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Taxes - The Heritage FoundationTaxes - The Heritage Foundation Proponents of raising taxes have offered many straw man arguments and myths to support their case. View Article - Tue, 07 Sep 2010 01:00:00 -0400 As we celebrate Labor Day, let’s remember what makes this holiday possible in the first place: American workers. For the most part that means small business. View Article - Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 The CEO of Intel has joined the ranks of those labeling big government as the cause of our economic slump, not the solution. View Article - Sat, 28 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 President Obama has called for a huge tax increase to take effect on January 1, 2011. Instead of reducing spending, he proposes to raise taxes on a wide swath of taxpayers—including small businesses—despite the weak economic recovery. Congressional Democrats stand poised (immediately following the November elections) to endorse the President’s request and threaten to go much further. Proponents of letting the tax cuts expire—which would indeed be a tax hike—have offered a wide array of justifications for this wrongheaded policy. Heritage Foundation fiscal policy expert J. D. Foster wades through the myths and straw arguments to set the record straight. View Article - Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:29:00 -0400 Curtis Dubay discusses the merits of extending the Bush tax cuts, including cuts for the middle class. View Article - Wed, 25 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 Bill Beach discusses whether a national tax holiday would encourage more lending. View Article - Mon, 23 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 The Economic Freedom Act, proposed by Representative Jim Jordan, would terminate the ineffective Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP), and substitute a proven way to stimulate the economy: tax relief—from permanent repeal of the capital gains and death taxes to significant reductions in payroll taxes and the top corporate tax rate. Analysts at The Heritage Foundation’s Center for Data Analysis (CDA) conducted static and dynamic analyses of the act (H.R. 5029), finding that over the long term, dynamic economic effects would offset much of the cost of the tax relief. In the short term, the act would increase the deficit if it was not coupled with reductions in spending. This means a specific plan for spending cuts is imperative. The CDA analysts detail the economic and fiscal effects of the Economic Freedom Act’s spending and tax cuts. View Article - Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:30:00 -0400 Bill Beach discusses the possible outcomes of a flat tax. View Article - Thu, 19 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 J D Foster discusses the possibility of an American VAT. View Article - Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 Imagine you are one of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s top political strategists. The polls show your party needs a game-changer, something that will transform what looks like a losing political hand into a winner. “I know,” you shout, “let’s push for a large tax increase on the ‘fortunate few’ — the 2 or 3 percent of the population with so much money they won’t even miss a few thousand bucks. The other 97 or 98 percent will feel no pain, and we’ll be able to call ourselves deficit hawks when all those billions start rolling in.” View Article - Tue, 10 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 President Obama wants to drastically raise taxes in January View Article - Thu, 05 Aug 2010 17:57:00 -0400 The CBPP's critique is based on faulty economic analysis and fundamental misrepresentations. View Article - Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:00:00 -0400 Liberals in Congress have a plan to raise your taxes after the elections this fall, something they must do to continue feeding the Obama Administration’s spending addiction. Watch for them to act after the midterm elections under the cover of the report from the bipartisan National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. View Article - Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 Curtis Dubay returns to The Ed Show to discuss jobs and extending the Bush tax cuts. View Article - Mon, 02 Aug 2010 01:00:00 -0400 Curtis Dubay discusses renewing the Bush tax cuts to support economic growth. View Article - Tue, 27 Jul 2010 01:00:00 -0400 The death tax: What does it kill? Who does it affect? It affects hundreds of thousands of small-business owners across the country—as well as their employees and community residents who benefit from the senior and day care centers, playgrounds, charities, and learning centers that are built or supported by small-business owners. Like water and sunlight in an ecosystem, small businesses provide sustenance essential to building and preserving communities. So high is the death tax that a large portion of heirs to small companies cannot afford to pay it after the business founder dies, and see themselves forced to sell to giant corporations—which have no personal ties to the communities of their new acquisitions, and thus no incentive to commit to local institutions. What does the death tax kill? The best of American