SaddleBrooke Republican Club » federal government

Senator Mike Lee on Violence Against Women Act

Brian Darling — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 23:00:14 +0000

Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) made the case that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), passed by the Senate, “oversteps the Constitution’s rightful limits on federal power.” Sen. Lee argued on the Senate floor that “everyone agrees that violence against women is reprehensible.” He went on to make the case that this is an issue better left to the states and not an issue in the constitutional purview of the federal government. Sen. Lee argues that there are three reasons why the VAWA should not have been passed by the United … More

Chart of the Week: Nearly Half of All Americans Don’t Pay Income Taxes

Rob Bluey — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 14:32:23 +0000

This year’s Index of Dependence on Government presented startling findings about the sharp increase of Americans who rely on the federal government for housing, food, income, student aid or other assistance. (See last week’s chart.) Another eye-popping number was the percentage of Americans who don’t pay income taxes, which now accounts for nearly half of the U.S. population. Meanwhile, most of that population receives generous federal benefits. “One of the most worrying trends in the Index is the coinciding growth in the non-taxpaying public,” wrote Heritage authors Bill Beach and … More

Chart of the Week: 1 in 5 Americans Are Dependent on Government

Rob Bluey — Sun, 12 Feb 2012 15:21:37 +0000

The number of Americans dependent on the federal government has exploded over the past five years, reaching a record 67.3 million people, according to Heritage’s annual Index of Dependence on Government. That means 1 in 5 Americans (21.8 percent) today receive some level of assistance from the federal government. This week’s chart — one of 15 featured in this year’s report — depicts the percentage of the U.S. population who receive government assistance and the total number of individuals who are dependent on the federal government. Fifty years ago, before … More

Egging on the Regulators: Farmers Face Threat of Red Tape

Alison Meyer — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 21:22:18 +0000

Pork producers are speaking out against legislation that would give federal regulators the authority to mandate cage sizes for egg-laying hens. They’re worried it could lead to a slippery slope that increases red tape for farmers on a range of issues. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Kurt Schrader (D-OR), would impose costs between $4 billion and $10 billion on farm production, according to industry estimates. The legislation requires conventional cages to be replaced with new colony housing for hens — about double their normal size. Among the bill’s other requirements: … More

Our Constitution Is Out of Step with the Rest of the World

Roger Pilon — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:39:10 +0000

Is the Constitution out of date? That’s the impression that comes across from an article in yesterday’s New York Times, written by the paper’s crack Supreme Court reporter, Adam Liptak. It comes in turn from an article he points to by two law professors, David S. Law at Washington University in St. Louis and Mila [...]

Our Constitution Is Out of Step with the Rest of the World is a post from Cato @ Liberty - Cato Institute Blog