Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 26, 2009                                                                CONTACT: Press Office 202-863-8614    

WASHINGTON – The Republican National Committee (RNC) today announced a new Spanish language radio ad on President Obama’s and Vice President Biden’s fundraising trips to Miami. The ad addresses the impact of President Obama’s policies on the Hispanic community.  The radio ad will run Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday in the Miami media market.

“President Obama and Vice President Biden are moving forward with a reckless government-run health care experiment that will have a devastating impact on American families.  Despite the jam-packed fundraising schedule the president and vice president have during their Miami visit, they should find some time to explain to Florida’s Hispanic-Americans the real consequences that the Democrats’ plan will have on their community.  While Democrat leaders in Congress continue negotiations on a final health care bill in secret and behind closed-doors, Americans deserve answers to their questions.  When will President Obama finally deliver the transparency he promised?” – RNC Chairman Michael Steele

Listen to the audio of the radio ad here: http://newmedia.gop.com/audio/answers

SCRIPT

Time: 01:00

Voice: Miami welcomes President Obama and Vice President Biden to our city.  Since you’re spending a lot of your time raising campaign dollars instead of meeting with us, we have some questions for you.

Voice: You told us that a massive new spending program would help the economy and be good for jobs.  Our community has lost jobs, and now unemployment among Hispanics is nearly 13 percent.  Where are the jobs?  When will things get better?

Voice: Now, you say we need to overhaul our health care system.  Where is the money going to come from?  Will you really cut funding for Medicare to pay for it?  How can that be good?  That’s really going to hurt our seniors.

Voice: Big federal spending programs, no improvement in jobs, and Medicare cuts.  That’s just not good enough.  We can’t afford for things to keep on this way.  Mr. President - is this the best you can do? 

Voice: The Republican National Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.  Paid for by the Republican National Committee.  Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.  www.GOP.org.    

El Comite Nacional Republicano Lanza un Nuevo Anuncio Radial en Español a cerca la visita del Presidente Obama y Vice-Presidente Biden a Miami

Washington – El Comite Nacional Republicano (RNC) anunció hoy el lanzamiento de un nuevo anuncio radial a cerca de los viajes del Presidente Obama y el Vice-Presidente Biden a Miami para recaudar fondos. El anuncio trata sobre el impacto de las políticas del Presidente Obama sobre la comunidad hispana. El anuncio se escuchará en el mercado de Miami el lunes, martes y miercoles.

“El Presidente Obama y el Vice-Presidente Biden continuan empujando la aprobación de su desastroso experimento que le da el control al gobierno sobre el sistema de cuidados de salud. Esto tendría un efecto desvastador sobre las familias en este país. Pese a sus apretadas agendas de recaudación de fondos durante su visita a Miami, deberían encontrar el tiempo para explicarle a los hispano-americanos, las verdaderas consecuencias que el plan Demócrata tendría en su comunidad. Mientras los líderes Demócratas en Washington continuan sus negociaciones secretas y a puertas cerradas sobre el proyecto final de cuidados de salud, los americanos merecen que les contesten sus preguntas. ¿Cuando será que el Presidente Obama cumpla con la transparencia que nos prometio?”

GUIÓN

Time: 01:00

Voice: La comunidad de Miami le da la bienvenida al Presidente Obama y al Vicepresidente Biden.  Ya que estan pasado tanto tiempo recaudando fondos para campañas políticas en vez de reunirserse con nosotros, tenemos algunas preguntas para los dos.

Voice: Nos dijeron que al implementar un nuevo y masivo programa de gastos, nuestra economía mejoraría, y que esto generaría más empleos.  Nuestra comunidad ha perdido sus trabajos, y ahora la tasa de desempleo entre los hispanos es de casi trece por ciento.    ¿Dónde están los trabajos?  ¿Cuándo es que van a mejorar las cosas?

