Charles Lollar Understands What Maryland (and America) Needs

Charles Lollar is one of the most exciting candidates to run for office in Maryland … this, or any, year.  A genuine conservative, Lollar understands what Maryland needs to move forward into a prosperous future:

For decades our government has ignored the sound advice that jobs flourish in an environment of vigorous competition, low taxes, and reasonable regulations.  Instead it has promoted an agenda of high taxes, higher spending and an expansion of government bureaucracy guaranteed to frustrate all who have to deal with it.

Unfortunately our current congressman believes that the government can create jobs and stimulate our economy by taking your tax dollars and spending it on more government programs, earmarks, and Wall Street bailouts, so much so that he has squandered trillions of your tax dollars, and failed to stimulate anything other than more out of control spending, bigger deficits and higher taxes.

Real problems require real solutions. Solutions that have been tested and proven effective, every time that they have been applied.  With our economy in distress we can no longer afford the foolish notion that we can borrow and spend our way out of debt. You don’t have to be an economist to know that such a practice is guaranteed to fail.  You only need to pick up the newspaper and look at today’s unemployment rate to realize that the current policy of tax, spend and borrow is a failure.

Jobs are created by entrepreneurs. People who risk their time, talent and personal treasure in pursuit of profit.  When they get it right, they are rewarded.  When they get it wrong, they are replaced by others who are better suited to create the jobs that build wealth for all of us. All without government stimulus plans, bailouts or earmarks.

As your next congressman, I will fight for an environment guaranteed to promote job growth and wealth creation.  I will be a strong advocate for the proven formula of vigorous competition, lower taxes, and reasonable regulations. It is time that we abandon the failed policies that have shuttered our business community and robbed you of the ability to invest and save for your future.

Together we can make "A New Day for Maryland"!

Imagine where we would be right now with this kind of leadership in Washington.

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The Impact Of A Higher Tax Burden

While Delaware continues to enjoy a relatively decent reputation as a business friendly state, increases in its tax structure have harmed Delaware’s competitiveness and the First State’s ability to weather the current recession.

Check out this short analysis courtesy of the Caesar Rodney Institute.

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Can We Spend Our Way to Recovery?

It should come as no surprise to you that I don’t think we can.  Thanks to the profligate policies of Obama / Pelosi / Reid most Americans realize it too.

Is there a solution?  YES!  Read this outline from Heritage:

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Caesar Rodney Institute Endorses CIGNA “Bribe”

I was a little surprised by this one, but the math works out:

The state is considering a $2.4 million Strategic Fund grant to encourage CIGNA to keep its 470 jobs in Delaware. Does this make sense? Yes.

In a perfect world, businesses would not be able to coerce grants from state governments by threatening to relocate. This is not a perfect world, and service companies, such as CIGNA, without significant location specific investments in plant and equipment can readily relocate to other states.

And the math works out. The average wage across all occupations in the insurance industry in 2009 was $59,000. That translates into a CIGNA wage bill of almost $28 million. About 7% of all earnings by place of work in Delaware go to out of state residents. Since CIGNA is located minutes from Pennsylvania, let’s assume 20% of the wages are exported. At an effective tax rate of 4.5% the remaining $22 million of wages translates into Delaware personal income tax revenue of almost $1 million per year. A conservative multiplier of 1.5 would add another $0.5 million of personal income tax revenue each year.

So, assuming CIGNA abides by the agreement and keeps 470 jobs in Delaware for six years, the state gains almost $9 million in revenue to offset the $2.4 million grant. If 50 extra jobs are also added over time, another $0.5 million of income tax revenue might result.

Is the CIGNA grant a bribe? Yes. But in the real world where firms can “vote with their feet,” the ultimate decision making rule is whether the long run benefits exceed the costs. And given the tenuous condition of the economy, it is no time for idealism.

Dr. John E. Stapleford, Director

Center for Economic and Policy Analysis

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National Cost of Government Day

Yesterday was National Cost of Government Day.  What does that mean?  It means that, on average, you have finished paying the cost of government for this year:

Today is the first day you stopped working for Uncle Sam and began working for yourself. Americans must labor 231 days out of the year just to meet all costs imposed by government – 8 days later than last year and a full 34 days longer than 2008.

Sadly, if you live in Maryland (as I do) you will continue paying for the cost of government through September 4th (4th worse in the nation).  Delawareans will have met their obligations tomorrow.  Virginians on August 25th.

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John Phoebus Attacks Jobs Issue on Lower Shore

It doesn’t matter whether you are looking at national or statewide polls, attending candidate forums, or simply talking with your neighbors; the NUMBER 1 ISSUE in this year’s election is JOBS.  John Phoebus, GOP candidate for Maryland House District 38-A is one of the few legislative candidates who is prepared to offer a concrete proposal to stimulate economic development in his District, and the state of Maryland.  Phoebus wants to reduce (or eliminate) the state’s corporate income tax).

