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Taxpayers League of Minnesota eUpdate
1. Taxpayers League Live! with David Strom.
2. Common Sense: 1, The Magical Mystery Tour: 0.
3. Does Liberalism 101 make you mad, too?
4. The cabbie empire strikes back.
5. Leading a New Environmental Movement for Mainstream America.
1. Taxpayers League Live! with David Strom.
Tune in this Saturday to AM 1280 The Patriot from 9 – 11 am when David will be joined by Tim Burke and Donald Luskin. Burke, chairman of the citizens’ group NoSportsPlex.org, is currently battling a May 8 bond levy referendum and the Farmington School District’s (ISD 192) attempt to erect the Death Star of Boondoggles – a fully functioning fitness center (that may not sound bad on the surface, but with a newly opened Lifetime Fitness down the street and dubious information coming from district officials, this is a travesty waiting to happen). Luskin, frequent guest on CNBCs Kudlow and Company and author of the forthcoming The Conspiracy to Keep You Poor and Stupid, will enlighten us as to how How Big Government, Big Business, Big Media and Big Academia Block Your Road to Financial Freedom--and Tell You it's for Your Own Good.
Also, be sure to tune in at 10:05 am for the Capitol report with Phil Krinkie. Up this week, whatever happened to the billion-dollar transportation bills? The superbity of the Transportation-Industrial complex was thick enough to cut with a knife about six weeks ago, but since then we haven’t heard much from them. Perhaps they’ve lost their nerve?
2. I’m pretty sure this is how Homer Simpson negotiates.
Four months of unserious legislative activity was finally given a shot of fiscal responsibility on Tuesday when Governor Pawlenty vetoed an “emergency” bonding bill (of $334 million) that was all of 2.4% emergency (thankfully, for the folks in Browns Valley who actually need the help, their appropriation is making its way through the process sans any additional earmarks). Presented with a “compromise” bill that ended up being more costly than either the House ($255 million) or Senate ($285 million) originallycame into negotiations with, Governor Pawlenty sent a much needed signal to the DFL leadership that the level of spending they have in mind has more in common with Alec Baldwin’s [warning: graphic] parenting skills than with any kind of responsible fiscal policy.
But back to the House-Senate negotiations for a second. Traditionally, bonding bills are reserved for the shorter, even-numbered legislative sessions. But this year, whether it was because running up the state’s credit card doesn’t require immediate (and inconvenient to defend) tax increases or the fact that the negotiations were conducted in an obscure Chinese dialect, the bonding bill conferees just couldn’t leave well enough alone and had to push their luck. Hopefully they’ve learned their lesson, and hopefully Minnesota taxpayers can breathe just a bit easier knowing that Governor Pawlenty has located the veto pen and that he ain’t afraid to use it.
3. Why is everyone asking, “how do you sleep at night?” Are they trying to sell me a mattress?
As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, reaction to our Liberalism 101 campaign has been vocal to say the least. From folks asking if hell really is as bad as they say, to those who wonder if we have to buy our boots to kick children, puppies and the elderly. Oddly enough however, not a single call, email or letter has taken issue with the substance of the ad. Sure, it’s been called simplistic, partisan, idiotic and even reductionist. But not once have I heard it called “false.” I suppose for some of the complainers that particular point is implied. But you’ve got to think that when lodging a formal complaint you’d at least want to start by refuting the main point – unless of course, you concede that the ad is true and you’re just mad that someone is pointing out the fact that the emperor isn’t wearing any clothes.
And to the guy who wrote us the letter we have to hold up the mirror to read, seriously, what the hell? That’s pretty creepy.
4. Mommas, don’t let your babies grow up to be lawyers – unless it’s an IJ lawyer.
“Can an entrenched cartel of Minneapolis taxi drivers violate the civil rights of entrepreneurs and consumers? Not according to the Institute for Justice Minnesota Chapter (IJ-MN), which filed documents today in US Federal Court to join with the city of Minneapolis to defend the city’s free-market reforms that removed a cap on the number of taxis allowed operate within the city limits. The reforms, finalized on March 30, will open the market to entrepreneurs who are fit, willing and able to serve the public, increase the number of cabs by 180 in the coming years, and eliminate completely the cap on the number of cabs in Minneapolis by 2010.
“In response to these free-market and consumer-friendly reforms, the taxicab cartel sued the city on March 13, demanding the reversal of reforms and proclaiming its owners should be able to keep the spoils of the old law that excluded new competitors from the taxi market in Minneapolis for more than 10 years.
“‘Private companies cannot be allowed to force the government to outlaw competition [ed. only the government can do that* ]. The cartel’s action is the last gasp of a dinosaur that free-market reforms have made extinct.’”
To read the rest of the press release, or to read the IJ-MN report The Land of 10,000 Lakes Drowns Entrepreneurs in Regulations, click here.
5. Another common-sense forum from the American Property Coalition.
The American Property Coalition is hosting a May 16 conference in St. Paul entitled, “Leading a New Environmental Movement for Mainstream America.” In addition to presentations by former US Senator Rod Grams and IJ-MN Executive Director Lee McGrath, the event will focus on the Clean Water Authority Resoration Act, which would place all waters and activities affecting these waters under federal control (including your dog’s water dish). As Jim Burling of the Pacific Legal Foundation said recently, "If our constitutional system of limited federal powers means anything, we have to win on this issue." For information on registration or to see a list of speakers and topics, click here.
And I hope you all had a happy May Day (this one, not this one, this one, or even this one).
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota's E Update is written by Mark Giga
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