FAITH AND WORLD VISION

Dear Portia: As successful as 2010 was for our cause, it's important for us to understand just how big our challenge and opportunity is in 2011. Together, you and I and our entire movement defeated cap-and-trade, defeated card check and in November sent a powerful, even historic, message to Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, President Obama and the entire Left in our nation. Given the odds in Washington, D.C. and in state capitols across the nation up until now our challenge has been primarily two-fold:  stopping terrible legislation while building up the grassroots strength of our movement. In 2011, our challenge is bigger and tougher but the rewards are far better if we succeed. In 2011, we must actually make sure our elected legislators PASS good free market initiatives that will get our economy moving again and restore our economic freedoms. At Americans for Prosperity, we're asking you to join us once again as we fight 3 key public policy battles during the coming year. Overturning or at a minimum weakening the Pelosi/Reid/Obama health care takeover Quite simply, this bill was an unprecedented assault on our freedom and prosperity and it cannot stand. We will push for a quick vote on full repeal in the House and Senate and put pressure on them to get the key two-thirds required to overcome a presidential veto.  We'll then push Congress to dismantle the law through appropriations riders Rolling back the Obama Administration's regulatory attempts to cheat the American people by implementing the very policies already rejected by Congress We saw it with the Christmas Eve vote at the FCC to regulate the Internet, the EPA's outrageous global warming regulations to do cap-and-trade by the backdoor (which I recently wrote about in the Wall Street Journal with the incoming chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee), and the brazen return of so-called "end-of-life counseling" in Medicare.  We will demand Congress stand up and stop these regulatory power grabs. Use the coming federal and state budget battles to win substantial, sustainable spending cuts and long-term spending reforms that shrink the size of government This year will be the key turning point on the overall out-of-control growth of government spending.  This time the side of spending restraint has a grassroots army to keep the heat on and ensure we get real reforms and real cuts before we reach a genuine crisis point.  We're counting on you to help us keep the heat on. This agenda is ambitious and bold.  But, it must be accomplished if we are to take the next step toward taking our nation back for freedom and prosperity. We will accomplish this agenda only if grassroots activists like you commit to standing side-by-side with us.  You've been there before and I trust you'll be there again.     Enjoy the last days of this blessed Holiday Season secure in the knowledge that we are winning.   But, it's not over yet.  Not by a long shot! Tim PS: Please forward this email to your friends, family, and neighbors and ask them to join us on www.AmericansforProsperity.org. We'll need their help to win these big 2011 fights.       Americans for Prosperity® (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 1,600,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 80,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Dear Portia: Need more evidence you're making a difference? Without you and millions of fellow grassroots activists, there's no way Harry Reid would have pulled the $1.1 trillion "omnibus" spending boondoggle off the Senate floor yesterday afternoon. Earlier this week, we asked you to email and/or call your members of the Senate to tell them to vote NO on the "omnibus" bill.  As usual, tens of thousands of you took action and the phone lines and email links to the Senate were on fire.  You also called into talk radio shows, posted links on Facebook, spread the word on Twitter, and forwarded info to your email lists.  Our friends from the blogosphere went the extra mile in telling their readers just how egregious this spending bill would have been.  After all your combined efforts, within days an outrageous $1.1 trillion spending bill that in past years would have sailed through with unified Democrat support and substantial Republican support was deader than a doornail.   For more details on the "omnibus" bill that you defeated check out this analysis from our friends at Heritage.  We've got a big year coming up with many more battles for our economic freedom.  But know this:  when we fight, when we make our voices heard, we can win. Much lies ahead!   Sincerely, Tim PS:  As long as this lame duck Congress stays in session, we are still at risk of more big-government disasters.  Join us on www.NovemberSpeaks.com to keep the fight going.  PPS: Play our Lame Duck Hunt game as a fun way to draw attention to the real threats that could lie ahead for this lame duck Congress       Americans for Prosperity® (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 1,600,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 80,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Dear Portia, Harry Reid's lame duck Senate is pushing one last out-of-control, earmark laden $1.1 trillion "omnibus" spending bill and I'm asking you to make sure you tell your Senators to vote NO CLICK HERE.  And, Republicans need to hear from us just like the Democrats do so please contact both your Senators now. Just 4 eye-popping numbers in the Reid "omnibus" spending bill say it all: *1,924 pages long at $575.13 million spent per page *$1 billion -- for pre-funding of the un-Constitutional Obama/Pelosi/Reid health care takeover  *6,488 pork-barrel earmarks identified so far Think about this.  After failing to complete its budget for yet another year, this failed Senate is pushing this $1.1 trillion monstrosity of deficit spending.  As Harry Reid arrogantly said, "We're not through.  Congress ends January 4."  