Kevin Cramer Endorses Cruel Family Separation Policy, Bemoans “Over-Dramatization” of the Crisis

Self-proclaimed ‘family values’ candidate has zero empathy for children and families at the border

Cramer should join Senator Heitkamp and co-sponsor Keeping Families Together Act and work to strengthen border security

(BISMARCK, ND) — Kevin Cramer likes to masquerade as a family values politician, but his endorsement of the administration’s heartless practice of separating children from their families at the border is showing Cramer’s true colors. Just yesterday, ProPublica released audio of children wailing after being separated from their parents, and an agent making a crass joke about an “orchestra.” But Congressman Cramer recently said that he thinks “there’s a lot of over dramatization if you want to know the truth […].”

The truth is that instead of standing up for children, families and American values, Kevin Cramer first released a tone-deaf statement – showing no compassion or concern for the trauma these kids are experiencing in cages far away from their families. This morning, Cramer doubled-down on his endorsement of the family separation policy – paying lip service to compassion while, as usual, passing the buck to someone else. And this afternoon, Cramer dismissed the situation as being over-dramatized.

Cramer could do something about this – he could call on the president to change the policy immediately. But rather than put himself on the wrong side of the president, Cramer refuses to do so – and refuses to join legislative efforts like the Keeping Families Together Act to solve this crisis.

“By endorsing the president’s cruel family separation policy, Kevin Cramer has revealed himself as the heartless politician that he is – throwing family values to the wind to rubber-stamp the administration’s policies,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “Cramer’s ability to ignore rising calls from the likes of former First Lady Laura Bush, faith leaders and Republican members of Congress who have spoken out about this policy is perhaps the most stunning example to-date of Cramer’s ruthless political nature. Children do not need to be separated from their families to secure our borders. But as usual, instead of working toward solutions, Cramer shrugs his shoulders and lays blame at someone else’s feet. Cramer is playing partisan politics with children’s lives and it needs to stop immediately. He ought to join Senator Heidi Heitkamp and work to strengthen our borders and co-sponsor the Keep Families Together Act because it’s the right thing to do.”

ICYMI: As Trade War Intensifies, Cramer Still Refuses to Protect North Dakota’s At-Risk Ag Economy

As the president escalates the trade war by threatening more tariffs, Cramer continues to support fraying trade partnerships – putting vital North Dakota industries at risk

(BISMARCK, ND) – In a dramatic escalation of the administration’s trade war, the president threatened tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese goods. The question now is, when will Cramer finally stand up for North Dakota farmers, ranchers, manufacturers and producers against an impending trade war?

This announcement piles onto last week’s approval of tariffs on $50 billion worth of Chinese goods, which almost immediately provoked retaliatory tariffs on key American industries including soybeans, corn, wheat, automobiles and more. Should China counter the president’s latest threats with more trade measures of their own, the president has promised to escalate the trade war even further by launching tariffs on yet another $200 billion of Chinese goods.

And where is Congressman Cramer in all of this? Still refusing to stand up for North Dakota’s ag economy, which is particularly vulnerable to an intensifying trade war.

Agricultural exports are a vital part of the state’s economy, with over $5 billion in goods exported in 2016. The industries most likely to be affected by the trade war – agricultural exports and manufacturers dependent on steel and aluminum – are responsible for roughly 34,000 and 17,000 North Dakota jobs respectively. Additionally, China threatened this week to impose duties on U.S. oil imports that total nearly $1 billion per month. Further raising the stakes for North Dakota’s farmers and ranchers, the administration is also on the verge of a trade war with Canada and Mexico, who buy almost all of North Dakota’s corn, beef, pork, and poultry exports.

Read a quick recap of the article below:

The Hill: Trump calls for tariffs on additional $200B in Chinese goods as trade war ramps up

  • President Trump on Monday said he is directing his top trade official to identify $200 billion more worth of Chinese goods that will be subject to tariffs, escalating the ongoing trade dispute between the U.S. and China.

  • The president announced on Friday that the U.S. would impose 25 percent tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese goods. Beijing then responded with tariffs on $50 billion in U.S. products.

  • The White House’s move is expected to further ramp up trade tensions with Beijing and possibly risk Trump’s push to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

  • He has in recent weeks decided to implement steep tariffs against China and other key U.S. allies, despite warnings from congressional lawmakers that doing so could harm American workers and erase gains made from the Republican tax package.

  • The U.S. has also imposed tariffs this year of 25 percent on steel and 10 percent on aluminum from a wide range of nations, including China.

  • The moves have angered close allies including Canada, Mexico and the European Union, which are pleading their cases to the World Trade Organization and planning their own rounds of tariffs.

  • The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said that about $75 billion of U.S. exports will be hit with retaliatory tariffs during the first week of July from all of those nations, angering a wide range of business groups and roiling stock markets.

CULTURE OF CORRUPTION: Cramer Ran Pay for Play-Type Operation as Public Service Commissioner

Cramer has been crooked since he started in politics

(BISMARCK, ND) — Kevin Cramer has come under fire for using his campaign to enrich himself and his family – but Cramer’s corruption started well before he became a Washington, D.C. insider.

As a North Dakota Public Service Commissioner, Cramer essentially ran a crooked pay-to-play operation and undermined the public’s trust – taking tens of thousands in campaign contributions from organizations whose business he was responsible for regulating as Commissioner. In a ruling after Cramer was sued by two organizations, the judge said Cramer’s decision to accept the money was “ill-advised, devoid of common sense, and raises legitimate questions as to the appearance of impropriety.”

But skirting the line of technical legality is nothing new for Cramer – according to a political watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, Cramer paying himself and his wife and family more than $350,000 in campaign contributions is also legally above-board – but “morally sticky.”

“As Public Service Commissioner, Crooked Kevin Cramer ran a pay-to-play operation and showed us his true, corrupt colors,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “As the judge noted in Cramer’s legally murky and morally sticky case, Cramer’s campaign contributions raised ‘legitimate questions’ as to whether he was bought and paid for by corporations while he was supposed to be watching out for North Dakotans. Now, as a Washington Congressman, Cramer will only roll up his sleeves to climb the political ladder and curry favor with special interests – not to actually get results for North Dakota.”

ICYMI: Cramer-Backed Attacks on Health Care Could Impact Millions of Americans Who Get Insurance Through Work

Lawsuit to roll back coverage for pre-existing conditions may hurt the 175 million Americans who get coverage through their employer

(BISMARCK, ND) – Americans who get health insurance through their employer – some 175 million people – could be susceptible to changes in their coverage, according to a new article in the Wall Street Journal. The Department of Justice is supporting an effort to roll back coverage guarantees for people with pre-existing health conditions and to relax limits on how much insurers can charge older individuals and women. Should the efforts succeed, parts of the health care law that benefit workers who get coverage through work would also be revoked, potentially affecting millions of Americans.

Since arriving in Washington, Kevin Cramer has supported legislation aimed at rolling back the protections provided by the Affordable Care Act. In 2013, Cramer voted for a bill that would have delayed parts of the Affordable Care Act that guarantee coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions, who Cramer famously accused of “gaming the system.” That same year, Cramer voted against a law that would prohibit employers from reducing insurance coverage for their workers.

Read a quick recap of the article below:

Wall Street Journal: Get Health Coverage at Work? Lawsuit Against ACA Could Affect You, Too

  • Tens of millions of people who get health insurance through their job could face waiting periods for coverage or find that specific medical conditions aren’t immediately covered if the courts back a request by the Trump administration to toss key provisions of the Affordable Care Act.

  • … the request would also rewind some protections for the vast majority of Americans—some 175 million people—who get health coverage via small and large employers, analysts said.

  • “Anyone who just thinks this is just impacting the 12 to 15 million individuals with individual coverage is wrong,” said Timothy Jost, an emeritus law professor at Washington and Lee University.

  • That means employers would again be able to impose lengthy waiting periods for health coverage on new hires.

  • Employers could also opt not to cover a new hire’s specific health problem, like cancer, for up to a year even if they provide them insurance.

  • And when smaller companies shop for insurance, they could be charged more to cover their workers if they have a large number of older or sicker people. That can indirectly lead to higher costs for workers who pay a share of their premiums, health analysts said.

ICYMI: “We feel like we’re a bargaining chip” – As Farmers Urge Caution, Kevin Cramer is excited for trade war

North Dakota Farmers and Ranchers Express Concern After President’s Trade War Announcement, Chinese Retaliations

(BISMARCK, ND) — In an unprecedented lack of understanding of agriculture – even for someone who has never served on the House agriculture committee – Kevin Cramer said there was a lot of “excitement” around the president’s trade announcement.

North Dakota farmers and ranchers aren’t excited about a trade war – they’re downright concerned. But this isn’t the first time Cramer has spoken down to our ag producers – he has repeatedly referred to their trade war concerns as “hysteria.”

Read more from WDAY about why North Dakota farmers and ranchers are concerned about this potentially escalating trade war – especially soybean producers, who are vital to North Dakota’s agricultural economy.

WDAY: ‘We feel like we’re a bargaining chip’: N.D. soybean farmers fear trade war after Trump announces tariffs

  • If a trade war breaks out between the U.S. and China, North Dakota soybean farmers could take big losses.

  • Seventy-one percent of North Dakota’s soybeans are exported to Asia, most of them going to China, which brought $1.5 billion in revenue back to the state.

  • Soybean exports to China could drop by as much as 65 percent if China imposes a retaliatory 25 percent tariff on soy, according to a study cited by the American Soybean Association.

  • Austin Langley, a 26-year-old soybean farmer in Warwick, N.D., about 20 miles south of Devils Lake, says that would be disastrous for his fortunes.

  • In Rolette, N.D., Ryan Pederson was digesting the news while trying to determine how much damage hail had done to his soybeans overnight.

  • “There is no doubt that it will affect our bottom line,” if there is a trade war, he said. “North Dakota is a producing state, not a consuming state, so we need free trade.”

  • Nancy Johnson, executive director of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association, […] said her group agrees that the Chinese haven’t played fairly on trade, “but right now we feel like we’re a bargaining chip” in the negotiations.

FOUR PINOCCHIOS: Washington Post Slams Kevin Cramer for Lies About Tax Bill

(BISMARCK, ND) — Today, the Washington Post slammed Kevin Cramer for lies about the Washington Republican tax bill – lies from his bogus “get the facts” website, nonetheless. Cramer earned the Post’s worst rating – Four Pinocchios – for falsely claiming that the partisan tax bill would be paid for by economic growth.

Glenn Kessler, the Post’s fact checker, referred to Cramer’s claims as “poppycock.” Kessler also detailed Cramer’s desire to cut important programs like Social Security and Medicare in order to pay for the budget-busting tax legislation. Read more below:

Washington Post: N.D. Republican’s Senate campaign ‘fact-checking’ website promotes false claim on CBO estimates

  • One pernicious response to the growth of political fact-checking is the trend by politicians to create their own faux fact-checking websites. So we looked with interest at a website created by the campaign of Rep. Kevin Cramer, a Republican who is challenging incumbent senator Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.).

  • The other long-term issue that Heitkamp cites is the effect on the budget deficit. When the bill was approved, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the tax cut added at least $1.5 trillion to the deficit over the next 10 years.

  • This is where the website’s “truth-telling” starts to go off the rails. First, the article attacks Heitkamp for suggesting the tax bill may affect Social Security. “Claims of cuts to Social Security are ludicrous. There is nothing in the bill that cuts Social Security,” the article says. That’s technically correct, but it’s also misdirection.

  • Cramer himself has suggested that the rising national debt in the wake of the tax bill will require lawmakers to tackle entitlements such as Social Security and Medicare.

  • So although there is nothing in the tax bill specifically about Social Security, Cramer has acknowledged that the additional debt generated by the measure will require a closer look at reducing spending on programs such as Social Security.

  • Then there is this jaw-dropping statement: “Heitkamp’s talk of deficits is pure speculation and none of it takes into account the economic growth the Trump pro-growth agenda is delivering.”

  • Where does Heitkamp get her “talk of deficits”? From the CBO, the official scorekeeper of Washington. The CBO is so well respected that Cramer’s “fact” website cites a CBO projection in another article to attack the Affordable Care Act.

