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EducationNational School Choice Week is right around the corner! Starting on January 22nd and running through the 28th, School Choice Week is a nationwide effort by a nonpartisan coalition of supporters, from schools to organizations like NTU, to highlight the need for education reform - particularly the right of parents to determine where their child goes to school. The National Taxpayers Union is one of over 200 partner organizations participating in this year’s National School Choice Week. We encourage everyone to visit schoolchoiceweek.com and particularly the events page. The website features opportunities to demonstrate your support for school choice, and learn more about the movement. There are around 300 events currently scheduled, so there is likely one very near you! 0 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
NEA Praises Ron Paul -- Not April Fool's It has the makings of an April Fool's joke. The National Education Association's Education Insider newsletter for April 1st praises eight Republicans who voted against the DC school voucher program, including Congressman Ron Paul, aka Dr. "No". Thanks to the tremendous efforts of NEA cyberlobbyists, we were able to keep the vote close and secure the votes of eight Republicans, who bucked their Party leadership to oppose the voucher bill – Representatives Biggert (IL), Dold (IL), Graves (MO), Griffith (VA), Johnson (IL), LoBiondo (NJ), Paul (TX), and Reichert (WA). [emphasis in original] Yes, Paul (TX) is this Ron Paul and this one too.
I scrolled all the way to the bottom of the newsletter expecting an "April Fool's" but there wasn't one. If Ron Paul can bring the NEA around to his point of view on fiscal policy and government spending, he deserves some kind of award -- no fooling. 2 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Bills Hiring 100,000 Teaching Assistants and Cutting $39 Billion In Latest Tab
NTUF is hot on the heels of recently introduced legislation with cost estimates and descriptions in the most recent Taxpayer’s Tab. While releasing our final BillTally report for the 111th Congress in mid-March, we remained vigilant in getting you the bills sponsored and supported in the 112th Congress. This week’s Most Expensive Bill would authorize the Department of Education to spend up to $1 billion for each of the next five years to employ 100,000 new teaching assistants. The paraprofessionals would help teachers with administrative support as well as help students with one-on-one instruction. The bill’s goal is to achieve a lower ratio of school workers to students. School districts who already have met the requirement (mentioned in the Tab) may use funds to help currently employed aides in obtaining teaching licenses or furthering their professional development. Bills in Issue 10 of The Taxpayer’s Tab include:
Fairness Doctrine Prohibition Bill Highlighted in Latest Taxpayer’s Tab
As budget battles loom and entitlement liabilities grow, NTU Foundation is hot on the heels of federal spending proposals. This week’s Taxpayer’s Tab brings you four newly scored bills for your consideration. One bill making ripples in the political waters is the Cut Federal Spending Act of 2011, sponsored by Senator Rand Paul. To address the projected $1.5 trillion deficit for 2011, Paul proposes cuts across many government departments and agencies -- even defunding the Department of Housing and Urban Development, nine agencies, and seven independent agencies. How much will it save taxpayers? Check out the article in its entirety here. The latest Taxpayer’s Tab includes the following bills:
Do you or anyone you know live in Congressmen Joe Baca (CA-43), Dennis Kucinich (OH-10), or Mike Pence’s (IN-6) district or Senator Rand Paul’s (KY) state? Each of these legislators was mentioned in this week’s Tab. Read up on their proposals and keep a tab on them! As a bonus, we also highlight a recently posted article by NTUF’s Senior Policy Analyst Demian Brady. The War on Federal Redundancy, featured in The Ripon Forum, addresses why Congress should target duplicative government programs first but quickly and assertively move onto the three 500 pound gorillas, also known as Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid. Check out the whole article here. 1 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Reflections on CPAC Today is the third and final day of the 2011 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC), the largest annual gathering of conservatives and libertarians in the nation. After three days of staffing a well-visited booth, meeting with dedicated activists, and listening to dynamic speakers, I’m looking forward to some rest and relaxation, but also to what the future holds for the conservative movement. This year’s CPAC had the highest number of attendees (11,000) in the history of the conference. CPAC speakers ranged from Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, the House Budget Committee Chair, to Governor Mitch Daniels of Indiana, a potential presidential candidate who gave, in my view, an outstanding keynote address, which you can read here. Also, CPAC 2011 featured a number of new participating organizations that focus on both activism and policy related to social, economic, and political issues at the federal, state, and local levels. While attending CPAC, I had the opportunity to participate in a number of discussions about important tax and fiscal policy issues facing the United States. NTUF hosted a discussion about entitlement reform that featured experts such as Rep. Devin Nunes, Maya