Page 381 – Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The Debt Clock is Ticking: Tell Congress to Make Real Spending Cuts NOW!

Post author:David Williams
Post published:July 4, 2011
Post category:Congress David Williams Healthcare Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

July 4th is a time to reflect and be thankful and proud of everything that America has to offer. This year July 4 has also come to symbolize a monumental struggle to get serious about spending cuts as Congress and the President debate raising the debt ceiling. Fiscal conservatives are staking their ground by insisting on spending cuts without tax increases while others keep the door open to tax increases. With a $14.3 trillion debt, a projected deficit of $1.5 trillion, and unemployment at 9 percent, Americans are well are of the impending financial crisis. Tell Congress to stop the over spending and demand no tax increases and real spending cuts NOW! Call the main switchboard of the Capitol at 202-224-3121.

Are Taxpayers Getting Their Money’s Worth? An Analysis of Congressional Compensation, July 2011

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:July 1, 2011
Post category:Report

Citizens across the country are struggling to make ends meet. They are frustrated with the failure of their elected representatives in Congress to address pressing national problems to make things…

Minnesota State Government Shutdown – A Citizen’s Perspective

Post author:Todd Kruse
Post published:July 1, 2011
Post category:State Issues

(Todd Kruse is a citizen and taxpayer from Minnesota) The State of Minnesota is officially “closed” today because our legislature and governor could not reach a budget agreement before the June 30th, Midnight deadline. This is not a time to despair fellow citizens – no this is the ideal time to expect true leadership from our public officials. Behind the headlines depicting the impasse between legislative leaders and the governor there is an ongoing legal process whereby our courts are determining what are deemed “core government functions.” The Minnesota Zoo is a perfect example of an opportunity to fundamentally re-structure government. Is the provision of a zoo a core function of government? As a classical liberal who celebrates limited government I would say “no” and would expect PETA to join me in this sentiment.

Time to Cancel the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS)

Post author:David Williams
Post published:June 30, 2011
Post category:David Williams Defense Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Today (June 30), President Obama officially thanked Defense Secretary Robert Gates and awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his hard work as sec. Gates leaves the Pentagon. When Leon Panetta takes over as Secretary of Defense on July 1, he will have many budgetary issues to deal with, including the future of the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS). Originally conceived as the replacement to the Patriot missile system, MEADS is being jointly built by the United States, Italy, and Germany, but Americans are shouldering more than 50 percent of the cost. Even though the Army has opposed the project, Congress allocated an additional $800 million in February and, last week, voted to further continue funding the project. Unfortunately, misinformation and political wrangling may delay the cancellation of the program.

The Debt Clock is Ticking: Tell Congress to Make Real Spending Cuts NOW!

Post author:David Williams
Post published:June 29, 2011
Post category:Congress David Williams Healthcare Spending Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The country is struggling to recover from one of the worst economic downturns in American history and unemployment is still more than 9 percent. Politicians in Washington seem oblivious to reality while they struggle to institute real spending cuts as the impending debt ceiling limit is reached and the country is faced with a potential massive financial crisis. With a $14.3 trillion debt and a projected deficit of $1.6 trillion, Americans are well are of the impending financial crisis. Tell your member of Congress to stop the over spending and demand real spending cuts NOW! Call the main switchboard of the Capitol at 202-224-3121.

Los Angeles Tourism Organization Needs to be Eliminated

Post author:David Williams
Post published:June 28, 2011
Post category:David Williams State Issues Taxpayers Protection Alliance

California has become known for two things: setting trends (such as ham and pineapple pizza) and bad government. The latest example of bad government comes from our friends at Reason.com who reported that “Although excessive public-employee salaries are getting close attention in California, many ostensibly private officials – including a tourism bureau boss who makes almost $500,000 a year – are paid mostly or entirely from public money. In some cases, these compensation packages are higher than the pay of public employees who have been the focus of public outrage.” This “tourism bureau,” LA Inc., which is a non-profit organization that “functions as Los Angeles’ convention and visitors bureau,” has no seemingly justifiable existence and is funded by taxes.

Cut, Cap, and Balance – It’s What the Cool Members of Congress are Doing

Post author:David Williams
Post published:June 26, 2011
Post category:David Williams Spending Taxes Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The nation is plagued with a $14.3 trillion debt and a deficit that exceeds $1 trillion. This is happening as the country struggles to emerge from one of its worst economic downturns in history. Just as any household that is faced with economic woes, Congress should cut (spending), cap (spending) and pass a balanced budget amendment.

TPA Uncovers $2.1 Billion in Defense Earmarks: Taxpayer watchdog group first to report violation of earmark ban

Post author:David Williams
Post published:June 23, 2011
Post category:David Williams Defense Earmarks Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) today uncovered 61 earmarks worth $2.1 billion in the 2012 House Defense Appropriations Bill, despite a ban on earmarks passed last year. TPA is the first to report these appropriated funds. "I'm baffled as to why some of the funds are being included in a defense bill," said Williams. "It seems as though the defense budget has become the island of misfit earmarks. The American people need their leaders to take responsibility for their actions, cut wasteful spending, and fulfill their promise to end earmarks once and for all."

Ethanol Subsidy Running on Empty

Post author:David Williams
Post published:June 17, 2011
Post category:Agriculture David Williams Taxpayers Protection Alliance

One program that has epitomized the destructive and nonsensical nature of subsidies is ethanol, and on Thursday June 16, 2011, the United States Senate voted to kill the 45-cent-per-gallon tax credit for blending ethanol in gasoline that expires at the end of 2011. Not only was it a shock for taxpayers to have a win in the Senate, there was actually bi-partisan support for the repeal. According to Politico, “’I think the days of large subsidies like this are really over, and this is kind of the first vote on it,’ said Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), who sponsored the subsidies amendment with Sen. Tom Coburn (R-Okla.). ‘I think you’re going to see all kinds of subsidies go, because we’ve got so many problems.’” How many times do you see Sens. Feinstein and Coburn working together?

How Tax Policies Determine Winners and Losers in the NBA

Post author:Taxpayers Protection Alliance
Post published:June 15, 2011
Post category:Drew Johnson Taxes Taxpayers Protection Alliance

On Sunday night, the Dallas Mavericks celebrated their first NBA championship. In winning the championship, the Mavs displayed clutch shooting, shrewd coaching, unwavering confidence in each other, and thrilling performances from their best player, Dirk Nowitzki. But the Mavs, and several of the other top teams in pro basketball, have another advantage that most fans never consider. After all, the advantage isn’t created in the weight room or on the practice courts. It’s gained in buildings that most players will never visit, in cities that are often hundreds of miles from where the teams play.