Sense of the Party Opinions
In addition to the Official Platform that is adopted annually, the Conservative Party will comment on current events and critical issues effecting America in a timely fashion. This “Sense of the Party” page outlines CP USA’s opinions based on our basic conservative principles, traditional values and common sense.
Gun Control and Second Amendment
The Conservative Party strongly supports the 2nd Amendment of the Constitution which stipulates that a well regulated Militia is necessary for the security a free State and that the rights of all law-abiding U.S. citizens to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.
CP-USA further understands the right to bear arms is inherent in the right to individual self defense, the defense of the family, protection of private property and the preservation of traditional hunting rights. The 2nd Amendment was also designed to protect the people against the tyranny of the federal government and to help preserve the independence of this nation.
Fiscal Cliff or Not, Higher Taxes Do Not Reduce Debt or Deficits
The Conservative Party understands that America is facing long-term and crippling debt problems that need common sense solutions based on sound economic/budgetary principles. Policies based on emotional political rhetoric and a failed leftist ideology, however, will only add to our growing $16 Trillion national debt, continue running annual deficits and hamper economic recovery.
Raising taxes on the productive elements of American society is counter-productive. That policy actually decreases tax revenues, stifles innovation and increases unemployment. That’s because most people earning $250K/year (or more) are small business owners who are the key economic drivers. Even if we doubled income tax rates on those productive people, it would only generate enough revenue to run the government for 90 days.
Enacting meaningful and sustained spending cuts across the board is the ONLY way to reduce debt and deficits. Base-Line Budgeting and Earmarks must be eliminated. All government programs must be reviewed and reformed, including Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare. Except for Defense and Homeland Security, all departments and agencies must cut spending by at least 5% a year for the next 10 years. Defense and DHS must then freeze spending at those levels for the next 10 years. Of course ObamaCare must be repealed or defunded. See CP-USA’s Budget Roadmap for more details.
Americans should remember that all tax and spending Bills originate in the House. Not the President. Not the Senate. Since they control the House, Republicans have the power of the purse to defund any program or kill any tax hike. They just don’t have the political courage to exercise that power.
Raising taxes uses an emotional political tool (“fairness”) to solve a fiscal problem (deficits). It’s like using a rope to push a truck uphill. Meaningful spending cuts, however, are sound fiscal solutions that solve tough fiscal problems.
Bottom Line: Retain current tax rates; close loopholes and cut spending. It’s better to fall off a $16T cliff now than a $20T cliff later.
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Conservative Party USA Applauds “2016 Obama’s America”
This gripping docudrama by scholar Dinesh D’Souza takes the audience on a journey into the heart of Obama’s anti-colonial and anti-American mindset. The film asks the question: What would America be like if Obama wins reelection? Answer: Petrifying.
Most Americans and all Conservatives consider Washington, Jefferson, Hamilton and Madison as our country’s Founding Fathers. Barack Obama, however, seems genetically driven by anti-colonial stirrings linked to his African father’s distrust of the West. Obama was mentored and taught by people he considers his version of the “Founding Fathers”. These include:
Frank Marshal Davis, who mentored a young Obama in Hawaii and was a card-carrying member of the Communist Party and devout Marxist. Davis was so radical that he was considered dangerous by the FBI. That’s why Obama used the Communist inspired word “Change” in his 2008 campaign and now uses “Forward” as his 2012 campaign slogan.
Bill Ayers, who co-founded the Weather Underground and bombed the Capitol and the Pentagon during the 1960’s. Ayers did a fund raiser in his home that helped launch Obama’s political career in Chicago.
Reverend Jeremiah Wright, who spewed ant-white and anti-American diatribes while Obama (and Michelle) sat front-and-center in the congregation for 20 years.
Professor Edward Said, who taught Obama a radical version of “post-colonial” anti-Americanism at Columbia University. This explains why Obama refuses to disclose his college curriculum and grades. Except for Davis, Obama and his “Founding Fathers” have been in contact for years and remain friends today.
This film rips away any notion that Obama is “in over his head” which Conservatives often cite as one of the reasons why America is in decline. On the contrary, Obama knows exactly what he’s doing because his domestic and foreign policies reflect the ideals of his radical mentors. He thinks America is an evil colonial power that must be degraded to ensure the oppressed people of the world get social and economic justice. Obama’s main objective is taking from the rich; providing for the poor is just an afterthought.
