Thirty-two states impose ad valorem excise taxes on moist smokeless tobacco (MST). An ad valorem tax is based on a percentage of the price of the product, so the tax rises any time the price of the merchandise increases. This is similar to property taxes that rise along with increased assessed values.
Time for a Constitutional Line Item Veto
As the year draws to a close and the nation’s deficit soars to $1.4 trillion, Congress’s spendthrift behavior persists. On December 16, 2009 President Obama signed a $1.4 trillion omnibus spending bill; $446.8 billion of that amount covered six of the seven remaining appropriations bill.
The Agency of Healthcare Potentates
As taxpayers begin to grasp the sheer magnitude and the $787 billion price tag of H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, better known as the “stimulus,” more and more details are being exposed as policy makers have time to read and analyze the legislation. There is one section of the bill that has little to do with stimulating the economy and everything to do with overseeing the kind of healthcare Americans will, or will not, receive in the future.
National Lampoon’s European Vacation
Ostensibly in Scotland to partake in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, several members of Congress are coming under fire for using the trip as a personal vacation. Led by Rep. John Tanner (D-Tenn.) the group, consisting of 12 representatives (eight Democrats, four Republicans), nine of the members’ spouses, and five legislative aides, stayed in a $300-per night hotel overlooking the Edinburgh Castle. In addition to the rooms required to lodge participants, the group rented three additional rooms, which were stocked with “…liquor, Coors beer, chips and salsa, sandwiches, Mrs. Fields cookies and York Peppermint Patties…,” according to a December 17, 2009 article in The Wall Street Journal. Adding to the expense, the group flew on a plane provided by the Air Force.
Dithering on the Debt
On December 16, 2009, by a vote of 218-214, lawmakers voted to raise the debt ceiling by $290 billion to $12.394 trillion. This is similar to the limit that banks and other lenders allow individuals to charge on their credit cards. Ironically, during the recession, millions of Americans received notices from their credit card companies telling them their credit limit was being reduced. Yet, this Congress is expanding its credit at rates far greater than any time in its history.
Wasted Healthcare Dollars
As the national debt exceeds $12 trillion and the monthly deficit record of $176 billion was set in October, it would behoove officials in Washington to take reports of wasteful spending more seriously. This is especially true in regard to the tens of billions of dollars that are wasted each year in federal healthcare programs.
USPS Wants To Branch Out
The holiday season is upon us; the time of year when the mailbox tends to begin filling up with gift catalogs and greeting cards from friends and family. This is also the time of year when the United States Postal Service (USPS) has traditionally seen a spike in mail traffic, as its fiscal health is often pegged to the level of first-class mail traffic that occurs over the holiday season. Those circumstances are dire regardless of how much mail is sent through the end of the year, and the cure sought by postal officials is worse than the disease.
Jobs Numbers and White House Propaganda
One of the cornerstones of the stimulus bill was to create jobs and help the economy get back on its feet. The Obama administration estimated that between 3 and 4 million jobs would be created or saved once the bill was enacted.
Amidst the Healthcare Hubbub, Cap-and-Trade Moves Ahead
While Congress and the American public remain fixated on the contentious healthcare debate, little attention has been paid to S. 1733, the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act, better known as the Kerry-Boxer cap-and-trade bill. Democrats have used this distraction to their advantage, steadily pushing the onerous climate change legislation forward.
The 72 Hour Bill: A Struggle to Read Over the Shoulder of Congress
This summer’s tea parties and town hall meetings drew hundreds of thousands across the nation. Although there were many issues of concern including healthcare, cap-and-trade, and the general overspending problems in Washington, citizens were united by one common goal: to remind members of Congress that they work for the American people.