Tuesday, May 17, 2011

MUTH'S TRUTHS 05/16/2010


RON PAUL…IN DA HOUSE

Republican Presidential Candidate, Ron Paul – who came in second with 13 percent of the vote in the 2008 Nevada presidential caucus - will be speaking in Las Vegas on Tuesday, May 17, at 7 pm at the Silverton Casino.  He will be the keynote speaker for the Clark County Republican Party, which will be conducting their meeting before he addresses them.  Event is open to the public, but folks are encouraged to arrive early, as check-in lines are expected to be longer than usual.

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DEREGULATING THE WRECKED CAR BUSINESS

I am, without doubt, a veritable hawk on the tax hike issue.  Not because no-new-taxes is a governing philosophy or political ideology, but because it’s a means to an end – that end being strictly limited government, which is only possible if you choke off the government’s money supply.

Indeed, there is once again a disturbing propensity in this current legislative session – by both Democrats and Republicans alike – to pursue licensing and regulating everything under the sun, almost always with a new Government Regulation Tax (GRT) included which they, 1984-like, always call a “fee.”

There’ve been efforts this year to license and regulate music therapists, charitable grant writers, asset managers, electronic insurance salesmen, chiropractic assistants, dieticians and even hair braiders.  In addition, the Democrats’ new “services” tax would require teenagers who provide babysitting and lawn mowing services to register with the government and pay a fee for the privilege.

And then there’s SB 407; originally a pro-consumer bill that would bring some market competition to what is presently a virtual monopoly in Clark County over the storage of trucks and automobiles which have been involved in an accident.  Alas, this rare legislative good deed has not gone unpunished.

Here’s the deal:

Let’s say you’re in a wreck because the driver of another vehicle was eating a cheeseburger while drinking a Big Gulp and trying to change the radio station while simultaneously yelling at the kids in the back seat (but NOT texting or talking on their cell phone!) and your car needs to be towed off the street. 

At present, the tow truck that’s called to the scene, under contract with the local government, tows the car to its own impound lot where you and your insurance company are often hit with outrageous storage and other miscellaneous fees that can add up to more than the car itself is worth…which, in turn, helps drive up the cost of automobile insurance.
SB 407, as originally introduced, would allow insurance companies such as State Farm, Allstate, GEICO, etc., to designate the storage lot where cars they insure are to be towed, rather than towing the cars to the storage yard of the towing companies which enjoy the local towing monopoly. 

This would allow the private insurance companies to put storage contracts out for competitive bidding to private storage yards.  And that market competition would result in lower storage and other fees for the automobile owner and his or her insurance company…which, in turn, would help keep insurance premiums down.

Understand, this bill would have no effect on the contracts the towing companies have to tow vehicles away from accident scenes; only on where the cars are towed to for storage.  And the towing companies would be free to compete for the storage contracts with insurance companies just like everyone else. 

So other than breaking up what is, in effect, a storage lot monopoly controlled by those already enjoying the towing monopoly (actually, it’s usually two companies - making it a government-controlled duopoly rather than a monopoly; but you get the idea), this bill is a pro-consumer free-market proposal to help bring down insurance premium costs.

Who could argue with that, right?

Well, the towing companies who presently are protected from market competition, that’s who.  And they’ve hired an impressive array of big-time, high-priced Carson City lobbyists to protect their racket…er, bread and butter.

As such, instead of SB 407 opening the storage yard business to market competition, lobbyists have gutted the bill with an amendment that addresses the problem of unregulated storage fees by…um, regulating them.  Good grief.

Indeed, rather than open the storage yard business to all qualified bidders and let the insurance companies negotiate the best deal they can get, the amended bill calls on the Nevada Transportation Authority to review the fees being charged by the current towing contractors and “determine whether those (fees) are appropriate and reasonable.”

So the government, not the market, will determine what is “appropriate and reasonable”?  Good grief.