Voice: Ahora nos están diciendo que necesitamos reformar el sistema de salud  ¿De dónde va a salir el dinero para hacerlo?  ¿Es verdad que van a recortar los fondos de Medicare para costear la reforma?  ¿Cómo es que esto puede beneficiarnos?  Algo así realmente va a causarle daño a nuestras personas mayores.

Voice: Ahora tenemos grandes programas de gastos federales, no hay mejoras en los empleos y vamos a tener recortes en Medicare.  Estas situaciones no son aceptables, y no podemos permitir que las cosas sigan así.  Señor Presidente, ¿esto lo mejor  que puede ofrecernos?

Voice: El contenido de este mensaje es responsabilidad del Comité Nacional Republicano.  Este mensaje fue pagado por el Comité Nacional Republicano, y no fue autorizado por ningún candidato o su comité.  www.GOP.org.    

AD FACT

VOICE: Miami welcomes President Obama and Vice President Biden to our city.  Since you’re spending a lot of your time raising campaign dollars instead of meeting with us, we have some questions for you.

President Obama In Miami On Monday, October 26 To Fundraise For Democratic Congressional Candidates. “Obama will attend a fundraiser for Democratic congressional candidates on Monday in Miami.” (“Obama To Visit Florida Next Week,” The Associated Press, 10/19/09)

Vice President Biden In Miami And West Palm Beach On Thursday, October 29 To Fundraise For Democratic Congressional Candidates. “Two days after Obama’s visit, Vice President Joe Biden is holding fundraisers in Miami and West Palm Beach.” (Leslie Clark and Beth Reinhard, “Obama’s Next Florida Visit Won’t Be Featuring Gov. Charlie Crist,” The Miami Herald, 10/20/09)

VOICE: You told us that a massive new spending program would help the economy and be good for jobs. 

Obama Said Stimulus Would Create Or Save 3.5 Million Jobs Over Two Years. “[W]hat makes this recovery plan so important is not just that it will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years ...” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Signing Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, Denver, CO, 2/17/09)

Biden Said In “18 Months” Stimulus Will “Create 3.5 Million Jobs … Literally Drop-Kicks Us Out Of This Recession.” “This is a monumental project, but I think it’s doable. But I just think we got to stay on top (inaudible) and we got to stay on top of that on a weekly basis. Because this is about getting this out and spent in 18 months to create 3.5 million jobs and do -- to set -- tee this up so the rest of the good work that’s being done here literally drop-kicks us out of this recession and we begin to grow again and begin to employ people again.” (Vice President Biden, Remarks At Recovery Plan Implementation Meeting,The White House, 2/25/09)

VOICE: Our community has lost jobs, and now unemployment among Hispanics is nearly 13 percent. Where are the jobs?  When will things get better?

Since Stimulus Passed, Miami Area Has Lost Over 17,000 Jobs.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 10/22/09)

In September, Unemployment Among Hispanics Was At 12.7 Percent.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed

10/22/09)

Obama’s Chief Economist Admits Stimulus Has Already Had Its “Biggest Impact” On Economy, Will Level Off. “A top White House economist says spending from the $787 billion economic stimulus has already had its biggest impact on economic growth and will likely not contribute to significant expansion next year. Christina Romer, the chair of President Barack Obama’s Council of Economic Advisers, said Thursday that the $194 billion already spent gave a jolt to the economy that contributed to growth in the second and third quarters of the year. She told a congressional panel that by the middle of next year, the impact of the stimulus will level off.” (Jim Kuhnhenn, “Romer: Impact Of Stimulus Will Level Off,” The Associated Press, 10/22/09)

VOICE: Now, you tell us that we need to overhaul our health care system. 

President Obama Says “We Must Reform This [Health Care] System.” “It has now been nearly a century since Theodore Roosevelt first called for health care reform.  And ever since, nearly every President and Congress, whether Democrat or Republican, has attempted to meet this challenge in some way. … We know we must reform this system.  The question is how.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks To A Joint Session Of Congress On Health Care, U.S. Capitol, 9/9/09)

VOICE: Where is the money going to come from? Will you really cut funding for Medicare to pay for it? How can that be good? That’s really going to hurt our seniors.

