CCTA MONTHLY PROGRAM MEETING THIS TUESDAY!

Tuesday, February 18 

7:00 pm

Stanly Hall Ballroom

Elevator Entrance @ 249 Craven St.

Stair Entrance @ 305 Pollock St.

New Bern

 LOCAL ISSUES

Are they really local?

What can we do?

Speakers:

Hal James

Tax Money Spent in Craven County  

Kim Fink

National Standards, Local Distress

Eddie McKeel

Why Fusion Centers?

Broad hint about content...

No matter what we talk about - hiding tax money spent, railroading Common Core standards, or setting up fusion centers - the federal government is meddling in Craven County. We need elected representatives at all levels of government (local, state, & federal) who will resist federal intrusion. Filing for elected offices is in progress and will remain open until noon on February 28^th.

CCTA on WITN NEWS

Your Tax Dollars are Being Spent on What?

WITN February 13, 2014

The U.S. has a $17-trillion debt, a deficit this year of $514-billion, and is giving away billions of dollars in grants for all sorts of initiatives in foreign countries.

As members of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association gathered in Craven County to tape their weekly radio program, they are simply outraged with some of what we discovered our federal government is spending money on.

Rick Hopkins is the chairman of CCTA and says, "We're going right down the same road that's been gone down so many times that's lead to the collapse of countries."

VIDEO AND MORE!

Obama's State of the Union Address Would Cost $40 Billion

The Taxpayers Tab: 

Barack Obama's 2014 State of the Union Address was one of his longest so far, and the price tag for all those words would add $39.995 billion a year to the deficit, according to National Taxpayers Union Foundation's (NTUF's) 14th line-by-line cost analysis of the President's speech.

"Even though the President largely reiterated or reframed issues that have long been on his party's current agenda, the proposals for new federal expenditures he outlined last night would still add up to a hefty price tag," said NTUF Director of Research Demian Brady. "Moreover, his push for new mandates, regulation, and tax hikes, particularly on energy, will give taxpayers and business owners plenty to be wary of."

NTUF's key findings on the President's fiscal proposals:

 

GET THE FULL SCOOP HERE! 

 

New IRS rule could cut into restaurant workers’ tips

Even as President Obama and progressive activists are trying to sell the nation on hiking the national minimum wage to help restaurant workers and other low-wage employees, the Internal Revenue Service is seemingly determined to make life harder for those same workers.

A change in tax policy implemented Jan. 1 will prevent restaurant workers from collecting automatic gratuities — the added 18 percent fee many restaurants charge to groups of eight or more — as part of their tips. Instead, that added fee will be included in their payroll, meaning workers have to wait up to two weeks to get that extra cash and must pay additional taxes on it.

It means less money in servers’ pockets and more for the federal government.

More here! 

Couple helps wounded warriors, now owes $10K in taxes

THIS MAKES MY BLOOD BOIL!  I am from this very expensive county--it is not what it used to be!

Obama and his IRS goons don’t want to help out those that serve.
Check it out:  Va. couple surprised with giant tax bill after setting up retreat for wounded vets.

VIDEO AND MORE!

More New Taxes and Fees: How You’ll Pay for Obamacare in 2014

Heritage Foundation, January 1, 2014

Obamacare contains 18 specific tax hikes, mandates, or penalties that cost Americans money, and three new ones take effect in 2014. This is only the beginning—watch how two of these taxes get worse in the years to come.

1. Individual Mandate Tax. The individual mandate is designed to strong-arm individuals into purchasing government-approved health insurance or facing a tax penalty. In 2014, the penalty for not purchasing insurance will be either $95 or 1 percent of annual income (whichever is greater). Very few, if any, people will end up paying just $95, because individuals with an annual income of only $9,500 or less would likely qualify for Medicaid or a hardship exemption from the mandate. The mandate increases drastically in coming years, rising to $325 or 2 percent of income in 2015, and $695 or 2.5 percent of income in 2016—whichever is greater.

2. Health Insurer Tax. One of the largest tax increases in the law is an annual fee imposed on health insurers based on their share of the market. It is estimated to raise $8 billion in 2014 alone. The tax will more than likely be passed on to consumers through premium increases. An actuarial analysis by the consulting firm Oliver Wyman projects that in 2014, this tax will increase premiums by 1.9 percent to 2.3 percent. And the impact will be greater in later years as the tax increases.

3. Reinsurance Fee. This fee isn’t included in the list of 18 tax hikes, but it’s another one that will impact the cost of insurance. Health insurers will have to pay the temporary fee on group health plans to help spread the cost of the covering those in the individual market, inside and outside Obamacare’s exchanges. The fee begins in 2014, costing $63 per covered person and decreasing in 2015 and 2016. Like most taxes and fees, the result will likely be higher insurance premiums.

Read the article!

Report: Obamacare Credits Could Trigger Surprise Tax Bills

From: The Blaze
April 2, 2013
Millions of people who take advantage of government subsidies to help buy health insurance next year could get stung by surprise tax bills if they don’t accurately project their income.

President Barack Obama’s new health care law will offer subsidies to help people buy private health insurance on state-based exchanges, if they don’t already get coverage through their employers. The subsidies are based on income. The lower your income, the bigger the subsidy.

But the government doesn’t know how much money you’re going to make next year. And when you apply for the subsidy, this fall, it won’t even know how much you’re making this year. So, unless you tell the government otherwise, it will rely on the best information it has: your 2012 tax return, filed this spring.

What happens if you or your spouse gets a raise and your family income goes up in 2014? You could end up with a bigger subsidy than you are entitled to. If that happens, the law says you have to pay back at least part of the money when you file your tax return in the spring of 2015.

That could result in smaller tax refunds or surprise tax bills for millions of middle-income families.