This radical anti-American background explains Obama’s actions and attitudes. It confirms that John McCain ran for President in 2008 because he loves America while Obama ran because he doesn’t.
While not discussed directly in the film, it lends context to Obama’s policies. President Obama: Conducted a tour after taking Office apologizing for America’s “sins”; Allowed long-term U.S. allies from Egypt, Tunisia, Yemen and Libya to collapse while Israel and England are held at arm’s length; Leaves Syria and Iran alone and lets The Muslim Brotherhood run wild in Egypt and Libya; Killed the Keystone Pipeline and curtailed off-shore oil drilling in the US but subsidized such drilling off Brazilian waters; Issued an Executive Order that allows children of illegal aliens to remain in the US without penalty; Weakened the work requirements for Welfare recipients; Embraced the Occupy Movement with both arms; Confiscated GM and gave it to the unions with complete disregard for Bond holders; Hates Mitt Romney who represents everything Obama has been fighting against his entire adult life.
Of course Obama’s most potent weapon against America is growing the national debt beyond our ability to get our fiscal house in order. That’s one reason why he’s perfectly happy to run the Federal government for three years consecutive years without an official budget. He knows that our growing debt will be the single biggest factor for ending America’s role as an effective global (Colonial) power. That’s what his “Founding Fathers” taught him so that’s what he’ll do.
In addition, Obama clearly understood and purposely manipulated “White Guilt” to help him advance. Most Americans, the media and Democrats would have laughed at a white politician who wanted to run for President with a paper-thin Resumé and short tenure in national politics like Obama had in 2007. Obama won because of his race, not in spite of his race.
But the most stunning aspect about learning such important things is not about Obama. The most amazing thing is that the mainstream media has studiously avoided telling the American people about their president. As a matter of fact, the media has gone to great lengths to hide them. It’s also stunning that so many centrist Democrats (including Bill Clinton) are working so hard to re-elect a man who does not share their basic American values. Clinton is many things but a being Socialist/Marxist isn’t one of them. It appears that Party trumps Country for Democrats after all.
Conservative Party USA Opposes SB 1867 (Defense Authorization Bill)
The Conservative Party USA vigorously opposes the enactment of Senate Bill 1867. It’s an egregious and obvious violation of the civil rights and protections afforded American citizens in the Bill of Rights.
Sections 1031 and 1032 of the Defense Authorization Bill create a state of martial law, give the government the right to conduct unlimited searches and violate the principle of Habeas Corpus. They also give the U.S. Military the right to indefinitely detain any American worldwide without access to legal counsel if they are simply “deemed” to be potential threats by the President.
Those are clear and unambiguous violations of the Fourth, Sixth and Seventh Amendments of the Constitution. The general purpose of the Constitution is to LIMIT the power of government. The trajectory of SB 1867, however, points to a grand power grab by the Federal government and the abject loss of civil liberties for American citizens.
The U.S. Military does not need nor does it want to employ such sweeping powers. The President can deploy a broad range of current laws and established federal agencies against suspected terrorists without asking the Marines to violate their sworn oaths. America should not use machine guns to kill flies.
The FBI, ICE and the Department of Homeland Security supplemented by local and state police are the proper tools to use against domestic threats. While not perfect, The Patriot Act is a powerful tool that has served America well considering the circumstances under which it was enacted.
The CIA, DIA, FBI and security forces of our allies can certainly manage to find, capture/kill and process suspected terrorists abroad. That’s what they’ve been doing with some success for the past 10 years. While U.S. Military assets (planes, drones, satellites, Seal Teams, etc.) can be used to support combat operations against terrorists – outside our borders – the military must not be used to detain terrorists indefinitely, especially suspects who are American citizens.
SB 1867 must be recast and stripped of the unconstitutional language outlined in Sections 1031 and 1032. Congress should just stick to its knitting and fund military operations. Period.
Perhaps Congress can play its patriot games AFTER it learns to balance the budget and reduce the national debt.
“Super Committee” Represents ANOTHER Failure of a Two-Party System
Although the Conservative Party (CP-USA) congratulated the GOP and the Tea Party for giving Obama and the Democrats a shellacking last November, we’re finding little to cheer about this November. The Debt Ceiling fiasco was..well..a fiasco and Congress still has not enacted a budget in nearly 1,000 days.
