Pat Boone sings the praises of Richard Shelby
Legendary entertainer Pat Boone came out Friday with a statement in support of Sen. Richard Shelby, singing the praises of Alabama’s senior senator. Boone, who serves as a spokesman for the conservative senior citizen group the 60 Plus Association, said Shelby is the kind of leader the Yellowhammer State needs in the Senate. “I’m still singing at concerts,” Boone remarked, “but today I’m singing the praises of Senator Richard Shelby.” “We need strong leaders like Senator Shelby serving Alabama in the U.S. Senate. Senator Selby has protected seniors by fighting for lower taxes, to strengthen and protect Social Security and Medicare, and for comprehensive healthcare reform with affordable access to quality care. Senator Shelby will always protect Alabama and Alabama’s seniors.” The group’s Vice President Matthew Kandrach, harmonized with Boone in a statement Friday night. “Alabama seniors currently have two strong conservative U.S. Senators fighting for them in Washington D.C. Richard Shelby and Jeff Sessions,” said Kandrach. “Together they have proven to be a solid and effective team. Senator Shelby has been a vocal proponent of a balanced budget and reigning in the increasingly high amount of spending and regulations that drive up taxes and costs for seniors. “Senator Shelby has never failed to stand firm with Alabama’s seniors, and on behalf of 60 Plus’s more than 78,000 senior supporters in the Yellowhammer state, we’re proud to call him our friend.” Check out the audio of the beloved crooner’s praise for Shelby below.
Groups, lawmakers come together to urge court to rule on Clean Power Plan
Tuesday, Lance Brown, the Executive Director of the Partnership for Affordable Clean Energy (PACE) released a video calling for the court to rule on the controversial Clean Power Plan — the Obama administration’s flagship policy for cutting carbon dioxide emissions at power plants. Finalized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in August, the plan aims to cut power plant emissions by 32 percent in 2030 compared to 2012. While the plan sets individual targets for each state, it leaves many of the details for reaching those targets to each state legislature. “The EPA’s so-called Clean Power Plan won’t change global temperatures, but it will change power bills,” said Brown in the video. “That’s why the courts need to rule on this bad policy before we spend billions to comply with it.” Brown’s opinion is echoed by a chorus of other groups and lawmakers in the video. Senator Gerald Allen of Alabama calls the rule “a power grab by the Obama administration that will have zero impact on the global climate.” The plan is “an unprecedented attempt by EPA to set energy policy for the entire country,” said Regional Business Coalition of Greater Atlanta. National Black Chamber of Commerce says the plan will “lead to lost jobs, lower incomes, and higher poverty rates for the 128 million blacks and hispanics living in America.” Seniors advocate 60 Plus calls the rule “absolutely devastating for seniors.” These opinions should come as little surprise to those following the Clean Power Plan. Only hours after the president introduced the final version, attorney generals from 15 states across the country announced that they planned to sue the EPA over the rule, and lawmakers in over 35 states, like Alabama’s own Rep. Martha Roby stand in opposition to plan. Back in August, Roby wrote, “It’s no surprise that the EPA is once again going beyond its authority, pushing for overly burdensome regulations that have the potential to significantly affect our economy, discourage investment and stifle job creation. This agency is one of the most egregious offenders of ‘backdoor legislating’ by frequently attempting to circumvent Congress to set policy.” Roby continued, “Through the appropriations process thus far, we have used the ‘power of the purse’ to prevent the EPA from implementing harmful regulations like the ‘Waters of the U.S.’ rule, which will cost Alabamians greatly. Also included in our Fiscal Year 2016 Interior and Environment Appropriations bill are provisions to prohibit implementation of the Clean Power Plan.” That’s exactly the kind of action Manufacture Alabama‘s Director of External Affairs, Molly Cagle is hoping for. In the video Cagle explained “the EPA’s Clean Power Plan is a step backwards for manufacturers.” “The President and federal lawmakers need to reverse this plan before it’s too late,” Cagle concluded. You can watch the full video here:
