Monday, October 06, 2008

Stone Vows to Work for Repeal of House Vote on $700 Billion Bailout

Republican Congressional Candidate John Stone (GA-12) is vowing to work across the aisle to repeal today’s 263-171 House vote to approve a $700 billion bailout of the nation’s imploding financial system.

“We needed emergency action to stem the downward spiral of our markets,” says Stone, “but not at the expense of pouring billions into the coffers of Chinese banks and the same firms that led us to this disaster.”

Stone says the nation should hope and pray that passage of today’s faulty legislation may at least temporarily stem the economic downturn until better legislation can be passed in January, and vowed to work with all interested parties in developing a financial rescue and reform plan that better serves U.S. families and financial concerns.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Barrow’s Failure to Vote Costs American Drivers Last Chance at Summer Gas Price Relief

(WASHINGTON, DC) - Congressman John Barrow (D-GA12) today single-handedly blocked America's last chance for gas price relief this summer, by his decisive failure to vote on keeping the House in session until a relief bill was passed. The motion to adjourn until after Labor Day passed by a single vote, 213-212, while Barrow's vote could have kept the House in session until some measure passed to lower prices at the pump.

See: House Roll Call Vote 537

"This is incredible," says John Stone, Barrow's Republican challenger. "John Barrow has spent four years driving up the price of gas by voting to block drilling in Alaska, block drilling offshore, and block construction of new refineries, but this takes the cake. He didn't have to vote for any Republican measure, but simply to just keep the debate going until some bipartisan solution could be reached. He instead lets Nancy Pelosi shut down the House in the middle of the fight, and for this do-nothing Congress to take a six-week vacation while their fellow Americans swelter under stifling gas prices. The fact that he did this by failing to vote at all is the ultimate insult to the people of our district."

Stone says he would have voted to keep the House in session the entire month of August if necessary to reach consensus on gas price relief. The former newsman supports an immediate gas tax moratorium to lower prices by as much as fifty cents a gallon. Stone also supports a ten-year plan for American energy independence that includes drilling in Alaska and offshore, new refineries and nuclear reactors, higher gas mileage and alternate fuel vehicles, alternate energy research and expansion, and improved highways and mass transit.

Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Stone Agrees to Five Televised Debates

(Savannah, GA) - Republican John Stone has agreed to a minimum of five televised debates against incumbent Democrat John Barrow in the hotly contested race for Georgia's 12th Congressional District.

John Stone for Congress today agreed to accept invitations from all four media outlets that participated in the primary election debates, including the Atlanta Press Club/Georgia Public Television series, the Augusta Comcast Connect Live Candidates Forum, the Savannah Morning News Candidate Forum, and the Statesboro Herald Candidate Forum. Dates and times for the debates have yet to be determined.

Joining the four primary election venues is a new forum tentatively set for Milledgeville on September 3 by the Georgia College and State University American Democracy Project.

"The more information the voters have on the sharp differences between me and Mr. Barrow the better," says Stone. "Mr. Barrow is very skilled at obscuring those issues, but open debates will peel back that veil of deception."

Stone says he will accept additional debate and forum requests as scheduling allows before the November 4 General Election.

Contact: Matt DeLoach, (912) 687-6567