Tag Archives: American dream

Targeting Taxpayers

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Author: R. Alan Harrop, Ph.D

The Coastal Carolina Taxpayers Association is committed to ensuring that citizens receive accurate information about policies that impact taxes. The election in November will have a major impact on federal taxes. It is important to note that 47% of earners paid no federal income tax in 2022 and the top 1% of earners paid a whopping 76% of federal taxes collected. This means that there are a substantial number of people who have no stake in how much federal taxes increase. Also, be aware that the Left’s constant refrain that the top earners do not pay their fair share is a lie.

What can we as taxpayers expect in the future? Let’s take a look. First, if a leftist Democrat, like Kamala Harris, is elected we can expect that Trump’s tax cuts from 2017 will be allowed to expire in 2025 increasing taxes substantially; particularly on middle class wage earners. Second, we can expect an increase in spending on “green new deal” programs, which are not only a hoax, but will destroy this country. Subsidies and mandates for wind, solar, and electric vehicles will increase your tax debt. The war on fossil fuels is the major cause of the increased price of energy and inflation. Third, runaway government spending has increased the federal deficit to over $35 trillion, which amounts to $104,000 for every man, woman and child in this country. This will only get worse, and ultimately must be paid by you the taxpayer. Fourth, the so-called student loan forgiveness scam (which is really a transfer of the debt to you the taxpayer) will be pursued in order to buy votes from those who actually benefited from the loans. Fifth, the open border policy is costing taxpayers billions of dollars in direct payments, housing subsidies, food stamps and free healthcare. Kamala Harris has previously advocated free healthcare and Medicare/Medicaid for all, including illegal immigrants. Since hospitals are not allowed to turn people away, you are actually paying this bill now, and it will get worse.

Of course the biggest tax of all is rampant inflation, which has increased the cost of living for the average American over 23% since Biden/Harris took office. Even though the inflation rate has diminished somewhat, prices continue to increase and will never return to their previous levels. In the meantime, mortgage rates, housing prices and rising rents are an increasing burden on the American people, especially the young. The American Dream is being shattered by excessive government spending.

By contrast, a Republican administration is likely to expand energy production, which will not only ease inflation, but provide revenue from the sale of oil and gas to other countries. Trump’s “Drill, baby, drill” plan needs to be implemented. Tax rate cuts to stimulate economic growth and productivity can be expected and are the only positive way of attacking the federal debt. Shrinking the federal government such as eliminating the federal Department of Education and cutting agency budgets are planned. President Trump’s commitment to closing the border will not only reduce taxes but ensure greater security and protect American jobs. Last, but not least is Trump’s commitment to revoke China’s most favored nation status which would help level the playing field and return manufacturing to this country, as well as provide revenue from equal tariffs as appropriate.

Regardless of other issues, and there are many, the impact on taxpayers of this coming election could not be more profound. As taxpayers this should be of the highest concern.

Bidenomics or Badonomics?

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Author:  R. Alan Harrop,Ph.D     harropcrew1@gmail.com 

Biden keeps saying that his economic plan is working for the American people. Is his so-called Bidenomics good or bad for the country? Let’s take a look at the truth; something the Biden regime seems allergic to.    

Inflation is a hidden tax that never is reversed. It may slow down, but short of an economic collapse, prices will not go down and we will always have some inflation. When Biden took office, the annual inflation rate was 1.2%.  Now it is about 10%.   This rate, however, does not reflect the actual increase in prices since 2020. Food has gone up close to 80% as any food shopper can tell you. Gasoline is up from $1.87 per gallon to $3.45 per gallon which is an 85% increase. These are essential expenses that are not included in the government’s Consumer Price Index and therefore make this estimate of inflation unreliable. Housing, which we all must have, has gone up dramatically. The cost of the average home has gone up 47% since 2020 which is unheard of. Rents are up an average of 26% over the same period. Most importantly, mortgage interest rates essentially doubled to 7%, which represents an increase in monthly payments of about $1200 for the average home purchase. Insurance has also gone up substantially for automobiles and homes (30%). Utility Costs have also increased significantly since they are up about 30%. None of these items are optional and cannot be avoided. Other items like cars, appliances, clothing, etc. are also up substantially. Who is hurt the most by these increases? Well of course, the average American not the Democrat elite. 

