Washington, DC - Today, the Club for Growth released its 2012 Congressional Scorecard, which ranks the voting behavior of members of Congress based on issues relating to limited government and economic growth. 

To view the Club for Growth's 2012 Congressional Scorecard and all prior Scorecards, click here, or go to:www.ClubForGrowth.org/Projects 

“2012 was a difficult year for economic freedom,” said Club for Growth President Chris Chocola. “Whether it was the GOP’s support of massive tax increases or the constant assault on liberty by the Obama administration, the pro-growth caucus in Congress has a lot of work to do in 2013. The Club’s scorecard is intended to help our members and the general public understand who talks a good game on limiting government and passing pro-growth policies, and who backs up their words with votes. We urge the next generation of conservative leaders to keep up the fight in the 113^thCongress.” 

This year, 28 current and former members of Congress will receive the Club for Growth’s Defender of Economic Freedom Award. Starting in 2011, The Club for Growth required Representatives and Senators to not only score 90 or better on votes cast in a year, but to also have a lifetime score or “LifeScore” of at least 90. 

Highlights from the Club for Growth's 2012 Congressional Scorecard:

• Three United States Senators received perfect scores in 2012: Jim DeMint (SC), Rand Paul (KY), and Mike Lee (UT) – all of whom also qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom Award.
  
• Senators Pat Toomey (PA), Marco Rubio (FL), and Ron Johnson (WI) had 2012 scores and LifeScores high enough to qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom Award.
• Two current United States Senators will receive Defender of Economic Freedom Awards for their voting record in the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012: Senators Jeff Flake (AZ) and Tim Scott (SC).
  
• 18 current House members who received scores of 90 percent or better in 2012 also had LifeScores of 90 or better to qualify for the Defender of Economic Freedom Award. Two former House members qualified as well (Quayle, Walsh).
  
• Three members of Congress received 100 percent ratings in 2012. Of those, two also have 100 percent LifeScores: Congressmen Justin Amash (MI-03), and Tim Huelskamp (KS-01). In addition, Congressman Paul Broun (GA-10) received a 100 percent rating in 2012 and has a LifeScore of 99%.
  
• One Senate Democrat scored zero in 2012: Senator Jay Rockefeller (WV). 13 House Democrats scored lower than ten percent.
  
• Republican Leadership scores in 2012 were: Boehner: N/A, Cantor: 66%, McCarthy: 66%, McMorris Rodgers: 70%, Lankford: 80%, Ryan: 71%
  
• Democratic leadership scores in 2012 were: Pelosi: 17%, Hoyer: 17%, Clyburn: 18%, Becerra: 18%, Van Hollen: 17%. 
  
• The highest scoring Democrat, Congressman Jim Matheson (UT-04), scored higher than 98 Republicans with a 68 percent. The lowest scoring Republican, former Congressman Bob Dold (IL-10), scored lower than nine Democrats with a 38 percent.

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As reported in the Washington Post, a lobbyist was quoted as saying: "The worst-case scenario for us is the sequester hits and nothing bad really happens. And Republicans say: See, that wasn’t so bad.” Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=16094

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Member Comments (2)

Club member Bill King from Pennsylvania sent us the following 12-step program for Spendaholics.  Politicians in Congress should admit they have a problem!

1. Admit to yourself and to your constituents that you have been addicted to spending.
2. Admit to yourself and to your constituents that Spendaholism is a major cause of our budget  deficits and national debt.
3. Apologize to your constituents & commit to fiscal responsibility. (They’ll forgive you if you mend your ways)
4. Recognize that ALL spending decisions have an emotional component
5. Reject emotional appeals.
6. Commit to the use of logic, reason, and sound fiscal and budgeting practices.
7. Recognize that all of our problems cannot be solved with one massive piece of legislation.
8. Prioritize spending programs and reform and/or cut at minimum 3 programs per quarter.
9. Commit to reducing the deficit by 15% per year and a balanced budget in 10 years.
10. Pledge to vote for a balanced budget amendment to the Constitution.
11. Vow to let free market principles drive the private sector of our economy.
12. Promote policies that will promote economic growth in the private sector.

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Member Comments (1)

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Member Comments (4)

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Member Comments (1)

Over at Reuters, Media Critic Jack Safer takes the media's coverage of the "civil engineering-industrial complex" to task:

The whole thing is worth a read. Yet another good reason to devolve infrastructure spending to the states. The Cato Institute has an excellent paper on this topic you can read here. Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=16088

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Member Comments (1)

Free trade is an economic issue that is near and dear to us here at the Club, mainly because the benefits from freer trade are so strong, but also because it's an issue that Democrats and Republicans alike either misunderstand or don't care about.  Therefore, we have a lot of work to do in order to expand economic liberty around the globe through more trade.

So, it's with that in mind, that I'd like to share with you the new members of the Ways & Means subcommittee that has jurisdiction on trade in the 113th Congress.  I've listed them below along with their rating on trade issues from the Cato Institute.

As you can clearly see, with the exception of Rep. Lynn Jenkins of Kansas, its disheartening to see that the supposed leaders of advancing free trade in the House don't have the kind of record that we would hope to expect.

1. Devin Nunes, Chairman (68% on barrier votes, 27% on subsidy votes)
2. Kevin Brady (81% and 11%)
3. Dave Reichert (67% and 64%)
4. Vern Buchanan (71% and 25%)
5. Adrian Smith (57% and 13%)
6. Aaron Schock (71% and 0%)
7. Lynn Jenkins (86% and 100%)
8. Charles Boustany (63% and 9%)
9. Peter Roskam (57% and 75%)

It's difficult to advance free trade with Obama in the White House, but like I said, a lot of work must be done even on the GOP side of the fence to truly make meaningful advances in expanding free trade. Permalink: http://www.clubforgrowth.org/perm/?postID=16087

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Writing for National Review, Neal Freeman explains how the Buckley Rule came into existence and how it was defined by the man himself, not the revisionist definition that Karl Rove is trying to spread.

This is a great article.
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Member Comments (2)

Club for Growth President Chris Chocola discusses GOP Primaries with the President of American Crossroads.
 

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