Page 383 – Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Smile! You’re on Candy Camera!

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 18, 2011
Post category:Agriculture David Williams Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The headline wasn’t a typo. An elementary school in San Antonio will be installing high-tech cameras to monitor what foods children are eating. This program will cost $2 million and is being funded by the Department of Agriculture (read: taxpayers). The pilot program is being conducted to monitor the eating habits of children. To allay any privacy concerns parents are required to give consent for their children to be observed. Beside the fact that taxpayers are funding an absolutely ridiculous project for $2 million and the huge privacy implications, there are other problems with this expenditure.

Creating Jobs in Tennessee

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 16, 2011
Post category:David Williams State Issues Taxes Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Tennessee is in the middle of a taxation battle as the state legislature figures out what to do with an agreement that former Governor Phil Bredesen agreed to and current Governor Bill Haslam intends to honor which would exempt Amazon (the mega Internet seller of books and other goods) from paying state taxes, if it builds distribution centers in Tennessee. Any legislation that invalidates this deal would be harmful to the Volunteer State and its residents.

Groups Ignore Centers for Disease Control Lobbying Regulations

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 12, 2011
Post category:David Williams State Issues Taxes Taxpayers Protection Alliance

On February 19, 2009 President Obama signed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, or more commonly known as the Stimulus Bill. There was more than $800 billion in spending that was supposed to address unemployment and the economic dip that America had experienced. What it did was create a myriad of new programs that have little to do with job creation and more to do with expanding government’s reach into society.

Alternate Engine Shouldn’t Make a Comeback

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 11, 2011
Post category:David Williams Defense Earmarks Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Congress has supposedly banned earmarks. However, since the ban, billions of dollars in pet projects were added in the fiscal year 2011 budget which was just finalized last month. Earmarks exemplify government’s inability to prioritize and live within its means, and no project is more emblematic of this out-of-control spending than the $3.2 billion alternate engine for the Joint Strike Fighter.

MEDIA ALERT: Government Waste Expert Drew Johnson Joins TPA as Senior Fellow

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 9, 2011
Post category:Drew Johnson Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) is proud to announce the addition of Drew Johnson as a Senior Fellow for TPA. Johnson is the founder of the Council on Responsible Local Government and the Tennessee Center for Policy Research. “We are excited to have Drew join Taxpayers Protection Alliance in our fight against wasteful government spending,” said David Williams, TPA president. “Drew has a proven record of success and leadership in fighting spending battles at all levels of government.”

Congress Should Choo Choo Choose Not to Fund Amtrak

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 6, 2011
Post category:David Williams Taxpayers Protection Alliance

Amtrak turned 40 years old in May. When people turn 40 they may have a midlife crisis which could involve buying a new car or taking a fancy trip. Amtrak’s mid-life crisis is defined by continually losing money and, now, asking for more money from taxpayers. Congress set up Amtrak in the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970. According to the Department of Transportation’s website, “The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (better known as Amtrak) is a for-profit corporation that operates intercity passenger rail services in 46 States and the District of Columbia, in addition to serving as a contractor in various capacities for several commuter rail agencies.” Amtrak has had a troubled financial past and the future doesn't look too bright.

TRANSPARENCY ALERT!! Department of Education Shuns Transparency in Favor of New Unnecessary Regulation

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 4, 2011
Post category:David Williams Education Regulation Taxpayers Protection Alliance

A critical element in bringing back fiscal responsibility and government accountability is transparency. When President Obama took office in 2009 he pledged to have “an unprecedented level of openness in Government.” That is why the Taxpayers Protection Alliance was so dismayed when it found out that the Department of Education (DOEd) may be side-stepping transparency in its recent regulatory actions on gainful employment rules. DOEd proposed “gainful employment” rules which require for-profit schools to prove their graduates are either paying back loans or are capable of doing so. If not, the schools will lose access to federal student aid. The process has been a mess, to say the least. DOEd was supposed to release the regulations in September 2010 but delayed the release because of an overwhelming number of petitions that were opposed to the regulation.

For Profit Schools Unfairly Targeted by Department of Education

Post author:David Williams
Post published:May 2, 2011
Post category:David Williams Education Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The for-profit education industry has been under attack. The Department of Education (DOEd) proposed “gainful employment” rules which require for-profit schools to prove their graduates are either paying back loans or are capable of doing so. If not, the schools will lose access to federal student aid. The hook is that it is only the for-profit schools that are required to do so. Former special counsel to President Clinton Lanny Davis, The National Legal and Policy Center, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, and the DOEd Inspector General are weighing in on the issue.

MEDIA ALERT!!

Post author:David Williams
Post published:April 28, 2011
Post category:David Williams Defense Earmarks Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The expose of the $311 million in earmarks for the Department of Defensefor fiscal year 2011 has kept the Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) quite busy. Catch TPA President David Williams talking about the earmarks and federal budget issues on WHO in Des Moines, Iowa; The Lars Larson Show; WWL in New Orleans, La.; WLW in Cincinnati, Ohio; WBAL in Baltimore, Maryland; and WSPD in Toledo, Ohio.

TPA Uncovers $311 Million in Defense Earmarks

Post author:David Williams
Post published:April 26, 2011
Post category:David Williams Defense Earmarks Taxpayers Protection Alliance

The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (TPA) today uncovered 16 earmarks worth $311 million in the Navy Research, Development, Test and Evaluation Program. This is the second major TPA finding in a series of reports on government waste, fraud and abuse. The first report unearthed $3 billion in earmarks for NASA.