Koch Funded Alabama Policy Institute 2012 Agenda

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. - July 20, 2012 - Continuing the same monetary policies of the last four years, the Federal Reserve System (the Fed) recently announced the $267 billion expansion of "OperationTwist," designed to manipulate interest rates and stimulate the economy. The latest two-page policy brief released in the Alabama Policy Institute's (API) Guide to the Issues series provides background on the issue and explores how "Operation Twist" may contribute to inflation and devaluation of the dollar.

The Federal Reserve and "Operation Twist"brief can be foundin its entirety on the Issues page at www.alabamapolicy.org.

API Policy Director and General Counsel Cameron Smith hopes the Guideto the Issues is a helpful resource to Alabamians who want to be more familiar with important political and social issues.

"Greater understanding of policy issues today by legislators andvoters leads to better policy decisions tomorrow," Smith said. "It is our hope that the Guide will inform and spur healthy conversations about issues that need to be addressed for our state to be strong."

Guide to the Issues, which is available free on Issues page of theAlabama Policy Institute website comprises brief overviews of a wide range of51 important policy issues. Each brief contains fact-based research, historicalbackground information and suggestions on the best path forward. The background andrecommendations are separated to allow readers to draw their own conclusions.

Some of the more than 51 issues addressed in the 2012 Guide include:

ABC Store Privatization

Alternative Energy

Charter Schools

College Tuition

Drug Testing for Welfare Recipients

Education Funding

Gun Control Laws

Health Insurance Exchanges

Home Rule

Legislative Pay

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act

Pension Liabilities

Public Education Employee Health Insurance Program (PEEHIP)

RSA Pension Reform

Second Amendment Rights

State Budget

State-Sponsored Lobbyists (What is this?)

Tax Issues

Teacher Tenure