CONTINUED:  http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2013/04/02/report-obamacare-credits-could-trigger-surprise-tax-bills/

"ONLY IN AMERICA" OBSERVATIONS

TOP-11 "ONLY IN AMERICA" OBSERVATIONS -- BY A CANADIAN*


1) Only in America could the rich people - who pay 86% of all income taxes - be accused of not paying their "fair share" by people who do NOT pay any income taxes at all.

2) Only in America could people claim that the government still discriminates against black Americans when they have a black President, a black Attorney General, & roughly 18% of the federal workforce is black while only 12% of the population is black.

3) Only in America could they have had the two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the Treasury Department & Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways & Means Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.

4) Only in America can they have terrorists kill people in the name of Allah & have the media primarily react by fretting that Muslims might be harmed by the backlash.

5) Only in America would they make people who want to legally become American citizens wait for years in their home countries & pay tens of thousands of dollars for the privilege while we discuss letting anyone who sneaks into the country illegally just 'magically' become American citizens.

6) Only in America could the people who believe in balancing the budget & sticking by the country's Constitution be thought of as "extremists."

7) Only in America could you need to present a driver's license to cash a check or buy alcohol, but not to vote.

8) Only in America could people demand the government investigate whether oil companies are gouging the public because the price of gas went up when the return on equity invested in a major U.S. oil company (Marathon Oil) is less than half of a company making tennis shoes (Nike).

9) Only in America could the government collect more tax dollars from the people than any nation in recorded history, still spend a Trillion dollars more than it has per year - for total spending of $7-Million PER MINUTE, complain that it doesn't have nearly enough money.

10) Only in America could politicians talk about the greed of the rich at a $35,000 a plate campaign fund-raising event.

11) Only in America can a man with NO background, NO qualifications, and NO experience... who is a complete failure at his job... be re-elected.
  Anonymous

Morning Bell: Obama's Second Inaugural Address, Translated

Members of Congress—who are about to debate raising the debt ceiling tomorrow—should have paid attention yesterday. The President was very clear that he sees no urgency about reducing the debt and cutting the deficit. In fact, in his second inaugural address, President Barack Obama was honest about his intentions to grow government in order to remake our country along his progressive vision.

To sell his agenda, the President borrowed imagery and terminology from America’s first principles. But he twisted the American founding idea of “We the people” into the liberal “It takes a village.”

His rhetoric on the issues only thinly disguised his true meaning. Let’s translate some of his key points.

Obama on “we the people”: “For the American people can no more meet the demands of today’s world by acting alone than American soldiers could have met the forces of fascism or communism with muskets and militias. No single person can train all the math and science teachers we’ll need to equip our children for the future. Or build the roads and networks and research labs that will bring new jobs and businesses to our shores.”

Translation: In case you didn’t hear me the first time, you didn’t build that.

He may have surrounded these words with lip service to the Constitution and America’s promise of freedom, but the President revisited his core message here: It takes a taxpayer-subsidized village to build things. According to his philosophy, entrepreneurs don’t create jobs—the government does.

Obama on the fiscal crisis: “We, the people, understand that our country cannot succeed when a shrinking few do very well and a growing many barely make it….We must make the hard choices to reduce the cost of health care and the size of our deficit. But we reject the belief that America must choose between caring for the generation that built this country and investing in the generation that will build its future.”

Translation: I will continue to push for more tax increases instead of reforming Medicare and Social Security.

On this point, the President followed up his promise that he will not negotiate on the debt ceiling by digging in his heels on taxes and entitlement programs. The “hard choices” he refers to on health care and the deficit are more tax increases—because he “reject[s] the belief” that entitlements must be reformed if they are going to stay around for the next generation.

The debt limit showdown continues this week: The House will vote tomorrow on a plan that would extend the debt ceiling for three months while forcing Congress—specifically, the Senate—to pass a budget. If they do not pass a budget by April 15 under this plan, Members of Congress would stop getting paid. If House Republicans so much as blink, the President and his allies will steamroll them.

Obama on green energy: “We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires, and crippling drought, and more powerful storms. The path towards sustainable energy sources will be long and sometimes difficult. But American cannot resist this transition.”

Translation: I will continue to increase regulations on the energy sources we use and throw taxpayer money into “green” energy companies.

Despite the ever-growing Green Graveyard of companies like Solyndra that took taxpayer money only to go bankrupt, the President clings to this unworkable and expensive policy. And his linking of climate change to “more powerful storms” points to a renewed push for policies like a carbon tax to punish people for using energy—a policy that would harm the economy and produce no tangible environmental benefits.

CONTINUED:  http://blog.heritage.org/2013/01/22/obama-second-inaugural-address-translated/?roi=echo3-14311016784-11072417-a3e3f8adf5427fe17a1d4872a039f499&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

Tea Party Patriots

12 Days of Solutions - Downsizing Government

December 13, 2012

Right now, Washington is discussing how many billions of your hard-earned incomes don’t belong to you. Rather than cut spending, your elected officials want to increase your taxes.

When it comes to balancing the budget, hard choices must be made across the entire federal government’s budget. Downsizinggovernment.org, a project of the libertarian think tank, has outlined ways to cut well over 10% of the federal budget through devolving of the federal government’s powers back to the states and elimination of certain federal spending. These include reforms to subsidies, the Defense Department, Transportation, and many other agencies and spending.

Unfortunately, it seems that Republicans and Democrats alike are okay with taking your money to make up for their corruption and errors with the federal budget. We urge you to call your Member of Congress and tell him or her to instead consider Cato’s great work, and begin returning federal spending to that to which it is limited in the Constitution.

Go to http://www.teapartypatriots.org for more information.

