Lee
Lee
Greenwood
Greenwood
Publisher
JAY SHAPIRO
PleaseAdvertise@gmail.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jill Cueni-Cohen
Michael Blander
Karyn Turk
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Ilmar Saar
SmithStatementontheAnniversaryofthe2017TrumpTaxCuts
“In 2017, President Trump delivered the most significant tax relief legislation in a generation, unleashing America’s potential and creating the best economy of my lifetime. The success of the Trump tax cuts cannot be overstated, and working-class families, small businesses, and farmers reaped the benefits These pro-growth policies spearheaded by Republicans resulted in the U.S. economy growing at a full percentage point higher than the previous 10-year average and surpassing economist predictions This resulted in historically low levels of poverty and unemployment, both dropping to their lowest levels in 50 years.
“Failure to extend the expiring provisions of the Trump tax cuts is not an option, and for the past two years the Ways and Means Committee has been hard at work to extend and build on the success of President Trump’s economic policies. Congress must act swiftly to give American families and small businesses certainty that they will not be hit with a $4 6 trillion tax increase in 2025.”
LEE GREENWOOD & DREW JACOBS UNITE FOR ROCK VERSION OF “GOD BLESS THE U.S.A.”
New rendition of the iconic anthem available everywhere Friday NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The timeless patriotic anthem “God Bless the U.S.A.” takes on a bold new sound as legendary country artist Lee Greenwood joins forces with viral country-rock star Drew Jacobs for an electrifying rock rendition of the beloved classic.
Originally written by Greenwood in the back of a tour bus and famously embraced during a U.S. presidential campaign, “God Bless the U.S.A.” has long been a unifying soundtrack for Americans at military events, naturalization ceremonies, and patriotic celebrations across the country. With this new collaboration, the song enters a powerful new era bridging generations and genres.
“I’ve rarely recorded this song with anyone else,” says Greenwood. “It’s always felt like my signature. But this rock version brought something entirely fresh. It’s not something I would’ve done on my own and I’m proud to share it with a new audience alongside Drew.”
Jacobs, known for transforming country favorites into rock anthems, lends his signature sound to the track, which features Greenwood on co-lead vocals. Jacobs has earned widespread acclaim and millions of followers for his reinventions of hits like “The Thunder Rolls,” “Whiskey Lullaby,” and “God’s Country.”
The rock version of “God Bless the U.S.A.” is now available on all major streaming platforms.
The Broward Republican Liberty Caucus (RLC) is pleased to announce a collaborative event with Americans for Prosperity (AFP) focusing on the importance of fiscal responsibility and financial literacy. The event, titled "Fiscal Cliff and Financial Literacy Class," is scheduled for Wednesday, January 29th, from 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM EST.
This educational session marks the first joint effort between the Broward Republican Liberty Caucus and Americans for Prosperity, showcasing their commitment to enhancing financial literacy in the community. The event will take place at the new AFP Broward office location at 1000 NW 65th Street, Suite 300a, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309.
Featured Speakers
The class will feature prominent local leaders, including Celeste Ellich and Chairman Bob Sutton. Ellich, known for her extensive work in community service and leadership within the Republican Liberty Caucus, brings a wealth of experience and dedication to the cause of promoting economic freedom.
Chairman Bob Sutton, a Certified Teacher in Broward County, will lead the session. Sutton specializes in teaching Entrepreneurship, Small Business Development, and Financial Literacy, bringing practical, real-world knowledge to the classroom. His expertise is especially relevant as the community navigates the complexities of the economy. Event Details
Date and Time: Wednesday, January 29th, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM EST
Location: Americans for Prosperity, 1000 Northwest 65th Street, Suite 300a, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33309
Organizers: Broward Republican Liberty Caucus in partnership with Americans for Prosperity
This event is a must-attend for anyone interested in gaining a deeper understanding of financial principles and their application in today's economic climate. The Broward Republican Liberty Caucus and AFP extend their invitation to all community members who are eager to learn and engage in meaningful discussions about financial literacy.