House Democrats’ Tri-Committee Bill Includes Over $500 Billion In Total Cuts To Medicare Over 10 Years. “The House bill – the congressional proposal that has advanced the most – would reduce projected increases in Medicare payments to providers by more than $500 billion over 10 years, a gross cut of about 7 percent over the period. But the legislation would also plow nearly $300 billion back into the program, mainly to sweeten payments to doctors. That still leaves a net cut of more than $200 billion, which would be used to offset new federal subsidies for workers and their families now lacking health insurance.” (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “Seniors Uneasy Over Medicare Cuts In Overhaul,” The Associated Press, 7/30/09)

Senate Finance Committee Democrats’ Bill Paid For By Cutting $404 Billion From Medicare And Medicaid, Shifting Costs To American Consumers. “[T]he health reform bill being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee as introduced ... include[s]: Cuts in payment rates in public programs that could increase cost shifting to private sector businesses and consumers. These changes are expected to more than offset the potential reduction in cost shifting resulting from providing coverage to the uninsured.” (Congressional Budget Office, “Letter to Chairman Max Baucus,” 10/7/09; PricewaterhouseCoopers, “Potential Impact Of Health Reform On The Cost Of Private Health Insurance Coverage,” 10/11/09)

WASHINGTON POST: “From the raw numbers, it appears seniors are the net losers under bills approved by three House committees ...” (Ceci Connolly, “Seniors Remain Wary Of Health-Care Reform,” The Washington Post, 8/9/09)

Medicare Cuts Could Make Hospitals Refuse Seniors. “[L]awmakers are on track to approve across-the-board federal payment reductions of $155 billion over 10 years for hospitals ... Mayo and similar health systems object to the sweeping cuts. ‘Across-the-board cuts will be harmful to everyone and we think it is particularly bad to penalize the high-value organizations,’ said Jeff Korsmo, executive director of the Mayo Clinic Health Policy Center. ‘We will have to violate our values in order to stay in business and reduce our access to government patients.’” (Phil Galewitz, “‘Model’ Health Systems Press Case For Medicare Fix In Reform,” Kaiser Health News, 7/20/09)

Payment Cuts To Cardiologists Could “Threaten Access” To Heart Treatments Seniors Need. “Medicare officials recently proposed changes that could increase payments for some primary care services but reduce payments to many specialists. Cardiologists would be especially hard hit, with cuts of more than 20 percent in payments for electrocardiograms and 12 percent for heart stent procedures. ‘Cuts of this magnitude could cripple cardiology practices and threaten access to services for millions of patients,’ said Dr. John C. Lewin, chief executive of the American College of Cardiology.” (Robert Pear, “A Basis Is Seen For Some Health Plan Fears Among The Elderly,” The New York Times, 8/20/09)

Medicare Cuts Could Stifle Innovation That Could Produce New Treatments For Seniors. “Even small reductions to the future growth of Medicare spending – called ‘cuts’ in Washington parlance – unfairly burden the elderly, along with the doctors and hospitals that serve them and the manufacturers of health products, lest the pace of technical innovation be impaired.” (Uwe Reinhardt, “A ‘Common Sense’ American Health Reform Plan,” The New York Times’ “Economix” Blog, 7/31/09) 

VOICE: Big federal spending programs, no improvement in jobs, and Medicare cuts. That’s just not good enough.  We can’t afford for things to keep on this way. Mr. President - is this the best you can do?

