We are very saddened to report that we have lost a longtime, hardworking and devoted Republican activist, Sandy Doty.
Please pray for Sandy’s husband, Quetzal, her family and friends.
We will miss you Sandy.
Sandy Doty (1941-2010)
April 8, 2010 By 29 Comments
Politics on the Rocks Tea Party Event featuring former NM Governor Gary Johnson
April 8, 2010 By 1 Comment
*Special Note: Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson just announced that he will address the Politics on the Rocks crowd at our free event. Gary Johnson is many things, a successful businessman, a two-term governor, an Iron Man triathlete, and an aspiring conqueror of Mt. Everest. Gary Johnson speaks all over the country about fiscal responsibility and is even rumored to be a possible presidential candidate in 2012.
Politics on the Rocks is proud to announce that we will be hosting our annual “Tea Party” event on Wednesday, April 14th 6:00 PM at the Intercontinental Montelucia Resort located at 4949 E. Lincoln Dr. in Paradise Valley. Come hear from Barry Goldwater Jr., Tom Jenney (Arizona Director of Americans for Prosperity), Doug Ducey (Candidate for Arizona Treasurer and former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery), and Buzz Mills (Gubernatorial Candidate).
Barry Goldwater Jr. served as a United States Congressman from 1969-1983 and worked on his father’s Presidential campaign in 1964. He is the author of “Pure Goldwater” and a huge fighter for Liberty. Barry is a regular at Politics on the Rocks events. Check out http://www.barrymgoldwaterjr.com
Tom Jenney is the Arizona Director of Americans for Prosperity, an organization committed to educating citizens about economic policy and mobilizing those citizens as advocates in the public policy process. Check out http://www.americansforprosperity.org
Doug Ducey is a Candidate for Arizona Treasurer and former CEO of Cold Stone Creamery. Doug is a successful and principled businessman who went from ASU Student to W.P. Carey School of Business Hall of Fame. It became Doug’s goal as a partner in the business and then as the leader and CEO of Cold Stone to bring that brand to life and share that experience with the world. When they sold the company, Cold Stone had over 1400 stores in all 50 states and 10 countries. “This state badly needs new leadership and a new beginning. With your help we can do better, and I know we will!” Check out his website: http://www.votedougducey.com
Buz Mills is a committed conservative, successful entrepreneur, and Gubernatorial Candidate. His goal is to create jobs, secure the border, and cut spending and taxes in Arizona. “I believe in fiscal responsibility, limited government, and freedom for all of us. I will stop runaway government spending and record deficits by cutting spending, not raising taxes.” Check out his website http://www.buz4gov.com
We look forward to seeing you on Wednesday, April 14th 6:00 PM at the Montelucia Resort. Everyone is welcome to attend this free event. Please remember that the Montelucia will not allow signs. Come and enjoy the speeches, networking, and drink specials at the Montelucia Resort.
Regards,
Politics on the Rocks National Committee
http://www.PoliticsontheRocks.com
National Federation of Independent Business Endorses McCain
April 8, 2010 By 34 Comments
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NFIB endorses Sen. John McCain for re-election
WASHINGTON, D.C., April 8, 2010 — America’s leading small business association today endorsed one of America’s great statesmen, John McCain, in his bid for reelection to the U.S. Senate.
“Through all the big decisions he has had to make in his nearly 30 years of service in Congress, Sen. McCain has never forgotten that America’s economic powerhouse is on Main Street, not Wall Street,” said Lisa Goeas, NFIB’s vice president for political operations. “After a grueling presidential campaign, he could have easily rested on his well-deserved laurels, but instead he rallied once again to help small business fight the disaster-in-waiting healthcare bill.”
The endorsement was announced during a McCain campaign event held at an NFIB-member business, Central Bindery Company in Phoenix. It comes from NFIB’s Save America’s Free Enterprise Trust, the association’s political action committee, and is based on voting records and positions on key small business issues.
In this current session of Congress, Sen. McCain voted to provide some relief from the most unfair and anti-American of all levies, the death tax. The relief would permanently increase the spousal exemption and reduce the tax rate. Sen. McCain opposes efforts to make it easier for unions to organize small businesses. Specifically, he led the effort in the Senate against the Obama Administration’s nomination of pro-labor candidate Craig Becker for the National Labor Relations Board position, and is on record opposing the Employee Free Choice Act, which would have eliminated secret ballot elections. Throughout his three decades of service in elective office, he also pushed for a line-item veto authority for the president to identify and eliminate wasteful spending items and has consistently voted to increase and extend small business expensing limits and key portions of the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts.
“Sen. McCain continues that great Arizona tradition established by Barry Goldwater that a man is what he does, not what he says,” added Farrell Quinlan, NFIB/Arizona’s state director. “For almost a third of a century, Sen. McCain has been a friend of small business in deed. And for that he not only receives our endorsement but our deepest gratitude.”
Today’s endorsement puts the grassroots support of the state’s small businesses behind the McCain campaign. Small business owners and their employees vote in high numbers and are known for actively recruiting friends, family members and acquaintances to go to the polls. NFIB will encourage its members to help turn out the small business voting bloc on Election Day.
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NFIB is the nation’s leading small business association, with offices in Washington, D.C. and all 50 states. Founded in 1943 as a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, NFIB gives small and independent business owners a voice in shaping the public policy issues that affect their business. NFIB’s powerful network of grassroots activists sends their views directly to state and federal lawmakers through our unique member-only ballot, thus playing a critical role in supporting America’s free enterprise system. NFIB’s mission is to promote and protect the right of our members to own, operate and grow their businesses. More information about NFIB is available online at www.NFIB.com/newsroom.
Tax Freedom Day arrives in Arizona
April 8, 2010 By 2 Comments
by Byron Schlomach, Ph.D.
Goldwater Institute
Tax Freedom Day for Arizona this year was Easter Sunday. According to the Tax Foundation, that’s the day by which Arizonans have earned enough money to pay their total 2010 tax burden. After 94 days or 26 percent of the year has passed, the average Arizonan finally gets to work for himself! Well, sort of.
If the statewide sales tax referendum passes on May 18, Arizonans will have to work almost another day just to pay their taxes for this year, and an additional 1½ days in 2011. With an 18 percent tax increase this year, we would rank with Florida, Montana and Texas in working 95 days to pay our taxes.
Nationwide, Tax Freedom Day will be this Friday, a date nearly two weeks earlier than in 2006 and 2007. But the change isn’t because of lower taxes and less government. It’s largely because incomes are down and deficit spending is way up. Under our progressive income tax system, when incomes fall, tax collections fall disproportionately.
Even though the recession has reduced what government brings in through taxes, government spending has hardly fallen at all (especially considering federal spending). The government has kept spending steady though deficit spending. If we actually paid enough in taxes to support all government spending, Tax Freedom Day would occur in the middle of May, the second latest date ever.
On top of current deficit spending, we also have unfunded commitments for social programs at the federal level that will cost more than three times our current gross domestic product. Add in unfunded government worker benefits and state and local debts, and our future tax burden almost looks insurmountable. The arguments for spending restraint being written into the law just keep adding up.
So, congratulations. As of Monday, you are now working for yourself. At least until May 18.
Dr. Byron Schlomach is an economist and the director of the Center for Economic Prosperity at the Goldwater Institute.
