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Taxpayers League of Minnesota eUpdate
1. Taxpayers League Live! with David Strom.
2. I don’t know if they’ll listen, but at least they’re asking.
3. This week’s “At least they’re all not thieves” report.
4. Congressional leadership adopts my motto for playing card games.
5. I sure could’ve used some global warming when I had to take the dog out this morning.
1. Taxpayers League Live! with David Strom.
Tune in this Saturday to AM 1280 The Patriot from 9 – 11am when David will be joined by Dinesh D’Souza. D’Souza, author of What’s So Great About America? and Letters to a Young Conservative, will talk about his latest polemic, The Enemy at Home: The Cultural Left and Its Responsibility for 9/11. By the way, having seen D’Souza on C-SPAN last weekend, I can assure you that this will be an interview you do not want to miss.
2. Think you’ve got a solution to property tax increases?
I can’t promise any results (well, the kind of results the Taxpayers League would approve of anyway), but Rep. Paul Marquart (DFL-Dilworth), chair of the Property Tax Relief division of the Taxes committee, has set up a website – the Minnesota Property Tax Project – to gather ideas for bringing “property tax relief to every Minnesotan.” While Rep. Marquart has acknowledged that “conservative Republican solutions – such as deep cuts in local government spending or giving more power to property owners to force referenda – might not be prime candidates for ‘Idea of the Day,’” they will still “consider any and all suggestions.” That may not leave many options for those of us inclined to suggest fiscally responsible solutions, but in the spirit of Groundhog Day I would sincerely hope that you take five minutes and send the DFL your two-cents. Of course, we could wake up tomorrow and find that all we’re going to get is the same nightmare solutions we’ve seen out of every other “tax relief” package to come from the DFL, but unless your this guy, we can always hope tomorrow will be different.
Also, for folks out there who aren’t hooked up to “the Google” there are a couple of phone numbers set up to take your ideas: in the Metro (651) 297-8391 and in Greater Minnesota 1-800-551-5520.
3. Tax cuts, government accountability and fiscal responsibility.
Here’s a quick roundup of a few bills that seek to slow government’s creeping grip on your wallet.
First up, HF 81 - Long-term capital gains income tax exclusion: I’d like to see someone try and argue that Bush’s 2001 capital gains rate reduction didn’t boost the national economy. Its high time Art Laffer came to Minnesota.
Next, HF 324 - Public school employees prohibited from using public funds and resources to advocate to pass, elect, or defeat a political candidate, ballot question, or pending legislation: Why this isn’t law already is beyond me, and I still haven’t heard a rational reason why this bill shouldn’t pass.
Lastly, HF 376 - State contracts web site with a searchable database required: This is similar to a bill that was passed in Congress last year and one that would take a big step towards making Minnesota government more transparent.
4. “If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.”
John Fund from Monday’s OpinionJournal Political Diary:
“House Democrats apparently want to create new Congressional votes out of thin air. Last week, they voted to give the five non-voting delegates from U.S. territories and possessions the power to vote on amendments on the House floor, although not on final passage. Even Luis Fortuno, the non-voting commissioner from Puerto Rico and the only Republican among the five delegates affected, expressed concern about ‘legal conflicts’ even as he voted for the measure [italics added]. He noted that the Constitution requires that members voting in the House come from ‘states.’
“Democrats imposed a similar rule in 1993 when they last controlled the House, though the rule was repealed by the new GOP Congress in 1995. During the intervening two years, a federal district judge had declined to overturn the rule citing the fact that it wouldn't impact the final passage of legislation. Now Republicans vow to carry their legal fight all the way up to the Supreme Court, if necessary. Even liberal editorial boards decried the original Democratic attempt to pad their Congressional majority back in 1993, with the New York Times calling it ‘an outrageous power play’ and USA Today saying it was ‘an end-run around the Constitution.’”
For more information on House Resolution 78, here’s a Legislative Bulletin from RSC Chairman Jeb Hensarling.
5. Global warming mania makes a “potentially historic” appearance in St. Paul.
Kicking off the junk-science marathon at the Capitol this week was a joint legislative committee presentation on (cue ominous music) global warming. Bringing together academics, environmentalists, religious leaders and all manner of concerned citizens, the assembled throng was given a peak into what Minnesota’s nearly irreversible apocalyptic future may look like if we don’t change our selfish ways: Illinois-like winters and Kansas-like summers. That’s right, if we don’t park every Hummer and Canyonero-like gas guzzler currently on the road, Minnesota will lose the rich tapestry of seasonal temperatures that drives us indoors for two-thirds of the year. That, and homeless polar bears will sweep south laying waste to every man, woman and child in their path.
Where’s H.L. Mencken when you need him? Even though Mencken’s not around, at least we’ve got this guy. And this guy, too.
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota's E Update is written by Mark Giga
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