Total Cost Of Stimulus Bill Equals $787 Billion. “President Barack Obama signed his $787 billion economic stimulus package into law Tuesday…” (Laura Meckler, “Obama Signs Stimulus Into Law,” The Wall Street Journal, 2/18/09)

• But Since Stimulus Passed In February, Florida Has Lost Over 196,000 Jobs.  (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 10/22/09)

Analysis Shows House Dems’ Bill Costs $1.6 Trillion, Includes $800 Billion In Tax Increases, $239 Billion Deficit. “Democrats argue the number should be $1 trillion, a number provided by the Congressional Budget Office for the net cost of the portion of the bill affecting health insurance, and they boasted in press releases that the bill actually creates a $6 billion surplus over the coming decade. But the gross cost of the bill is much higher, more than $1.6 trillion, according to a Roll Call analysis of the CBO data. And despite more than $800 billion in tax and fee hikes, it actually adds $239 billion to the deficit ...” (Steven Dennis, “Analysis: House Health Care Bill’s Price Tag Tops $1.6 Trillion,” Roll Call, 7/20/09)

• Including Over $500 Billion In Total Cuts To Medicare Over 10 Years. “The House bill - the congressional proposal that has advanced the most - would reduce projected increases in Medicare payments to providers by more than $500 billion over 10 years, a gross cut of about 7 percent over the period. But the legislation would also plow nearly $300 billion back into the program, mainly to sweeten payments to doctors. That still leaves a net cut of more than $200 billion, which would be used to offset new federal subsidies for workers and their families now lacking health insurance.” (Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar, “Seniors Uneasy Over Medicare Cuts In Overhaul,” The Associated Press, 7/30/09)

Senate Finance Committee Democrats’ Bill Hits Americans With $506 Billion In New Health Care Taxes And Fees Over Next 10 Years. “[T]he health reform bill being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee as introduced ... includes[s]: An excise tax on employer-sponsored high value health plans (or ‘Cadillac plans’) that in a few years could also raise premiums for some moderate value plans ... New taxes on health sector entities that are likely to be passed through to consumers.” (Congressional Budget Office, “Letter to Chairman Max Baucus,” 10/7/09; PricewaterhouseCoopers, “Potential Impact Of Health Reform On The Cost Of Private Health Insurance Coverage,” 10/11/09)

• And Includes $404 Billion In Cuts To Medicare And Medicaid. “[T]he health reform bill being proposed by the Senate Finance Committee as introduced ... include[s]: Cuts in payment rates in public programs that could increase cost shifting to private sector businesses and consumers. These changes are expected to more than offset the potential reduction in cost shifting resulting from providing coverage to the uninsured.” (Congressional Budget Office, “Letter to Chairman Max Baucus,” 10/7/09; PricewaterhouseCoopers, “Potential Impact Of Health Reform On The Cost Of Private Health Insurance Coverage,” 10/11/09)

• While Hiding Other Costs That Will Eventually Lead To Billions In Deficits Shouldered By American Taxpayers. “The Senate Finance Committee’s health-reform bill is fully paid for, according to the Congressional Budget Office; in fact, the CBO says, it would save $81 billion in the first 10 years. The House version of health reform, by contrast, would add $239 billion to the deficit over that period. So the Senate bill is more fiscally responsible, right? Not exactly. The cost difference stems from the fact that the House measure is honest enough to include the full 10-year cost of the so-called ‘doc fix’ -- $245 billion to reverse scheduled cuts in Medicare payments to physicians -- although not fiscally responsible enough to pay for it. The Senate just patches the problem for one year and pretends that doctors take a 25 percent cut in reimbursements the following year and then stay at that low level forever . No one believes that will happen, so the money is going to have to be scrounged up later or else add more to the deficit.” (Editorial, “A Shell Game For Disguising Health Reform Costs,” The Washington Post, 10/10/09)

• And Will Only Get Worse As Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Merges Senate Finance Dems’ Bill With “More Liberal Bill” From Senate HELP Dems. “Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada will attempt -- with input from the White House -- to reconcile the Finance Committee bill with a more liberal bill passed by the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. Provisions of the Finance bill are expected to remain largely intact because it addresses revenues and taxes in a way the other bill does not.” (Kim Geiger, “About Tuesday’s Healthcare Vote, And What Comes Next,” The Los Angeles Times, 10/11/09)

VOICE: The Republican National Committee is responsible for the content of this advertising.  Paid for by the Republican National Committee.  Not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.  www.GOP.org.