  • Cramer’s website is simply wrong when he claims the deficits projected do not take into account the economic growth in Trump’s agenda. The CBO does take into account the economic feedback from tax cuts. As any mainstream economist will explain, the problem is that tax cuts do not pay for themselves.

  • For a website that proclaims it is providing the truth and nothing but the facts, this line about the tax cuts and economic growth is poppycock. The CBO does take into account the economic effect of tax bills, so Cramer is simply wrong on that score. It’s even worse for a politician to suggest he is a deficit hawk — and ready to take on entitlements — and yet dismiss credible forecasts on future deficits by a respected agency.

  • In the meantime, Cramer earns Four Pinocchios.

Lacking Accomplishments, Kevin Cramer Doubles Down on Negative Campaign

Cramer Has Spent Six Years in Washington – Still Unable to Campaign on His Record

(BISMARCK, ND) — Kevin Cramer is borrowing a page from Mitch McConnell’s Washington, D.C. playbook and doubling down on his negative, nasty campaign. Today, Cramer launched his second attack ad on TV, in less than a month – showing his campaign’s desperation to distract from Cramer’s sleazy self-payments, do-nothing record and resounding support for policies that spell economic disaster for North Dakota.

“It’s no coincidence that after propping up policies that support a trade war, Kevin Cramer is desperate to change the subject,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the Democratic-NPL. “After six years of almost doubling his own net worth but delivering a do-nothing record to our state, he has no choice but to turn to attack ads North Dakotas are sick of. It’s telling that Kevin Cramer continues to look back at the past election rather than put forward a vision for North Dakota. Rather than run on his record, it’s clear Cramer is keenly aware of his paltry lack of accomplishments and is resorting to slinging mud from the gutter. Maybe if Kevin Cramer had spent more time working for North Dakota instead of himself and out-of-state billionaires his campaign wouldn’t be in such obvious distress.”

But this is no surprise coming from Cramer who says “negative ads work,” and on TV, has only run negative ads so far from his own campaign. And even though he previously said he would denounce inappropriate ads from outside groups, Cramer refused to do so when McConnell’s D.C. smear machines used dying Syrian children in an attack ad – which didn’t go over well with North Dakotans.

Meanwhile, Senator Heidi Heitkamp has been committed to running a positive campaign. Her TV ads have highlighted her tight-knit North Dakota family, record of working across the aisle, praise from GOP colleagues and willingness to work with the president to benefit North Dakota.

Jaeger to ND GOP: Please Take Me Back

Just a few months after North Dakota Republicans kicked him to the curb at their convention, Jaeger comes crawling back for their endorsement

(BISMARCK, ND) — When the North Dakota Republicans publicly forced Secretary of State Al Jaeger into retirement after a 25-year career, they probably thought they were done with him. But, after the revelation of their preferred candidate’s 2006 peeping tom arrest, Jaeger has come crawling back looking for their help.

Now that Jaeger is forced to collect enough signatures to get on the ballot, he has had to scramble to gain the ND GOP’s endorsement, even though they didn’t want in the first place. However, as we saw last week when Jaeger chose to ignore a federal judge’s order to implement a voter education program informing North Dakotans about the state’s voter id laws, it doesn’t look like he’s learned any lessons from losing his party’s backing in the first place.

“Al Jaeger is flailing, and now he has successfully begged his party to do a 180 on his candidacy,” said Scott McNeil, Executive Director of the North Dakota Democratic-NPL. “The North Dakota Republican party decided to kick Jaeger to the curb because of his refusal to modernize the Secretary of State’s office, but now they are forced to ignore their objections and endorse a backward-looking candidate for another 4-year term. This is bad news for North Dakota’s voters, small business owners, and anyone else who is looking for a modern, streamlined government with a clear focus on serving the state in an efficient and effective manner.”