So Reid is ignoring the November 2nd election and thumbing his nose at the American people with this "omnibus" spending bill.  Let's not let him get away with it.  He needs 60 votes to force a vote so let's make sure he does not get it. Sincerely, Tim PS: Our friends at Taxpayers Against Earmarks have a great database of all the pork-barrel requests and the latest earmark news at www.EndingSpending.com. PPS: We hear some retiring Republicans are considering voting for this disaster.  Let's make sure anyone willing to fund ObamaCare in exchange for a bunch of pork-barrel earmarks knows what a terrible legacy that will leave.  Let's tell all the members of both parties that forcing a massive spending bill like this through in the lame duck is just wrong.  Contact your senators by CLICKING HERE.       Americans for Prosperity® (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 1,600,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 80,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

PENNSYLVANIA DEMOCRATS DIDN’T HEAR THE MESSAGE AMERICA SENT ON NOV. 2ND AND ARE MEETING TO IMPLEMENT OBAMACARE! Dear Patriots, Once again the Audacity of Arrogance rears its ugly head!   It appears the outgoing Pennsylvania Governor, Ed Rendell and his special interest pals did not hear the message of the Nov. 2nd election when Pennsylvanians resoundingly delivered their State House back to Republican control.  In Harrisburg, the left wing Healthcare Reform Implementation Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet.  This group was started by Gov. Rendell to begin implementing Obamacare, even though our current Attorney General and Governor-elect Tom Corbett joined other states in filing a lawsuit in federal court to allow Pennsylvania to opt out of Obamacare.   But that’s not the worst of it. Click here to take a look at who makes up the committee. You’ll see big Unions like SEIU, left wing groups like the Philadelphia Welfare Rights Organization and three Democrat State Legislators (and not one Republican). What you won’t see?  Anyone representing YOUR interests! It’s time to take a stand!  We’re asking any activist that will be in the area to attend the public portion of the meeting today from 2pm – 4pm at the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency Building, Board Room (Street Level), 211 North Front Street, Harrisburg, PA. Our PA Director of Policy, Katy Abrams and our Director of Communications, Jennifer Stefano will be in attendance to meet you there and make sure the Forgotten Taxpayer is heard! Americans for Prosperity is also leading the charge to make sure HB 2053, also known as the Pennsylvania Healthcare Freedom Act is passed in the next legislative session when the Republicans take control of the Legislature.   The bill seeks to thwart many of the unconstitutional mandates contained in Obamacare and protect PA's sovereignty from the overreach of the federal government. On the national level and here in Pennsylvania, Americans for Prosperity activists have NOT forgotten about Obamacare and we will continue to fight for our 10th Amendment right to reject this disastrous law! Join us in Harrisburg tomorrow and stay tuned for an update from the meeting! On to Victory, Steve Lonegan State Director Like what we are doing? Please support Americans for Prosperity with your most generous contribution. To donate, CLICK HERE.       Americans for Prosperity® (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 1,600,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 80,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

Dear Portia, The Lame Ducks just don't know when to quit.  We've been warning you for months that before the Democrats leave town for the holidays that Senator Harry Reid was going to try one last giveaway to his union buddies.  Tomorrow is the day he's going to try and we need your help to stop him. On Thursday the Senate will vote on S. 3194, the so-called "Public Employee-Employer Cooperation Act." Per usual, it has a wonderful name that is more or less the opposite of what the bill actually is: an unnecessary, expensive, and harmful bill that would force state and local governments to recognize union bosses as the exclusive bargaining agents for public-safety workers.  Click here to Take Action Today and urge a No Vote the so-called "Public Employee-Employer Cooperation Act."  This bill is an unfunded mandate on state and local government that will force a higher tax burden at the state and local levels. It would strengthen public employee unions by forcing more workers into them when they are already strangling state and local governments fiscally.  Shockingly, this bill would even force Right to Work states to unionize their public safety workforces.  Thankfully, all 42 Senate Republicans have promised to block any and all Lame Duck legislation until the looming tax hikes are fixed and government is funded.  We need to remind them to stand by that commitment and tell the Democrats how egregious this union payoff really is. Click here to Take Action Today and urge a No Vote the so-called "Public Employee-Employer Cooperation Act."  Sincerely, Tim Phillips President Americans for Prosperity Americans for Prosperity® (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 1,600,000 members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 80,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org