MacGuineas, Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Steven Moore, and Dan Mitchell. The bottom line of their presentation was that we need to start tackling the problem of runaway entitlement spending before it’s too late. But budget reform should not be restricted to social programs. CPAC also featured a panel on how the nation can reduce defense spending to a more manageable level without jeopardizing readiness. As a former military aide to a fiscally conservative Member of Congress, I was pleased to hear all of the views presented and the many ideas for maintaining an affordable defense posture. The passion the attendees displayed at the panels, and in conversations with me at the NTU table, was striking. It bodes well for conservatives if these activists carry their views home and remain outspoken and active in the political process. For the last several weeks, there has been a lot of talk in the media about differences in the conservative movement over certain policies and suggestions that these differences spell certain doom the conservative movement. After three days of observing conservatives of all stripes from across the country, I can unequivocally say that reports of destructive differences among conservatives are greatly exaggerated. In fact, I would argue that the conservative movement has never been stronger and ready to bring real solutions to the many serious problems facing the nation. 3 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
Tune into NTU's State of the Union Coverage tonight Tonight at 9 p.m. EST, the National Taxpayers Union's crack government affairs and policy analysis teams will provide special online coverage of the President’s State of the Union Address, and we want you to be there and be a part of the discussion. We will be breaking down the President's proposals and what they will mean for taxpayers. Details on how you can join the conversation are below.
We look forward to seeing you online tonight at 9 p.m. EST!
Conservation Corps Scored at $16 Billion in Tab
This week’s Taxpayer’s Tab covers a variety of legislation introduced during the 111th Congress, ranging from improving America’s small town infrastructure to eliminating sex-based pay-discrimination. The 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps Act -- this week’s Most Expensive Bill -- would reestablish the Depression-era program at a cost of $16 billion each year. The Corps is intended to employ people, especially out-of-work veterans and people who have exhausted their unemployment benefits, by improving America’s parks and forests. Be sure to check out the WildCard -- a bill to get kids and families outdoors through community program grants. You might be interested how much it costs… The bills highlighted in Issue 23 of The Taxpayer’s Tab include:
Muck Soil Conservation Bill Scored in Latest Taxpayer’s Tab
NTU Foundation continues its research efforts with four new scored bills ranging the legislative spectrum. The Taxpayer’s Tab’s 21st installment also gives taxpayers a broad range of legislators from across the nation, from coast to coast and a few Midwest states. One bill that got our attention this week was HR 6180, which would establish a muck soil conservation program. Muck soil is a top soil that is used in producing many agricultural products, from onions to celery. The legislation calls for $50 million to be spent in the first year in the form of state grants. Farmers who perform five requirements (mentioned in the Tab) would be paid up to $500 per acre to use the muck soil. The latest Taxpayer’s Tab includes the following bills:
Throughout the week, NTUF will tweet summaries, spending report links, and updates concerning the latest Congressional research. 0 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
$572 Million Net Federal Spending in Taxpayer’s Tab
The NTU Foundation’s Taxpayer’s Tab is back to its regular schedule and format, highlighting four newly scored Congressional bills. Covering veterans educational benefits, the Most Expensive Bill of the Week would allow certain service members to transfer benefits to their dependents. The Least Expensive Bill of the Week would establish a comprehensive energy plan, including more domestic oil exploration, alternative technology development, and a natural gas vehicle demonstration project provision. The House version of the Prevention First Act was found to increase federal spending by $417 million in the first year. Bills covered in the latest Taxpayer’s Tab include:
Taxpayer’s Tab Covers Veteran Benefits, Arson Database in New Issue
Through this busy election season, NTU Foundation continues to score the bills Congress has introduced to keep taxpayers informed. The top potential spending, savings, and law changes are again highlighted in this week’s Taxpayer’s Tab. Issue 16 examines bills that would expand military veteran and personnel educational benefits, establish an arson database, and provide for improved prison conditions throughout the world. The latest Taxpayer’s Tab covers the following bills:
Also, the Tab highlights the recent U.S. Senate Candidate Spending Analyses, which NTUF has release over the past two weeks. So far, five Pennsylvania and Florida candidates have been highlighted for their spending agendas. Some would increase while others would decrease federal spending. NTUF will be releasing more reports in the coming week. Be sure to stay up-to-date on all the latest research by checking out the NTUF homepage and following the official @NTUF Twitter feed. 0 Comments | Post a Comment | Sign up for NTU Action Alerts
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