For additional details or press inquiries, please contact Celeste Ellich 954-326-2468 or Bob Sutton 954-683-9597. To register for the event: https://www.eventbrite.com/.../fiscal-cliff-and-financial
Trump Administration Closes the Door on China Skirting
U.S. Tariffs Through De Minimis Shipments
Thanks to President Trump’s recent action on tariffs, China will no longer be eligible to avoid U.S. tariffs by trading under America’s de minimis policy. The Trump Administration announced on February 1st that it would revoke the de minimis privilege for all imports from China
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement on the Trump Administration’s decision to revoke the use of de minimis for China:
“President Trump is ensuring that China can no longer avoid applicable tariffs simply by exporting packages with relatively low values The Ways and Means Committee has spent significant time investigating the use of de minimis by China and other nations to undermine our trade enforcement tariffs and skirt compliance with U S law The effect of increased abuse of the de minimis privilege has been to deny the U S Government collection of billions of dollars in additional revenues while unfairly disadvantaging American manufacturers Legislation the Committee adopted last year would have ended the privilege for nearly 70 percent of imports from China – strengthening the effectiveness of the Section 301 tariffs that President Trump previously authorized. The Trump Administration is leaving no stone unturned when it comes to restoring some backbone to America’s trade policies.”
China has long exploited the de minimis privilege to undercut U.S. manufacturers and retailers by flooding markets with low-cost goods and skirting customs enforcement. The number of Chinese imports coming into the U.S. under the de minimis policy has surged in recent years from 208 million packages in 2018 to more than 640 million in 2023 – a 208 percent increase over just five years. This prompted the Ways and Means Committee to investigate the matter and approve legislation last year – the End China’s De Minimis Abuse Act introduced by Congressman Greg Murphy, M.D. (NC-03) –that would curb the flow of such shipments from China, by eliminating the use of de minimis for goods subject to Section 301 tariffs or other U S trade remedies, including national security tariffs
Congressman Murphy, M D issued the following statement:
“President Trump is taking bold action to ensure America is not ripped off in our trade relationship with China I am particularly grateful to see that the de minimis privilege, which allows Chinese companies to avoid paying duties on goods under $800 has been suspended We must ensure a fair playing field for American businesses to compete and end the abuse of our trade laws ”
• In 2018, President Trump imposed new tariffs on more than half of Chinese imports pursuant to Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 in response to China's unfair trade practices.
• However, certain Chinese firms have been able to avoid paying these tariffs thanks to a provision in U.S. trade law that permits imports worth less than $800 to enter the country without paying any tariffs. This provision is known as the de minimis privilege.
• The purpose of the de minimis privilege is to avoid expense disproportionate to the amount of duty that would otherwise be collected from the import However, as a result of the explosion of global e commerce, de minimis trade has surged to become a major source of imports According to the latest Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data, 60 8% of all de minimis entries come from China alone
• There is no reason why importers should be able to use the de minimis privilege to evade the enforcement tariffs imposed by President Trump on China This aligns with current practice – importers cannot use the de minimis privilege to evade anti-dumping and countervailing duty tariffs
Small Businesses Will Create At Least 1 Million New Jobs
Annually If Trump Tax Cuts Are Made Permanent
Permanently extending the 20 percent deduction for 26 million American small businesses from the 2017 Trump tax cuts will supercharge Main Street’s job creation engine – leading to an estimated 1 million new jobs every year over the next decade and an additional 2 million jobs in the years that follow, according to a study conducted on behalf of the National Federation of Independent Business
The surge in new jobs would accompany a boom in economic growth Because of the 20 percent small business deduction, the study shows GDP would increase by $75 billion every year for 10 years and then $150 billion each year afterwards
The study’s findings demonstrate how the deduction primarily helps Mom-and-Pop businesses – debunking Democrats’ false narrative that this deduction does not help small businesses In 2021, 77 percent of the households claiming the deduction had an adjusted gross income of less than $200,000
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) released the following statement urging the swift extension of the 20 percent small business deduction:
“President Trump and Republicans in Congress are fighting for small businesses and the 81 million Americans they employ. Rebuilding our economy requires helping small businesses and giving them the certainty needed to quickly start investing in their companies and hiring more Americans. The 26 million small businesses who rely on this deduction need the confidence that in less than 12 months their tax rates will not go up to over 43 percent, 20 points higher than such businesses face in Communist China. Until Congress provides that certainty, small businesses will sit on the capital needed to grow. If we swiftly make the 20 percent deduction permanent, more than 1 million Americans will be able to find a new, better job that supports their family. After a Biden Administration during which the smallest of small businesses cut 288,000 jobs last year, having President Trump back in the White House is a welcome relief for entrepreneurs and workers.”
