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THE TENNESSEE INCOME TAX ISSUE IS "DEAD?"
June 6, 2006 -
June 12, 2006
A Tennessee income tax is not on the ballot this year, but the prime proponent of a state income tax IS back on the ballot. Former State Senator Bob Rochelle, who lead the fight for the income tax and later (after he decided he couldn’t get re-elected carrying that baggage) as a member of the pro-income tax stacked Tax Study Commission is running for the state senate again. As he kicked off his campaign last week he pronounced the state income tax a “dead issue.” Riiiiight. There are only two types of people who will vote for Bob Rochelle: those who support an income tax (like he does) and those who he can fool into thinking he doesn’t support an income tax.
This is not the first time the income tax has been declared “dead.” In recent years many people have stated that the income tax issue is “dead” …usually just before they mounted new efforts to pass it!
For example, on Sunday, October 12, 1999 the Chattanooga Times Free Press quoted legislative leaders saying then-Governor Don Sundquist’s state income tax proposal was “dead on arrival.” It was not. The Tennessee County News, in its March-April, 2000 edition, quoted Speaker Naifeh saying “an income tax is dead and lacks the votes needed for passage.” He was right, but it did not stop him from trying. On November 11, 2001 the Chattanooga Times Free Press reported that an income tax had been declared “dead” in the State Senate. That did not stop those in the Senate, led by then-Senator Bob Rochelle, from continuing to use any and all means to get it passed throughout the year that followed. And just last week, just ONE DAY after Bob Rochelle claimed the income tax was “dead,” the Jackson Sun editorialized in favor of an income tax for Tennessee.
There is a distinct difference between “dead” and “playing possum.” The same people who today say that the income tax is “dead” are the same ones who have so often brought it back to life. The Tennessean headline dated November 19, 1999 says it all: “Income tax Dead For Now.” Death is a bit more permanent than that. How many obituaries have you ever read that described the deceased as passing away…“for now?”
The ONLY way to make sure that an income tax does not come back to life is to keep those who have supported an income tax in the past as far away from the reins of power in the state legislature as possible. The bottom line is that anybody running for the State House or State Senate who does not have a verifiable track record of strenuously OPPOSING an income tax is almost certainly a “yes” vote for it when it comes up for a vote. And while it may be hibernating for now, the income tax WILL come back up for a vote at some point when Tennesseans least expect it. Just like it always has in the past.
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THE MORE YOU LOOK AT THE AMNESTY BILL, THE WORSE IT LOOKS. -
May 29, 2006 -
June 5, 2006
Last week the U.S. Senate passed an immigration reform bill that supporters insist is not “amnesty,” even though those who have illegally entered our country, illegally worked in our country, and in most cases committed criminal acts to cover up their illegal activity, are completely forgiven. By any logical definition of the term “amnesty”, that is exactly what the Senate has passed.
But the immigration reform bill does much more damage to our national interests than merely granting am... |
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A GLARING OMISSION. -
May 15, 2006 -
May 22, 2006
During President Bush’s prime time speech on immigration Monday night he threw out a lot of numbers. A 1,200 mile border with Mexico. 6,000 National Guardsmen who will patrol that border under his plan. 6,000 new Border Patrol agents who will be added over the next couple of years. Those are all very interesting numbers. But the most important number was ignored by the President: how many immigrants will be allowed into this country if we follow his lead?
A study conducted by the Herita... |
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GUMBEL'S GAFFE GETS HIM A PASS. -
February 18, 2006 -
February 25, 2006
Despite the nearly hysterical hype by NBC and the sporting world, most Americans have been tuning out of the Winter Olympics. Most television networks chose to air re-runs rather than challenging the expected viewing domination of the Olympics. But those who chose to go head to head with the Olympics have fared very well. “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Desperate Housewives,” and “American Idol” are among the shows that won the battle for viewers by huge margins.
Maybe it is because curling is th... |
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BIGGER POLITICAL SHIFT MAY LOOM. -
February 6, 2006 -
February 13, 2006
Last Friday Democrat State Senator Don McLeary announced he was switching to the Republican Party. Although Republicans already enjoyed a numerical majority in the State Senate, the move by McLeary gives the Republicans an even larger margin of 18-15 over the Democrats. That margin is, however, much more significant than the numbers themselves indicate.
First, despite Republicans gaining a 17-16 numerical majority following the 2004 elections (the first Republican majority in the State... |
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BEWARE OF BOGUS POLLS -
January 8, 2006 -
January 15, 2006
BEWARE OF BOGUS POLLS
As we enter into another election year, politicians at every level will seek our attention, votes and money…and not necessarily in that order. In addition to being inundated with television commercials, direct mail pieces, radio ads, and automated phone calls we will also be subjected to numerous polls.
Candidates use polls internally to determine which attacks, and responses to opponents’ attacks, are most effective in “moving” voters one direction or an... |
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