1. And you Thought Wall Street Compensation was High

2. Bailout or no Bailout?

3. Where is the Party of Limited Government?

4. Hold on to your Wallets

5. Happy Thanksgiving!

1. And you Thought Wall Street Compensation was High

           UniversityofMinnesota President Robert Bruininks’salary is the 7th highest in the nation at $700,421 per year.  Meanwhile U of M students have seen their tuition increase by 100% over the last ten years.  When administrative salaries are so high, we have to wonder when the U of M lobbies for more money if it really is all about students.  Looks like Wall Street isn’t the only culprit of outrageous salaries at the top.

2. Bailout or no Bailout?

            Everyone is asking what should be done about the Big Three facing serious financial problems.  Should the government bail them out, or should they be allowed to go bankrupt?  David Strom’s recent article takes a look at these questions.  “Few policymakers doubt that the government has an interest in helping avert the worst effects of a deep recession…But bailouts are not just another policy tool in the economic toolkit. Rather than being a form of economic medicine, bailouts are more like life support for failing corporations.”  Government can only band-aid the problem for so long before the free market catches up.  Eventually companies (however large or small) will succeed or fail based on their product, labor, business management, overhead, etc.  The only way for the economy to bounce back from this downturn is to allow it to finally hit bottom.

3. Where is the Party of Limited Government?

            Last week the House GOP caucus had an opportunity to show America that there was a Party that believed in fiscal conservatism.  Minority Leader John Boehner and Rep. Eric Cantor tried to pass a freeze on their own GOP members’ earmark requests.  Last year they tried the same type of freeze that would be in effect for a year.  It failed.  This time, they tried to pass the freeze for only three months.  It still failed. 

            So much for the GOP learning from their mistakes of this last election cycle. 

4. Hold on to your Wallets

            In our fight against the Constitutional Amendment, we predicted its passage would only cause tax-and-spenders to argue that Minnesotans would support other tax increases.  It looks like that prediction is coming true.

            The tax-loving Growth and Justice think tank is now supporting another $1 billion in spending for education.  That’s on top of the $7 billion in taxpayer money the state already spends on K-12 education.  In this economy and with a potential $3 billion budget shortfall, should taxes be raised once again, especially for even more spending?  According to Growth and Justice:  yes.  They site the Amendment’s passage as “evidence that the time is ripe for the [tax increase] proposal.” 

            Hold on to your wallets, Minnesota!  The tax increases are a-comin’.  Help us fight the tax-and-spenders at the Capitol.  Visit our website today, click on the “donate” tab and give generously!  Who else is standing up to the liberal tax-and-spenders?

5. Happy Thanksgiving!

            Since Minnesota’s quality of life can never be brought to you by government, we at the Taxpayers League wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday, filled with friends, family, and good food!