Future of the Family Farm

I do not farm; neither does my family, but it just so happens that God has given me an incredible passion for farming families. You see, I live in Cove City, NC surrounded by cotton fields, tobacco crops, horse pastures and forestry. The beauty of it all is incredible, the peacefulness of watching what was sown, then grow and produce fruit, is so satisfying! To hear the knickers of the horses from my front porch, or the echo’s of cattle and donkey’s braying back and forth brings a smile to my face. To look out and see the red-tail hawks, the blue jays, cardinals and woodpeckers, to see an occasional deer, or even a bear reminds me that I am certainly not the center of the universe…… It is all of Creation, a blessing, to be able to live off of what we have been given.

I know these men and women who do work the land, I have seen the headlights from their tractors at wee hours in the middle of the night. I have seen as what they work on for months at a time come close to complete ruin in drought and extreme wet conditions and I have seen hurricanes completely decimate entire crops in a matter of hours.

Currently I see worry in the faces of these farmers, ones who have strived their entire lives to leave the farm for their children. As property taxes continue to increase on equipment and talk of the Present Use Value program changes heating up, we now have the inheritance tax issue’s that would destroy the family farm as we know it. All of this as continual regulation increases for products that can and can’t be used, places where farming is and isn't allowed due to zoning regulations and pricing of the commodities continually changing- sometimes not even allowing the farmer to recoup his cost of harvest! How can this way of living, one that each and every human being depends on, be in such turmoil?

Something most people do not realize is a reliance of military bases on agricultural land. Especially here in Eastern NC, we are surrounded by bases and used on flight paths for maneuvers, it is essential that farmland remain. In NC our #1 industry is Agriculture and our #2 is the MILITARY. These industries go hand in hand in support of one another. Yet, statistics tell us NC is the #1 state in LOSS of farmland.

This is happening due to several issues from what I have witnessed first hand

1) The median age of a farmer today is 58 years old. Family sizes are not what they used to be requiring farmers to hire additional help. If there is not a family member willing to take over the farm, it is more then likely sold.

2) The expense of starting a farming business is astronomical. If you were lucky enough to be born into a farming family you have a chance, but if not, the chances of you acquiring enough land, affording the extensive and expensive equipment, and having enough cash flow to begin are slim to none- and all this depending on surviving with good crops the first few years weather permitting!

3) Farming isn’t as attractive as the movies have made it out to be. It is a 365 day a year job, especially if you raise livestock. The hours are constant, and again the costs incredible…..not many people want to dedicate themselves to this way of life!

4) The expansion of residential areas and highways are continually encroaching on the family farm. While it seems good for whatever municipality to grow, the truth is the costs of services also increase tremendously to that particular area and it ends up in the form of taxation to all residents. While there was once a piece of land with crops that required no water/sewer/electrical hook ups, now new lines must be run for all utilities and manpower hired for additional housing management in the form of police officers, sheriff’s deputies, fire fighter’s, health and social workers and so on…..the bigger the population, the more services are needed. Not many realize that.

I do not have answers for these issues other then somehow our farms must be protected at all costs.

One last point that I would like to add…..I have heard out of people’s mouth’s that “farm subsidies and property taxation reductions on land are like farming welfare”. I beg to differ! When a farmer loses his entire crop to a disaster, we are all affected financially in the ability to purchase a necessity. They must have GOOD crop insurance to continue to be able to provide for the rest of our population. Please realize, farmers do not set the pricing for their products, the commodity market DOES. Many farmers today have seen their crops bring in less money then it costs to produce them. Again, without some form of subsidy many crops and farms would fall by the wayside costing us all more and eventually depleting the market. Also a farmer is not one who does not work, on the contrary! It is an extremely demanding and dangerous job that requires skill, knowledge and an incredible work ethic. The farmer knows they are responsible for feeding the masses, providing fibers for materials and forestry for everything from home building to diaper stuffing!

While the farm bill sits unattended to in Washington DC, all of this hangs in the balance! I do not agree with all that is in the bill, the Farm Bill and Food Stamps SHOULD NOT BE IN THE SAME BILL, Food stamps should be under HHS, (Health and Human Services), but that will have to be dealt with at a later date when our nation’s farms are not in such peril. If you care about food, I urge you to contact your US Senator and Representative personally.

God made Adam the first care-taker of the Garden of Eden. He was the first “farmer”. We have a responsibility to be good stewards with the land that has been provided. We should be helping our farmers provide to their full potential, we should be encouraging new farmers to get into the field, and we should be offering incentives that will benefit our entire population in the abundance of food, fiber and forestry. How terrible it would be to depend on other countries to grow OUR food. The import of oil surely hasn't worked out so good for us has it?!

Tyker Gonzales
Cove City, NC

Obama’s Middle Class Tax Scam

Yesterday the Prez put his proposal on the table about what to do with the Fiscal Cliff the country faces at the end of the year. What Obama said is important. What he didn’t say is critical.

It should come as no surprise that Obama has proposed an extension of the Bush tax cuts for those workers earning $250,000 or less and a tax increase for those making above $250,000. The extension of the tax cut for those earning under $250k will have a cost of $150B according to the White House: The President’s proposal appears to be “tax progressive” in that it benefits workers on the middle to lower end of incomes.

The plan is clearly designed to get some votes in the key political states of Ohio and Pennsylvania. Who knows? Maybe some suckers will actually cast a vote for Obama as they think he’s standing up for those on the lower rungs of the income profile. Baloney!

What the President didn’t say in his speech yesterday is far more important than what he did say. He did not say word one about the 2% Social Security tax break that has been on the books the past few years. What this means is that the FICA tax break is going to expire. When it does, every worker’s paycheck is going to get hit by 2%. In the 2012 Social Security Trust Fund report to Congress the Trustees estimated that total FICA (SS taxes) would amount to $733.4B in 2013. The 2% increase in FICA taxes in 2013 will increase workers tax load by $120B. Therefore the combined effect of extending the sub-250k tax cut and the increase in FICA comes to a paltry $30B.


CONTINUED:  http://www.zerohedge.com/contributed/2012-07-10/obama%E2%80%99s-middle-class-tax-scam

Obamacare: How Many of the President’s Promises Have Been Broken?

Yesterday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) almost called Obamacare’s individual mandate a tax, stopping mid-word to call it a “penalty”. White House Chief of Staff Jack Lew and other spokespersons echoed this talking point. This is in spite of last week’s Supreme Court ruling that deemed the mandate unconstitutional under both the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause, but ruled that it could stand as part of Congress’s authority to “lay and collect taxes.”

Dubbing the individual mandate a tax saved the President’s health care law, but it’s a concept that President Obama himself has strongly denied. In a 2009 interview, President Obama argued that his individual mandate was not a tax increase, stating, “I absolutely reject that notion.”

But after last week, President Obama must now admit it’s a tax or admit the mandate is unconstitutional. It’s can only be one or the other.

The mandate is in fact a tax, and it’s just one of many new taxes that hit the middle class in Obamacare. Lo and behold, another broken promise. President Obama claims that the mandate is holding people responsible, keeping with that spirit, here’s a reminder of the other promises the President and his health care law are responsible for breaking:

Promise #1: “Under my plan, no family making less than $250,000 a year will see any form of tax increase.”

Reality: The individual mandate is far from alone on Heritage’s lengthy list of Obamacare’s new taxes and penalties, many of which will heavily impact the middle class. Altogether, Obamacare’s taxes and penalties will accumulate an additional $500 billion in new revenue over a 10-year period. Yesterday, a senior economist for The Wall Street Journal revealed that 75 percent of Obamacare’s new taxes will be paid for by American families making under $120,000 a year. Among the taxes that will hit the middle class are the individual mandate, a 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices, a 10 percent excise tax on indoor tanning, and an increase of the floor on medical deductions from 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income to 10 percent.

Promise #2: “If you like your health care plan, you’ll be able to keep your health care plan, period.”

Reality: Research continues to show that as many as 30 percent of employers will dump their employees from their existing health care coverage. The Administration itself has admitted that “as a practical matter, a majority of group health plans will lose their grandfather status by 2013.”

Promise #3: “I will not sign a plan that adds one dime to our deficits—either now or in the future.”

Reality: As Heritage analysts explain, “A close examination of what [the Congressional Budget Office] said, as well as other evidence, makes it clear that the deficit reduction associated with [Obamacare] is based on budget gimmicks, sleights of hand, accounting tricks, and completely implausible assumptions. A more honest accounting reveals the new law as a trillion-dollar budget buster.”

Promise #4: “I will protect Medicare.”

Reality: A Heritage Factsheet shows the various ways Obamacare ends Medicare as we know it, including severe physician reimbursement cuts that threaten seniors’ access to care and putting an unelected board of bureaucrats in charge of meeting Medicare’s new spending cap.

CONTINUED:  http://www.askheritage.org/obamacare-how-many-of-the-presidents-promises-have-been-broken-t3?utm_content=2012-07-06&utm_medium=Email&utm_source=AH_Weekly&utm_campaign=2012_Brand&mboxSession=1341614914343-598254

Letter to the Editor: Take Another Look by CCTA Member Lou Call

July 2, 2012


The Sun Journal, Letter to the Editor

Take another look….

Like most people I was initially disappointed over the ruling of Chief Justice Roberts regarding Obamacare; I felt betrayed. After a cooling down period I delved into the Courts decision and began to realize that the Chief Justice is nothing short of genius. Let’s look at the decision itself.

The Chief Justice emphatically stated that Obamacare is unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause saying you cannot make people buy stuff. He then stated that it is unconstitutional under the “necessary and proper” clause which only applies to “enumerated powers” in the US Constitution.

This is huge because this means that the Court ruled 9-0 that Obamacare was unconstitutional under the Commerce clause which was Obama’s whole defense of the bill.

Obama has stated many times that the provisions in Obamacare requiring Americans to purchase health care insurance is not a tax. Obama assiduously avoided using the term “tax” and now he has to admit this law is a tax and it is on everyone even the poor. Virtually everyone agrees that the Federal government has the power to do this as it does with the mortgage deduction for federal income taxes.

All is not lost. The November election will be about the economy and Obamacare. The Supreme Court decision will help Romney and those Republicans seeking election in the Senate. More importantly is the fact that this makes this a budgetary issue that can be voted on in the Senate by a mere majority instead of 60 votes needed to stop a filibuster. This means that if the Republicans can gain a majority in the Senate, it can vote to repeal Obamacare in total.

There is no question that the Congress will vote to repeal with the shadow of the outcome of the 2010 elections still looming over them. When one considers that more than 60% of the voters going to the polls are in favor of repeal we have within our grasp the opportunity to rid Washington of our socialist president and his minions that surround him; his ‘czars’.

The future of this great Country rests in all our hands. I implore you to write, email and FAX our elected representatives demanding they repeal Obamacare. The vote of Chief Justice Roberts has put the ball back in our court. It is up to all of us to move that ball forward. Remember, ‘evil triumphs when good men (and women) do nothing’!


Louis Call
New Bern, NC

Will 'free' dinner with Obama bust your personal budget?

The raffles offered by the Obama campaign for dinner with the president may end up costing the winners far more than the $3 they paid to enter the contest. In an attempt to raise funds, the Obama campaign has taken the step of being the first president in U.S. history to hold a raffle to give ordinary Americans the opportunity to meet with him. The raffles on the Obama campaign site have asked for a minimum donation of $3 for a chance to have dinner with the president and first lady, Michelle Obama.

Those who win are given an all-expense paid trip, including airfare and hotel, to spend the evening with the Obamas. The most recent raffle dinner will take place on July 13. The campaign website says the total value of the prizes is $4,800, with each entire trip package being worth $1,600. The cost includes two round-trip coach tickets, ground transportation and a one-night stay in a hotel. While the raffle may initially appear to be a great deal for his supporters, they may be shocked to learn the “free” dinner is anything but. Winners are on the hook for federal, state and local taxes – which could equal up to one-third the cost of the prize.


William Jacobson, associate clinical professor with Cornell Law School, said, “Technically, these raffles are ‘sweepstakes’ because you can enter without paying anything, although at least a $3 donation is encouraged. This not only adds to Obama’s mailing list, it increases the number of donors and lowers the average donation, both of which figures are used in Obama campaign spin. “So, assuming you take Obama up on his offer to ‘cover’ airfare, your taxes could be several hundred dollars, depending on your federal marginal tax rate and any state income taxes.” Dennis Kneale, appearing on Fox Business, said the tax could end up being $560 in federal income taxes, depending on the person’s tax bracket. With politicians especially, there is no thing as a free lunch or a free dinner.”

CONTINUED:  http://www.wnd.com/2012/07/free-dinner-with-obama-could-cost-you-560/

THE COMPLETE LIST OF OBAMACARE TAXES

Below is a full list of all taxes that hit Americans, as written into the White House Healthcare Tax. The list is expanded on and explained in the full post over at ATR.


Taxes that took effect in 2010:

1. Excise Tax on Charitable Hospitals (Min$/immediate): $50,000 per hospital if they fail to meet new “community health assessment needs,” “financial assistance,” and “billing and collection” rules set by HHS. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,961-1,971

2. Codification of the “economic substance doctrine” (Tax hike of $4.5 billion). This provision allows the IRS to disallow completely-legal tax deductions and other legal tax-minimizing plans just because the IRS deems that the action lacks “substance” and is merely intended to reduce taxes owed. Bill: Reconciliation Act; Page: 108-113

3. “Black liquor” tax hike (Tax hike of $23.6 billion). This is a tax increase on a type of bio-fuel. Bill: Reconciliation Act; Page: 105

4. Tax on Innovator Drug Companies ($22.2 bil/Jan 2010): $2.3 billion annual tax on the industry imposed relative to share of sales made that year. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,971-1,980

5. Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tax Hike ($0.4 bil/Jan 2010): The special tax deduction in current law for Blue Cross/Blue Shield companies would only be allowed if 85 percent or more of premium revenues are spent on clinical services. Bill: PPACA; Page: 2,004

6. Tax on Indoor Tanning Services ($2.7 billion/July 1, 2010): New 10 percent excise tax on Americans using indoor tanning salons. Bill: PPACA; Page: 2,397-2,399

Taxes that took effect in 2011:

7. Medicine Cabinet Tax ($5 bil/Jan 2011): Americans no longer able to use health savings account (HSA), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin). Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,957-1,959

8. HSA Withdrawal Tax Hike ($1.4 bil/Jan 2011): Increases additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,959

Tax that took effect in 2012:

9. Employer Reporting of Insurance on W-2 (Min$/Jan 2012): Preamble to taxing health benefits on individual tax returns. Bill: PPACA; Page: 1,957

CONTINUED:  http://atr.org/full-list-obamacare-tax-hikes-a6996

AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY: What's Next?

The Supreme Court ruled to uphold the President’s disastrous health care law yesterday, but this issue is far from over. AFP is more committed than ever to defeating President Obama's unaffordable, irresponsible and unaccountable law that burdens the American people with a painful new tax.


Many of you have asked what AFP's next move would be. Our next move is to continue the battle and call on Congress to repeal President Obama's health care law that is a trillion-dollar government takeover. Equally disturbing, the law strips authority over health care decisions away from patients and doctors, and gives it to Washington bureaucrats.


In 2009, President Obama promised that his heath care law was “absolutely not a tax, and would not raise the deficit.” Yet President Obama’s health care law is one of the largest tax increases in history, and we’re making sure that fact is very well known.

Click here to watch Americans for Prosperity’s 'NOT A TAX' ad calling for the full repeal of this damaging law.Obama’s health care law not only gives the federal government the power to penalize Americans for not buying something they may not want, but it is completely unaffordable. According to a study by a Trustee on the Medicare Board, this big-government legislation will add $530 billion to federal deficits and increase Washington spending by $1.76 trillion over the next decade.

http://americansforprosperity.org/handsoffmyhealthcare/petition1/

Letter to Craven County Commissioners from CCTA Member, Raynor James

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Dear Commissioners Dacey, Mark, Taylor, Tyson, Allen, Sampson, & McCabe,


We have often thought differently from each other. Whether we agree or not, I'd like for you to understand my view of good government.

As you know, I'm a member of the Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association (CCTA), and we espouse smaller, less expensive government, freeing up free enterprise, personal freedom with personal responsibility, and adherence to the Constitution. Those aren't just ideas we talk about; they are deeply held convictions.

We want government that creates an environment in which all our citizens can realize their full potential, or not, as they choose. Everyone needs equal opportunity. There will never be equal results. Some of us choose to excel. Some of us would rather "hang out" and do as little as possible. Fine. Each choice leads to a natural outcome. Let it be so. Choices lead to consequences. What must be guaranteed is opportunity, and only opportunity. No more. No less.

It's pretty easy to see that approach as fair for all citizens who are able in body and mind, but what about those who cannot take care of themselves? Should government step in to look after them?


You gentlemen have clearly answered, "Yes," on multiple occasions. My answer is an emphatic, "No!"

As I've explained before, when government takes from one person to give to another, that is stealing. My rationale is that I don't have the right to take from one neighbor (under threat of force) in order to give to another (less fortunate) neighbor; no one in our country does. Therefore, we the people could not possibly have conveyed that right to our government. Hence, government does not have a legitimate right to behave in that way.

Are the unfortunate among us deserving of charity? Most certainly. Let the private sector handle it. For much of my life, it was handled that way, and it was handled well. Family is the natural first line of defense, followed by friends, churches, and philanthropic organizations.

I feel real anger when my elected representatives wrest hard earned money from taxpayers in order to give it to individuals or small groups of individual people. It is wrong. All taxpayer monies spent should have the potential to benefit all citizens.

Then there's the question of giving raises to our county employees when the people providing the funds are seeing the value of their assets go down (by about 40% nationwide), are loosing their jobs or are worried about it, are not getting COLAs if they are on fixed income retirements, and are seeing the incomes from their businesses declining at alarming rates. These people are the Craven County taxpayers you represent. They need and want to pay less taxes. Instead, you are asking them to pay the same, or more, in order to give county employees raises. Please remember whom you represent, and show some concern for our financial well being.


In the current economy, the only acceptable sign that county employees need raises would be if they were quitting in significant numbers, or if, when county jobs were advertised, not enough qualified applicants came forward to fill them. This is not the case, is it?


Quite frankly, I want representatives at all levels of government who, when faced with a proposal for spending taxpayers' money, will ask themselves first, "Is this an appropriate activity for government and an appropriate use of tax dollars?" I want representatives who, if the answer is, "No," will vote against the proposal no matter how worthwhile the project, and no matter what level the taxpayer funds are coming from. "If we don't spend it, someone else will," is a cop out. Right is right, and wrong is wrong. It's time to take a stand.

I believe we the people should make it our mission to find and support representatives who will stand with us and help us get back to good government so that all who want to can thrive in peace and freedom.


Most sincerely,
Raynor James

Morning Bell: How Taxmageddon Will Impact You

"I've said that this is a make-or-break moment for the middle class, and I believe it," President Obama told an Ohio crowd yesterday.

Indeed it is—because in a sluggish economy, American taxpayers are about to be clobbered by the largest tax increase in history. Starting January 1, 2013, Americans will face a $494 billion tax increase, the highest ever in one year. According to The Washington Post, congressional aides started calling it "Taxmageddon"—a chilling reference fit for an apocalyptic nightmare. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has warned that it will be a "massive fiscal cliff" for the economy.

How will this affect you? Heritage has a new Taxmageddon page that shows the impact of these tax hikes on individuals. It includes an interactive map where you can click on your state to see what the average tax increase will be, based on the average income of taxpayers in your state.


READ ON:  http://blog.heritage.org/2012/06/15/morning-bell-how-taxmageddon-will-impact-you/?roi=echo3-12299467749-8906733-63d99ac4d066670dad40d284ee57c3ce&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=Email&utm_campaign=Morning%2BBell

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE JUNE 11, 2012

Federal Budget, Spending & Taxes

• No Budget: Tuesday, June 12 marks the 1140th day since the Senate has passed a budget under the leadership of Harry Reid (D-NV).
• Difference in Debt: Some of you may have noticed the media claiming that the CBO recently said that our federal debt would reach 70% of GDP sometime this year. But those of us paying attention noted that our debt passed 100% of GDP in December of 2011. So why the difference? The CBO is NOT counting intragovernmental debt. There is publicly held debt (debt held by bondholders, etc.) and debt held by government agencies. The CBO’s numbers only reflect the debt held by the public – they do not account for the debt held by the government! But it’s all debt that we are responsible for paying back, so the accurate number is the one that shows the debt exceeding 100% of GDP.
• Blame Game: The Democrats are now trying to say that the Republicans and the Tea Party have sabotaged the economy in order to win an election. This will be the new narrative for a while, so think about how you would like address it and respond to it.
• Meaning of Austerity: Watch this video of Veronique de Rugy discussing the different types of austerity. Also read her article about how European fiscal austerity doesn’t mean spending cuts.  And don’t forget to read the report by Harvard academics about how cutting spending and raising taxes has a historically bad track record, & how spending cuts only are the way to go.
• Tripled: Also in that CBO report was the fact that the debt is on track to TRIPLE in one generation! Now, remember they only looked at publicly held debt, so you can imagine how much worse it really is when we take into account the intragovernmental debt.

Regulations and Jobs

• REIN-ing in the Regulators:  Last December the House passed the REINS Act, which would have required Congress to vote “on a resolution of approval concerning every “major” regulation (with an economic impact of $100 million or more).” The Senate, of course, is useless when it comes to doing anything. Obama has threatened to veto the REINS Act should it reach his desk. This could be a great campaign issue in 2012 – ask your candidates about where they stand on it. Read more about the REINS Act here.
• Not Hiring:  Read about the personal stories of business owners who are afraid to start hiring again because of the regulatory adventurism of this administration, and the uncertainty of future tax rates.
• 3 Lies:  Read about the three lies of government statistics on unemployment - Remember this when you hear Obama’s Department of Labor crowing over some less-than-stellar unemployment numbers. And be sure to pass this on to anyone who you talk to that thinks the numbers are looking good. Apparently some people think that adding 69,000 jobs in one month is pretty darn impressive.
  Horrible Recovery:  In light of Obama’s comment about the private sector “doing fine,” check out this graph from the RSC to see how “fine” the private sector is really doing. Hint: waaaaaaaaaaay below average.

Obamacare

Thank you to the Alexandria Tea Party for collecting these links.