Besides raising the debt ceiling for the 28th time since 1980, the only notable thing Congress created was that ill-advised “Super Committee”. This new Committee is but the latest in a long string of panels, committees, study groups and fiscal conventions that Congress will ignore just like it ignored all the others. Just ask Obama and Congress what happened to the recommendations submitted by the Simpson-Bowels Committee.
The formation of the Super Committee is proof positive of only one thing: It proves the Republi-Dem Congress and the Administration have failed to govern – again. They shifted the burden and responsibility of making the needed tough fiscal decisions to this Committee. The President has failed to lead and the Republi-Dem congress is as inept, hamstrung and wracked with fear as ever. The consequences of this Committee’s failure to reach an agreement will be dire, especially on our Defense readiness. And trying to insert a surreptitious farm subsidy bill into this new arrangement exemplifies “business as usual” rather than true fiscal reform.
Since Congress can’t get it together, CP-USA offers a Cost Cutting Road Map. While adopting these solutions will not cure all our fiscal problems immediately, they will staunch the bleeding, slow the mounting debt and get Congress moving in the right direction. The GOP has no choice but to finally do what it has promised Americans for the past 25 years. They have this one, last and final chance. If they fail – again – the GOP will confirm that it’s finished as a viable party.
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STOP BASE LINE BUDGETING: This pernicious accounting gimmick requiresbudgets to automatically increase by 10% every year. The net effect is that even if Congress “cuts” a program by 4%, for example, actual spending still increases by 6%. The “cut” is an illusion while the increase is real. It will be impossible to make meaningful budget reforms until this institutional deception is expunged.
STOP EARMARKING: Stop Congressional Earmarks immediately. While small in comparison to the general budget, this “legal” form of back-room corruption and pork is symptomatic of the culture of entitlement at the heart our fiscal problems. Congress should not bribe their constituents with tax payer money to get re-elected.
CUT CONRESSIONAL PAY: Reduce congressional salaries, expense accounts and operating budgets by 10%. Freeze salaries and operations budgets at that reduced level for five years. Average Americans have endured a long list of hardships due to Congressional incompetence and corruption. Now it’s time for Congress to tighten its belt.
CUT FEDERAL EMPLOYEE PAY: Except for uniformed armed forces personnel, reduce salaries for ALL federal employees and contractors by 5% and cut them an additional 5% the next year and freeze all salaries at that level for three more years.
FREEZE FEDERAL HIRING: Freeze civilian staffing levels for all federal agencies. Reduce staffing (including contractors) for all departments & agencies to December 2009 levels; retain those cuts for five years. Federal Government hiring has increased 35% in the past three years.
CUT OPERATING BUDGETS: Except for DOD, CIA and DHLS, reduce the operating budget for all federal departments & agencies by 10%; retain that cut for five years. The freeze DOD, CIA and DHLS budgets at that level for the next five years.
THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION SHALL TERMINATE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE: This highly inefficient and bloated bureaucracy has a staff exceeding 4,200 and a $137B annual budget. It has contributed little to educating America’s children as evidenced by declining test scores and high drop-out rates. Let the states manage education.
CUT FOREIGN AID – NOW: Reduce Foreign Aid by 20% in year one and by 10% in each of the next four years. Cut our U.N. annual contributions by 20%. The President and the State Department can decide which countries get reduced aid. America can’t afford to support all these third-world countries, many of whom actually hate us.
DEFUND AND REPEAL OBAMACARE: Defund key enforcement provisions of “ObamaCare”. This includes withholding funds for the 120 new Departments required by this Bill and the hiring of thousands of IRS agents needed to enforce its Mandate. Withhold those funds until there are enough votes in Congress to enact a full repeal and to override a Presidential veto. Start fresh with a new Bill.
MODIFY SOCIAL SECURITY: Impose means testing for people with net worth exceeding $5M or annual disposable income of $500K; increase the eligibility age from 65 to 67.
FIX MEDICARE AND MEDICADE: While very popular, these programs are bankrupting America in their current configuration. Their top-line spending must be cut across the board by 2% every year for the next 10 years (with NO adjustment for inflation) to ensure they’ll be available for our children.
