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John Tsarpalas

The Nevada Piggy Book!

Nevada Policy’s latest edition of the Piggy Book — a glimpse into the world of government waste in Nevada — is finally here! And you won’t believe the examples of waste we’re reporting in this edition. The Department of Motor Vehicles spent $17 million with a foreign tech firm that couldn’t communicate with government staff in English, Clark County Auditors overlooked a glaring case of potential fraud in Henderson, and the Nevada Department of Transportation built a disastrously ineffective “tortoise fence” that now must be completely replaced. And that’s just the beginning! So, download the full Piggy Book today, and find out how, exactly, local governments are wasting away our hard-earned tax dollars. (Read more)

 

Free speech

The right to speak freely is under almost constant attack by would-be thought police and mobs of social-justice activists. Unfortunately, it seems as if the entertainment industry is often leading the charge against free speech rather than defending it. However, not everyone in the industry is happy about the PC culture — and there’s one sector of the industry that thankfully is resisting the demands of the PC police: Comedy. According to Ellie Bufkin, writing for The Federalist, at least one comedy club in downtown Los Angeles is acting as a refuge from a world where political correctness has run amok. “I saw more than a dozen comedians that night, and almost every one found a way to mention that he or she wouldn’t be edited by mounting political pressure,” writes Bufkin. “They got into the game to make jokes, and get laughs, and they weren’t going anywhere.” (Read more)

 

Big government

The next legislative session is quickly approaching. That means in a few short months, government insiders — state agencies, labor unions and even local governments themselves — will be swarming the state capitol looking for a larger share of our tax dollars. Last legislative session Nevada’s local governments spent $3.75 million lobbying lawmakers in Carson City. That’s $3.75 million worth of taxpayer money used to promote the interests of government agencies, not taxpayers or voters, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. With that kind of government-first mentality in Carson City, it’s no wonder Nevadans have seen their taxes steadily climb in recent decades. (Read more)

 

Individual freedom

Many “democratic socialists” in America argue that the United States would be better off if it was more like Sweden — an ostensibly “socialist” nation with a tremendous amount of prosperity, health and high standard of living. But that argument doesn’t exactly work. After all, while Sweden might have socialized medicine, its history and economic system are far more complex. In fact, it was Sweden’s commitment to free trade, personal property, individual rights and capitalism that made the nation so prosperous in the first place. In a one-hour documentary for the Free to Choose Network, Johan Norberg explores the history of Sweden’s economic rise from one of the poorest countries in the world to one of the most prosperous. Moreover, he takes a look at what lessons Americans can (and should) take from Sweden’s current economic system. (Watch the video)

John Tsarpalas

John Tsarpalas

President

John Tsarpalas is the President of the Nevada Policy, and is deeply committed to spreading limited government ideas and policy to create a better, more prosperous Nevada for all.

For over three decades, John has educated others in the ideals and benefits of limited government. In the 1980s, John joined the Illinois Libertarian Party and served on its State Central Committee. Later in the 90s, he transitioned to the Republican Party, and became active in the Steve Forbes for President Campaign and flat taxes.

In 2005, he was recruited to become the Executive Director of the Illinois Republican Party where he graduated from the Republican National Committee’s Campaign College, the RNC’s Field Management School, and the Leadership Institute’s activist training.

Additionally, John has served as President of the Sam Adams Alliance and Team Sam where he did issue education and advocacy work in over 10 states, with a focus on the web.

John also founded or helped start the following educational not-for-profits: Think Freely Media, the Haym Salomon Center – where he served as Chairman, the Franklin Center for Government & Public Integrity and Midwest Speaking Professionals.

A native of Chicago, John now lives in Las Vegas with his wife of more than 40 years.