• Religious Freedom Rallies in 49 States
• House Takes Up Job-Killing Device Tax (& it passed this past week)
• Medical Loss Ratios Threaten Insurer Viability
• Home Tax Clobbers Middle Class
• Cost Curve Bent Upwards, Not Down
• Study Finds that Exchanges Won’t Work as Advertised
• High Deductible Plans Lead to Lower Spending
• Obamacare Diagnosed as Quackery
• Does Obama Already Know the SCOTUS Decision?
• Physician Survey – Doctors Not Happy With Obamacare

Property Rights & Sustainability

• Alabama Outlaws Agenda 21 – more info here
• House Defunds Two Egregious Ocean Policies
• UN Wants to Tax America
• Good Article from Tom DeWeese
• VIDEO: Rand Paul on His Bill to Curb the FDA’s Power
• See Agenda 21 Happening in Detroit

Illegal Immigration

• A Bill to Stop the DOJ from Suing States Over Their Immigration Laws

House of Representatives



Weekly summary and look-ahead provided by the RSC. Posting information from the RSC does not imply TPP endorsement of the RSC.


Weekly Wrap Up

• Partial Obamacare Repeal — Last Thursday, the House approved H.R. 436, the Health Care Cost Reduction Act, by a vote of 270-146. The legislation combines four bipartisan bills that would remove harmful limitations put in place by Obamacare. This will result in saving up to 47,000 jobs, supporting medical innovation, reducing health care costs, and providing Americanfamilies more choice and flexibility. The bill repeals the 2.3 percent excise tax on medical devices scheduled to take place in 2013; repeals the limitation on reimbursement of the over-the-counter medications from health savings account (HSA), flexible spending arrangement (FSA), health reimbursement arrangement (HRA), or medical savings accounts (MSA) that took effect in 2011; and allows 33 million consumers of health FSAs to “cash out” unused funds (capped at $500) at the end of the year. Finally, the bill eliminates exchange subsidy overpayments (the subsidies—refundable tax credits—are determined based on the most recent tax return, thus an overpayment could occur when actual incomes exceed subsidy eligibility thresholds). The Congressional Budget Office estimates that H.R. 436 reduces the deficit by $6.7 billion over the 2013-2022 period. Conservatives remain committed to the full and total repeal of Obamacare, especially in light of the looming Supreme Court decision. Many conservatives worry that partial repeal and “fix-it” bills will divide and distract the coalition for repealing Obamacare and restarting on conservative health care reform.
• Transportation Spending – Last week, conservatives used a procedural vote called a “motion to instruct conferees” to force a debate and vote on transportation spending. These motions are used to send a message to the conference committee—this time on the highway bill—regarding the prerogatives of one chamber of Congress. Although not binding, conservatives hope that these motions will highlight conservative priorities on transportation The first motion, offered by Rep. Jeff Flake (AZ), stipulates that states must receive back from the federal government at least 95% of the revenue they pay into the Highway Trust Fund. Under the current system, some states are unfairly rewarded at the expense of other states. The motion passed 259-154. The second motion, offered by Rep. Paul Broun (GA), states that federal highway spending cannot exceed the user fee revenues of the Highway Trust Fund. Currently, highway spending exceeds the revenues of the trust fund and borrows from the general fund. Conservatives have long argued that federal highway spending should not spend money that does not come from the Highway Trust Fund. Unfortunately, this motion was rejected82-323.

NOTE: 145 Republicans voted AGAINST this bill that would have forced federal highway spending to operate within the existing revenue. See the votes here, meaning they voted FOR irresponsibility and higher spending - even when the money isn't there.

• Energy and Water Appropriations — Last Wednesday, the House approved H.R. 5325, the Energy and Water Appropriations Act of 2013, by a vote of 255-165. The bill provides a total of $32.09 billion in non-emergency, discretionary budget authority for the agencies and programs funded through the Energy and Water Development Appropriations bill. Budget authority in the bill is a reduction of $965 million, or 3 percent below, the spending level requested by the President for FY 2013. Unfortunately, the bill is also $87 million, or 0.2 percent, above the FY 2012 funding level.

The following amendments to the Energy & Water Appropriations bill should be of interest to conservatives.


o McClintock (R-CA) – Cuts the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program by $1.45 billion. Rejected 113-275.
o Chaffetz (R-UT) – Cuts the Advanced Manufacturing Program by $74 million, to FY 2011 levels. Rejected 140-245.
o Broun (R-GA) – Cuts the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy program by $335 million. Rejected on voice vote.
o McClintock (R-CA) – Eliminates nuclear energy research subsidies (saves $514 million). Rejected 106-281.
o Connolly (D-VA) – Eliminates oil shale research and development subsidies (saves $25 million). Passed 208-207-1.
o Chabot (R-OH) – Eliminates funding for the regional commissions, such as the Appalachian Regional Commission (saves $99.3 million). Rejected 141-276.
o Kucinich (D-OH) – Prohibits funding for loan guarantees under Title 17 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (this is the program that funded Solyndra). Rejected 136-282.
o Blackburn (R-TN) – 1% across the board cut to discretionary spending (would cut $321 million). Rejected 157-261.
o Mulvaney (R-SC) – Would bring the bill toward RSC budget levels by cutting $3.1 billion. Rejected 125-293.
o King (R-IA) – Prohibits funding of Davis-Bacon union wage requirements. Rejected 184-235.
o Jordan (R-OH) – Prohibits loan guarantees for renewable energy systems, electric power transmission systems, or leading edge biofuel projects—aka Solyndra. Passed by voice vote.
o Landry (R-LA) – Prohibits funds being used for a national media campaign on green technologies. Passed by voice vote.
o Schweikert (R-AZ) – Prohibits funds being used to enforce federal shower head regulations. Passed by voice vote.
o Flake (R-AZ) – Across the board spending cut that would keep funding at FY 2012 levels ($87.5 million savings). Rejected 144-274.

