Dear Taxpayer,

Yesterday was yet another low for Congress. The Senate passed a Farm Bill without any real effort to trim the bloat and waste. They voted on only 15 of the 259 amendments filed on the bill, meaning many reform amendments were shut out of proceedings.  What a way to lead. The House version, which will be up next week, doesn’t look any better.

The agriculture sector is expected to experience record profits this year, yet it is the only sector where business owners receive guaranteed income through the subsidies they get from government – meaning your taxpayer dollars. You would think that with a record national debt, Congress would go after this low-hanging fruit. Instead, they refuse to lead and continue to pass bills that only serve special interests!

This is unacceptable. We need to keep the pressure on. Support our efforts to show Congress that there are common sense ways to create a more accountable and cost-effective farm safety net – see our proposals here.

And if that isn’t enough to get your goat, debate on the Water Resources Development Act is about to begin in the House, and there are Representatives actually talking about bringing earmarks back! Seriously. Some apparently think the only way to fix the nation’s infrastructure is by Congress designating funding for their chosen projects – and we know how that worked out before (see: Bridge to Nowhere). Your support will help us remind Congress why earmarks have no place in policy making. 

We expect more of the same all summer. We’ll be reading hundreds of pages of bills, tracking where your dollars are going. With your support, we’ll take our solutions to the halls of Congress. And we’ll make sure the media knows the truth. We’ve been in dozens of media outlets in the last month, including CNN and MSNBC; we’re posting a blog every week on US News & World Report; we’re appearing on DC’s News Channel 8 every other Tuesday — and of course sending you the Weekly Wastebasket every week.

It’s gonna be a long summer, but we’re committed to watching out for you, the taxpayer.  Thank you for your support.

Sincerely,

Ryan Alexander
President

P.S. Once again, Taxpayers for Common Sense has been awarded a “4-star rating” by Charity Navigator for our organization’s “fiscal health and commitment to accountability and transparency.” You can be assured your tax-deductible donation will be used well!