In this issue Take Action Hot Air Tour Cancun November Speaks Lame Duck Update Activist of the Month AFP in the news New York Times AFP's Steve Lonegan discusses the flaws of the regional cap-and-trade scheme being implemented in New Jersey. Politico Americans for Prosperity's Tim Phillips discusses holding the new Congress accountable for its votes and actions. Wall Street Journal AFP's James Valvo discusses regulatory overreaching by the EPA and other Executive bureaucracies. Fox News Phil Kerpen addresses the most egregious regulatory objectives of the EPA, and its 40 year history of overreaching. The Hill AFP makes the case for not allowing the lame duck Congress to pass an omnibus spending bill. The Daily Caller AFP's Phil Kerpen discusses the lack of legal implications of the final recommendations handed down from the President's fiscal commission. The Washington Independent AFP's Dallas Woodhouse and Tim Phillips comment on the important issues facing the Lame Duck Congress. KerpenCast Hear about the latest from Capitol Hill in this daily podcast. On the Web Make sure to follow AFP on Twitter and Facebook. Contribute Help advance our efforts to protect economic freedom and liberty in 2010. Click here to donate.         Prosperity Alert: December 2010 Take Action Tell Congress to Stop the FCC's takeover of the internet! It's an eerie echo of last year's health care debate. Another Christmas Eve, another sixth of the economy taken over by Washington. President Obama's FCC is obsessed with regulating the Internet. They made it official last week when they announced the agenda for their December 21st meeting. Congress must step in and do what the American people asked for in this election: stop Obama's big government agenda. Click here to read more. Take action at www.NoInternetTakeover.com, or click here to contact your representatives on this issue. Join the Virtual March on Washington to stop forced unionization! We knew the unions wouldn't let the lame duck session pass by without extracting some big payback for all the time, effort, and money they put into creating the Democratic congressional majority. They are now pushing a bill to force unionization of state and local police, paramedics, and firefighters. Click here to read more. Click here to join our Virtual March on Washington and tell Congress "No union giveaways in the lame duck!" Hot Air Tour Cancun The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 16) is meeting in Cancun, Mexico from November 29 – December 10 2010; and Americans for Prosperity took our Hot Air Tour there to meet them on December 2nd. AFP’s Hot Air Tour broadcasted Live from Cancun on December 2nd to remind Americans that energy regulations handed down by the UN would mean: Lost Jobs, Higher Taxes and Less Freedom. To watch video of the event, or to see pictures from our viewing parties across the country, click here! Click here to see our video of Bureaucrats Gone Wild on YouTube!   November 15th - November Speaks Rally On November 15, over 600 activists from across the country gathered at the Capitol in Washington, D.C., to protest the big-government agenda of the lame duck Congress. Speakers included Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN), Sen. Jim Demint (R-SC), Congressman-elect Morgan Griffith (R-VA), Congressman-elect Frank Guinta (R-NH), Congressman-elect Bob Gibbs (R-OH), and others. Activists sent the message that it is not acceptable to raise taxes on Americans, or to pass massive spending bills designed to fund Obamacare before the new Congress is seated. To see pictures of the rally, click here. To see media coverage of the rally, click here. Lame Duck Congress Update The lame duck session of Congress continues into December, and we need your help to send them the following messages0: These are the first votes of the 2012  cycle and public anger is not going away.   You have no  right to raise taxes on any American while the economy remains weak  and after class-warfare, tax-the-rich ideas were decisively rejected in a  national election.   It’s  wrong to cheat the American people by voting to fund  ObamaCare  before a new Congress elected not to fund it can be seated. Click here to join our Virtual March on Washington, and let the lame duck Congress know that we're watching! Click here to play AFP's new online game, Lame Duck Hunt! Activist of the Month - Rick Wallett If you’ve ever wondered what a cauliflower ear is just ask Richard Wallett, a 43 year old volunteer from South Elgin, IL, who worked over the last few months to educate folks through Americans for Prosperity. Making more than 10,000 calls for AFP’s volunteer Freedom Phone system, more than any other caller, Rick felt it was important that citizens were fully informed of the policy decisions being made by their elected officials. With his wife Laura of 21 years as mentor, Rick found himself in full activist mode during this election season. He devoted his time to championing conservative causes, one of them being Americans for Prosperity. “Big government and out of control spending are destroying our children and grandchildren’s futures,” said Wallett.  “We need to do something and do it now.”  As organizers of the Kane County 9/12 Tea Patriots, the couple made over 10,000 phone calls, distributed 7,500 door hangers, and distributed literature over 13 precincts.  “I believe in working with groups like Americans for Prosperity because they can provide the tools needed to educate taxpayers," said Wallett. “People need to realize that a change in course is needed.”  Thanks, Rick, for all your hard work and congratulations on being AFP’s top Freedom Phoner and December Activist of the Month! Like what Americans for Prosperity is doing? Invest in our work by clicking here. We're supported by citizen-activists nationwide. Your contribution in any amount will go a long way in promoting free-market policies at all levels of government - local, state and federal. Thanks!   Americans for Prosperity®, and Americans for Prosperity Foundation® are registered trademarks of the Americans for Prosperity Foundation, and are used with its express permission. Hot Air Tour™, and November is Coming™ are registered trademarks of Americans for Prosperity, and are used with its express permission.       Americans for Prosperity® (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 one million members, including members in all 50 states, and 30 state chapters and affiliates. More than 60,000 Americans in all 50 states have made a financial investment in AFP or AFP Foundation. For more information, visit www.americansforprosperity.org