STOP BAILOUTS: Bailing out failing companies makes no more sense today than it would have made in 1900 to bail out buggy manufacturers. Such bailouts have slowed the evolution of entirely new technologies, industries, retarded economic recovery and slowed job growth. Solyndra and other failed “green” companies are examples of crony capitalism at taxpayer expense, not sound fiscal policy.
ELIMINATE FUNDING FOR ARTS: In these dire times, America can ill afford to spend money on the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA), the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR). These programs cost more than $200M annually and must be phased out completely within five years.
Economic Patriotism Creates and Saves American Jobs
The Conservative Party (CP-USA) asks all Americans to help revive our economy by taking proactive steps to create and retain jobs in the United States.
No other political party or presidential candidate has officially adopted a common sense policy that encourages U.S. multi-national corporations to rethink their exclusive focus on quarterly profits and consider the economic health of the United States and their own long-term viability.
CP-USA firmly believes that legitimate profit motive is compatible with Economic Patriotism. Simply stated, Economic Patriotism is a policy that: Reduces regulatory and tax burdens on small businesses; Provides tax incentives to U.S. corporations to hire Americans to work in America; Encourages Boards and shareholders to recognize the value and profitability of keeping jobs in America; Educates the American public about the high cost of cheap imports and the long-term value of “Buying American” and; Imposes “Reciprocal” duties/tariffs on foreign imports to level the trade playing field .
Practicing Economic Patriotism is the only way America can survive in a global economy in which foreign countries are dedicated to eclipsing the Unites States. As the world’s sole beacon of true Democracy, human rights, free market capitalism and mutually beneficial fair trade, Americans must not allow that to happen.
When foreign countries negotiate trade deals with the U.S. they consider what’s good for their citizens, what’s good for their companies and what’s good for their economies (Nationalism). When Americans negotiate foreign trade deals, however, we only consider what’s good for a company, its shareholders and senior management. There is no consideration whatsoever for rank & file employees or how the U.S. economy and the America people will benefit. The only things GE, Intel, HP or Goldman-Sachs care about is the next Quarter’s profit and how much they can reduce labor costs by off-shoring jobs. If continued, these short-sighted policies will render Americans too poor to purchase the imported products manufactured by those American companies.
Foreign nations naturally care about their own economic future, the viability of their companies and well being of their citizens; they’re unconcerned about America’s future or world standing. Sadly, American corporations think the same way; they also don’t consider America’s future. GE earned billions in the U.S. market in 2010 yet worked overtime to avoid paying any income taxes. Although U.S. taxpayers rescued many American companies from financial collapse in 2009, many of those same companies now sequester hundreds of billions offshore to avoid taxes even during America’s budget/debt crisis. Unlike the post-WW II era when “Wall Street” supported American firms and helped make the U.S an economic superpower, “Wall Street” is disconnected from “Main Street” in every sense today. In short, there is no concept of Economic Patriotism.
If foreign countries are allowed to have one-sided trade Agreements, and if foreign companies can compete against American companies sans fair trade, and if American companies don’t care about the economic future of their own country, and if the executives of U.S. companies are unconcerned about the well-being of the American taxpayers who rescued them, and if American consumers fail to understand the value of “Buying American”, and if the two major parties in Congress allow all this to continue unabated…..then the United States is doomed.
Think about this: The United States does not have a trade surplus with any nation on earth. That’s why America’s trade deficit jumped 38% in 2010 to $498B. Americans must realize that international trade is rigged against the United States due to state-subsidized industries and less-than-favorable duties/tariffs. International free trade is only “fair” trade when all countries play by the same rules. Congress should enact trade laws that Reciprocates (copies) all fees on imported products. Example: If Japan levies 18% taxes/duties/tariffs on American imports, the U.S. should “reciprocate” by imposing 18% on all Japanese imports. Reciprocity levels the playing field and will make foreign countries rethink their trade practices.
Congress must also recognize that burdensome union and environmental regulations hinder rapid economic recovery. The U.S. Business & Industry Councilstudied 111 U.S. based manufacturing companies from 1997-2009. It found that only nine of those 111 companies (8%) actually grew their domestic market share. American total production fell 64% and domestic market share eroded to 56%. Considering that 15% of all domestic production was by foreign companies based in the U.S., the picture is even more dismal. America is also becoming more dependent on foreign countries for critical products like high-performance microchips, specialty steels and rare earth metals. This economic reality is not solely a trade or jobs issue; it also imperils our national security.
