CONTRIBUTOR
REGIONAL PERSPECTIVES / NATIONAL IMPACT
ATR
Member For
32 weeks 3 days
Website:
www.ATR.org
Contact:
722 12th Street NW, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20005
Office: 202-785-0266
Fax: 202-785-0261
friends@atr.org
BIOGRAPHY
Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) opposes all tax increases as a matter of principle.
We believe in a system in which taxes are simpler, flatter, more visible, and lower than they are today. The government's power to control one's life derives from its power to tax. We believe that power should be minimized.
ATR was founded in 1985 by Grover Norquist at the request of President Reagan.
The flagship project of Americans for Tax Reform is the Taxpayer Protection Pledge, a written promise by legislators and candidates for office that commits them to oppose any effort to increase income taxes on individuals and businesses. Since ATR first sponsored the Pledge in 1986, hundreds of U.S. Representatives, more than fifty U.S. Senators and every successful Republican Presidential candidate have all signed the Pledge. In the 111th Congress, 172 U.S. Representatives and 34 U.S. Senators have taken the Pledge never to raise income taxes.
Americans for Tax Reform began promoting the Taxpayer Protection Pledge on the state-level in the early 1990s.
ATR works with state taxpayer coalitions in all 50 states to ask candidates for state legislature and constitutional office to sign the State Taxpayer Protection Pledge, which reads: “I _____ pledge to the taxpayers of the __________ district, of the state of __________, and to all the people of this state, that I will oppose and vote against any and all efforts to increase taxes.”
Additionally, Americans for Tax Reform works with state-based center-right groups to help replicate ATR’s national Wednesday Meeting in the states. Currently, there are over 50 meetings in 45 states. These meetings bring together a broad cross section of the center-right community- taxpayer groups, social conservative groups, business groups, legislators, etc., to promote limited government ideals.
Realizing that Americans not only need to be protected from higher taxes, but from higher spending; Americans for Tax Reform created the Center for Fiscal Accountability (CFA) in 2008. CFA focuses on all central issues related to fiscal responsibility and accountability, especially spending restraint and the promotion of a more transparent and accountable government on the local, state, and federal level through easily searchable online spending and contract databases.
Americans for Tax Reform and Americans for Tax Reform Foundation also sponsor the annual calculation of Cost of Government Day (COGD), the day on which Americans stop working to pay the costs of taxation, deficit spending, and regulations by federal and state governments.
ATR is a nonprofit, 501(c)(4) lobbying organization. Contributions to Americans for Tax Reform are not tax deductible. The Americans for Tax Reform Foundation is a 501c(3) research and educational organization. All contributions to the Americans for Tax Reform Foundation are tax deductible to the extent provided for in federal law.
COMMENTARIES
In California, Cutting Spending is Numero Uno
By Americans for Tax Reform | 05/18/09
If it's May then you know it's time for the annual California budget revision and last week Gov. Schwarzenegger unveiled two proposals for the current fiscal year. The budget revisions come amidst the setting a $21 billion state overspending problem. The last budget agreement that passed in February intended to address the state's then $40 billion overspending problem. That budget raised the state's income, sales, and car taxes by approximately... read more »
5 Comments | Related Topics »CALIFORNIA | National |
Clean Energy Bill Cleans Wallets
By Americans for Tax Reform | 05/15/09
Soon, your Representatives will consider a bill in the U.S. House that will increase taxes, limit American energy production, decrease American jobs, and increase the cost that you and your family pay every time you fill up your vehicle. Don't let them pass this bill! While the liberals claim they want to "help the environment" and help consumers cope with rising energy costs, the Waxman-Market energy bill will only increase taxes,... read more »
Water: the Next Assault on Your Freedom
By Americans for Tax Reform | 05/14/09
Among the worst violators of Americans' property rights are out-of-control regulators who enforce federal environmental laws. This trend only seems to be increasing as Congress looks to pass the “Clean Water Restoration Act” (S.787). S. 787 would infringe on the rights of property owners across the nation and result in an unprecedented expansion of the regulatory authority of the federal government. S. 787, re-introduced... read more »
Teaching Blue Oregon About Tax Policy
By Americans for Tax Reform | 05/11/09
Oregon's progressive-liberal blog BlueOregon.com took aim at Americans for Tax Reform last Friday after ATR submitted a letter opposing a distortionary rental car tax increase in Multnomah County, the home of Portland. Eager to attack those with who provide data contrary to their progressive, high tax agenda, BlueOregon posted a copy of the letter on their site along with some unrelated commentary on ATR (worth a read). The blog... read more »
8 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Obama's Double-Tax Jobs Killer
By Americans for Tax Reform | 05/04/09
America has the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. The United States is tied with Japan for one very dubious honor—having the highest corporate income tax rate in the developed world. According to the OECD, the United States has a combined marginal corporate rate of nearly 40 percent. This compares very negatively to our European competitors’ average rate of 25 percent. The Republic of... read more »
4 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Obama's First 100 Days in Detail
By Americans for Tax Reform | 04/27/09
Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) today released a comprehensive taxpayer timeline of President Barack Obama's first 100 days in office: Day 1 -- January 20: In his Inaugural address, President Obama makes a noteworthy commitment to the American taxpayer: “And those of us who manage the public's dollars will be held to account, to spend wisely, reform bad habits, and do our business in the light of day, because only then can we restore... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Earmark Disclosure More a Guideline Than a Rule
By Americans for Tax Reform | 04/24/09
As The Hill reported this week, the appropriations committee in the U.S. House of Representatives seems to waffle on the enforcement of their recent earmarks disclosure rule. According to the rule spelled out in February, House members were required to disclose their earmark requests on their official websites by April 4. Those not in compliance, were supposed to have their requests rejected out of hand. However, the... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
The Earth Day Hangover: $10k/Family
By Americans for Tax Reform | 04/23/09
Based on its calculations of President Obama’s FY 2010 budget, ATR estimates that the energy provisions combined could result in a possible $10,000 tax per year on every American family once fully phased in. Tax and energy analysts at Americans for Tax Reform have calculated the true size of the Pelosi-Obama-Reid energy tax hike on families. By adding together the tax increase costs of the carbon tax, Sec. 199 repeal,... read more »
5 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Obama Gets Tough, Cuts Out a Latte
By Americans for Tax Reform | 04/20/09
After working with Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid to ram through the trillion dollar spending and debt package under the guise of economic "stimulus" without giving Members of Congress or the public appropriate time to review the bill, ... and after signing into law a bloated $410 billion omnibus appropriations bill which was riddled with thousands of earmarks, ... and after proposing an irresponsible and unsutainable budget that would... read more »
4 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Tea Parties a Good Sign for America
By Americans for Tax Reform | 04/14/09
Tomorrow, I will join hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country to express anger over Congress’s irresponsible and reckless spending habits. Taxpayers are not deceived by the notion that the American economy can be revived by government simply spending its way out of a recession. They are a sophisticated people who recognize that continued overspending runs up massive deficits that ultimately lead to higher taxes and less... read more »
7 Comments | Related Topics »National |
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