Not All Talk: How radio helped kill a tax in Tennessee

Opinion Journal ^ | 08/08/2002 | John Fund

[Pokey78]

Talk radio has faded as a political force since 1994, when the Republicans took Congress. But at the local level talk radio remains powerful. Regular listeners, 15% to 20% of the population, vote and discuss politics with their friends more often than most people do. So when hosts spotlight issues of government abuse, corruption or unmet needs, they force the politicians to tune in to the problem.

[CyberAnt]

Well ... Rush isn't the only one pulling a good audience. Roger Hedgecock, here in San Diego (a county of 3 million), pulls an audience of 2 million. And ... he gets things done when no one else can.

He has a program now for military families. He has put together a group of people who can assist families while their spouse is deployed. They change tires, repair cars, babysit children, give moms a special hairdo, buy clothes and toys for children, etc. etc. etc. Great program.

[Plutarch]

"They are willing to pay for services, but they honestly think we should be cutting back on waste before going to them for more money," he said.

This politico knows "they" are two different sets of people. The "they" enjoying "free" TennCare are probably in favor of increasing taxes on the "they" whose income is taxed.

[Joe Bonforte]

More proof that Steve Gill and Phil Valentine made the difference - the pro-tax governor Sundquist hates their guts and has insulted them in public. Not that they care. It just increases their popularity since Sundquist is now only liked by bureaucrats and parasites.

[Joe Bonforte]

Thought you would want to see this.

[Kermit]

"They are willing to pay for services, but they honestly think we should be cutting back on waste before going to them for more money," he said.

This quote receives today's "You Don't Say Award" for uncovering the obvious.

[agitator]

The really bad joke is that Tennessee government has enough money hidden in investments that it could fund itself without taxing anybody!

Listen to what Walter J. Burien has to say in this show I did tonight.

Streaming Links

Windows Media version - RealPlayer version

[supercat]

"They are willing to pay for services, but they honestly think we should be cutting back on waste before going to them for more money," he said.

Government agencies seldom have any incentive to be thrifty. Rather, they tend to misspend as much money as they think they can get away with, blame poor performace on a lack of funding, then mis-spend a large part of any additional funding they get.

While it would be an oversimplification to say that the amount of money actually spent for good and proper purposes is independent of taxes raised, tax increases seldom produce a commensurate increase in proper spending. Rather, tax increases provide the opportunity for government agencies to eke out more money for their own purposes.

Government needs to be kept 'hungry'. A government which is not fiscally constrained will not only abuse its citizens' pocketbooks, but it's likely to use the money to harass citizens in other ways. The only way to keep government 'honest' is to ensure that it can't afford to abuse its citizens.

[The Raven]

Deep down inside, I thought we'd have an income tax by now. I used to live in CT and the pro-tax folks just kept at it until the citizens lost interest.

People "want" programs when paid for by other people's money. A politician promises just that.

[GailA]

Great article. Now we have to get into the trenches and stop the TN media and the demon-rats from getting oily phil bredesen elected governor! All we've seen is hit piece after hit piece on Van Hilleary since the primary!

IF oily phil gets in we will see a income tax rammed through!

We have to bounce some more of the tax and spenders in Nov, we got 4 in the primary, now it is time to get behind Tony Lopez to bounce boss hogg naifeh! THIS IS A MUST TO DO. IF we bounce boss hogg we send a VERY CLEAR message about how we feel about the income tax.

It's gonna take MONEY to bounce boss hogg, he has a huge war chest, while Mr. Lopez has nearly none! TIPTONGOP

[tdadams]

Very, very well said. You nailed it.

[Black Agnes]

John Fund ping!

[tdadams]

Upon hearing that, a few protesters became boisterous, and the surging crowd shattered a glass door.

They're lucky we were well behaved and it was only a little glass.

Some documentary photos of the great events, if you're interested.

[JohnGalt]

The citizens did not lose interest, they voted with their feet, while the opposition imported voters from the Third World.