Human Rights Campaign Slams Kevin Cramer for Seeking Support from Anti-LGBTQ Hate Group

Instead of Working on the Farm Bill, Kevin Cramer is Seeking the Support of an Extreme, Anti-LGBTQ Hate Group

(BISMARCK, ND) — Today in an interview on KFGO, a spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign – the nation’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve LGBTQ equality – slammed Kevin Cramer for seeking the support of an anti-gay hate group. Yesterday, CNN reported that Cramer sought and received the support of a designated hate group that defends conversion therapy and equates homosexuality to pedophilia.

In a questionnaire signed by the candidate, Cramer vowed to work to overturn marriage equality and oppose the Equality Act – referred to as the “Gay Bill of Special Rights” – which protects LGBTQ North Dakotans from employment and housing discrimination.

You can listen to the full interview by clicking here– excerpts from Chris Sgro, Director of Communications for the Human Rights Campaign, are below:

“They’re a radical hate group, as you mentioned. They want to overturn marriage equality. They compare being gay and transgender to pedophilia. They have supported the dangerous, debunked practice of so-called conversion therapy, which, which science has proven does not work. They’re- This is not a mainstream organization we’re talking about here, Joel. This is a group- This is a group that stands ready to attack not just gay and transgender people, but really commonsense values, North Dakota values.”

“And here you Kevin Cramer not just having their support but actively seeking their support. And this group is on the ground in North Dakota right now with their outside money trying to push him and his dangerous agenda.”

“You have to pledge to overturn marriage equality. Again, these are radical things. In North Dakota and across the country, these are these are radical views to hold. And here you have Kevin Cramer, who has a zero on the Human Rights Campaign scorecard, by the way, actively seeking their endorsement. As you mentioned, one of only two candidates across the entire country who thought it wise to seek the endorsement and support of a hate group.”

“So, Kevin Cramer, instead of working on the Farm Bill, instead of working on issues that are relevant and impactful on the everyday lives of North Dakotans is out seeking the endorsement and support of a group that is working to advance hate and that’s dangerous.”

“So, you know, I think for North Dakota voters, you have Senator Heitkamp who has been a co-sponsor of the very commonsense Equality Act, that just says if your LGBTQ, you shouldn’t be able to be fired for who you are and who you love, that you shouldn’t be discriminated against.”

ICYMI: Bipartisan Senate Farm Bill Advances to Floor Vote, Expected to Become Law Before September Deadline

(BISMARCK, ND) – In a refreshing example of bipartisan cooperation, the Senate Ag Committee advanced the 2018 Farm Bill by an overwhelming 20-1 vote, according to a new article featured in the Bismarck Tribune. Both Senators Heitkamp and Hoeven voted in favor of the bill, which avoided the partisan squabbling that derailed a similar effort in the House earlier this spring. Senator Heitkamp played a key role in the crafting, negotiation, and passage of the bill which she described as “a strong, bipartisan bill” that would be able to make it across the finish line.

Heidi’s enthusiasm for finding common ground with her colleagues stands in stark contrast to Kevin Cramer, who has been criticized for playing politics with the Farm Bill ever since he got to Washington. Simply put, Cramer is indifferent to the challenges facing his constituents – dismissing the concerns of his constituents as “hysteria,” claiming that North Dakota’s farmers have a low pain threshold and confessing his belief that playing politics with the farm bill is “what you do in this business.”

While Heidi has been hard at work building bonds across the aisle and getting results, Cramer has been busy passing the buck – blaming the White House for his legislative failures instead of getting things done for North Dakota.

Read a quick recap of the article below:

Bismarck Tribune: Bipartisan Senate farm bill gains momentum with 20-1 committee vote

  • A strongly bipartisan 20-1 vote by the Senate Ag Committee on Wednesday has sent the five-year 2018 Farm Bill to the full Senate and added momentum to get the measure passed by the time the current bill expires on Sept. 30.

  • Upper Midwest senators, in what was a somewhat rare move of bipartisanship, praised what has been accomplished so far in interviews and news releases Wednesday and were in agreement that the measure was a priority.

  • “I am beyond thrilled, “said Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., in a teleconference with reporters. “Members put regional and individual concerns to the side and got a strong, bipartisan bill across the finish line.”

