Sneaky Taxes
What to know: A federal appeals court has ruled against the government’s “Universal Service Fund,” a tax that many people see on their phone bills—but only if they look closely.
The TPPF take: The Universal Service Fund is unconstitutional under the nondelegation doctrine.
“This ruling is a victory for American consumers and the rule of law,” says TPPF’s Chance Weldon. “The FCC’s practice of allowing a private entity to tax citizens was an egregious overreach of governmental authority. Today’s decision reaffirms the fundamental principle that only Congress has the power to tax and that this power cannot be delegated away lightly.”
For more on Universal Service Funds, click here.
The Beatings Will Continue
What to know: Ford Motor Co. lost $47,585 for every single electric vehicle it sold in the second quarter of 2024.
The TPPF take: Ford is losing this much money despite each EV receiving tens of thousands of dollars in hidden subsides due to the strident efforts of the Biden/Harris administration to socialize their true cost.
“Proponents of EVs have falsely pushed the claim that EVs will soon cost less than gas-powered cars; our study shows that EVs are still a long way from being competitive without massive subsidies,” says TPPF’s Brent Bennett. “The Biden administration’s stringent fuel economy standards and regulatory manipulations are driving American automakers toward bankruptcy and adding thousands of dollars to the cost of every gasoline vehicle.”
For more on EVs, click here.
The Border Isn’t Secure
What to know: A Chinese national has just been indicted for a scheme to bring components of the deadly drug fentanyl across the southern U.S. border.
The TPPF take: Fentanyl is an Everytown problem, and it’s only going to get worse until the southern U.S. border is secure.
“Successful drug interdiction campaigns target every level — the raw materials coming from abroad, the manufacturers, the traffickers and the dealers,” says TPPF’s Greg Sindelar. “We know where the raw materials are coming from; they’re coming from China, in the form of precursors.”
For more on Fentanyl, click here.