Erik Telford

Our friend over at RightWave is up with a great post on President Bush’s ill conceived global warming initiative – make sure you check it out: Really, President Bush, Really?

Well, I’ve been gone for a little while, but what better time to return from my blogging hiatus than tax day?

As I was finishing up my taxes, and turning over even more of my hard earned money to the government, I couldn’t help but think back to elementary school history. We live in a country that was founded on a tax revolt, yet since the time of the American Revolution, it’s quite shocking how far we’ve strayed from those founding principles.

This past weekend I made a two day trip from Virginia to Connecticut, gas taxes and tolls alone added up to $52. Our founding fathers were fighting taxes on tea and playing cards, putting their lives on the line for independence. Today you can’t earn income, purchase goods, travel, or even die without being taxed for it.

For a country founded in a revolution sparked by the Boston Tea Party, how ironic that our current excessive tax burden is used to fund such wasteful projects as a teapot museum in Sparta, South Carolina.

In the spirit of tax day, I leave you with the video of this classic Beatles song - but even better than the song is this comment that was on its YouTube page:

davidwaters69 (2 days ago)

when it is taxtime Chuck norris just sends in a blank form with a picture of himself crouched and ready. Chuck norris has never had to pay taxes….NEVER

 

Literally under the cover of darkness, 71 Senators chose unaccountable pork-barrel earmarks over restoring trust with taxpayers when they rejected the year-long bi-partisan earmark moratorium on Thursday, March 13.

Despite being sponsored by every presidential candidate, the temporary ban on earmarks was rejected 71-29 in a vote late on Thursday night.

For taxpayers, this vote means it’s time to turn up the grassroots heat even higher. Only a few years ago such a vote would not have even been possible, so we are gaining ground and shaming lawmakers into supporting meaningful earmark reform.

The Democratic and Republican leadership particularly needs to feel the pressure. While Arizona Sen. Jon Kyl lived up to his leadership role, Majority Leader Harry Reid and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell did not. McConnell eventually did vote in support of the amendment, but he did not rally his party rank-and-file to follow him in making the right decision.

Please contact your Senators today to let them know you are paying attention to the way they vote on this important issue. We have created two separate messages for your Senators which will be sent based on how they voted on this amendment. Feel free to edit these messages to create one of your own.

Take Action Now!

Peggy Venable offers her thoughts on the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change, sponsored by The Heartland Institute and cosponsored by Americans for Prosperity, which she attended in New York on March 2nd - 4th.

Michelle Korsmo offers her thoughts on the 2008 International Conference on Climate Change, sponsored by The Heartland Institute and cosponsored by Americans for Prosperity, which she attended in New York on March 2nd - 4th.