FREEDOMWORKS 04/19/2018 ARIZONA DEMOCRAT CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE CAUGHT IN A MASSIVE LIE! (Just an ordinary Democrat!)

1. House Republicans Can't Drain the Swamp by Electing Keven McCarthy as Speaker

By Jason Pye Last week, Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) announced that he would not seek re-election. His future had been an open question. He was essentially recruited to take the gavel of the chamber after Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) called it quits in October 2015. Assuming Ryan doesn’t step aside before the end of his term and Republicans keep control of the House of Representatives, Republicans will choose their candidate for speaker at some point after the election, likely in mid-November. The election that will be held at the beginning of the 116th Congress on January 3, 2019 will be between the Republican and Democratic nominees for speaker, plus any other candidates who members vote for. Now, some may think this is a done deal; that Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has this in the bag. After all, he has the endorsement of Speaker Ryan. Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) has said he wouldn’t run against McCarthy and will back him in the conference election. That said, Scalise still could find himself to be a contender because, put simply, McCarthy has been here before. READ MORE HERE

REGULATION ALERT FREEDOMWORKS FOUNDATION

Right now, Obama's so-called "Clean Power Plan" threatens to destroy thousands of American jobs and cause your energy bill to skyrocket. Thankfully President Trump and his conservative EPA Chief Scott Pruitt aren't going to let that happen. But radical leftists are striking back. And if you stay silent now, they will save these big government mandates. Don’t let that happen. Write a comment to President Trump's EPA right now. Tell them to support the president's efforts to repeal Obama’s Clean Power Plan today.

2. Next Tax Day, You'll Pay More Taxes Than You Think

By Adam Brandon via Washington Examiner I hate to burst your bubble, but you will pay more in taxes next year than you think. On the surface, you wouldn’t think so. The historic tax reforms took effect on Jan. 1, 2018, which lowered the average effective tax rate in almost every income group. When Americans file their taxes next year, they will enjoy a standard deduction nearly double in size, potentially saving thousands of dollars in take-home money. Here’s where I burst your bubble. Despite all these benefits, you are still paying more taxes than you think. While most households fixate on their tax brackets (and rightly so), the real rate of taxation is government spending. As the late free-market economist Milton Friedman so aptly put it: “Every budget is balanced. There is no such thing as an unbalanced federal budget. You’re paying for it. If you’re not paying for it in the form of explicit taxes, you’re paying for it indirectly in the form of inflation or in the form of borrowing.” READ MORE HERE

3. The Weekly Fix: Trust Me, I'm a Doctor...Sort Of

By Adam Brandon The fix is in. A Democrat congressional candidate in Arizona was exposed by a local news outlet for misrepresenting herself as a practicing emergency room doctor in her debut campaign video. Hiral Tipirneni is no longer certified in emergency medicine and has not actually practiced medicine since she was served with a malpractice lawsuit in 2007. Tipirneni is running in a special election to replace Rep. Trent Franks (AZ-08), who resigned in December amid allegations of sexual harassment. She is hoping to upset Republican challenger Debbie Lesko in a strong GOP-leaning district. According to the Free Beacon, Tipirneni “failed to give a patient a tetanus immunization for a leg wound and the patient ended up in a coma.” She eventually reached a settlement agreement and was not disciplined by the Arizona Medical Board. The former physician claims the lawsuit was completely unrelated to her leaving the medical practice a few short months later. READ MORE HERE

4. How Washington Will Spend Your Taxes in 2018

Via The Hill Many taxpayers frantically completing their 1040s before the tax deadline surely wondered: Where does it all go? This year, Washington will spend a near-record $33,054 per household and collect $26,198 per household in taxes. The resulting budget deficit of $6,856 per household will bring the total national debt to nearly $170,000 per household. Federal spending has soared more than $5,000 per household since 2007 and is projected to rise another $9,000 over the next decade (all numbers in this article are adjusted for inflation). Unless spending is reined in, similar tax increases must eventually result. READ MORE HERE

5. Conservative Justice Reforms and Occupational Licensing Reforms Go Hand In Hand

Via The Hill Currently in both Maryland and Tennessee, a criminal past — or even just being accused of a crime — often stands between people and a job. This is because many occupational licensing laws prevent ex-offenders from being able to obtain a license for the jobs they seek. What’s more, many of these restrictions aren’t targeted at people whose criminal history relates to their desired career; instead, they can serve as blanket bans for those hoping to enter hundreds of professions including plumbing, cosmetology and interior design. By prohibiting wide swaths of people from licensure, these boards aren’t protecting health and safety — they’re just making it more likely these individuals will remain unemployed and unable to support themselves or their families. This, of course, is counterproductive, as keeping ex-offenders employed is good both for families and for the safety of communities. Recently, the American Bar Association found 348 licensing or certification restrictions in Maryland for those with criminal records. The situation is similar in Tennessee. Many of these are wholly arbitrary. For example, right now, in Calvert County, Md., a person convicted of a felony or misdemeanor is disqualified from working as a fortune-teller. Similarly, Tennessee currently allows licensing boards to prevent anyone convicted of felonies from becoming architects, engineers, cosmetologists, accountants, and even auctioneers. READ MORE HERE