  • Despite some struggles that lie ahead, the Senate bill may have avoided one big fight. Senators put off any stiffer rules proposed by the House for able-bodied food stamp recipients such as raising the work requirement of 20 hours a week for people up from age 49 to 59 and no longer exempting parents or caretakers with children 6 years old and older.

  • Heitkamp understands concerns from both sides on the food stamp issue but said that with two-thirds of wage earners in the U.S. making under $20 an hour it sometimes is tough to make ends meet. The senator said there are about 54,000 North Dakotans on food stamps and that 73 percent are families with children and 33 percent had family members who are senior citizens or disabled.

IYCMI: Cramer Actively Sought, Received Support from Anti-LGBTQ Hate Group

Hate Group Supported Predator Roy Moore and Opposes Equal Rights for North Dakotans 

Cramer Must Disavow Hate Group, Financial Backing

(BISMARCK, ND) — Yesterday, CNN reported that Congressman Kevin Cramer sought and received support from an extreme, anti-LGBTQ organization. The nonpartisan Southern Poverty Law Center has designated Public Advocate of the United States as a hate group, but that didn’t stop Cramer from asking for their support. Additionally, the founder of the group has actively promoted the violent Pizzagate conspiracy theory.

Cramer – along with Neo-Confederate Virginia Senate candidate Corey Stewart – proactively filled out their candidate questionnaire, in which he promised to work towards overturning marriage equality and oppose laws protecting LGBTQ North Dakotans from employment and housing discrimination.

You can see the Dem-NPL statement HERE and more coverage of Cramer’s hate group ties below:

CNN: GOP Senate nominees Kevin Cramer, Corey Stewart sought support of extreme anti-gay group

  • Two Republican Senate nominees sought and received the support of an anti-LGBT group that links homosexuality to pedophilia and defends conversion therapy.
  • Both nominees also indicated support for overturning Supreme Court rulings legalizing same-sex marriage […]
  • The group’s founder and chief executive, Eugene Delgaudio, said in February he believes that former President Barack Obama was a “child molester” and that “adult homosexuals want to recruit and brainwash children.” He is an active promoter of the far-right pizzagate conspiracy theory.
  • The group has been running Google ads in support of Cramer, who is currently in his third term as North Dakota’s lone member in the US House. Delgaudio told CNN in an email exchange that he would not disclose other efforts the group has made online to support Cramer.

Forum: GOP Senate hopeful Kevin Cramer sought, received support of extreme anti-gay group, CNN reports

  • North Dakota GOP Senate candidate Kevin Cramer sought and received the support of a conservative anti-LGBT group that links homosexuality to pedophilia and defends conversion therapy, CNN reports.
  • Candidates’ completion of the survey was voluntary, and all candidates who submitted a response were informed prior to submission that its results would be made public.

High Plains Reader: GUILT BY ASSOCIATION? CRAMER ASKS FOR HATE GROUP’S SUPPORT

  • Hoping to win a Senate seat, current Congressman Kevin Cramer has thrown in his hat with an extremist hate group peddling conspiracy theories by seeking the group’s endorsement and financial backing.
  • In 2017, the group gave $10,100 to Roy Moore, according to Open Secrets, Center for Responsive Politics. Moore was the former chief justice of the Supreme Court in Alabama who strove to fill a state’s Senatorial seat until he was voted down after sexual misconduct with minors allegations arose.
  • Cramer has also publicly defended former Republican Secretary of State candidate Will Gardner after discovery was made that he pleaded guilty to public disorder after peeping through girl dorm windows at North Dakota State University with his pants unzipped and shirt untucked.
  • Cramer’s office was contacted for comment, but no statement was received.

POLITICO Huddle: CRAMER, STEWART SOUGHT SUPPORT OF EXTREME ANTI-LGBT GROUP

  • GOP nominees Kevin Cramer and Corey Stewart filled out a “Senate Candidate Survey” for Public Advocate of the United States, an anti-gay group CNN says “links homosexuality to pedophilia and defends conversion therapy.” The survey has eight questions on LGBT issues, including whether candidates agree that public schools should be barred from “brainwashing elementary school children with the Homosexual Agenda.” Cramer and Stewart “also indicated support for overturning Supreme Court rulings legalizing same-sex marriage, requiring schools to teach there are only two genders and allowing Christian business owners to refuse to participate in same-sex weddings without fear of legal reprisal,” CNN’s Andrew Kaczynski reports.

