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Chicago – Illinois political hack Richard J. “Dick” Durbin (D) has been in the U.S. Senate seventeen years too long. Time and time again for nearly two decades, Durbin has failed to reconcile his occasional calls for moderate government reforms with his overall track record of encouraging the growth of the size and scope of the government at every level. Perhaps even worse, he plays politics with his voting record on the most important of issues.
Durbin boasts that he voted ‘Nay’ on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2012, which Pres. Obama signed into law on Dec. 31, 2011. Inserted into the annual legislation which specifies the budget and expenditures for the Department of Defense, one of the most controversial new subsections authorizes the indefinite detention of individuals by military personnel without due process, regardless of their legal status or their location at the time of rendition.
“According to an analysis by the ACLU, this act codifies into law indefinite military detention without charge or trial for the first time in American history,” said Jim Tobin, President of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
Although Durbin voted against the 2012 NDAA and the 2013 NDAA, he cast a ‘Yea’ vote for the 2014 NDAA, which at present still contains the provisions permitting the indefinite detention of individuals without trial. Durbin also voted ‘Yea’ for the 2001 Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF), enabling the endless wars and lawlessness both abroad and at home for the past thirteen years. Unfortunately, the NDAA for Fiscal Year 2015 will almost assuredly pass again sometime in December 2014, as it has for more than five decades.
And worse yet, for more than a year and as recently as last month, Durbin has advocated rewriting the AUMF with even broader authorities, perhaps encompassing or exceeding those provided by the current NDAA he claims to oppose.
“The NDAA detention subsections are not limited to people captured in an actual armed conflict, as required by the laws of war,” continued Tobin. “As the ACLU stated, ‘There is substantial public debate around whether the NDAA could be read even to repeal the Posse Comitatus Act and authorize indefinite military detention without charge or trial within the United States.’ How Durbin will vote this time is anyone’s guess, but his voting record does not match his supposedly stalwart opposition to such tyrannical government legislation.”
“That Durbin would play politics with such an alarming expansion of government power is revealing of Durbin’s mindset, not to mention his knack for political posturing, claiming to be against the legislation while helping retain it as law. Durbin is the epitome of the D.C. Establishment.”
Concluded the ACLU: “The provisions – which were negotiated by a small group of members of Congress, in secret, and without proper congressional review – are inconsistent with fundamental American values.”
“Durbin has been in office far too long, and he needs to go,” Tobin emphasized. “He is a rabid supporter of big government, big spending, and eroding civil liberties, and is therefore a threat to everyone’s liberty and their wallets.”
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Chicago – Government bureaucrats in Wayne, White, and Edwards Counties have placed referenda on the November 4, 2014 ballot for voters to approve a 1% sales tax to supplement school funding. According to Taxpayers United of America (TUA), if passed, this new tax will do more harm than good.
“Adding new taxes is that last thing we need in Illinois,” stated Jim Tobin, president of TUA.
“This new sales tax will drive customers away to do business in lower tax counties. Times are hard right now with local unemployment around 7%. People can’t afford higher taxes. It’s time for government to solve the problems of debt and over-spending.”
“80% of local taxes go to pay government employees’ salaries and benefits. This tax increase is not for the children; it is for the lavish pensions and higher than average salaries of the government employees.”
“By allocating this 1% sales tax to buildings and maintenance, it frees up money to ensure government teachers and administrators can make so much more than the taxpayers who foot the bills.”
“Illinois’ pension plans are in the worst shape of all states in the country. We simply can’t afford to pay so many to retire at such young ages. In many cases, these government retirees get paid for more years not to work than they actually worked, while the average taxpayer will have to work until they drop.”
We are helping local activists to fight this referendum. For copies of our ‘vote no flyer’, click here:
Or call our office and we can mail copies to you.
To view the pension grids for these counties, click here:
“Raising taxes during tough economic times is bad for businesses and taxpayers. We have to stop their futile attempt to tax their way out of this problem.”
“Take a look at retired Norris City-Omaha-Enfield SD employee, James D. Price of White County. He gets a very comfortable annual pension of $118,314 that will accumulate to a stunning $3.6 million over a normal lifetime. His personal contribution to that payout is only about 2.7% and he retired at the age of only 56!”
“Gilbert D. Hanneken retired from Wayne County’s Fairfield SD112 at the ripe old age of 57 and gets a healthy annual pension of $127,803 that will accumulate to an eye popping, $3,938,497 over a normal lifetime.”
“These examples represent the highest pensions in the three counties looking to impose a new tax, but no ‘civil servant’ who relies on taxpayers to fund their retirement should be able to retire at relatively youthful ages.”
“The taxpayers of Wayne, Edwards, and White Counties are struggling to keep their heads above water. The median household income in this area is about $40,000 a year. Enough is enough already. Let the government bureaucrats take the pay cut this time.”
“When the funding from the state to the local school districts decreases, spending should be cut accordingly. In many cases, the revenue decreases because the schools’ enrollment decreases. Expenses should stay in line with declining enrollment.”
“Illinois currently has more than 11,054 annual state pensions over $100,000 and more than 78,526 government pensions over $50,000 a year. It is mathematically impossible to raise enough taxes to sustain the defunct state pension system and yet every unit of government continues to try.”
“I urge everyone in White, Edwards, and Wayne Counties to vote no November 4, 2014 on this money grab by greedy government bureaucrats!”
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Chicago – Taxation serves one purpose only: to grow government, according to Jim Tobin, noted economist and president of Taxpayers United of America (TUA).
“Government bureaucrats are always looking for ways to get more of your hard-earned money. God forbid you choose to smoke in Chicago. You now have to pay $7.17 in taxes for each pack, the highest rate in the country,” added Tobin.
“Bureaucrats love to tax vices; they are such an easy target. They sell outrageously high taxes on things like cigarettes as ‘the responsible thing to do’ – and people soak it up!”
“Government taxes for one reason only – to grow and sustain government. Government is not altruistic and does not have any interest in reducing the rate of smokers. They would lose too much revenue if everyone actually quit smoking.”
“When taxes like those on cigarettes are sold as a deterrent to high-risk behavior, it is simply a marketing strategy to easily pass a tax increase. The bureaucrats rely on the naiveté of their constituents.”
“The reality is that increasing taxes locally drives business to neighboring communities. In the case of cigarettes, you create a significant black-market opportunity. Cook County Sheriff, Tom Dart, attributed the lower than anticipated cigarette tax revenue to the growing black market cigarette operations throughout Chicago and Cook County.”
“The real issue is, why do we need to keep increasing tax revenue? The answer is simple. Pensions. The government pensions are the real budget drain. 75% to 80% of local taxes go to pay government employee salaries and benefits, and that doesn’t include the state pension funds. But it does include the municipal police and fire pensions in most cases.”
“The State of Illinois and many of the communities within are in dire financial straits because of the gold-plated pensions that have been promised to the government employees. It is mathematically impossible to tax your way out of the problem, however, the bureaucrats will try with all their might.”
“Government budgets across the state are hurting and they will seek to tax everything that moves, if they have Home Rule taxing powers, although cigarettes are so special they can be taxed even without Home Rule authority.”
Home Rule gives local government the authority to increase taxes or create new taxes, with very few limitations, without a referendum. There are approximately 150 Home Rule units in Illinois.
“I caution everyone to be diligent in monitoring the activities of the Home Rule unit governing bodies. As state money decreases, local governments will be looking to increase revenue through Home Rule taxes.”
“This is a great time to repeal Home Rule. As a matter of fact, TUA has been contacted by activists in 3 Home Rule communities to help them launch a campaign to repeal Home Rule.”
