Read more about the article End of the Fiscal Year Brings More Theater, Less Substance

End of the Fiscal Year Brings More Theater, Less Substance

Today is the last day of the fiscal year and all the talk has been about a potential government shutdown. The biggest problem with all of the talk of the government shutdown has been the lack of talk about the deficit and debt and the real fiscal problems facing the country. The new fiscal year and the looming deadline of a government shutdown bring about a real opportunity to come up with concrete spending cuts that are not only necessary but also wise. What is most difficult for politicians is to come up with meaningful resolutions to the very real problems the nation is facing. Instead, it seems, they would prefer to engage in brinksmanship all under the guise of protecting the sacred cows they hold dear (entitlements, defense, and subsidies); while working families across America continue to struggle to find ways to manage their own decreasing budgets. This is not only unacceptable, it is untenable and the issues facing the Congress and the White House over the next few weeks need to be dealt with in a substantive way so that there can be a real chance to solve the all-too-real spending problem. During the next fiscal year the Congress must focus on reducing spending considering that the government is wasting billions and there are room for cuts in many areas. With this in mind, no program should go unchecked and every agency should be under the magnifying glass.

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Read more about the article Who’s really responsible for Obamacare? The answer may surprise you

Who’s really responsible for Obamacare? The answer may surprise you

(This article originally appeared in The Daily Caller on Thursday, September 26, 2013) House and Senate Republicans would like you to believe that they are willing to do almost anything — including forcing a government shutdown or a default on the debt ceiling — to stop the implementation of Obamacare. They are rightly appalled at the damage that Obamacare is already doing to our economy and healthcare system, since the implementation thus far has been a train wreck. However, for all the debate, votes to repeal, and genuine opposition from Republicans in Congress, the truth is that the GOP and its profligate ways actually created Obamacare. The story begins in 2005. Republicans controlled both chambers of Congress. Earmarks were considered the accepted way of doing business in Washington then and 2005 was the year that the infamous Bridge to Nowhere earmark was born. The plan was for the project to be funded for fiscal year (FY) 2006. The earmark’s “parents” were two prominent Republicans, the late Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK) and Rep. Don Young (R-AK). The Bridge to Nowhere is now a part of American folklore as a project that many Alaskans didn’t want and the poster child for government waste. The grassroots fought hard against the bridge and their efforts paid off as the Alaskan legislators were ultimately forced to drop the earmark from the appropriations bill. Conservative activists saw the power of working in concert to reduce government waste and pork-barrel spending. Unfortunately, members of Congress didn’t learn the same lesson. While the grassroots was focused on enacting more conservative policies, Republicans in Congress remained focused on protecting their pet projects. The divide between elected Republicans and ordinary Americans on government spending was clear.

Continue ReadingWho’s really responsible for Obamacare? The answer may surprise you
Read more about the article Maryland’s Rain Tax Soaks Everybody

Maryland’s Rain Tax Soaks Everybody

Chesapeake Bay Bridge between Anne Arundel & Queen Anne's Counties The Taxpayers Protection Alliance is always amazed at the ways in which government at all levels seeks to wreak havoc on the wallets of taxpayers. There is no shortage of terrible ideas coming from elected officials these days when it comes to taxes because government at all levels is lazy and wants to raise taxes instead of cutting spending. One of the most egregious recent examples comes from Maryland and it is called the “Storm Management Fee” or otherwise known as the ‘Rain Tax,” and believe us when we say, that is exactly what it is, a tax on Maryland residents when it rains. And, as the saying goes, when it rains, it pours. Although Montgomery County, Maryland had their own lite version of the Rain Tax (a Water Quality Protection Charge that amounted to $92.60/year on property tax bills), this new selective tax (since it only applies to the 10 counties with the largest populations in Maryland of 24 total jurisdictions) is far more invasive and costly to the taxpayers and has both statewide and national implications.

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Read more about the article TPA Joins Coalition to End the Wind Production Tax Credit

TPA Joins Coalition to End the Wind Production Tax Credit

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance has been a tireless advocate of smart strategies when it comes to how our elected officials and federal agencies approach energy issues, and we are always looking for ways to dismantle or at least improve bad policy in this sector. Recently, one of the growing problematic policies where government has been playing favorites is the wind energy Production Tax Credit (PTC), giving tax breaks to those producing wind-powered energy. TPA joined with other free-market and taxpayer allied groups including American Commitment, American Conservative Union, American Energy Alliance, Capital Research Center, Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes, Competitive Enterprise Institute, Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Freedom Action, FreedomWorks, Frontiers of Freedom, Heritage Action For America, Independent Women’s Forum, Less Government, Let Freedom Ring, National Center for Public Policy Research, National Taxpayers Union, R Street Institute, 60 Plus Association, Taxpayers for Common Sense, Taxpayers Protection Alliance, The Club for Growth, The LIBRE Initiative, and The Weyrich Lunch in an effort led by Americans for Prosperity by signing a coalition letter sent to Congress opposing the extension of federal funded wind energy PTCs. The letter outlines the facts behind the PTCs and exposes the reality that they don’t produce cheaper energy, they threaten electrical grid reliability, they’re inefficient, and it is unprincipled tax policy. TPA will continue to work with groups on all sides who are interested in smart tax policy as opposed to favoritism and cronyism to line the pockets of selected industries in the energy sector. To read the full letter, click 'read more' below

Continue ReadingTPA Joins Coalition to End the Wind Production Tax Credit
Read more about the article TPA Joins Coalition Urging Resolve on Flood Insurance Reforms

TPA Joins Coalition Urging Resolve on Flood Insurance Reforms

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance was pleased last year to see important changes made to how the National Flood Insurance Program is structured. The goal was to save taxpayers money and have the program run more efficiently with a phasing-out of the subsidy side in favor of a more free-market approach. These changes came within the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, and as we are moving closer to the point when the reforms are going to take effect, there are efforts to delay the changes and thus continue the wasteful flood insurance subsidies, making the success of the reform efforts last year seem to be an exercise in futility. Led by the R Street Institute and joined by Americans for Prosperity, American Consumer Research Institute, ConservAmerica, FreedomWorks, Less Government, National Taxpayers Union, and Taxpayers for Common Sense, TPA joined in to send this letter to Congress urging opposition to any efforts to block meaningful reforms that are necessary to improve a troubled program, while at the same time saving taxpayer dollars. To read the full letter, click 'read more' below

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Read more about the article TPA Joins Coalition Urging Opposition to Local Radio Freedom Act

TPA Joins Coalition Urging Opposition to Local Radio Freedom Act

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is a strong proponent of property rights, and when it comes to the issue of intellectual property, we are also firm believers in a property rights system that is fair to all parties. This includes distribution and attribution. Artists who produce a product (music for example) deserve to hold actual rights to said product, including both the writer and performer of a given recording, regardless of the medium under which that work is transmitted. Unfortunately, under today’s existing rules, a performer holds no rights to his or her product in terrestrial radio. There is now a resolution is Congress, H. Con. Res. 16, the Local Radio Freedom Act (LRFA), essentially codifying this current system, and TPA does not support such a resolution. Last week, led by the Institute for Liberty, TPA joined with Americans for Tax Reform, American Commitment, the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste, Center for Individual Freedom, and Digital Liberty and signed a letter urging House Republicans to withhold any support and/or co-sponsorship of this resolution because “it closes the discussion about how best to protect property rights by resolving that terrestrial radio should never pay performance royalties on music broadcast on their stations used for raising advertising revenue.” To read the full letter, click 'read more' below

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Read more about the article Consumers Pay the Price as Congress Dithers on Renewable Fuel Reform

Consumers Pay the Price as Congress Dithers on Renewable Fuel Reform

(This article originally appeared on townhall.com September 13, 2013) What many Americans may not know is that the substance that is poured into millions of American fuel tanks every year can no longer be classified as gasoline. Due to legislation passed in 2007, the government requires that millions of gallons of ethanol be blended into gasoline each year to create a form of biofuel. The legislation was passed on the premise that the demand for gasoline would increase over time, making fuel more expensive. And, by mandating that ethanol be blended into gasoline, legislators believed that the country would become less reliant on traditional fuels, driving prices down in the process. But the idea backfired and consumers and taxpayers are suffering. A funny (but not unexpected) thing happened along the way to the pump. Rather than Americans guzzling down an increasing amount of gasoline, new technologies were invented that revolutionized fuel efficiency. In turn, there has been a decrease in demand for fuel, meaning that the legislation was based on a faulty premise. Now, instead of using common sense and logic by calling on Congress to reform or repeal the legislation, President Obama has been using the mandate to pedal his green energy agenda, which not surprisingly relies on higher fuel prices.

