Free Republic

VIDEO 3:56 minutes NLPC Associate Fellow Mark Modica was interviewed by Gerri Willis on the Fox Business Network on August 6. Here's a transcript: Gerri Willis: Moving on to a story, I know you are going to love. "In Focus Tonight," the Chevy Volt village. An entire town dedicated to the controversial taxpayer backed car that so happens to spontaneously combust in flames. The government is teaming up with the private sector to test out its green agenda by dumping these Chevy Volts on an entire community. And did I mention you are helping to pay for this? Joining me...

Well, I really have to hand it to the Obama Administration and General Motors when it comes to promoting green energy initiatives and the Chevy Volt; if nothing else, they are persistent. Unfortunately, that persistence continues to come at the expense of US taxpayers. The latest folly, as reported by Edmunds Inside Line , involves a $10.4 million grant from the Energy Department to create what Edmunds calls "Chevrolet Volt-ville." GM and OnStar have joined a partnership (which includes GE Energy, of course) that had been formed to create a community in Texas called Pecan Street Inc. GM says the...

Over the next several weeks, 130 million Americans will get some easy money, compliments of Uncle Sam. Well, it's actually courtesy of ourselves, the taxpayers. But Congress and the president decided that giving Americans rebate checks is a great way to boost the economy. The idea: Put some money back in the hands of Americans, who can be counted on to squander it. It's almost our patriotic duty to do so. But we don't have to go along with this idea. We live in a free country, after all. So we can take advantage of this opportunity to bolster our...

WASHINGTON — President Bush signed legislation today to send $300 to $1,200 rebate checks to millions of Americans as a "booster shot" for the economy. Rebates are to go out beginning in May to taxpayers and low-income people, including seniors living off of Social Security and veterans who depend on disability checks. Businesses would get tax breaks for investing in new plants and equipment. "I know a lot of Americans are concerned about our economic future," Bush said. "Our overall economy has grown for six straight years, but that growth has clearly slowed." Several dozen members of Congress, including House...

Show Me the Money : Repealing Sarbanes-Oxley would really stimulate economy By Tom Patterson, In the race to get credit for averting the recession, last month President Bush announced his economic stimulus plan to give $100 billion in cash rebates to individuals, plus a temporary cut for business investment taxes. The "rebates" aren't really rebates, since many taxpayers aren't getting one while non-taxpayers are. And economists broadly agree that the stimulus plan isn't going to be much of a stimulus. The truth is that economic growth doesn't result from money being moved around, it comes from enhanced productivity and wealth...

WASHINGTON - The Senate is set to begin voting on dueling economic aid proposals, as senators rush to add jobless benefits and tax rebates for high earners, the elderly, and disabled veterans to a House-passed package. Senate Democrats and some Republicans are teaming up to tack $32 billion onto the House measure with a bill that would send rebates of $500-$1,000 to all but the richest taxpayers. Families also would get $300 for each child. Senators could begin voting as early as Thursday in hopes of completing the package by week's end. Provided that President Bush quickly signs the legislation,...

WASHINGTON — The House, seizing a rare moment of bipartisanship to respond to the economy's slump, overwhelmingly passed a $146 billion aid package Tuesday that would speed rebates of $600-$1,200 to most taxpayers. The plan, approved 385-35 after little debate, would send at least some rebate to anyone with at least $3,000 in income, with more going to families with children and less going to wealthier taxpayers. It faced a murky future in the Senate, though, where Democrats and Republicans backed a larger package that adds billions of dollars for senior citizens and the unemployed, and shrinks the rebate to...

By The Associated Press 45 minutes ago Congressional leaders have reached a deal with the White house on a bipartisan economic stimulus package that is expected to move swiftly through Congress and give most tax filers rebates of $600 to $1,200. WHAT'S IN _Tax rebates: Checks of at least $300 for almost everyone earning a paycheck, including low-income earners who make too little to pay income taxes, so long as they earned at least $3,000 in 2007. Families with children would receive an additional $300 per child, while those paying income taxes could receive higher rebates. The full rebate would...

WASHINGTON - United for urgent action, the White House and Congress raced toward emergency steps Thursday to rescue the national economy from a possible recession, including tax rebates of $300 or more for many Americans. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke endorsed the idea of putting money into the hands of those who would spend it quickly and boost the flagging economy. All the talk of rescue efforts failed to soothe Wall Street. The Dow Jones industrials plunged 306.95 points, underscoring deepening concern about the country's economic health. The sudden scramble to take action came as fears mounted that a severe...

Minnesota finance officials expect the state treasury to run a $2.17 billion surplus through June of 2009. That includes a projected surplus of $1.038 through June of next year, and $1.132 billion for the following two years. "We've got some pretty good news here,'' Finance Commissioner Peggy Ingison said before she outlined the numbers at a Capitol news conference Wednesday. The economic report details tax and spending patterns. The news means GOP Gov. Tim Pawlenty and a Legislature now in DFL hands will have extra money to devote to schools, public health care programs and, maybe, tax cuts.

Daschle floats option to Bush plan He calls for income tax cuts of $300 a person, aid to states, jobless 01/25/2003 Associated Press CLEVELAND - Senate Democratic leader Tom Daschle called Friday for $300-a-person income tax cuts and billions in aid to cash-strapped states as part of an alternative to President Bush's economic-stimulus recommendations. Mr. Daschle's proposals also include tax breaks to help small businesses afford health insurance premiums and aid for an estimated 1 million jobless people who have exhausted their unemployment benefits. Mr. Daschle, D-S.D., announced his proposals in a speech before the City Club of Cleveland....