Rincon – Barack Obama’s endorsement of Congressman John Barrow is “hypocritical and nothing more than politics-as-usual� according to Candidate for Congress Ray McKinney.

“How can the presidential candidate who always talks about change now endorse the status quo candidate for Congress?� said McKinney (R-Savannah). “I can see how supporters of Regina Thomas might feel betrayed. Sen. Thomas and I disagree on several issues, but I admire her honesty and courage to speak what she believes. She deserves better than blatant hypocrisy from both Barrow and Obama.�

McKinney pointed out that State Sen. Thomas is much closer to Obama than Barrow on several important issues.

“It really looks like Obama is rewarding Barrow for being one of the first super-delegates to endorse Obama last February,� said McKinney. “Whatever the reason, Obama is supporting a candidate who disagrees with him on the Iraq War, Bush’s tax cuts and a number of other key issues. This isn’t change. It’s quite simply more politics-as-usual.�

McKinney said the Obama endorsement doesn’t bode very well for 12th District voters concerned about high gas prices. Obama has joined House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in denouncing calls by Sen. John McCain and President Bush to allow off-shore oil drilling.

“I doubt very much that Barrow will go against Obama on this issue, especially now that he has Obama’s endorsement,� said McKinney. “Until the U.S. starts tapping its own oil reserves, we’re going to see gasoline and diesel prices continue to hit all time highs, and we’ll have to keep depending on countries like Saudi Arabia and Venezuela for oil.�

Rincon – “Like Nero in ancient Rome, the Democrat-controlled Congress is fiddling while the economy goes up in flames because of skyrocketing fuel prices,� said Candidate for Congress Ray McKinney (R-Savannah). “People across the 12th District tell me they want real solutions to this problem, not just politics-as-usual.�

McKinney, an energy consultant and former executive with an energy services company Friday unveiled his Agenda for Energy Independence, a comprehensive strategy for dealing with the energy crisis and the resulting high fuel prices. Meanwhile, gasoline prices in East Georgia had reached or surpassed the national average of $4.00 a gallon while diesel fuel prices approached $5.00 a gallon.

McKinney said he finds it ironic that while the former communist nation of Russia is considering tax incentives to increase oil exploration, John Stone, one of his Republican opponents for Congress, has joined Democrats in calling for the repeal of existing tax incentives on U.S. oil companies

“He calls them subsidies, but the fact is lower taxes help oil companies pay for the high costs of oil exploration and modernization,� said McKinney. “Repealing tax incentives would Increase the costs of producing more oil. Those costs would then be passed onto us, the consumers.�

McKinney continued: “In my Contract with the 12th District, I said I would work on a real long term national energy policy that emphasizes domestic oil production, alternative energy sources, and efficiency and conservation. The Agenda for Energy Independence tells the voters exactly I’ll propose once elected to Congress. So far, I’m the only 12th District candidate with specific short-term, mid-term and long-term solutions to the energy crisis.�

Specifics of the Agenda for Energy Independence

McKinney’s agenda calls for Congress to:

• Eliminate the 31 different blends of gasoline in the US and streamline the process so that supplies can be moved and stored in the United States in an economic fashion.
• Sell the oil being diverted temporarily from the national Strategic Petroleum Reserve and put the profits into the national treasury to help pay off the national debt.
• Stabilize and increase the value of our currency by reducing government borrowing and spending, setting a standard that puts faith in the U.S. dollar.
• Open up available crude oil reserves for access, which would be used to market oil on the free market, providing revenues to be used to reduce the national debt, stabilize the dollar, and lower pressure on the world market.
• Open up oil shale exploration to reduce pressure and pay down the national debt.
• Build nuclear power plants to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and create an infrastructure of cheap nuclear power which can be used as an alternate energy source. This would reduce greenhouse gases by 60 percent in 20 years.
• Mandate the Nuclear Regulatory Commission work with private industry to develop “copy exactly” technology for nuclear power plants..
• Mandate the EPA to work with private industry to develop and build “copy exactly” oil refineries which can be placed around the country. This would protect the U.S. from damage to localized natural or un-natural disasters so that another Katrina type storm should not be able to affect the national economy.
• Develop a national energy plan to reduce use of fossil fuels by fifty percent over the next 30 years.
• Work with private industry to develop hydrogen storage and delivery, develop and produce hydrogen powered vehicles to be used by federal, state, and local government vehicles.
• Build an infrastructure of manufacturing and fuel availability to convert the private fleet to alternate fuels within 30 years.
• Develop technologies and manufacturing capabilities that can be marketed to the rest of the world with a goal of reducing demand and use of carbon based fuels and creating jobs.

“While a lot of these proposals are long-term, they would have an immediate effect on the oil commodities market and help bring prices per barrel back down,� said McKinney. “I believe these are real solutions to a real problem, and when elected to Congress, I’ll work with like-minded members of Congress from both political parties to implement these proposals.�

Savannah – Candidate for Congress Ray McKinney (R-Savannah) has filled two key positions in his Chatham County campaign organization.  Jay Melvin of Pooler has been appointed Chatham County Chairman for McKinney. Martin Sullivan, Jr. of Savannah has been named Volunteer Coordinator. 

 

“Chatham County is crucial to winning this election, and I’m pleased Jay and Martin have agreed to take on these leadership roles in my campaign,� said McKinney. 

 

Dr. Melvin, a dentist whose practice is in Savannah, was a candidate for Pooler City Council in 2007 and lost by one vote.  He and his wife Tricia are active in the Chatham County Republican Party and Savannah area Young Republicans.

 

 “I’ve come to know Ray over the past year; he is a very genuine and passionate person,� said Melvin. “Many Americans have become jaded and tired of politicians, and have begun to tune them out. They’ve also lost interest in participating. Ray is someone who has been willing to put his money where his mouth is, and try to make a difference.�

 

Sullivan has been involved with Chatham County politics for a number of years.  He attended college in Virginia where he was chairman of the College Republicans and Virginia College Chairman for Rudy Giuliani during his Presidential Campaign.  He is employed by The Sullivan Group. 

“A lot of people are supporting Ray because he’s not a smooth-talking typical politician,� said Sullivan.  “Ray is a breath of fresh air, and out-of the-box candidate. He’s even signed a contract with the voters of this district that he will represent them, not outside special interests. I’m looking forward to getting involved in his campaign.�

Over the past 2 1/2 weeks Republican Party activists in the 12th District, along with members of the media, have been receiving mailings containing negative personal details in regards to one of my Republican opponents.  There are allegations circulating that my campaign is involved in this.  I believe this is important enough that I need to personally address this issue.

At no time, not now, or ever, has anyone with my campaign had anything to do with this matter.

Almost immediately after my opponent’s announcement of candidacy over six weeks ago, I began receiving emails and text messages concerning that candidate but chose to ignore them. When my campaign manager, Clint Murphy, came on board the following week, I directed him to contact the candidate’s campaign manager, to let her know we had received the emails, our prayers were with the candidate, and that we considered it an issue out of bounds.  Furthermore, Clint also contacted the candidate’s political consultant, and relayed the same message to him personally.

However, some people have chosen this opportunity to politicize these unfortunate personal events by blaming the dissemination of negative information on my campaign.  Nothing could be further from the truth.

Clint specifically directed my staff to take a total hands-off approach to this issue, and I have been very pleased with his handling of the situation. In fact, one of my staff has received the packet and it has remained sealed and unopened.

Since starting this campaign, I have built support on the fact that I’m not a typical politician and that I got into this race because many people are frustrated, as am I, with politics as usual.  These allegations are being used to undermine that message.

I would also like to address the fact that I did authorize my campaign to put out a press release concerning my other Republican opponent on an issue concerning his residency and voter registration status, which I felt voters needed to be made aware. He responded, which was his right. Raising questions about who would be the best representative of the 12th District is a legitimate function of political debate.

However, personal issues, such as those being disseminated by anonymous sources, are, for me off limits, and I want to assure the voters of the 12th District that I have adhered to that principle.

I understand that unfounded allegations and accusations, such as those being directed at my campaign, are, unfortunately, part of politics. But I can ask those of you who hear these accusations to realize them for what they are, a concerted effort meant to draw focus away from the issues and who would be the best Republican candidate to represent the 12th District.

Savannah, GA - As our economy continues to struggle, the last thing small business owners need are an increase in their taxes. Democratic Congressman John Barrow voted in favor of raising taxes on individuals, small businesses, sole proprietorships, and partnerships. This tax increase amounts to an astounding $57 billion tax hike!

“6 out of every 10 jobs in our country are tied to small business and this tax hike voted on by John Barrow will have a devastating affect on 12th District citizens who own and operate a small business and are the job creators in our communities.” said Republican candidate for Congress Ray McKinney. “At a time when employers are struggling with soaring costs of energy, health care, and other business expenses, we do not need to be increasing their tax bill too.”

The amendment (Roll Call 330) was voted on during consideration of HR 2642, a new landmark GI Bill that McKinney strongly supports.

According to the National Federation of Independent Businesses, “The vast majority of small businesses (over 75%) pay their business taxes at the individual level, so increasing taxes is increasing taxes on America’s leading job creators. When launching a business, the small business owner’s personal income is the most significant source of capital. The most important source of capital for reinvestment in and expansion of the business is earnings retained from business profits – the amount of money kept after taxes.â€�

McKinney concluded, ” I have five family members who have served in our armed services and I strongly support the new GI Bill, but I do not believe that raising taxes on small businesses is the way to pay for it. We need to have incentives in our tax policy that reward job creators and encourage entrepreneurship, not penalize them with higher taxes. Raising taxes on job creators is just another example of an issue that has caused citizens of the 12th District to be fed up with politics as usual and is why my campaign is gaining so much support.”