Bill would halt taxpayer-funded union activism

By   /  February 4, 2013  /  Accountability, Ethics, Federal Government, Issues, Louisiana, National, Open Records, Politics, Politics & Elections, Power Abuse, Public records, public sector, State Government, State Politics, Transparency, U.S. House, unions  /  4 Comments

THE COST OF ACT 10: The Madison school district revealed a draft budget this week that includes a 7.4 percent tax increase. (AP photo)

Try asking your boss if you can help organize a political protest and shout down opposing viewpoints during company time and at company expense. If you’re like most Americans, chances are good that’d be the second-to-the-last conversation you’d have with a company official — right before the one that leads to cleaning out your desk.

But unionized government workers are not like most Americans.

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Even if you’re thin, you’ll pay for Sen. Harkin’s fat fatwa

By   /  January 24, 2013  /  Accountability, Children, Featured, Federal Government, Health Care, News, Regulations, Transparency, U.S. House, U.S. Senate, Wisconsin  /  4 Comments

U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin's bill aims to battle obesity, chronic disease, with a super-sized menu of government programs.

You know what they say: The government helps those who won’t help themselves.

Exhibit A: U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin’s fatwa on fat and individual responsibility, the Healthier Lifestyles and Prevention America Act, also known as the HeLP America Act.

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No shows! MO congressional delegation, led by Todd Akin, misses plenty of votes

By   /  January 16, 2013  /  Accountability, Featured, Federal Government, Missouri, News, U.S. House, U.S. Senate  /  No Comments

AKIN: His congressional staff got the second-highest pay bump after the election.

By Johnny Kampis | Missouri Watchdog
ST. LOUIS — Former U.S. Rep. Todd Akin missed nearly 55 percent of congressional votes during his last two months in office — high numbers, but better than his tally from the previous quarter.
Missouri Watchdog reported in August that Akin, who lost his U.S. Senate bid to Democratic incumbent Claire [...]

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MO: Some in congressional delegation unhappy over ‘fiscal cliff’ deal

By   /  January 2, 2013  /  Featured, Federal Government, Missouri, News, Tax Reform, U.S. House, U.S. Senate  /  No Comments

FISCAL CLIFF: It's diverted for now, but some in Missouri say the budget cuts must still come.

The majority of Missouri’s U.S. House members voted for a deal that staved off the so-called fiscal cliff, but the compromise spurred plenty of grumbling.

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MO: Fiscal cliff looms as Congress mulls a fix

By   /  December 11, 2012  /  Economy, Featured, Federal Government, Missouri, News, Tax Reform, U.S. House, U.S. Senate  /  1 Comment

ALL ABOARD THE FISCAL CLIFF EXPRESS: The average Missourian's tax bill will increase more than $2,600 next year if Congress does not act.

By Johnny Kampis | Missouri Watchdog
ST. LOUIS — Tick tock goes the fiscal clock, and when the alarm sounds taxes will rise.
The nation will fall off the so-called “fiscal cliff” in less than three weeks unless Congress can reach an agreement on a combination of budget cuts and tax increases.
But as the days draw nearer to [...]

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