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Read more about the article Net Neutrality Heads to Court as Verizon Takes on FCC & Internet Regulation

Net Neutrality Heads to Court as Verizon Takes on FCC & Internet Regulation

US Court of Appeals, DC Circuit (courtesy Wikipedia) Last week, the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard oral arguments in a case that has Verizon taking on the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) in a battle over regulations and the Internet, aka Net Neutrality. Verizon, one of the nation's largest Internet Service Providers (ISPs), will make their case to the appellate court for the right to charge fees to content providers who are willing to pay to have their data transported faster to customers. While the FCC contends that Verizon and other ISPs must provide content freely so that all have an equal ability to reach consumers, the critical issue is whether or not Verizon has the ability to manage its network to provide the best possible service for its customers. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been no stranger to this debate and the warning signs have been clear for a potential power grab from the FCC. “Net neutrality,” which is loosely defined as a system that allows information on the Internet to move freely without regard to content is in reality, a not so subtle attempt to regulate the Internet. The truth is that the Internet has thrived because government has, up until now, kept a light regulatory touch on the Internet. Quick reacting business and free market forces have kept the Internet thriving, slow unresponsive government bureaucracies would certainly have an adverse impact on the quality of service and capabilities available to consumers and businesses who depend on the Internet in their everyday lives. A new regulatory regime for the Internet will stifle innovation and cost taxpayers millions of dollars in a newly created, and unwarranted bureaucracy.

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Read more about the article TPA Joins Coalition Supporting Legislation to Delay Obamacare

TPA Joins Coalition Supporting Legislation to Delay Obamacare

It has been increasingly obvious that the implementation of Obamacare has been a disaster and a ‘train wreck’, as characterized by Senator Max Baucus (D-Mont.). Rate increases, transparency issues, and abuses of authority have all now been in some way either a part of or a major concern for the implementation. Taxpayers, consumers, and businesses are all feeling the squeeze when it comes to the regulatory burden and additional costs associated with the law. The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been involved in multiple efforts to fight against Obamacare and this week, led by Americans for Tax Reform, TPA was proud to sign a letter with other like-minded organizations to support both H.R. 2809, sponsored by Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.); and S. 1490, sponsored by Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.). These bills would “delay the upcoming harmful provisions of Obamacare, and would suspend all of Obamacare’s costly tax increases on families and small employers.” The fact of the matter is that President Obama and his Administration have selectively enforced the law thus far, announced targeted delays to businesses, and granted special exemptions to certain interests. Obamacare should be delayed in full so that Americans don’t see their taxes raised; individuals aren’t forced to buy insurance they can’t afford; and subsidies are not blindly provided without proper means of verification. To read the full letter, click 'read more' below

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Read more about the article TPA Joins Coalition Urging Support for House ‘Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act’

TPA Joins Coalition Urging Support for House ‘Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act’

The federal government has a taxing and spending problem. The solution to both is to do less spending and less taxing. One area that the government wants to extend their taxing authority is the Internet and the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) has been actively fighting against these taxes. Yesterday, TPA was excited to see the bipartisan Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act introduced in the House by Judiciary Chair Rep. Bob Goodlatte (R-Va.) and Rep. Anna Eshoo (D – Calif.), Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.), Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) and Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio). This bill follows last month’s introduction of the bipartisan Senate version from Sens. John Thune (R-S.D.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.). The House version permanently extends the moratorium on Internet access taxes and prohibits multiple and discriminatory taxation of Internet commerce. It has been fifteen years since the Internet Tax Freedom Act (ITFA)was first enacted. The Internet has become one of the primary forces driving commerce in the global economy today. It’s impossible for anyone to have thought fifteen years ago as to the importance of the Internet in our everyday lives, so TPA applauds both the House and Senate efforts to ensure the spirit for which the ITFA was originally enacted. This week, TPA signed on to a coalition letter urging support for the House version of the Internet Tax Freedom Forever Act in the hopes that consumers can be protected from more new taxes on Internet access by state and local governments searching for new ways to generate revenue for themselves. Taxpayers and consumers shouldn't be the target of government schemes aimed at higher taxes that ultimately do more harm than good. To read the full letter, click 'read more' below

Continue ReadingTPA Joins Coalition Urging Support for House ‘Permanent Internet Tax Freedom Act’