Page 272 – Taxpayers Protection Alliance

TPA Signs Coalition Letter Reminding Congress of Opposition to Online Gambling Ban

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 15, 2016
Post category:Congress Cronyism Internet Gambling Lame Duck Michi Iljazi Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Congress is officially in recess, and after a very long election year filled with uncertainty it was a question as to what would happen during this year’s Lame Duck. For months Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) and others warned that there could be trouble for taxpayers when Congress returned for the lame duck. One issue that worried TPA was the issue of a potential online gambling ban. There was talk that Congress may move to pass some type of online gambling and ban and last week Rep. Michael Fitzpatrick (R-Penn.) introduced a bill with language similar to the Restoration of America’s Wire Act (RAWA), HR 6453. Before the recess, TPA signed onto this coalition letter from Institute for Liberty opposing the inclusion of an online gambling ban in any lame duck spending bill. Click "read more" below to see the full letter

FCC Inexplicably Hates Free Data For Consumers

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 13, 2016
Post category:Michi Iljazi Net Neutrality Regulation Taxpayers Protection Alliance Telecommunications

Under the leadership of Chairman Tom Wheeler, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) has interfered with the free market and allowing consumer-friendly initiatives to prosper. For example, while the FCC’s latest rules for net neutrality are making their way through the federal courts, the agency is using the rules to go after the private sector in terms of how they offer wireless data to their customers and what’s known as “Zero Rating.” Zero rating is a type of service that allows for providers to give “free data” for content to their customers. The way it works is that some content doesn’t get counted as part of data used in a customer’s plan with their wireless provider. In short, a company offers something for free to their customers as part of their paid service. This is a great way to get more customers and have competitors contemplate offering similar services to fill the marketplace with more options. This all seems like a win for companies and consumers. But, Chairman Wheeler disagrees and apparently would prefer people pay for something they can receive for free.

Bipartisan Tax Reform Is Possible in the First 100 Days

Post author:David Williams
Post published:December 12, 2016
Post category:Congress Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article originally appeared in Morning Consult on December 1, 2016 All signs from Capitol Hill and President-elect Donald Trump indicate that tax reform will be one of the top priorities of the incoming administration. For those who have long advocated for a tax code that fosters — rather than suppresses — economic growth and investment, this is welcoming news. However, as the debate begins over the details and whether to address corporate reform or individual, or both, it’s imperative that Democrats and Republicans put aside their differences and come together to take on this monumental task. When asked about the necessity of tax reform (see video here), citizens from across the country from all political leanings said that tax reform is a priority.

TPA Statement on House Passage of Continuing Resolution

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 9, 2016
Post category:Congress Continuing Resolution Lame Duck Michi Iljazi Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yestrday, the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) released a statement after the House of Representatives passed a Continuing Resolution (CR) to keep the government funded through late April of 2017. The bill, which maintains the fiscal year 2017 spending cap of $1.07 trillion, now heads to the Senate where it is expected to pass. Lawmakers are slated to leave town this weekend for the remainder of the year ensuring no more action in what was, thankfully, a brief Lame Duck session.

Top 5 Financial Regulations Trump Should Repeal

Post author:Justin Sykes
Post published:December 7, 2016
Post category:Dodd-Frank Financial Services Regulation Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Justin Sykes is Manager of Federal Affairs at Americans for Tax Reform (ATR). This article originally on the ATR website on November 28, 2016 Throughout his campaign Donald Trump pledged to repeal and “dismantle” burdensome financial regulations such as the Department of Labor’s (DOL) “fiduciary rule” and regulations enacted under the Dodd-Frank Act. Now that President-elect Trump has clinched the Whitehouse and has the backing of a Republican House and Senate, he now has the ability to act on his campaign pledge. Looking ahead to 2017, there are five financial reforms that Trump can undertake to relieve the burdensome and costly regulatory impact left over from the Obama administration.

