Category: Uncategorized
Category: Uncategorized (page 39)
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Health Care Freedom Makes a Big Impact in 2012
As the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments this week challenging the federal health law, the states are continuing to promote ALEC’s Freedom of Choice in Health Care…
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Sackett Victory Holds EPA Accountable…but by How Much?
By Senator Rand Paul (KY) On March 19, 2012, the Environmental Protection Agency concluded one of its longest-running enforcement matters – a 22-year battle with 80-year-old Massachusetts cranberry farmer and…
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Supreme Court Concludes EPA Property Rights Case
On January 9, the U.S. Supreme Court heard a case involving the unconstrained power of EPA bureaucrats to regulate the use of private property. On March 12, 2012, the…
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States Should Avoid Federal Bailouts – Even Illinois Agrees
Certainly, the past decade has been a difficult one for states, and policymakers are searching for ways to stay afloat. Some pundits and policymakers now want the federal government to…
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States Eliminate ‘Phantom Damages’ to Curtail Excessive Lawsuit Judgments
Medical care services, like automobiles or goods in a flea market, possess a list price that can often vary greatly from the price ultimately paid by the customer for the…
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Transparency Weeds Out Unintended Lawsuits
Earmarking by congressmen has received much scrutiny in the public’s eye. Allotting funding for pet projects with high costs and little benefit is something, of late, for which the public has…
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The U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement: Well Worth the Wait!
The U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) goes into force on March 15, 2012 and represents a major step toward President Obama’s 2010 National Export Initiative (NEI) goal of doubling…
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“A Destructive IRS Mandate”
ALEC Alumni Senator Rubio and Representative Posey write in the Miami Herald: The U.S. Treasury is proposing an IRS mandate that will require U.S. deposit institutions such as banks…
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Balancing the Federal Budget Can Start in the States
Time is running out. Our nation is trillions of dollars in debt without a credible plan to stop spending. The battle in Congress has escalated to a point where…
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Criminal Justice Reform
Members of the Public Safety and Elections Task Force are dedicated to developing and supporting policies that improve public safety, hold offenders accountable, and control corrections spending for states. Many…
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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 to rules that require them to buy renewable electricity. Proponents…
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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 useful for some special projects, but they could not help…
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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 legislature, calling it the “siren song of budget reform”. Soon…
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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 competitive. States across the nation are looking for opportunities 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 communications needs for the future. Wireless spectrum is the backbone…
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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 and diverse coalition of supporters. Though they differ in their…
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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 export opportunities can be the key to a state’s economic…
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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 and accountability in government. Budget transparency encourages fiscal responsibility and…
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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 the most attention with proposals to eliminate or reduce their…
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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 quo for criminal law to be used to regulate ordinary…