Johnny Kampis
American Spectator
Cullman, AL, United States
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Past articles by Johnny:
U.S.-China Trade: A War With No Winners
Reports indicate that China and the United States are close to ending their trade war, and it would appear this battle will result in no long-term winners. Bloomberg reported that the tariffs imposed by President Trump could be lifted if... → Read More
DOJ Intrudes on States’ Rights in Wire Act Reinterpretation
The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) baffling reversal of its stance on online gaming could have detrimental effects on online poker. Barring a court ruling that contradicts the DOJ’s stance, the new opinion will likely prevent the interstate compacts necessary to... → Read More
FCC Should End Double Taxation of Cable Operators for Broadband Services
The cable industry is attempting to end a shakedown by local franchising authorities trying to put onerous fees on them, which threatens to not only raise prices for consumers, but also stymie rural broadband development. Although the Cable Act of... → Read More
American Debt: Up, Up, and Away
U.S. Treasury reports show that the amount the U.S. government finances to pay for its spending will top $1 trillion in 2019 for the second straight year. The Treasury issued debt of $1.34 trillion in 2018, a number that should... → Read More
Why Stop at $15? Advocates Say $33 Wage Needed in NYCThe
Fifteen-dollar-an-hour minimum wage is so yesterday. In an op-ed in the New York Times, Ginia Bellafante points to a study showing that a $33-per-hour minimum wage might be needed in New York City, saying that’s the amount necessary — about $69,000 extrapolated out over a year’s income — for a single parent with two school-aged children to live a decent quality of life in the Big Apple. “In… → Read More
Atlanta Provides Super Subsidies to NFLThe
When Super Bowl LIII takes places in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Sunday it will occur — stop us if you’ve heard this one before — in the house that taxpayers built. In an ever-growing race to offer bigger subsidies to owners of professional sports franchises, Georgia taxpayers forked over nearly $700 million of the $1.5 billion it cost to build the replacement for the “ancient”… → Read More
Doubts Arise on End of U.S.-China Trade WarThe
The Trump administration is expressing doubts that China will kowtow to its requests as part of its effort on a new comprehensive trade agreement. The Independent reported that officials are “pessimistic” that the trade deal being discussed will be enough to put a stop to the current trade war between the U.S. and China. China’s vice premier, Liu He, and a Chinese delegation with meet with Trump… → Read More
Michigan City Should Back Off Taxpayer-Backed Broadband PlanThe
Even though it’s jam-packed with internet options, Traverse City, Michigan, wants to use millions in taxpayer money to build its own broadband network. It’s a foolish plan for a number of reasons, from the plethora of existing competition to the evolution in which internet will be delivered in the future. Traverse City Light & Power, the city’s public utility, is moving forward with a plan to… → Read More
Cable’s 10G Initiative Yet Another Reason to Dismiss Government BroadbandThe
The cable industry is rolling out plans for 10G at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this week, showing yet another reason why municipal (taxpayer-funded) broadband is such folly. The G in this case isn’t generation, as in the 5G that the wireless industry is now touting. Instead, it’s gigabits, as in crazy fast speeds of 10 gigabits per second symmetrical upload and download… → Read More
Obamacare Customers Keep $1B in Unwarranted SubsidiesThe
Customers of Obamacare received nearly $4 billion in unwarranted subsidies in 2018, and the IRS can’t even recoup some of that due to the manner in which the law is written. The inspector general for the Treasury Department said that only $2.7 billion of $3.7 billion in subsidy overages have been recaptured by the IRS. At least it’s better than 2017, when 8 million Obamacare customers got $5.8… → Read More
As Chinese Economy Falters, Push for More Tariffs LikelyThe
As reports out of China indicate economic turmoil, a top American trade adviser says the U.S. should press on with additional tariffs to get meaningful concessions from that country. The New York Times reports that U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer will push President Trump for more tariffs on Chinese imports. Lighthizer is taking the reins of trade talks with China and he is warning… → Read More
Rising Student Debt Increases Concerns of DefaultThe
American student loan debt has reached the Everest heights of $1.465 trillion, but it will be U.S. taxpayers on the hook when many of those debt holders default on that borrowing. Bloomberg recently analyzed student loan securitization data, finding that fiscal risks continue to rise as the debt grows, making it more difficult for former students to pay back the costs of their education. Paul… → Read More
After Defense Flunks Audit, What Next?The
They say that a room full of monkeys banging on typewriters for an infinite amount of time can churn out a work of Shakespeare, but 1,200 auditors closely examining the Department of Defense’s (DOD) books can’t miraculously make the bloated federal department pass an audit. The first-ever comprehensive audit of DOD and its $2.7 trillion in assets was a resounding failure, with officials saying… → Read More
GAO: State Budget Outlooks Are GrimThe
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) predicts a stormy fiscal future for state and local governments, with expenses expected to outpace revenues during the next five decades. The GAO report released Dec. 13 said that both expenditures and revenues are likely to increase as a percentage of gross domestic product, but the money going out will increase at a faster rate between now and… → Read More
FCC Says LOL to California Text TaxThe
California regulators are giving up on their misguided effort to tax text messages. The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) said the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) move last week to classify text messages as an information service rather than a telecommunications service would require it to cancel its vote on the text tax. That’s because California state law allows only… → Read More
Michigan Enacts Forward-Thinking Reform to Help 5G GrowthThe
Michigan recently became the 21st state to enact legislation targeting the growth of 5G wireless, a technology that is expected to be more than 100 times faster than 4G. Last week, Gov. Rick Snyder signed SB 637, a bill to reform how governments handle applications for the small cells needed for the new technology. Instead of the massive cell towers used for current wireless technology, 5G will… → Read More
Good News, Bad News in China TiffThe
More positive news has arisen for the U.S. in its trade war with China, even as other developments cloud the situation. A new report says that China is shelving its Made in 2025 economic plan, an aggressive track that would push for Chinese dominance in areas such as manufacturing and technology. Much like President Trump’s tariffs, the plan had received plenty of disdain from world leaders.… → Read More
Should I Stay or Should I Go?The
One of the hardest decisions you’ll make in any given session of cash-game poker isn’t just related to calling a big all-in or how much to bet with the nuts. No, I think perhaps the hardest decision is often when to leave the table. Over the years, I have shown the unfortunate knack of sitting too long at a table trying to get even while having a losing session. Sometimes I also like to leave… → Read More
Tariffs Could Take a Bite Out of AppleThe
Perry said Apple has a responsibility to its shareholders to maximize profits and a responsibility to consumers to sell its products at the lowest price in a competitive global marketplace. → Read More
An Opportunity to Make Government Debt More TransparentThe
Fiscal hawks hope to see reforms in accounting standards for state and local governments that would increase the transparency of their debt. The Governmental Accounting Standards Board (GASB) is now considering changes to its reporting recommendations, accepting comments until Feb. 15, 2019, on its plan called “Preliminary View on Financial Reporting Model Improvements.” That proposal would… → Read More