In The Aggregate - Arizona's political blogs » Regulations

APS Stock Price, Profits Should Be Secondary to Arizona Solar Energy Consumer Choice

Sonoran Alliance — Fri, 17 May 2013 21:10:47 +0000

During their last earnings call, as reported in the Arizona Republic, Arizona Public Service (APS) CEO Don Brandt was asked about the financial impact rooftop solar could have on APS if solar’s popularity continued to soar. Just like the public education monopoly, the APS utility monopoly is concerned that more energy efficiency and choice, specifically [...]

Crony Capitalists Invent the “SIFI” Shield for Protection from Competitors and Taxpayers

David Leeper — Sun, 12 May 2013 19:45:54 +0000

Tea Party Conservatives and Occupy Wall Streeters don’t agree on much, but they do agree on one thing — both groups despise crony capitalists and crony capitalism.

Huge corporations, especially banks, insurance companies, and other big financial institutions are nominally born of free-market capitalism where success and growth comes from providing the best services at the lowest prices. One might think that these huge corporations would therefore favor unfettered competition. And they do — when ...

Prager and Goldberg on Messaging Strategy — Liberal versus Conserative

David Leeper — Fri, 03 May 2013 22:55:03 +0000

In the audio excerpts below, Jonah Goldberg and Dennis Prager have an insightful discussion on the use of clichés by the liberals, how liberals make Big Government look attractive to the electorate, and what the prospects are for reversing America’s leftward slide.

Highlights of Goldberg’s remarks:

1. With the decline of family, community, and faith, liberals promote Big Government as a seductive surrogate for all three. (Hence the pronouncement “Government is the one thing we all belong to” at the ...

IRS Not Ready to Enforce Obamacare Provisions

David Leeper — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 17:30:49 +0000

Most everyone has seen the chart above. When I first saw it, I thought it was satire. But it’s a good faith attempt to show the organizations and interfaces needed to implement Obamacare. No kidding.

Of course the chart doesn’t show what goes on inside the boxes, but Americans for Tax Reform (ATR) has dipped into just one of them — the IRS box at the top-center of the chart. They have listed 47 differerent taxes and ...

New Republican, Business Organization Forms To Save Solar in Arizona

Press Release — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 19:07:17 +0000

T.U.S.K.: Tell Utilities Solar won’t be Killed Group chairman Barry Goldwater Jr.: ‘Republicans want the freedom to make the best choice and the competition to drive down rates’ (SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.) — A new force is organizing to ensure solar remains viable in Arizona. To show backing for the solar industry and to stave off attempts [...]