As a result of these increases, the average family has experienced an $8,500  annual reduction in their purchasing power and standard of living. But according to Biden, his economic plans are working and you are just too blind to see it!  You are being gas lighted. 

What has caused this destructive inflation?  Excessive government spending and printing paper money is the primary cause. However, the war against fossil fuels and excessive government subsidies for so-called green energy projects are also major contributors. All of these things are part of the Marxist agenda of the Biden regime that is out to destroy this country. 

This situation threatens the traditional American Dream. This is especially true for younger Americans. There was a time when young married couples could afford to buy a new home and begin the journey to financial security and wealth. The equity in a home is the bedrock of financial security and the American Dream.  With the dramatic increase in home prices, mortgage rates, and home insurance, young people can no longer afford to buy and must resort to paying rent.  Not a good thing to do in the long run. 

So, we are back to President Reagan’s question, “ Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” The answer is a no-brainer. You know what to do. 

 

This Used To Be Illegal–Maybe It Still Is

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On Sunday, The Independent Journal Review posted an article about the Mankato School Board in Minnesota. The School Board has voted unanimously to pay non-white teachers “additional stipends” based only on the color of their skin.

The article reports:

Not everyone was happy with the vote. Republican state Rep. Jeremy Munson criticized the policy, saying, “Our largest local school district just voted to pay people differently, not on merit, or by the content of their character, but based solely on the color of their skin.”

“This is allowed and encouraged under a revision to Minnesota state Statute 122A.70,” Munson continued. “Mankato Area Public Schools Policy number 466 provides pay for black and native American school staff above which is paid to white employees.”

The article concludes:

I wonder what Martin Luther King, Jr., the gold standard in race relations and the American Dream, would say. Bearing in mind MLK’s signature quote, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character,” it’s safe to say he would call it what it is: racist.

MLK’s vision of America is one of a work-in-progress. We’re not there yet, but we’re on the way. The radical left seeks to undermine King’s legacy with policies that are anti-American and blatantly racist.

Don’t let them.

This makes no sense. No one has any control over the color of their skin. It is something you are born with. I have no problem paying teachers more for higher degrees, but increased pay based solely on skin color is simply racist. If this were done in the south and white teachers received more money, there would be massive outrage.

 

Hidden In The Infrastructure Bill

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I have written before about the Biden administration’s plan to end single-family housing (article here). Because home ownership is historically part of the American dream, I have no idea why this is a goal. However, hidden in the infrastructure bill is an item that will begin to end that dream.

Just the News posted an article (updated today) about the infrastructure bill.

The article reports:

The largest item in President Biden’s originally proposed $2.3 trillion infrastructure bill “is intended to literally eliminate local zoning, single-family zoning,” former N.Y. Lt. Gov. Betsy McCaughey told the John Solomon Reports podcast. 

“[P]eople spend a lifetime dreaming that they’re going to have a home with a plot of lawn around it,” said McCaughey. “They can let their kids play on the lawn, go out and mow the lawn, it’s a way of life. And the Biden administration wants to eliminate that. Their message is, ‘You can’t have that unless everybody can have that.’

“So unless you have multifamily units, you know, some sort of apartment building, on the same street in the same neighborhood — it’s not the same town because all towns now have areas for apartment dwellers, you know. But no, that’s not good enough for them. They want to put bus lines on all the little streets, and that’s going to change the way of life.”

…The Biden administration negotiated a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure framework on Thursday, which does not include affordable housing, according to Business Insider.

However, afterward, Biden said that the rest of the original infrastructure plan will go through as a budget reconciliation bill in addition to the bipartisan version. Upon learning this, Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Biden can “forget” the bipartisan bill. “Most Republicans could not have known that,” he said. “There’s no way. You look like a f–ing idiot now.” 

We need to pray for some patriotic Senators who are willing to vote to protect the American dream of owning your own home.