The Hill: GOP Senate candidates sought support of anti-LGBT group: report

  • GOP Senate candidates reportedly asked an anti-LGBT group that claimed a link between homosexuality to pedophilia for its support in their campaigns ahead of the November midterm elections.
  • The group was founded in 1978 by Eugene Delgaudio, who in February said he believes that former President Obama was a “child molester,” and has been designated by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group for its anti-gay activism.
  • According to the publication, the anti-LGBT group has been running advertisements online supporting Cramer’s election bid.

Dorgan Slams Cramer for Boasting on Tax Bill Vote That Balloons the Deficit and Damages Medicare

The former Senator writes in the Fargo Forum: “Borrowing money to pay for tax cuts at a time when we have a nearly $21 trillion federal debt is just plain nuts, and they know it.”

“The fact is, the so-called tax cut legislation was bad tax policy, terrible fiscal policy and even worse health care policy.”

(BISMARCK, ND) — Former Senator Byron Dorgan had some tough words for Kevin Cramer in the Fargo Forum. While Cramer takes to the airwaves to boast about the GOP’s tax scam, policy experts are weighing in on how this bill will bust the budget, reduce access to affordable health care, and ultimately leave the next generation holding an estimated $11.7 trillion cumulative deficit over the next 10 years.

Well, Senator Dorgan has had enough of the black slapping and self-congratulating coming from the Cramer Camp. Dorgan let Cramer have it, pointing out that the corporate giveaway is not only terrible for taxpayers, but also puts people who rely on Medicare at risk and undermines protections for the over 300,000 North Dakotans with pre-existing conditions who rely on the Affordable Care Act for health coverage.

Fargo Forum: Dorgan: Tax cuts balloon the deficit and damages Medicare

  • Last week we learned that parts of the Medicare program will run out of money three years earlier than previously expected in part because of the tax cut legislation that was recently enacted.

  • That bad news finally exposes the full truth about the damage done by the tax cut bill written by the Majority party in Congress and President Donald Trump. Not only have they borrowed trillions of dollars and ballooned the federal debt in order to cut taxes mostly for the wealthy, they’ve also injured the Medicare program at the same time.

  • Borrowing money to pay for tax cuts at a time when we have a nearly $21 trillion federal debt is just plain nuts, and they know it.

  • When the economy is growing we’re supposed to be paying down the debt, not increasing it. Yet, according to the Congressional Budget Office, the official scorekeeper for Congress, the deficits will now soar over the next 10 years, pushing up the federal debt to amounts far greater than any year since just after World War II.

  • Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, D-N.D., has been attacked for voting against the tax cut bill. Well, I’m glad she did. She had the courage to say no to legislation that massively adds to the federal debt and at the same time damages the Medicare program by many billions of dollars.

  • Congressman Kevin Cramer, by contrast, boasts about his vote for the tax cuts. But he forgets to point out that he and President Trump added to the federal debt by nearly $2 trillion with those cuts and also hurt the Medicare program at the same time.

  • They were warned, but they wouldn’t listen.

  • The reason the tax cut bill also negatively affects the Medicare program was because of last minute provisions they added to the tax cut bill that eliminated the requirement for Americans to have health insurance coverage.

  • But when they eliminated the mandate that everyone be covered by health insurance, they knew were undermining critical provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that are important to the American people.

  • For example, the ACA prohibits insurance companies from denying health care coverage because of pre-existing conditions. It also keeps kids on their parent’s insurance policies until age 26. It eliminates the lifetime limits on insurance benefits.

  • Those provisions and others will be gone if President Trump and Cramer get their wish.

  • The fact is, the so-called tax cut legislation was bad tax policy, terrible fiscal policy and even worse health care policy.

  • These are mistakes we can fix. But we need serious people willing to work on difficult problems to put our country back on the right track.

  • Borrowing money to provide tax cuts was not smart fiscal policy.

  • We need to start making hard decisions on things that matter most for our future.