Independence Day Tea-Bacle

“My God! How little do my countrymen know what precious blessings they are in possession of, and which no other people on earth enjoy”
– Thomas Jefferson
Let ‘em know, Mr. Jefferson.  As one of the most respected statesmen in our history,  it’s not surprising that he had to deal with folks of the teabagger variety.  His [...]

California’s Nightmare State

If the so-called teabaggers need an example of what life would look like without government, they need only to look at what’s happening in California right now.
Government there is under siege after voters rejected tax measures that would have funded vital state services and resources.
Now California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger says he’s forced to shut down [...]

Time to track state tax expenditures

The State of New Mexico loses an estimated $80 million a year in revenues through a loophole that allows multistate corporations operating in the state to avoid corporate income tax.  Moreover, as much as $5 billion is subtracted from potential state revenues through what are known as “tax expenditures” — tax deductions, exemptions, and credits [...]

Teabag protest is not about responsible tax policy

As we face another April 15, the great American debate over taxes and the proper role of government has taken a turn toward the grotesque.
Those screaming the loudest this Tax Day are the self-named “teabaggers,” who are angrily carrying signs and delivering tea bags to elected officials in actions they say are based on the [...]

Hard to Swallow: The Fox News “Tea Bagging Revolution”

Fox News is whipping up “Tea Bagging” fever –  multi-city protest demonstrations against letting the Bush tax cuts for the rich expire.
Watch this entertaining segment about the tea bagging “movement” from last night’s Rachel Maddow Show in which Ana Marie Cox and Rachel attempt to unpack the weird contradictions of the Tea Bag Revolution:
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What About Revenue?

With a probable $500 million state budget shortfall, all the talk leading up to the upcoming legislative session has been cut, cut, cut. Cut capital outlay funds, cut public programs, cut hiring across the board for state agencies.
Lean times call for a reevaluation of spending priorities, to be sure. But unlike the federal [...]

Holiday from Reality

This past weekend, the Sunday public affairs programs were ablaze with the latest nonstarter of an idea from the campaign trail. Yes, the concept of giving motorists a “holiday” from the national gasoline tax continues to be debated, despite universal condemnation from economists.
Let’s do a quick fact check about the national gas tax. [...]