Following this slippery slope of government regulation and control to its logical conclusion, it will only be a matter of time before government regulators determine the “appropriate and reasonable” cost of a cheeseburger at a fast-food restaurant or the “appropriate and reasonable” cost for a pair of shoes.

All of which brings us to the big question: Why, oh why, would any Republican legislator who fancies himself or herself to be a limited-government, free-market conservative, vote to increase government command-and-control of storage lots rather than opening up the storage lot business to market competition?  Inquiring conservative minds wanna know.

LOOKING FOR A SPEAKER?

Want your organization to get the inside scoop on what will happen next in Nevada politics and public policy?  Invite me to be your next speaker.  Shoot me an email to get rates and dates.

Upcoming Engagements
May 24: Southern Hills Republican Women (Henderson, NV)
July 9-10: Conservative Leadership Conference (Las Vegas, NV)
July 11: Pahrump Republican Women (Pahrump, NV)

WHO’S TO BLAME IF LEGISLATURE GOES INTO O/T?

The people of the state of Nevada twice approved a ballot measure requiring the Nevada Legislature to do its business within 120 days every other year.  It’s not a secret. Everyone knows about it.  Including Democrat leaders. 

In addition, Gov. Brian Sandoval said “no new taxes” as a candidate, ran on it, and was elected by the citizens of Nevada overwhelmingly over a Democrat opponent who also said “no new taxes.”  He then submitted a budget last January that, get this, was balanced without raising taxes.  Go figure.

Legislative Democrats, on the other hand, decidedly did NOT campaign on a promise to raise taxes by $1.2 billion, were not elected to raise taxes $1.2 billion and, in fact, wasted 3/4 of the 2011 legislative session hiding and refusing to present their plan to raise taxes $1.2 billion.

There is, therefore, no mandate to raise taxes, let alone time left in the few remaining days of our constitutionally mandated 120-day session to thoroughly debate, discuss and consider the Democrats’ ginormous $1.2 billion Mother of All Tax Hikes.  Which means it’s time for Democrats to face reality, suck it up, forget their $1.2 billion tax hike and complete the people’s business on time and in an orderly fashion.

And if legislative work is NOT completed by the constitutionally mandated deadline of June 6, 2011 – meaning taxpayers will have pay the additional expense for the session to go into overtime - it will be because of the Democrats, not the Republicans.  And there should be hell to pay if so.

CAMPAIGN & GRASSROOTS TRAINING

Communications, media relations, grassroots organization, blogging, fundraising and more.  Contact me via email to inquire about costs for putting on a custom training seminar for your group or organization.

Upcoming Workshops
July 23: North Valleys Republican Women (Reno)

THE RUVO ROOM IS BACK!

A former Carson City denizen informs me that the brass “Larry Ruvo” lettering above the entrance to the auxiliary building next door to the Governor’s Mansion that former Gov. Jim Gibbons had painted over four years ago has had the paint stripped off and Mr. Ruvo’s name is prominently displayed once again.

Ruvo’s name was affixed to what is now called the Nevada Room in gratitude for his efforts at the turn of the century to raise millions of dollars, much of which he kicked in out of his own pocket, to completely remodel and modernize the mansion, adjacent buildings and grounds under former Gov. Kenny Guinn.  I’m told two additional plaques the Gibbons’ had removed from the grounds have also been returned.

An insult rightfully corrected; an honor rightfully restored.

STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS/POLITICAL CONSULTING

Desert Fox Strategic Communications for political campaigns and government affairs.  Click here

THE CD-2 CIRCUS

Nevada Republicans have two big worries regarding the upcoming September 13 special election to fill the Congressional District 2 vacancy created by the appointment of Dean Heller to fill the U.S. Senate vacancy created by John “Pants on the Ground” Ensign:

(1) That a split GOP field of candidates could throw the GOP-majority seat to the Democrats, or…

(2) A split GOP field of candidates could throw the GOP-majority seat to Sharron Angle.