life and civil society itself. The death tax is simply antithetical to the core of the American dream. View Article - Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:53:00 -0400 Millions of Americans face potential financial ruin because they bought homes they couldn't afford. Often, these homeowners were lured by initially low interest rates that provided the illusion of affordability. After a few years, these "teaser" rates reset upward, creating unaffordably high mortgage payments. View Article - Fri, 23 Jul 2010 01:00:00 -0400 Senator Jim DeMint cites Heritage research in his speech on preventing the renewal of the death tax. View Article - Wed, 21 Jul 2010 01:00:00 -0400 2010 is the only year since 1916 in which heirs to an estate will not have to pay the dreaded death tax. Victory for small businesses? Not yet—due to a legal quirk, the death tax is scheduled to come back to life in 2011. Studies, statistics, and real life have shown again and again that the businesses and families burdened with the death tax often see themselves forced to cut back on benefits, investments, and employees. The death tax keeps new jobs from being created, hurting not just the affected businesses, but the economy as a whole. Because it is a tax on capital, the death tax destroys as many as 1.5 million jobs that the economy needs as it struggles to recover. Heritage Foundation tax policy expert Curtis Dubay details a replacement for the death tax, and explains why Congress must kill the death tax—now. View Article - Tue, 20 Jul 2010 18:09:00 -0400 The Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act would likely lead to the same conditions that caused the housing bubble of a few years ago. View Article - Tue, 20 Jul 2010 13:00:00 -0400
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Looking for more great sites?
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May I suggest the following....
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Conservative Talk Radio Demolitions, Grass Roots Style
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Friday, November 6, 2009
www.meatandpotatoes.org
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Mark Lloyd
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We have all heard the looming threats on conservative talk radio by the new FCC diversity Czar Mark Lloyd. His suggestions for new FCC rules that intentionally target stations running syndicated shows like Rush Limbaugh in the name of “Local Content”, is disturbing to say the least. In Akron Ohio we have been blessed to have a Clear Channel station AM 640 WHLO, who has run a local talk show for several years with a specific focus on local politics. Sadly that too is in jeopardy, and most feel it is due to the conservative slant.
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Matt Patrick
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Matt Patrick is a legend in town, with over 30 years on the air. Like so many people, I have grown up to the sound of his voice as the morning prankster and DJ on WKDD. I listened to my own voice on the radio for the first time at age sixteen, winning a free CD from one of his call in contest, and was a celebrity for a day at school. That was over 20 years ago, and like me, Matt has also grown up and begun to question the world he lives in.
Clear Channel, who owns WKDD (FM Top 40 format) also operates several other stations in the area including WHLO (AM talk radio format). Station management had received quite a bit of heat for airing The Michael Savage Show, and was looking for a less controversial replacement that did not duplicate content airing on the much larger Cleveland Clear Channel affiliate WTAM. The time was right, and Matt raised his hand. While not giving up his commitments to the other station, Matt has pulled 2 years of double shift. Matt’s day starts at around 4:00am, with morning prep and posting an occasional video blog around 5:30am. From 6:00am to 9:00 he is Mr. Morning Drive Guy on WKDD with all the wit and charm that has made him famous, and Clear Channel millions in advertising. Then at 9:00am he shifts gears and does his 3 hour talk show.
 For years, Matt has taken his local fame, and put it to good use, raising millions for local charities such as Akron Children’s Hospital, the Make a Wish Foundation, the Autism Foundation, the MS Society and the list goes on and on. This summer he got involved with the Tea Party movement, and with Summit912.org put on the largest Tea Party in the State, attracting over 7,000 on a Thursday night. He has spoken at over 20 Tea Parties in the past 9 month, and is looked to by this movement as a hero. (Strike 1)
Matt has from the beginning let everyone know he is a conservative, but not a Republican Party hack. He interviews 15 to 20 people a week, and many are elected officials from both sides of the aisle. The interviews range from city council members to State senators, always dealing with issues that directly impact his listeners in the area he grew up in, and his family calls home. As his notoriety has grown, officials have begun to listen in town, in Columbus and in Washington DC. Congress Woman Michelle Bachman made it a point to be on Matt’s show first thing the morning after calling for a March on Washington DC on the Sean Hannity show the night before.
