The Joyce Elliott for U.S. Congress campaign unveiled its first television ad for the general election. The ad highlights the frustration with Washington that many Arkansans have expressed. The opening sequence of the ad features newspaper headlines of the recent problems in Congress including: members going on exotic trips, lobbyists using money to buy clout, the bailout scandals for too big to fail companies like Goldman Sachs and AIG and the inevitable investigations into an ever growing number of Congress members who seem to have serious ethical challenges. The second part of the ad features Senator Elliott speaking at a breakfast table and presenting her plan to Clean UP Congress and the measures she will champion to change the way Washington works. The television spot demonstrates to voters that Senator Joyce Elliott not only recognizes the problems in Washington but also has a 7-point plan to fix it.
Highlights of the Joyce Elliott plan:
- NO to Automatic Pay Raises
- Imposing a 5-Year Ban on former Congress members from becoming lobbyists
- Strengthening Disclosure of Lobbyist Meetings
- Common Sense Reform of Federal Employee Pension
- Balancing the Budget and a return to Pay Go Legislation Process
- Reforming & Reducing the Federal Travel Budget
- Earmark Reform & Transparency
“I believe that people have a right to know who is meeting with their Congressional members. By strengthening lobbyists’ disclosures and creating public access to lobbyists’ meetings we can accomplish this goal, said Senator Elliott. “Additionally, I will advocate for imposing a 5-Year Ban on Congress members becoming lobbyist and likewise a five year ban before a lobbyist can go to work in a congressional office.”
“Arkansans have a right to be frustrated when they see Washington spending tax payer money on bailouts for big companies like AIG, while they see very little being done for the average small business in the community,” said spokeswoman Marisa Pryor. “As a working mother, Joyce understands these frustrations and she will work from day one to level the playing field to make sure Washington is listening to the needs and concerns of our working families. Joyce will bring a new perspective to Congress, a perspective shaped by her 30 years spent teaching in our classrooms, for the people of the 2nd District.”
“We need more folks in Congress like Joyce who have real world experience, the way we fix Washington is to send true citizen legislators like Joyce to represent us. Its a clear choice for the people of Arkansas,“ stated Pryor. “People are tired of the Washington insiders running our government so why would we send a Washington insider back to his old stomping grounds to be our next Congressman? The people want to clean up Washington and move forward not turn the clock back to the days of Jack Abramoff and an administration that inherited a surplus from President Clinton but left us with a record deficit by the time they were done.”
Since many Arkansans have had to live within their means, it is time for the government to do the same. Senator Elliott’s Clean UP Congress plan, demonstrates how we can reform Washington’s bad habits and begin a return to fiscal responsibility by mandating a pay as you go system that will help us balance the federal budget. Additionally, the plan calls for Congress to lower the deficit by cutting wasteful spending on earmarks and reforming the federal employee pension.
Many Americans have struggled through these tough economic times. Since hard working Americans do not get automatic pay raises neither should members of Congress. Joyce Elliott will vote “No” on automatic pay raises to members of Congress. By demanding more transparency in government and having a strong leader who does not mind upsetting the status quo, we can clean up Washington and give government back to the people.
To watch the new television ad and get more information about my Clean UP Congress Plan, please visit my website at www.elliottforcongress.com.
