Resolutions Passed at the RNC Meeting, July 2009
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF GOOD GOVERNANCE
WHEREAS, The RNC is subject to applicable Federal Law and to the rules and regulations promulgated by the Federal Election Commission and must accurately report receipts and expenditures on a monthly basis that are in compliance with FEC reporting requirements and Federal Law and present its financial position as true, correct and complete; and
WHEREAS, it is not always possible to assemble the RNC or the Executive Committee on a timely basis to authorize specific actions by the Chairman with respect to authority to sign certain contracts, agreements or disbursement authorizations which contractually bind the Committee; and
WHEREAS, the duly elected members of the RNC have a duty to provide for good governance as well as proper financial checks and balances within the RNC and further desire to provide oversight in connection with contracts and agreements;
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED,
That the Chairman is hereby authorized and directed, for and on behalf and in the name of the RNC, to enter into such contracts and agreements, to execute such other documents, and to take such actions on behalf of the RNC, as are deemed necessary by him, in his sole discretion, to carry out and effectuate the terms of such contracts or other agreements, provided, however, that:
1. Any such contract or agreements which may, by its own terms, create financial obligations of the RNC in excess of $100,000, shall require the additional authorization of a second officer of the RNC, preferably the Treasurer (if he or she is available), but also could include the Co-Chairman or Secretary; and
2. Such aforementioned contracts or agreements creating an obligation in the amount of or in excess of $100,000 shall require competitive bidding. If it is not practical to obtain competitive bids or competitive bids cannot be obtained, exemption from this requirement shall require the authorization of a second officer of the RNC which shall include the Treasurer, Co-Chairman, or Secretary; and
3. Any such contract or agreement to borrow money and/or obtain other credit or financial accommodations on behalf of the RNC from a commercial lender, shall require the express prior approval of the Executive Committee; and
4. Any such contract or agreement that creates financial obligations on behalf of the RNC that extend beyond the length of the term of the Chairman, shall require the express prior approval of the Executive Committee; and
5. The Chairman shall appoint a Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer.
Although the Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer is accountable to all RNC members, the Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer shall serve at the pleasure of the Chairman and reports to the Chairman but also reports on RNC operations to the Executive Committee when they are in session. The Chief Administrative Officer/Chief Financial Officer may be removed from office by the Chairman upon notification to the Executive Committee. A termination report shall be given to the Executive Committee at its meeting.
As approved by the Committee on Resolutions, July 30, 2009
Obamacare: Marching Further Towards Socialism
WHEREAS, Socialism is defined as “Any of various theories or systems of social organization in which the means of producing and distributing goods is owned collectively or by a centralized government that often plans and controls the economy;” President Obama’s health care program, “Obamacare,” which will have the government owning and operating an insurance company which covers over 100 million Americans and forces individuals and employers to purchase specific types of government-approved insurance coverage or pay a tax, is socialized medicine; and
WHEREAS, Obamacare will result in employers dropping employees’ coverage, or decreasing their number of employees, will force private insurers out of business, will force patients to enroll in a government-run plan, will force physicians to accept patients on the government plan and will allow the government to set service fees; and
WHEREAS, physicians already lose money servicing government patients on Medicare and Medicaid; Obamacare will increase the problem by further reducing Medicare and Medicaid fees to doctors and hospitals, and will further discourage our brightest students from entering the medical field and bring a halt to medical innovation; and
WHEREAS, Obamacare, using the excuse of controlling health care costs, will take away the freedom to choose one’s own doctor and interfere with the individual’s ability to make personal health care decisions; and
WHEREAS, Obamacare will redistribute wealth by taxing employees’ medical benefits and “politically incorrect” lifestyle choices, such as soda and salty foods, by imposing a federal sales tax, and/or by increased deficit spending with borrowed money, bankrupting this country with a run-away entitlement train; and
WHEREAS, the result of Obamacare will be government control of the health care sector — twenty percent of the national economy — in addition to the Federal government’s direct control of banks, auto manufacturers, insurance companies and mortgage industry; and
WHEREAS, the future of Obamacare is seen everywhere socialized medicine is practiced (such as the
RESOLVED, the members of the Republican National Committee recognize that Obamacare is marching America further towards Socialism and urge that it be stopped before it destroys the best medical care system the world has ever known; and, further be it
RESOLVED, that true cost savings be achieved by tort reform so physicians won’t need to practice defensive medicine with unnecessary referrals and expensive tests and insurance companies won’t pay out large settlements for frivolous lawsuits; and further be it
RESOLVED, that true cost savings can be achieved by eliminating most of the existing 1900 government mandates for non-essential care; and further be it
RESOLVED, that all individuals be allowed tax deductibility for their medical insurance
premiums and cash payments for medical and drug expenses, without any threshold of a
percentage of adjusted gross income or total income limits; and that everyone be encouraged to enroll in a health savings account, which should receive tax treatment similar to 401 (k)s; and further be it
RESOLVED, that this resolution will be mailed to each congressional Republican and
Republican state party.