At Ways and Means hearings, small business owners from different communities across the country, representing different industries, have urged Congress to immediately extend the small business deduction Most recently, during the first policy hearing of the new Congress, a Georgia small business owner equated the expiration of the deduction with a tax hike that would force job creators to close up shop
Alison Couch, Georgia small business owner: “If 199A expires, it will feel like a tax increase on small business owners, instead of a sunset of a tax deduction What you will see as a result of that is the inability to provide raises, the inability to invest in new equipment, inability to really invest in R&D and different things of that nature that are so crucial when you own a small business Quite frankly, I think that it will cost some small business owners their businesses I think it is that impactful ”
Smith: President Trump’s Tax Plan Will Fix Weak Biden-Harris Jobs Market
Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith (MO-08) issued the following statement after the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the final jobs report of the failed Biden-Harris Administration, showing a labor market reliant on bureaucrat hiring:
“The Biden-Harris labor market failed to deliver for American workers. The average paycheck today is worth 3 percent less than the first day of the Biden presidency. President Biden slowed recovery from the pandemic by paying people more to stay at home than go to work, raising taxes, and threatening more regulations President Biden’s so-called ‘manufacturing boom’ was actually a government spending bonanza with a blue-collar recession that lost over 87,000 manufacturing jobs in the last year. Businesses, squeezed by high inflation and interest rates, cut hiring. But government jobs were on the rise.
“President Trump and Republicans have a mandate to quickly undo the damage done by the Biden-Harris Administration and restore our nation’s greatness and prosperity Under unified Republican leadership, Congress must act swiftly on tax relief for families and small businesses reeling from four years of inflation, high interest rates, and uncertainty. Today, small businesses and manufacturers are making decisions about future hiring and expansion. They need the assurance they won’t pay a 43.4 percent tax rate, and they need incentives to support domestic manufacturing President Trump has the right policies to grow paychecks, create jobs, and supercharge our economy. After four years of waiting, there is no time to waste. January 20th cannot come soon enough.”
Key Background:
• Everything Costs More: Prices have increased 20.6 percent since the beginning of the Biden-Harris Administration.
• Americans Making Less: Real wages and benefits have fallen 3 percent since the beginning of the BidenHarris Administration.
• Inflation Above Fed’s Target: For 45 straight months, inflation has been above the Federal Reserve’s 2 percent target.
• Inflation Higher Than Wages: Inflation outpaced wages for 26 straight months under the Biden-Harris Administration.
• Historic Interest Rates: Under the Biden-Harris Administration, interest rates hit their highest levels in 23 years.
Mortgage Costs 81 Percent Higher: The monthly mortgage payment for a median priced new home has increased by nearly $1,000 and is over 80 percent higher than when President Biden and Vice President Harris took office in January 2021.
• $1 Trillion+ Credit Card Debt: Credit card interest rates are at their highest levels in more than three decades, while consumer credit debt has exceeded $1 trillion for six calendar quarters. The number of Americans struggling to pay credit card bills has increased to levels not seen since the great financial crisis More than 11 percent of credit card balances are more than 90 days past due
• Shrinking Savings: Thanks to higher prices, families have spent the entirety of their pandemic savings by 2024, and they are able to save less of their income. The average personal savings rate since President Biden and Vice President Harris took office is 2.9 percent lower than the pre-Biden-Harris average and it remains comparatively low at 4 4 percent today
• Families Falling Behind on Bills: Over one-third of families (37 percent) paid a late fee in the past year.