• Homeland Security Appropriations — Thursday, the House approved H.R. 5855, the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act of 2013, by a vote of 234-182. The bill provides $39.1 billion in discretionary budget authority for programs funded through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for Fiscal Year 2013. Unlike previous years, funding for the Coast Guard’s support of the Global War on Terror/Overseas Contingency Operations are not included in the bill and are instead provided via transfer of $254 million from Department of Defense, Navy, Operations & Maintenance. Discretionary budget authority in the bill is $484 million, or 1.2 percent, less than last year and $393 million, or 1 percent, below the President’s request.

The following amendments to the Homeland Security Appropriations bill should be of interest to conservatives.


o Broun (R-GA) – Reduces administrative expense accouns by 3% (saves $500,000). Rejected 140-273.
o Broun (R-GA) – Eliminates all funding for TSA (saves $5.041 billion). Rejected by voice vote.
o Flake (R-AZ) – Cuts $412.9 million from FEMA state and local programs (a reduction to FY 2012 levels). Rejected by voice vote.
o Black (R-TN) – Prohibits funding for the position of Public Advocate within Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Passed by voice vote.
o King (R-IA) – Prohibits funding to enforce an executive order which mandates the Department of Homeland Security to use languages other than English. Passed 224-189.
o King (R-IA) – Prohibits funding to enforce “Morton Memos” concerning administrative amnesty. Passed 238-175.
o Blackburn (R-TN) – Prohibits funding to provide TSA employees badges, shields, or uniforms with epaulets or a badge tab. Rejected 131-282.
o Blackburn (R-TN) – Prohibits funding for TSA employees outside of airports. Rejected 204-210.
o Sullivan (R-OK) – Prohibits funds from being used to prevent state and local law enforcement from enforcing immigration laws. Passed 250-164.
o Barletta (R-PA) – Prohibits funding for sanctuary cities. Passed by voice vote.
o Polis (D-CO) – 2% across the board cut to the bill. Rejected 99-316.

• Legislative Branch Appropriations — Friday, the House approved H.R. 5882, the Legislative Branch Appropriations Act of FY 2013, by a vote of 307-102. The bill provides a total of $3.33 billion in discretionary budget authority for all non-Senate Legislative Branch activities, which is $34 million, or 1 percent, below last year’s levels and $189 million, or 5.4 percent, below the President’s requested level. The House and Senate traditionally determine their own funding separately and concur with each other’s bill in a conference committee. According to House Report 112-511, which accompanies the legislation, the Senate appropriations estimate is $956.1 million. When House and Senate appropriations are combined, total Legislative Branch funding would be $4.28 billion. According to the Appropriations Committee, since Fiscal Year 2010, the spending overseen by the Legislative Branch Subcommittee has been cut by 10.5 percent.

The following amendments to the Legislative Branch Appropriations bill should be of interest to conservatives.

o Gosar (R-AZ) – Reduces funding for the U.S. Botanic Garden to FY 2009 levels (saves $1.235 million). Passed 213-193.
o Broun (R-GA) – Reduces funding for the Congressional Research Services to FY 2012 levels (saves $878,000). Passed 214-189.

o Scalise (R-LA) – Eliminates all funding for the Open World Leadership Center Trust Fund (saves $1 million). Passed 204-203.
o Moran (D-VA) – Prohibits House food service facilities from buying Styrofoam. Rejected 178-229.
o Flake (R-AZ) – Prohibits Members of Congress from using official funds to buy advertisements on non-official sites (like Facebook, etc.). Rejected 148-261.

Check out these weekly updates from caucuses, task forces, working groups, and special projects of the RSC!

• Budget and Spending Task Force – A weekly roundup of budget and spending news in the House from a conservative perspective.
• Money Monitor – The only document that tracks the cost of bills as the pass the House.
• National Security Working Group – Periodic updates on national security and defense issues in the House from a conservative perspective.
• Financial Services Working Group – Provides conservative analysis of financial services issues, including Dodd Frank, GSE’s, and the Fed.
• Health Care Working Group – The latest news on Obamacare and conservative health care solutions.
• 10th Amendment Task Force – Highlights legislation and initiatives that moves power out of Washington and back to the states.
• Repeal Task Force – A weekly bill is highlighted that repeals an entire law (ie. Obamacare, Dodd Frank, Davis Bacon).
• Sunset Caucus – A weekly bill is highlighted that sunsets a federal program or agency.
• Questionable Constitutional Authority Statement – The most egregious examples of the misuse and misapplication of the House’s constitutional authority statement rule.
• If Democrats Controlled The House… - The worst examples of liberal legislation that could be considered if Democrats were in the majority.
• Weekly Updates from the Chairman – To sign up for these weekly updates—usually sent on Monday—from Chairman Jordan highlighting conservative Members, issues, and activities in the RSC, please go here.

The Week Ahead

The House is in recess this week.
 
Senate

• The Senate resumes consideration of the motion to proceed to a five-year farm bill, although amendment votes are not expected before Tuesday.
• The first vote of the week will be in connection with the confirmation of Andrew D. Hurwitz for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
• Two Senate Appropriations subcommittees — Labor-HHS-Education and Financial Services— mark up their draft fiscal 2013 spending bills. Later in the week, the full Appropriations panel is expected to consider both measures.
• Environment and Public Works holds a confirmation hearing on two Nuclear Regulatory Commission nominations: Allison M. Macfarlane, who has been tapped to replace Chairman Gregory B. Jaczko, and incumbent Commissioner Kristine L. Svinicki.
• MONDAY: Convenes 2 p.m., Roll call votes expected S 3240 — Farm bill and Nomination — Andrew D. Hurwitz for a judgeship on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals

TUESDAY AND THE BALANCE OF THE WEEK:
S 3240 — Farm bill