NEWS UPDATES
Fees? Who Needs Fees?
Just when you thought the federal government had too much on their plate comes news that the Federal Reserve will implement new rules prohibiting banks from charging overdraft fees without consumers' consent. I always figured that a bank charged a stiff penalty for...
Astroturf Elections
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters this morning that the election results were not a referendum on President Obama. He said, “People didn’t go to the polls to register support for, or opposition to, the President.” He said the elections were purely...
Government Milestones
In the Sunday, Oct. 17 edition of the Arizona Republic there was a column on "creating" the new Arizona economy. It made the usual argument that we don't subsidize enough cool stuff to have a "knowledge" economy, but that wasn't the good part. Along side this story...
A Dose of Reality on GDP Growth
The White House is cheering today's news that GDP last quarter was up 3.5%. But they're also cautious not to get too excited. They know they goosed the numbers a bit. It's no secret that the government can artificially boost economic activity. Take, for example, the...
The Left Suffers from Majority Syndrome
When the GOP had control of the WH and Congress, fissures occurred in the Party over issues like immigration, government spending, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Divisions in the Party aren't always bad because a Party that stands for something is by nature...
Rasmussen Poll: Majority of Arizonans think government spending is a problem
In yet another poll on the 2010 Governor's race, we found this nugget: Seventy-six percent (76%) say the unwillingness of politicians to control government spending is a bigger problem in the state than the unwillingness of voters to pay enough in taxes. Just 17% say...
You Don’t Mess With Jon Kyl
Don't blame me for the typo on Kyl's last name - I just linked to the clip. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlDKeMcBwFM&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]
TIME Initiative vs. Governor’s Sales Tax Referral
On the Senate floor yesterday (during the doomed referral, and then combined referral and tax package votes), a conservative lawmaker questioned how those who had been opposed to the TIME ballot initiative last election cycle could now support the tax package that...
HELP Wanted: Green Jobs
The Club was one of only two groups opposed to SB1403, income and property tax subsidies for renewable energy manufacturers. We were outgunned about 25-1 with hordes of lobbyists from economic development groups, cities, and government agencies pushing the bill. The...
Sound Political Vote
Because you can't separate politics from policy making, some votes are just downright tough. You can't be in a position to cast a vote unless you survive the political process by getting elected in the first place, so all votes are considered through a political lens,...
Update: ATR Says HB2015 is Still Pledge-Compliant
There were some concerns last night that HB2015, the tax package included in the budget deal, would in fact violate Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge. Following a flurry of late-night emails and phone calls, ATR confirmed this afternoon that HB2015...
ATR Says Tax Agreement Would Not Violate Pledge
The Arizona Republic's Political Insider blog cites Americans for Tax Reform's Taxpayer Protection Pledge as a stumbling block to closing a budget deal. While it's true that ATR considers a tax hike referral to the voters the same as a vote to raise taxes, and...