Chris Chocola, President, Club for Growth identified that they comprehensively examined each lawmaker’s record on pro-growth policies and computed an Economic Growth Score on a scale of 0 to 100. A score of 100% indicates the highest support for pro-growth policies. Those lawmakers scoring 90% or higher received the Defender of Economic Freedom award. Chocola said, "The rating examines legislative actions that affect our immediate pro-economic growth policy goals, including:
• Lower marginal income tax rates
• Cutting and limiting government spending
• Death Tax repeal
• Expanding free trade
• Legal reform to end abusive lawsuits
• Replacing the current tax code
• School choice
• Regulatory reform and deregulation
• Social Security reform with personal retirement accounts
Not all of these policy goals will come up for a vote in each session of Congress. In the 2009 Session, many of the votes were on bills that proposed laws that would directly harm these goals."
The Club’s rating included 24 House and 22 Senate roll call votes as well as other selected actions that advance or harm pro-growth policies. Points were also awarded to representatives who consistently voted to stop 68 earmarks. Points were deducted for lawmakers who sponsored anti-trade legislation and lawmakers who sponsored the health care takeover legislation by Sens. Ron Wyden and Bob Bennett. Finally, the rating also accounted for all tax, spending and regulation votes, and spending bill sponsorships.
Not surprising in the year of the socialist elite democrats being in charge, not one House or Senate Democrat received the Defender of Economic Freedom award. Senators Sessions (AL), Chambliss (GA), Coburn (OK) and DeMint (SC) were among those who received 100%. Thirty-six democrat senators received less than a 10% rating with 4 Democratic senators achieving the imperfect 0% for pro-growth policies. Senate Democratic Majority Leader Harry Reid received a 3% rating.
In the House, 9 members, all Republicans, received a perfect 100% score: Flake (AZ), Foxx (NC), Hensarling (TX), Linder (GA), Price (GA), Shadegg (AZ), Brown (GA), Lamborn (CO) and McClintock (CA). Well known Republicans like Pence (IN) received 99%, Bachmann (MN) and Sessions (TX) received 98%; Paul (TX) along with 6 other Texans received 97%; House Minority leader John Bohner had 88%. the lowest Rated Republican was Castle (DE) with 43%. The highest Rated Democrats above 50% were Bright (AL) with 64%, Democrat Taylor (MS) with 58%, and Minnick (ID) 53%. Seventy-six (76) Democrats received the imperfect 0% rating. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) received 7%.
With Arkansas being a bell-weather primary state, a review revealed the following ratings for their delegation: Senators Lincoln (D - seeking re-election) had a rating of 20% and Pryor (D - not up for re-election) 14%; Representatives John Boozman (R - CD1 - candidate for U.S. Senate) qualified for the Defender of Economic Freedom award with 91%, Ross (D - CD4 - seeking re-election) 26%, Berry (D - CD1 retiring) 21%, Snyder (D - CD2 - retiring) 6%. It appears that barring Boozman's favorable pro-growth votes in 2009, the rest of the Arkansas delegation offered its constituents little support in advancing pro-growth values that enrich all. Instead these Democrats followed their fellow party members and focused on earmarks, grants, social handouts and expanding government and marching in step with the Obama, Reid, Pelosi agenda.
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