Too many Americans wrongly believe in the “Innovation is the key to new jobs” myth. The ugly truth is that even when Americans do innovate and create hot new products or services (PC, iPad, Google, Tablets, Twitter, iPhone, Groupon, etc.), most of the manufacturing and customer service/technical support jobs go off-shore. While very important, innovation does not guarantee long-term job growth because corporations ship those jobs to China or India. Although U.S. companies demand that Americans get retrained, get more education, get more productive and take pay cuts, they have only one demand of foreign workers: show up for work.
Economic Patriotism is the only way to rectify the perils facing America today. Someone must speak for America and the Conservative Party stands ready. It’s time to “Come Home America”.
MORE SENSE BELOW______________________________________
The U.S. Must Exit Libyan Civil War
The Conservative Party officially condemns U.S. involvement in Libya and calls on the Congress to immediately stop funding the Obama Administration’s military involvement in that civil war. NATO and U.S. actions have far exceeded the U.N. mandate to establish a “No Fly Zone” and protect civilians.
While Moammar Gadhafi is certainly a cruel and corrupt tyrant, the U.S. has been supportive of Libya during the past 10 years. The United States lifted its economic embargo against Libya in 2004; restored full diplomatic relations in 2006 after Libya agreed to dismantle its nuclear program; removed Libya from the list of State Sponsored Terrorist countries in 2006; agreed to a financial settlement in 2008 with Gadhafi for the airplane bombing in Lockerbie, Scotland. Senators John McCain led a delegation to Tripoli that same year to praise Gadhafi and discuss selling military equipment to Libya because Gadhafi was one of America’s reliable allies in the War on Terror. Since 2009 Obama’s annual budgets actually included almost $5M in foreign aid to Libya.
Bottom Line: Obama can’t use anything Gadhafi did prior to 2011 as an excuse to attack him now since the U.S. ignored all his transgressions and supported his regime.
America’s duplicitous and contradictory Libyan foreign policy does not justify this expensive, unpopular military misstep. That’s especially true when taken in the context of U.S/Libyan relations outlined above. We must also consider candidate Obama’s repeated proclamations that no U.S. president should go to war unless there was an imminent threat to America and not until he first consults Congress. Obama satisfied none of those conditions before attacking.
Obama and NATO have far exceeded the U.N. Mandate to protect innocent civilians when they started using unmanned drones against Libyan forces and tried to assassinate Gadhafi. Despite having a crushing $14 Trillion national debt, a $1.5 Trillion annual budget deficit and a dire unemployment rate, Obama has committed America to yet another war in the Muslim world when our military and national budget are already stretched to the limit.
The Conservative Party calls on Congress to immediately defund this unnecessary war and concentrate on creating jobs in America.
President and Congress Must Decide Fate of DADT, not a Judge
CP-USA firmly rejects the notion that a District Judge should decide how the U.S. Military administrates the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) policy that prohibits gays and lesbians from openly declaring their sexual status. DADT was promulgated by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton, the Commander in Chief. Despite major objections, our military properly complied with that law for the past 16 years. All gays/lesbians were keenly aware of the regulation prior to enlisting and clearly understood the consequences for failing to comply.
But DADT is now being subjected to yet another military review due to constant assaults from the media, Democrats and gay activists. The President, Congress and Secretary of Defense are completing that review, as is their Constitutional duty. Instead of waiting for those findings, however, District Judge Virginia Phillips (AKA “god” in her small circle of friends) jumped the gun and declared DADT unconstitutional. That same liberal temperament also caused her to reject the Obama Administration’s legitimate request for a Stay while that ruling is appealed which is normal in such high profile cases. This arrogant and politically motivated usurpation of Executive and Legislative authority is the very definition of an activist Judicial power grab.