TPA Signs Coalition Letter Criticizing Congress for Budget Gimmicks in NDAA

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 6, 2016
Post category:Budget Congress Defense Government Waste Michi Iljazi National Defense Authorization Act Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Pentagon spending continues to be a focus for the Taxpayers Protection Alliance and many other taxpayer advocates who care about fiscal responsibility. Recently, TPA President David Williams laid out the case for how President-elect Trump can make good on his promises to change Washington by tackling problems with the defense budget. Yesterday, a report came out detailing how the Pentagon has been wasting over $120 billion on bloated bureaucracy in recent years. Keeping all of that in mind, TPA signed this letter criticizing Congress for their continued gaming of the budget as it relates to Pentagon spending and specifically the authorization of an additional $3.2 billion as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) that just passed Congress last week. TPA firmly believes that the best way to secure our nation and our people is to ensure that the financial resources we have are being used in the best way possible to protect against threats both foreign and domestic. Using budget gimmicks to plus-up Pentagon spending on wasteful programs doesn't make the country any safer. Click "read more" below to see the full letter

Republicans May Finally Be Able To Slay ObamaCare With Tom Price Leading HHS

Post author:David Williams
Post published:December 5, 2016
Post category:Congress Healthcare Obamacare Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article originally appeared in Independent Journal Review on November 30, 2016 Obamacare has been the Republican’s White Whale since it was passed and signed into law in 2010. Republicans have mounted valiant efforts to kill Obamacare, but failed each time. Now as President-elect Donald Trump picks Rep. Dr. Tom Price (R-Ga.) to be Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), taxpayers and all citizens see a sign of regulatory and tax relief from Obamacare. But, unlike the book Moby Dick, this giant whale (Obamacare) may be finally slain next year and Captain Ahab (Dr. Price) may be victorious.

TPA Joins Coalition Urging Governor Rauner to Protect Illinois Taxpayers from a Nuclear Bailout

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:December 2, 2016
Post category:Bailout Cronyism Energy Michi Iljazi Nuclear Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has made very clear our opposition to bailouts and cronyism at the federal level, but we are also fighting these battles in the states. Governors have a duty to protect taxpayers from wasting their money on initiatives and programs that will not only do financial harm on the state, but also set dangerous precedent going forward for how taxpayer money is used. In Illinois, Republican Governor Bruce Rauner has an opportunity to stand up to cronyism and wasteful spending by opposing the “Future Energy Jobs Bill” that the IL State Legislature is likely to send him any day now. The bill provides a crony bailout to nuclear plants, all owned by one company (sound familiar?) and will hit ratepayers for years to come. TPA signed this coalition letter, sent to the Governor on Thursday by American Commitment, urging him to use his power to reject this crony bailout. Click "read more" below to see the letter

Sen. Lankford Continues Fighting for Taxpayers with Release of 2016 Wastebook

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:November 30, 2016
Post category:Government Waste Michi Iljazi Regulation Senate Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This week, continuing a tradition started by former Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.), Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) released the second edition of his wastebook, Federal Fumbles: 100 Ways the Government Dropped the Ball, Vol II. The report (here) details $247 billion in questionable spending and regulations. The Taxpayers Projection Alliance (TPA) applauds Sen. Lankford for carrying on what is not only a noteworthy tradition, but also a useful policy tool that can help guide the way on how to eliminate wasteful programs and expensive regulations.

Lame Duck session is the Wrong Response to the Election

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 29, 2016
Post category:Congress Earmarks Lame Duck Omnibus Appropriations Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article appeared in The Hill on November 22, 2016 The 2016 Presidential election is officially over which means that it’s time for Congress and the President elect to get to work. When lawmakers return from their five-week election hiatus they will decide on passing a short-term or long-term spending bill and whether or not to have a lengthy lame-duck session of Congress. As the end of the fiscal year approached in late September, Congressional leaders had to decide on how to keep funding the government before October; otherwise a shutdown would have occurred. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance and many other groups and individuals urged Congress to avoid a lame duck and fund the government past Christmas and into 2017. Lawmakers instead chose to pass a short-term spending bill to fund the government until Dec. 9, guaranteeing that Congress would have to return after the election in order to pass another bill to fund the government.