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
Obama Misses Mark with Free Market, Government Planning Comparison
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/13/09
Perhaps the most frustratingly incoherent part of Obama speech Wednesday was his repeated portrayal of the market and government planning as just two possible, non-exhaustive, mutually-reinforcing “solutions” to the current health care “crisis”. There are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer system like Canada's -- (applause) -- where we would severely... read more »
3 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Top Five Whoppers from Obama's Healthcare Speech
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/13/09
1. Middle class tax hikes: “The middle class will realize greater [health] security, not higher taxes.” This would be a big departure from the House bill and the Baucus draft. The House bill has four tax increases on families making less than $250,000. President Obama himself endorsed another when he called for an individual mandate with a tax penalty. Earlier this week, he again floated the idea of a... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Why Unions Strongly Support Obamacare
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/10/09
Unions strongly support President Obama's health care reform, which includes a plan for a government-run "public option" that would crowd out private health insurance. Labor publicly argues that the current health care system serves Americans poorly. However, unions also have self-interested motives for promoting government-run health care: The legislation includes a $10 billion bailout of union retiree health plans; ... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
U.S. Postal Service Can't Deliver Like the Private Sector
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/08/09
We all know the post office slogan, "neither snow, nor rain, nor gloom of night shall stray these couriers from their appointed rounds." But what about a lack of pension? Or massive layoffs and buyouts? Would that keep couriers from their rounds? Our guess is....yes. The USPS is expected to lose $7 billion by September 30th. Since it is not a government owned entity, but rather a separate arm of the Executive Branch (as I... read more »
4 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Waxman-Markey Plan would Destroy Jobs and Increase Energy Costs
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/07/09
Every day after ATR posts new state figures on how cap and trade will destroy jobs and increase energy costs, Media Matters Action’s blog responds, like clockwork, that Waxman-Markey would instead create “green jobs”. For example, after Tuesday’s post on Kansas, Media Matters responded that 17,000 green jobs would be created. Because we know that Media Matters is reading our blog, we figured that we should give... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Healthcare Bill Violates Obama's Promise on Taxes
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/02/09
There are four tax hikes in the House Democrat healthcare bill (H.R. 3200) that violate President Obama's promise not to raise “any form” of taxes on families making less than $250,000 per year. The White House has told reporters that Obama is going to get specific on healthcare policy in a speech next week, which begs the question: If Obama is serious about keeping his central campaign promise, will he disavow the... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Policymakers Set Their Sites on the Breakfast of Champions
By Americans for Tax Reform | 09/01/09
Soon, the Breakfast of Champions may be a bowl of candy. Not that the ingredients will have changed in Wheaties, only the way the state determines it should be taxed. Your childhood favorites: Cheerios, Rice Krispies, and Lucky Charms? Candy. Raisin Bran? Candy. Oh, but Cookie Crunch? That's definitely cereal. This month, the Streamlined Sales Tax Project (SSTP), a closed-door cartel of state policymakers that essentially writes the... read more »
6 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Obama's Pick to Head FCC Wants Federal Regulation of Internet
By Americans for Tax Reform | 08/30/09
Not that it's anything really new, but this week Obama’s pick to head up the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) renewed his calls for federal regulation of the Internet. In fact, The FCC Chairman, Julius Genachowski, promised to “enforce any violation” of their new, ill-defined (more) pro-regulatory principles. Never mind that Congress hasn’t passed any new bills in the area. Specifically, Genachowski... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Medicare has Driven Competition out of Senior Health Care Market
By Americans for Tax Reform | 08/30/09
A “public option” health insurer would create a new government sponsored enterprise in our health care market. Government enterprises are not merely inefficient – they are the harbringer of private competition’s slow death by regulation. Previously, we noted how the government has jealously legislated an anti-competitive zone around the US Postal Service. But there is an equally compelling example of... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
Tax Cuts, Not Spending Increases, are Key to Economic Stability
By Americans for Tax Reform | 08/28/09
Keynesian Macro 101: What, exactly, is the difference between a good tax cut and a good spending increase? The simple answer: everything. From the consumer’s position, fairly little has changed: there isn’t much of a difference between a $1,000 tax cut, and a $1,000 increase in spending. From the government’s position, however, a great deal has changed. Spending, traditionally, has been believed to have a higher... read more »
2 Comments | Related Topics »National |
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