While kind to all, his questions are direct and he has been known to put a few people on the spot. This summer all but 1 member of the US Congress in the listening area came on the show to talk about Healthcare reform (only 1 was a republican). Congresswoman Betty Sutton, by far one of the most liberal in Congress, refused every opportunity for an interview. Matt repeatedly pointed this out in his show all summer, as Akron proper is in her district. The fact that she was also one of the few members of congress that refused to hold a single public Town Hall Meeting during summer recess this year enraged the community. Matt’s answer was to have a two hour Town Hall Meeting on-air before the massive Akron Tea Party this passed august. (Strike 2)
Perhaps the most controversial person in politics in Akron is its Mayor, who has held his seat for over 20 years. After surviving a recall election in January, one would think the Mayer would take a bit of a low profile, but not Don Plusquellic. In a press conference after wining the recall, he all but threatened the people who were behind the recall. Several months later, tapes of a 911 call from the Mayor swearing and slurring out side of a bar at 2 in the morning. Several months after that the mayor was pulled over after a citizen claimed he left a bar after drinking, and then swerved while driving down the road. Each of these stories were picked up by all of the Akron and Cleveland media outlets. Matt ended up with an exclusive interview with the eye witness that called 911 on the Mayor. (Strike 3)
Last week Matt decided it was time to cut back on the Top 40 DJ gig, so he could focus on his talk show. He informed the station management, a press release was issued, picked up by all the papers and that morning he went on the air to say he was leaving WKDD. Then the station pulled the rug our from under Matt, and the same day he found himself almost in tears letting his listeners know he was also being let go from WHLO. The public was shocked, conspiracy theories were everywhere, the station went into spin mode and Matt who is under contract still can’t say a word.
My sources report that WHLO listenershipship and the market share in Matt’s time slot is massive, cutting into Glenn Beck airing on the much larger WTAM in the Cleveland market. Advertising revenue is also at or above national averages for the market size. Clearly nothing that would warrant Clear Channel corporate to order a change, which leaves local management to blame. This begs the question; did Matt make enemies with a Liberal Mayor and Congresswomen with strong ties to the Democratic Party, Acorn and SEIU here in Northeastern Ohio? Or is Clear Channel getting pressure from the FCC thanks to the noose of liberal control that is being lynched tighter around all of our necks with each Presidential appointment, and each bill signed against the will of the majority of the public?
The people of our community have not given up. Letters are coming in every day from listeners and local politicians endorsing his show and the valuable service he provides to our community. Petitions are being signed, and questions are being asked. We are looking for answers. If the answers are honest, complete, true, and so profound to cancel out all the good Matt has done, well we will sadly learn to live without him. However if no such revelation exists, most of the people of this community will vote with their radio dial, pocket books, and advertising dollars. With 10% unemployment, and businesses closing all around, WHLO’s actions could place them next in line to layoff employees, or worse to close the doors soon. I’m holding my breath that clearer heads can prevail.
In the end, it’s up to us to stop the economic bleeding as a community. This station exists to serve our community by reporting the news, providing a public forum for its listeners and most of all by making money. These things are exactly what the Matt Patrick Show does best.
To WHLO Management: your current listeners by the tens of thousands are all waiting for your response and frankly so am I.
Sign the online petition to keep Matt on the Air:http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/keepmatt
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| 1 - There is no liberal bias in the media |
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| 2 - Separation of Church and State |
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| 3 - Banning partial birth abortions is an assault on a woman's right to choose |
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| 4 - The Outsourcing of American Jobs |
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| 5 - The Creation of Green Jobs |
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| 6 - Same Sex Marriage |
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| 7 - Rasing Taxes Equals more government funds |
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| 8 - The Supreme Court should keep International Courts in mind |
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| 9 - America must be humble to the international community |
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| 10 - Government Knows Best |
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My Top Blog Picks:
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We are an independent group of thinkers, who are neither Democrats nor Republicans, but believe in right and wrong. It’s time to clear all the crazy stuff from our lives, and get down to just the Meat and Potatoes of today’s issues. Join us, and invite your friends to sit down at your table and discuss with us. Site Map | |
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