. He should have considered these possibilities before he cast his vote for the budget deal. If 16,000 Oklahomans are thrown out of work and the economy is dramatically harmed, the congressman has only himself and his actions to blame. To show concern at this point, considering the role he played in creating this mess, is to say the least hypocrisy and simply an attempt to further his own selfish political ambitions and employment at taxpayer expense,” stated Tom Guild.

Guild is currently running as the Democratic Party Nominee for the congressional seat in the Fifth District of Oklahoma. For more information about Tom and his campaign, visit www.guildforcongress.com

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

July 16, 2012

Contact: Tom Guild, Democratic Nominee for Congress in Oklahoma’s Fifth District

Phone: 405-921-3811 or Email: [email protected]

Web: www.guildforcongress.com

Challenger Tom Guild Supports Tax Cuts for the American Middle Class!

            Incumbent Congressman Favors Tax Cuts for the Wealthy!

               Tom Guild, the Democratic Nominee for Congress from Oklahoma’s Fifth Congressional District,  supports extending current tax cuts, due to expire on January 1, 2013, to those earning $250,000 or less each year.  He favors allowing ordinary income in excess of $250,000 each year to be taxed at Clinton-era tax rates.  This proposal would reduce the federal budget deficits over ten years by ~$866 billion.  This would also help the hard pressed American middle class that has been badly hurt economically for the past ~5 years.

Despite his protestations that he wants to reduce the budget deficit, Tom’s opponent, the incumbent congressman in the fifth district, favors additional tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

“Taxpayers, including small business owners earning $251,000, would pay the Bush era rate on the first $250,000 of income and the Clinton era rate on $1,000.  Less than 3% of small business owners reach the level of $250,000 in revenue each year,” states Guild.

Guild continues, “The main reason that businesses are not creating more jobs is middle class consumers and American consumers generally don’t have the financial resources to purchase needed consumer goods.  Consumer spending accounts for ~70% of all economic activity.  Middle class tax cuts will help spur the economy by putting more money in the hands of Americans who will spend the money to buy things they haven’t been able to afford in the past few years.

Median incomes have been dropping for a number of years and this difficult economy has hit the middle class and working poor the hardest.  Those who have income over $250,000 each year are the wealthiest Americans and most of their income is taxed as capital gains, which is 15%.  The capital gains tax rate would rise to the Clinton-era rate of 20% if the current tax cuts are not extended.

The tax rate for ordinary income over $250,000 would go from 35-39.6% if the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans are not extended.  39.6% is the tax rate that applied to income over $250,000 during the Clinton presidency, and resulted in the generation of 22 million American jobs, therefore, it is critical that we work towards that end,” concluded Guild.

Guild is currently running as the Democratic Party Nominee for the congressional seat in the Fifth District of Oklahoma. For more information about Tom and his campaign, visit www.guildforcongress.com

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