CP-USA objects to the idea that a District Judge can tell a President how to run his Army. This judge, with no understanding of “good order and discipline”, decided she knows more than the President, Congress and our military leaders. What next? Will judges also declare that Navy uniforms are the wrong color or that Marines must be allowed to wear ponytails if they ask nicely? Like the vast majority of Americans, CP-USA supports retention of DADT and rejects doing social engineeringin the military. A warning to those who approve of such legal meddling: If a lone district judge is allowed to countermand Congress and kill DADT, then another district judge can also supersede Congress and kill ObamaCare or the Financial Reform Bill.
Support Arizona’s Illegal Immigration Law
CP USA supports the Spirit and Letter of Arizona’s recent law that makes it illegal for illegal immigrants to be in that state. Arizona’s law merely re-affirms Federal Immigration laws and explicitly prohibits racial profiling. The Party also strongly departs with Federal District Judge Bolton’s preliminary injunction against key provisions of the law and strongly disagrees with the Federal lawsuit filed against Arizona by the Department of Justice. CP USA also supports the efforts of Virginia and Florida to enact similar legislation.
No Islamic Center at Ground Zero
CP USA does not support the idea of building an Islamic Center near Ground Zero in New York City (A.K.A. “Park51”). This obvious political act is mere provocation and demonstrates a complete lack of sensitivity. The vast majority of New Yorkers of all faiths and families of 9/11 victims oppose this because there are many other locations suitable for this facility in New York.
Americans would not support building a shrine honoring the Japanese Navy at Pearl Harbor. Jewish people would reject putting a statue of Adolf Hitler near Oskar Schindler’s grave in Israel. Americans would howl at the notion of putting a Timothy McVeigh Memorial two blocks (or a thousand blocks) from the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. All of America would rail against giving the KKK a permit to build a Meeting Hall near the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, AL where a Klan bomb killed four Black children. And New York should decline building an Islamic Center near Ground Zero for the same reasons. Just because they can legally build it does not mean they should build it.
Solution: CP USA supports the idea of building an Interfaith Worship Center at Park51 where people of all faiths (Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Buddhists, Protestants, etc.) can all remember the 9/11 victims together in peace and mutual understanding.
The Obama U.N. Human Rights Report is Outrageous
In its recent report to the United Nations Human Rights Council on conditions in the United States, the State Department wrote that some Americans, notably Latino minorities, are still victims of discrimination. Despite a complete lack of evidence, the report also indicates that police in Arizona may be discriminating against illegal non-residents by asking for identification when people are involved in crimes or traffic violations.
The Conservative Party believes that even a passing reference by the State Department to Americans trying to protect their lives and property under the law is totally inappropriate and Anti-American. The citizens of Arizona are suffering physical and property damage perpetrated by illegal aliens while the Federal Government is repeatedly and consistently failing to uphold the most fundamental purpose of its existence; to protect its citizens.
The Report also says the U.S. welcomed “observations and recommendations” from the Council so “it can help us on that road to a more perfect union”. We suggest that a “more perfect union” would be achieved if the Obama Administration actually returned to the principles of Constitutional governance.
The Conservative Party rejects any attempt at making law abiding Americans submit to the judgment of the U.N. Human Rights Council whose members include such nations as Saudi Arabia, Cuba, Uganda, China and Libya. These nations are hardly qualified to comment on the Human Rights activities of Arizona.
Judge’s Reversal of Proposition 8: Vote Against Gay Marriage
Californians overwhelmingly voted to deny giving gays the right to marry on two separate occasions during the past 10 years. The latest June 2008 vote re-affirmed that sentiment. On 8/4/10, however, Federal Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Proposition 8 was unconstitutional because it violated the Equal Protection Clause.
CP USA supports a direct appeal of this decision to the U.S. Supreme Court on the grounds that one judge should not be able to vacate the will of 7 million Californians who voted to restrict such marriage. The right to cast a vote and to have that vote count is the most fundamental right of U.S. citizens as outlined in the Constitution. No single judge can be allowed to mitigate that right.
Lift Temporary Ban on Offshore Drilling in Gulf
Since oil companies have been drilling in the Gulf without incident for the past 25 years, CP USA opposes the Obama Administration’s ban on off-shore drilling. The recent explosion of BP’s oil rig requires an extensive investigation, revamping safety regulations, enhanced enforcement of those regulations and holding BP financially accountable for all cleanup and economic dislocation costs. The negative effects of this tragedy, however, should not be compounded by an arbitrary drilling ban that increases job loss and further restrains commerce.
