Articles
Articles (page 125)
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More Energy Mandates Mean Higher Prices
By Robert Bryce About two-thirds of the U.S. population as well as countless businesses and industrial users are now subject…
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Technology in the Classroom Paying Off
Previously, people used to think of technology in the classroom as a nice benefit. Computers and technological resources could be…
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Priority-Based Budgeting: Protecting Taxpayers
By Patricia Cuadros Back in October 2011, Governor Jerry Brown vetoed a performance audit bill from the California state…
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Improving Government Efficiency
Members of the Commerce, Insurance, and Economic Development Task Force are dedicated to making government more efficient, cost-effective and…
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Free Markets Hold Great Promise for Communications Issues
One of the most pressing issues confronting policymakers today is ensuring there is enough wireless spectrum available to meet our…
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ALEC Encourages Responsible Resource Production
North America’s abundance of recoverable natural gas offers great opportunities for economic development and it has thus attracted a broad…
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Exports Can Grow Your State’s Economy
States are facing an increasingly international future, and since ninety-five percent of the world’s consumers live outside our borders, embracing…
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Budget Transparency Increases Accountability in State Government
States that implement budget transparency provide the public with information on state spending in an effort to promote transparency…
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Welcome!
Welcome to the AmericanLegislator, the American Legislative Exchange Council’s new blog! We are dedicating this online forum to the more than 2,000 state legislators who call ALEC home. These legislators are committed to the principles of free enterprise, limited government, federalism and individual liberty, and they work every day to promote these ideals in states across the nation. ALEC is excited to be launching this new effort. With posts from policy experts and members, we hope you’ll find this forum informative, enjoyable and resourceful on a daily basis. We will be discussing the most critical issues facing the states – from tax and budgets, to health care and education reform, and everything in between. As Thomas Jefferson said, "But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle." And, since ALEC's legislators come from different backgrounds with differing opinions, this blog will be a lively channel for debate and edifying discussion. Exciting things are happening around the country in 2012, and ALEC members are proud to be part of them. Join the conversation, and enjoy your time on AmericanLegislator.org. Sincerely, Representative Dave Frizzell, ALEC National Chairman
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States Look to Eliminate Personal Income Taxes
Facing big budget shortfalls, many states are considering fundamentally changing their tax structure. Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma are currently attracting…
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A Threat to Personal Liberty – And How States Can Respond
There are 1,700 statutory offenses in Texas state law, including 11 felonies relating to harvesting oysters. It’s now almost status…
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Lessons Learned from Solyndra
President Obama’s persistent defense of his administration’s clean energy loan guarantee “investments” serves as an ironic underscore of his chief…
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Highway Robbery – Why Power on Transportation Issues Should Be Restored to the States
Envision a mafia-like scheme. The federal government shows up uninvited and says, “Ya gotta keep your highways in good shape,…
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Is State Debt Constitutional?
A recent Rasmussen Report found that sixty-eight percent of voters view Congress' job performance as poor. Failure in the eyes of the public doesn't belong only to federal representatives. Many state legislatures face equally dismal public approval ratings.
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Juvenile Justice: An Often Overlooked Opportunity for Saving Taxpayer Dollars and Protecting Communities
Corrections policy has long been a topic of hot debate in state legislatures. Less attention is devoted to juvenile justice.
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Administration Gives Mixed Signals on Domestic Energy Production
President Obama used his State of the Union address last month as an attempt to reassure the oil and gas…
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Budget Gimmicks Used by States
According to the Encyclopedia of Mental Disorders, "denial" is "the refusal to acknowledge the existence or severity of unpleasant external relations." Many states are ignoring the requirement to have a balance budget and thereby denying the reality that deep and permanent reductions are needed in the size and scope of government.
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Taxes matter more than sunshine
A recent study from the left-wing Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) concludes that taxes do not motivate people…
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Analysis of Total State Debt Shows Alaska, New Jersey, and Hawaii Among States in Worst Fiscal Situations
State Budget Solutions' (SBS) latest study reveals total state debt averages $13,754 for every American and $38,721 for each of the private sector workers in this country.
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Report Reveals Aggregate State Debt Exceeds $4 Trillion
State Budget Solutions' (SBS) second annual state deficit report reveals aggregate state debt presently exceeds $4 trillion.