Not sure which a lot of Republicans fear most….

Fortunately, the GOP may be catching a break with regard to their #1 concern.  The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Monday that former university regent Jill Derby is not likely to sit this one out and allow state Treasurer Kate Marshall to compete for the seat as the only major Democrat candidate.  As such, that makes life for Marshall much tougher, and gives Republicans hope of retaining the seat.

Derby is a native of northern Nevada who has run for the seat twice against Heller - and held her own fairly well. Marshall, on the other hand, is a San Francisco native who lost $50 million taxpayer dollars in a bad investment as state Treasurer. 

It appears the Democrat “establishment” is behind Marshall, but Derby’s paid her dues and the rank-and-file aren’t likely to abandon her.  So look for a fairly even split among the pair which, depending on how the GOP field splits the vote, could result in a Republican hanging onto the seat.

Alas, remember….Republicans never blow an opportunity to blow an opportunity.

IT’S CALLED “CUSTOMER SERVICE”

Some of my friends in the brick-and-mortar retail industry are complaining about my opposition to their efforts to tax your online purchases.  They say that with the requirement to collect and remit in-state sales taxes on purchases, they can’t compete with online operations out-of-state that do not have to collect and remit sales taxes. 

“If you want to see a case study in how physical locations can combat the Internet, shop at Men’s Wearhouse,” writes a Muth’s Truths reader.  “These guys will press or mend my husband's pants or sew on a button for him no matter what city he travels to. It can be done. It's called customer service.”

Customer service.  What a unique concept.

FIRST FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR!

The next “star-studded, fun-filled, action-packed” First Friday Happy Hour will be on June 3, 2011 at Stoney’s in Las Vegas from 5:00 to 7:00 pm.  Free parking, no cover charge and 2-1 drinks.  First Friday is co-sponsored by conservative talk-show host Alan Stock and and KXNT 100.5 FM/840 AM.

THE BABYSITTER TAX

Our man in Carson City, Dan Burdish, is looking deeper and deeper into the Democrats’ proposed tax on services, and the deeper he looks the more it smells.

“The bill requires any ‘Service provider’ - any person engaged in a business that provides any ‘taxable services’ - to sign up and pay a $5 fee to the State,” Dan writes in an email to me.  “And they are not allowed to include the new service tax in their basic fee.  They must provide a receipt that shows the tax as a separate item.  That’s fine for a business but it SUCKS for a teenager who is mowing lawns or babysitting for extra money.”

Remember when Democrats were supposed to be for the “little guy”?  Not any longer; at least not when it comes to raising taxes to fund pet government programs.

FOLLOW CHUCK ON TWITTER

If you’re not following me on Twitter, you’re missing out on a lot of great “stuff” that doesn’t otherwise make it here in Muth’s Truths.

·         Not all college students are ill-informed, useful idiots serving as human shields for liberal legislators.
·         Welcome to the real world, kids. Democrat service tax would require gov't registration for teenaged babysitters. http://bit.ly/lQZPrk
·         Hop on the bus, Gus...for $100. No more free bus rides for Denver area school kids. The times, they are a'changing. http://bit.ly/ky3YQy
·         More on conservative blogger being "perp walked" out of NV teachers union convention Saturday by former ACLU director. http://bit.ly/lOkQ5b
·         Assemblyman Goedhart apologizes for catching zzzz's during Democrats' taxapalooza hearing on Saturday morning. http://bit.ly/mqg1sg
·         Snow job in Carson, but great day at ballpark in Vegas w/kids. http://lockerz.com/s/101990871


FAMOUS LAST WORDS

"There exists a mindset within the culture of government, a near-religious belief that programs for those in need can and should be created; and businesses can always be taxed more to pay for them.  The result being the road to the Nanny State is paved with the best of intentions – even though it ends up with potholes and pitfalls too expensive to repair.” – Assemblyman Pat Hickey, “Tahoe Boy,” 2009

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