Phoebus has proposed, along with many others, that Maryland roll back the 20% sales tax increase enacted by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley and the Democrat controlled legislature.  While this definitely would put money back into the pockets of Marylanders (where it belongs), the positive effects of such a roll back would primarily be felt in the state’s retail sector.  However, Phoebus’s proposal to reduce state income tax rates for businesses would definitely increase Maryland’s competitiveness in attracting employers to the Old Line State.

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When All Else Fail – The Politics of Fear

Taxes go up in January.  Unemployment is still hovering at 10%.  The economy is still in the tank.  The deficit has soared to an unheard of TRILLION dollars.  What’s a Democrat to do?

Go back to the playbook!  The politics of fear seems to work when all else is failing.

Their policies have been complete failures.  If they run on their record, few Democrat seats are safe.  So ….

During his weekly radio address, President Barack Obama gave us a glimpse into this fall’s mid-term elections:

IF YOU VOTE REPUBLICAN OLD PEOPLE WILL DIE!

Seniors freezing in the cold, eating cat food; that is the image Barack Obama and the DNC want to paint for this fall’s election.  Why not?

As Erick Erickson points out in RedState – it’s a replay of 1994 all over again.  Fortunately, it didn’t work then.  Hopefully, it won’t work now.

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Gotta Spend Those Tax Dollars in Wicomico County

In the spring of 2008, Wicomico County Executive Rick Pollitt proposed that the county spend Maryland “Open Space” money to purchase land for a park on Crooked Oak Lane.  Amid charges of insider dealing and bad appraisals, the Pollitt administration told the public that we had to do it.  Gotta spend that tax money.  If we don’t spend it, someone else will.  Fortunately, a majority of the county council saw fit to continue looking for a piece of property that cost less.

Move forward one year …

In April of 2009, the county council saw fit to purchase 100 acres on Levin Dashiell Road for approximately $1 million.  All council members, except for councilman Joe Holloway, voted for the purchase.  While the approximately $10,000 per acre paid out of state coffers (read “YOUR POCKET”) was substantially lower than the cost of the Crooked Oak property, many still considered the price too high.  While continuing to emphasize the supposedly “free” money coming from the state, the Pollitt administration and their allies on council could never overcome one giant hurdle – why is Wicomico County taking more land off of the tax rolls when they free admit that they don’t have the money to develop this park.  The Pirates Wharf purchase continues to sit undeveloped despite promises of a park when it was purchased years ago.

Move forward 10 more months …

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Where’s That PORKULUS Money Going?

As we noted earlier today, my Congressman, Rep. Frank Kratovil (D-MD) hasn’t been the most available fellow ever since hordes of constituents let him know last year that they were none too happy with his votes FOR the Obama PORKULUS and “Cap and Tax”.  They were going to be REALLY angry if Kratovil voted for ObamaCare.  Being the courageous fellow that he is, Kratovil reversed himself on one of the few issues he actually took a stand on in 2008 – he voted against the massive takeover of our health care system.

While Kratovil claims to be a “fiscally responsible” Democrat.  I wonder if Frank has been checking on where some of that PORKULUS money has been going?  If so, perhaps that explains why Kratovil has been in hiding – he’s embarrassed!

Senators Tom Coburn (R-OK) and John McCain (R-AZ) have recently released Summertime Blues – 100 Stimulus Projects That Give Taxpayers The Blues.  I’m definitely embarrassed for Kratovil and I’m not even a supporter!  Here are just a few of the stellar uses of borrowed dollars which our children and grandchildren will be paying off long after we’re gone:

• $141,000 – to study DINOSAUR EGGS in CHINA
• $1.9 Million – to PHOTOGRAPH ANTS
• $144,500 – to study COCAINE USE in MONKEYS
• $296,000 – to study DOG DOMESTICATION

Now these are just some of the low dollar items.  Check out Summertime Blues for some of the rather large, and of course, rather wasteful big ticket “projects”.  I particularly like Pittsburgh’s answer to the “Big Dig”.  A project Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell equated to a black hole – until PORKULUS offered to pony up.

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ObamaCare – The Future Is In Massachusetts

MPPI’s Marc Kilmer gives us a glimpse into Maryland’s future.  Simply look to the north.

Former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney promised many of the same things to his voters regarding RomneyCare that the messiah promised to the rest of America.  Have they come true?

Health care costs continue to rise in the socialist paradise of Taxachusetts.  Emergency rooms are still overcrowded, despite promises from Romney, and now Obama, that this problem would disappear.

One problem faced in Massachusetts that the feds won’t have to face – at least in the immediate term – is the huge shifting of resources into health care from other programs.  The anointed one will simply borrow until US sovereign debt shares the same risk rating of Greece.

The problem is, it may be too late to do anything about it then.

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