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Taxpayers League of Minnesota eUpdate
1. TAX RALLY – SATURDAY – NOON – STATE CAPITOL
2. David’s guests this week are Bob DeBoer and Brian Anderson.
3. “Bipartisan” health care reform from the State Legislature.
4. Hypocrites say “what?” – Metro DFLers and the bonding bill.
5. If that “fair trade” garbage wasn’t enough, now Starbucks hates the basis of our market economy.
1. TAX RALLY – SATURDAY – NOON – STATE CAPITOL
Last year’s Tax Rally was invaded by “global warming is a hoax” deniers. This year, that shouldn’t be a problem. Not just because Saturday is shaping up to be a beautiful day, but because this year the good guys (us) have the entire Capitol Mall to ourselves. More importantly, the entire staff of the Taxpayers League will be there with our brand new “Liberalism 202” lawn signs (as seen here - scroll down a little). Even better, we’ll be there with our new WANTED posters (use the link above – you can’t miss ‘em).
Your attendance at the Tax Rally is absolutely critical. If not for us, this happy bred of men (and women) in this blessed plot, who knows when we may be afflicted with the next tax increase or “Minnesota Miracle?” Give us an hour on Saturday and give liberals months of heartburn.
Worried about the weather? Don’t be. If those nut jobs at Lambeau Field can handle it, why can’t we? You don’t think Packer fans are better than you, do you? The 2008 Tax Rally at the State Capitol – High noon. Don’t miss it!
2. The David Strom Show presented by the Minnesota Free Market Institute.
Tune in this Saturday to AM 1280 The Patriot at 9 am when David will be joined by BobDeBoer. DeBoer, Director of Policy Development at the Citizens League, will talk about how the Legislature is considering using tax policy and the “fiscal disparities” fund to help the Mall of America build its planned expansion.
At 10 am, David’s guest will be Brian Anderson from the Manhattan Institute. Anderson, author of South Park Conservatives, will talk about his new book, Democratic Capitalismand its Discontents.
Also, be sure to tune in at 9:15 am for the Capitol report with Phil Krinkie.
3. “Bipartisan” health care reform from the State Legislature.
Last night the House passed their version of the health care reform bill. While less bad than the Senate’s version (which carries with it a $40 million tax increase to pay for all kinds of programs designed to save us from ourselves), the House bill doesn’t bring us any closer to the kinds of free market reforms our health care system needs.
Aside from the tax increase, the other reason why the House bill could be considered an improvement over the Senate’s version is the Senate’s creation of a politburo-style Health Care Transformation Commission. In the Senate’s bill, the HCTC would be responsible for passing judgment on and implementing new rules and regulations for hospitals and health care plans. At least the House decided not to abrogate their oversight responsibility and require that all new rules must get legislative approval. But what the hey, right? Why not give a small, unelected body control over 1/6 of our state’s economy? What could possibly go wrong with that?
So it’s off to the conference committee for the two bills. And what comes out nobody knows.
4. Hypocrites say “what?” – Metro DFLers and the bonding bill.
The big news of the week was, of course, Governor Pawlenty’s $200 million worth of line item vetoes in the bonding bill. While many conservatives would have liked to have seen more line item vetoes – if the not the entire bill struck down – removing some of the more “egregious mismanagements of taxitude” was welcomed news. One of the pork projects stricken from the bill – the Central Corridor light rail line (all $70 million worth) – just happened to be the subject of a star-studded DFL press conference at the Capitol on Tuesday. The press conference, which featured performances from such luminaries as US Reps McCollum and Ellison, Mayors Coleman and Nero and our very own Transportation Messiah State Senator Steve Murphy, was first-rate theater of the absurd.
Absurd how? Rewind the tape with me for a minute. First, the aforementioned leaders (and others) swindled Minnesotans into constitutionally dedicating 40% of the motor vehicle excise tax for transit spending. Then, despite numerous public opinion polls and a declining economy, these same folks wrangled themselves a billion dollars in tax increases for more Metro transit spending. So of course, when a few million dollars worth of bonding for dubiously-planned transit projects gets taken out of a capital investment bill these people have the temerity to blame Governor Pawlenty for killing vital investments in our future.
Just remember this. Every time you hear a DFLer – especially a St. Paul DFLer – complain about how Governor Pawlenty played politics with the 2008 bonding bill, remember the “politics” that DFLers played with the $6.6 billion Transportation tax bill when they bought-off Rep. Rod Hamilton to override the Governor’s veto. It seems DFL memories (and spines) are a little soft these days.
5. If that “fair trade” garbage wasn’t enough, now Starbucks hates the basis of our market economy.
“Laissez-faire. It's a policy that made Starbucks vastly successful. But don't try to put that phrase on a customized Starbucks Card.
“The cards are supposed be personalized to reflect customers' tastes and uniqueness. They are available in a range of colors, often given as gifts and used by regular customers who prefer to prepay for their java.
“But when my friend Roger Ream, president of the Fund for American Studies, received a Starbucks gift card for Christmas, he found there was a limit to how personalized a card could be. His card required him to customize it on the company's Web site. So he went to the site and requested that the phrase "Laissez Faire" be printed on his card. A few days later he was informed that the company couldn't issue such a card because the wording violated company policy.” To read the rest of the story, clickhere.
Starbucks. This is the place where they call their servers, “baristas.” Give me a break. Just because I worked the line at Hardee’s doesn’t mean I consider myself a Chef de Partie.
The Taxpayers League of Minnesota's eUpdate is written by Mark Giga
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