United States Congress

What Governor Quinn’s Income Tax Hike Means to You

12/31/2010
by Collin Hitt Illinois lawmakers are considering raising the state income tax. Different plans have emerged, but each would damage Illinois’s economic recovery.  The plan that has been discussed the longest is one that would raise Illinois’s individual income tax from three to four percent, a 33 percent increase.  More recent tax plans have emerged that...

US House Adopting Transparency Reforms: Listen, Springfield.

12/31/2010
The 112th Congress, which convened today, plans to adopt new governing rules for guiding the legislative process. Multiple transparency reforms are among the changes under consideration. Springfield should take a look and consider them too.

Virginia Judge Dismisses Health Care Lawsuit

By Chris Andriesen
11/30/2010
by Amanda Griffin-Johnson Earlier today in Lynchburg, Virginia, District Court Judge Norman Moon dismissed Liberty University’s health care lawsuit on its merits. Judge Moon ruled that the plaintiffs, Liberty University and two individuals, “had standing to assert their constitutional claims against the individual and employer mandates in the health care law,” but “Congress acted in accordance with its constitutionally delegated powers under...

Obama Announces Federal Pay Freeze

11/29/2010
Earlier today, President Obama announced a plan to freeze civilian federal employee pay for two years. The pay freeze “applies to all Executive Branch workers — including civilian employees of the Defense Department, but does not apply to military personnel, government contractors, postal workers, members of Congress, Congressional staffers, or federal court judges and workers.” The pay freezewill also “not...

Most Voters Want Health Care Impact Investigated

By Chris Andriesen
11/11/2010
by Kate Piercy A recent Rasmussen Reports national survey found ambivalence among voters about House Republican plans to investigate the Obama administration – unless the subject of the probe is the unpopular national health care bill. Scott Rasmussen remarked about the findings, saying, “Voters want Congress to focus on substance, not distractions. Congressional questioning about policy...

What It Means – Elections

By John Tillman
11/03/2010
All across the country, from federal races to local races, the national mood and resulting election wave dominated and largely prevailed.  In Illinois, that same wave only flowed for the federal races, not the General Assembly or governor’s race. Mark Kirk won President Obama’s Senate seat, and there were four GOP pickups in the House...

My Nominee for Pay Czar: David Stern

By Chris Andriesen
11/02/2010
by Dan Proft I do not think government functionaries should set private sector salaries or that U.S. policymakers should be adorned with the appellation properly reserved for Russian autocrats. But, if I did not believe in free markets and free minds, NBA Commissioner David Stern would be my choice for “Pay Czar.” Stern is in the...