8th District Congressional candidate Joe Walsh has signed the AFP no tax pledge…
CHICAGO-The Illinois chapter of the free-market grassroots group Americans for Prosperity (AFP-IL) today applauded U.S. House candidate Joe Walsh (8th District) for signing the group’s “No Climate Tax Pledge.” By doing so, Walsh joins over 285 lawmakers and candidates on the federal, state and local levels pledging to “oppose legislation relating to climate change that includes a net increase in government revenue.”
“The one thing elected officials should all be able to agree on is that global warming shouldn’t be used as an excuse to hike taxes on citizens and businesses,” said AFP-IL State Director Joe Calomino. “We encourage all of Illinois’ elected officials and candidates for elected office to sign.”
Current Illinois signers include: U.S. Representative and Senate candidate Mark Kirk; U.S. Senate candidates Patrick Hughes and Eric Wallace; U.S. House candidates John Dawson, David McAloon and Henry Meers; and State Senator Ira Silverstein.
“I am proud to stand with my friends at Americans for Prosperity and sign their No Climate Tax Pledge. The Administration’s cap-and-trade scheme is nothing but a tax on families, a tax on businesses, and a tax on the energy needed to grow our economy,” said Walsh. “I’m running for Congress to restore some common sense and fiscal sanity to Washington.”
Cap-and-trade took its first step toward enactment when the U.S. House narrowly passed the Waxman-Markey energy tax bill, which escaped the lower chamber by a scant seven votes despite significant bipartisan opposition. Senators Boxer (D-Calif.) and Kerry (D-Mass.) have just begun committee hearings on companion legislation in the Senate. However, key Democratic senators have expressed opposition to attempting to pass cap-and-trade this year.
President Obama has made no secret of his support for the bill, which would be the largest tax increase in American history. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office has scored the plan as an $846 billion increase in federal revenue, a burden that will be borne by taxpayers and consumers for decades to come.
The pledge is available online at www.NoClimateTax.com. AFP does not endorse candidates. All elected officials and candidates are encouraged to sign the pledge and go on the record in opposition to using the climate change issue to increase taxes and grow the size of government.
Americans for Prosperity(r) (AFP) is a nationwide organization of citizen leaders committed to advancing every individual’s right to economic freedom and opportunity. AFP believes reducing the size and scope of government is the best safeguard to ensuring individual productivity and prosperity for all Americans. AFP educates and engages citizens in support of restraining state and federal government growth, and returning government to its constitutional limits. AFP has more than 800,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 25 state chapters. More than 55,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org.