As approved by the Committee on Resolutions, July 30, 2009
Resolution to Reform the Obama Administration’s Policy of Appointing Czars
WHEREAS, in a major consolidation of power for the White House and usurpation of
congressional authority, President Barack Obama has appointed over twenty “Czars” to oversee a variety of important policy issues; and
WHEREAS, none of these so-called “Czars” were appointed with congressional approval, yet each manages important areas of national policy, impacting millions of Americans and controlling a significant portion of the federal government’s budget; and
WHEREAS, despite the president’s campaign pledge of executive branch transparency, the appointment of “Czars” shows the Obama administration is circumventing congressional oversight as each of these officials is accountable only to the president; and
WHEREAS, the US Constitution states government officers with significant authority in policy issues must be nominated by the president and are subject to the Senate confirmation process; and
WHEREAS, these officers include cabinet-level secretaries tasked with duties similar to those performed by the “Czar” positions; and
WHEREAS, the US Constitution instructs that only the US Congress can approve such
appointments through Senate confirmation; and
WHEREAS, officials confirmed by the Senate are subject to congressional oversight and annual congressional funding; and
WHEREAS, by contrast, White House officials are agents of the president, and may be immune from congressional questioning because of Executive Privilege; and
WHEREAS, these “Czars” currently advise the president on crucial national policy issues, though the Founding Fathers framed the powers vested in the president to prevent the type of centralized authority President Obama now exerts; and
WHEREAS, Senator Robert Byrd of West Virginia, a senior member of the Democrat Party and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, has sent an official protest to President Obama, stating that his effort to appoint “Czars” is an attempt to subvert the authority of the US Congress and is a threat to the “Constitutional system of checks and balances;” therefore be it
RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee recognizes that the current concentration of powers in the Executive Branch is in violation of the powers of the President of the United States as defined in the US Constitution and is dangerous to the citizens of America; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee calls upon the Democrat leadership of the US Congress to halt funding the operations of the federal government vested in these “Czars” until President Obama returns the lawful authority to his cabinet secretaries and lesser officers of the national government; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee calls upon the US Congress to hold President Obama accountable; and be it further
RESOLVED, that the Republican National Committee calls upon the US Congress to initiate hearings regarding President Obama’s appointment of “Czars;” and be it further
RESOLVED, upon approval of this Resolution, the Republican National Committee will mail this document to congressional Republicans and Republican state parties.
As approved by the Committee on Resolutions, July 30, 2009
Resolution on Cap-and-Trade
WHEREAS, Cap-and-Trade is regulatory program under which the Federal government would
1) set a limit (cap) on the volume of carbon emissions that would be permitted, and 2) distribute
the rights to allowed emissions so that firms would be free to buy and sell those allotments after initial distribution; and
WHEREAS, Cap-and-Trade is a huge tax on our natural energy resources including coal, oil and natural gas, totaling $846 billion in the first 10 years, according to the Congressional Budget Office; and
WHEREAS, the goal of Cap-and-Trade is to make carbon based energy much more expensive, as clearly stated by President Obama when he said:
“Under my plan of a cap and trade system electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket. Businesses would have to retrofit their operations. That will cost money. They will pass that cost onto customers,” and
WHEREAS, before becoming Energy Secretary, Steven Chu told the Wall Street Journal in September 2008, “Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels of Europe;” and
WHEREAS, Cap-and-Trade may bankrupt the coal industry — one that employs thousands of Americans — as President Obama stated:
“So, if somebody wants to build a coal plant, they can — it’s just that it will bankrupt them, because they are going to be charged a huge sum for all that greenhouse gas that’s being emitted,” and
WHEREAS, Cap-and-Trade will dramatically affect American farmers; it is estimated this legislation will cause farm income to drop 94 percent, or over $50 billion, by 2035; and
WHEREAS, the cost for hard-working American families will be staggering, totaling $890 per family per year according to the Congressional Budget Office, and at least $1,218 per average annual household burden, or approximately two percent of the average household income; and
WHEREAS, these huge costs per family will fail to accomplish environmental goals because climate models and environmental groups show that the reductions would have little or no detectable impact on global average temperatures; and
WHEREAS, under a Cap-and-Trade system, once carbon emissions allowances are distributed, entities will be free to buy and sell allowances, creating a billion dollar commodity and derivatives market subjecting energy prices to Wall Street speculation and market volatility; and
WHEREAS, Cap-and-Trade could increase greenhouse gas emissions, as the cost of complying with the legislation could force companies to move their industrial operations to countries with inferior pollution control technology. Dan DiMicco, the CEO of Nucor Steel, America’s largest steel manufacturer, said the cap and trade tax would mean his company would close
WHEREAS, the Waxman-Markey bill expands the realm of the Federal government over energy utilities and manufacturers, establishes new Federal agencies, and allocates tax payer funds to be handed out at the discretion of the EPA Administrator and the Secretary of Energy; therefore be it
RESOLVED, that we, the members of the Republican National Committee, recognize that Cap-and-Trade is a tax on energy that falls on hard-working American families and that the cost of this tax greatly exceed any benefit, especially in this time of economic crises; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we urge the US Senate to vote no on Cap-and-Trade and Congress as a whole to reject all efforts to use global warming as a pretext to increase federal revenues; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we support the use of all energy sources that will reduce carbon emissions, especially nuclear, clean-coal and renewable energy technologies; and be it further
RESOLVED, that we support measures like the American Energy Innovation Act, a Republican- sponsored bill that aims to expand our domestic energy production with responsible stewardship over the environment; and be it further
RESOLVED, that this Resolution will be mailed to each congressional Republican and Republican state party.
As approved by the Committee on Resolutions, July 30, 2009











