Page 273 – Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The Lame Duck Is No Time to Cripple Internet Commerce

Post author:Steve DelBianco
Post published:November 28, 2016
Post category:Congress Lame Duck Taxes Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Today is Cyber Monday, the first Monday after Thanksgiving. People are encouraged to purchase holiday gifts online with retailers offering internet-only deals. The first Cyber Monday was in 2005 and recorded $389 million in sales while last year's total eclipsed $2.2 billion. This year, analysts expect $3.36 billion in sales. Cyber Monday is also a good time to remind Congress about the dangers of passing the Marketplace Fairness Act, aka an online sales tax. The following op-ed by Steve DelBianco of NetChoice (originally posted on November 16, 2016 in Morning Consult) is a good reminder why MFA should not be passed in a lame duck session of Congress or ever. Click "read more" below to see the op-ed

TPA's 2016 Taxpayer Turkeys

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 23, 2016
Post category:Budget Congress Defense Earmarks Michi Iljazi Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Thanksgiving in upon us, and that means it’s time for families to get together for good times, great food, and a few football games. It also means that it’s time for Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s (TPA) annual Taxpayer Turkeys! This year TPA has been paying close attention to what elected officials are doing and how they are hurting taxpayers. Here’s our list of turkeys for this year and you can also hear about them on the latest TPA podcast (click here to listen). Click "read more" below to see the 2016 Taxpayer Turkeys!

Wasteful Military Spending Will Be Trump's First Big Test

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 22, 2016
Post category:Defense Donald Trump Government Waste Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article originally appeared in Inside Sources on November 16, 2016 President-elect Donald Trump has many challenges facing him as he prepares to take office in January. Perhaps his biggest challenge will be the Pentagon’s budget Even though Trump has talked about excessive spending and draining the swamp, his national security platform includes spending more on the military. Some estimate his increase will surpass $500 billion over the next 10 years, which is reckless considering the amount of waste at the Pentagon. Spending restraint at the Pentagon will not only be a challenge for Trump, it will be a challenge for Republicans reluctant to cut military spending.

TPA's 2016 Taxpayer Turkeys

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 21, 2016
Post category:Bailout Congress Defense Earmarks Michi Iljazi Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Thanksgiving in upon us, and that means it’s time for families to get together for good times, great food, and a few football games. It also means that it’s time for Taxpayers Protection Alliance’s (TPA) annual Taxpayer Turkeys! This year TPA has been paying close attention to what elected officials are doing and how they are hurting taxpayers. Here’s our list of turkeys for this year and you can also hear about them on the latest TPA podcast (click here to listen). Click "read more" below to see the 2016 Taxpayer Turkeys

TPA Warns Congress Not to Lift the Ban on Earmarks

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:November 18, 2016
Post category:Congress Earmarks Government Waste Michi Iljazi Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

It’s only been ten days since the election, and already some in Congress are showing signs that they didn’t get the message from voters. This week, some Republicans in Congress were set to push a vote (in secret) to lift the ban on earmarks. The 2011 ban has been helpful in getting rid of most earmarks; unfortunately TPA still uncovers many of them in spending bills, but a proposal from Representatives John Culberson (R-Texas), Mike Rogers (R-Ala.), and Tom Rooney (R-Fla.) would have brought them back for good. Fortunately Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) delayed the vote until after the new year, but TPA sent this statement to members before the announced postponement letting Congress know that lifting the ban was unacceptable and that it displayed a total disconnect from the signal that voters sent Washington in the Presidential election. Click "read more" below to see the full statement

Sweetheart Deal With Agile Will Hurt Indiana Taxpayers and Consumers

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 16, 2016
Post category:Broadband Government Waste Taxpayers Protection Alliance Telecommunications

Corporate welfare is alive and well in Indiana. Agile Networks, a hybrid wireless provider based in Ohio, secured a deal in Indiana that will allow the company to profit from leasing state government publicly-owned communications towers, fiber, and public rights of way. Agile profits from a similar deal in Ohio. That agreement allows the company to sublease parts of Ohio’s state-owned communications network to other private providers. That’s a complex way of saying: Even though Ohio taxpayers paid for their statewide network, Agile lines its pockets with the revenues from subleasing contracts. Representatives from Agile won’t reveal to Ohioans how much the company is reaping from the deal. And, the contract with the Buckeye state doesn’t require the company to release the details, which makes the deal even more suspect.

Postal Service Begins the Holiday Season by Delivering More Debt

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 15, 2016
Post category:Congress Debt Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article appeared in The Hill on November 14, 2016 Weeks before the U.S. Postal Service begins to brag about all of the packages they will deliver during the upcoming holiday season, they will close the books on their 2016 fiscal year. And, based on a recent release, the Postmaster General and Chief Financial Officer will unveil their financial results on Nov. 15. If history is any guide, this will not be a very proud moment for the leadership of the United States Postal Service (USPS) with billion-dollar losses expected.

ObamaCare Demonstrates Dangers of Government Interference

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 14, 2016
Post category:Healthcare Obamacare Regulation Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article appeard in The Hill on November 2, 2016 Most researchers, scientists, and leaders in the medical community know that heavily regulating health care doesn’t bode well for innovation. However, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary, Sylvia Burwell, recently announced plans that would give the agency the authority to negotiate the prices of medicines — a proposal that would have disastrous results if implemented. The issue of how much influence the government should have in the marketplace has been tested by Congress and regulators for years. However, when it comes to healthcare, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) seems to have opened the door for the government to seek new ways to interfere in the private sector.

TPA Signs Coalition Letter Urging New York Lawmakers to Stop Gov. Cuomo's Nuclear Bailout

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:November 11, 2016
Post category:Bailout Cronyism Energy Michi Iljazi Nuclear Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has continued to sound the alarm on Democrat Governor Andrew Cuomo (N.Y.) and his nuclear bailout proposal that will force unreachable and expensive renewable energy mandates on the state. The plan requires half of New York state’s energy to come from carbon-neutral (renewable) sources by 2030 and it was approved by state regulators without the consent of state lawmakers. The plan could cost upwards of tens of billions of dollars over the long-term, and the bailout to three nuclear plants is central to keeping it afloat. The plan is under fire from a variety of officials and stakeholders, and taxpayers will be on the hook for rate increases all over the state. This week, TPA signed this coalition letter sent by American Commitment urging New York lawmakers to use their power to act and stop this crony bailout. Click "read more" below to see the full letter

Time to Get to Work on Real Tax Reform

Post author:David Williams
Post published:November 10, 2016
Post category:Congress Energy Taxpayers Protection Alliance

This article appeared in Morning Consult on October 31, 2016 The 2016 presidential election will certainly go down in the books as one of the most contentious campaigns in recent history. It will also be remembered as one in which both of the candidates failed to offer much detail to Americans on policy, including how to fix a tax code that is woefully out of date. Thirty years have passed have passed since the Tax Reform Act of 1986 and it’s time, as the phrase goes, to get down to brass tacks and focus on the details of bringing our tax code into the 21st century. Reforming the tax code is not about just checking some random policy box, it is about making the tax code better for individuals and businesses.