While Peter Orszag, Director of the Office of Management and Budget, likes to describe how some vague payment reforms will “bend the curve,” the reality is Congress and the Administration are trying to put more people on a leaking boat. The Mess in Medicaid and SCHIP. Only a few months ago, California wanted to expand its State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to 300 percent of the poverty level, enrolling children in families making over $62,000 per year. Governor Schwarzenegger is now threatening to end the entire program because the …
In February 1994, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) said that the Clinton health plan would add $74 billion to the deficit over the following six years. And that spelled the beginning of the end of the Clinton plan to have the federal government supervise the financing and delivery of health care. Yesterday, CBO – an officially nonpartisan office whose director is appointed by the Democratic Congressional leadership – released its “preliminary” score of the Kennedy-Dodd bill. If enacted, the proposal would increase the federal budget deficit by $1 trillion over …
After months of internal debate, President Obama today released his much-anticipated plan for reforming the nation’s financial regulatory system. The 85-page document is nothing if not comprehensive, containing a grab bag of changes covering almost every aspect of the troubled financial industry. Taken as a whole, the changes would trigger the largest increase in government intervention in the sector since the Great Depression, to the detriment of consumers. What’s worse, the proposed changes are unlikely to resolve the real problems facing the industry. Among the key provisions of the plan: …
Heritage analyst Nina Owcharenko details what rational health care reform looks like: Congress soon will take up legislation to reform the health care system. The policies outlined by President Obama during his campaign and those proposed by Democrats in Congress would centralize control over health care in Washington. “The chief danger of this approach is that it would directly interfere in the personal health care decisions of Americans. There is a much better alternative: a system that recognizes diversity across the states and differences in individual health care needs and …
Why Government Still Doesn’t Have the Solutions Political irony has experienced a profound illustration in the early days of the Obama administration. Seldom has a president rendered such thoughtful tribute to a predecessor whose values his every legislative effort was certain to undermine. Case in point: Two events on Capitol Hill during the first week of June 2009 were coordinated to honor the life and legacy of Ronald Reagan. At a signing ceremony in the White House Diplomatic Room, President Obama authorized a centennial commission to plan for the former …
Despite President Ahmadinejad’s dismissive and arrogant attitude toward the “weeds” that have sprung up to reject his alleged election victory, massive crowds of Iranians continued their protests against his regime for a fifth straight day. The Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, has backpedaled away from his initial blessing of the election results as a “divine assessment” and now has promised a partial vote recount in an effort to defuse the crisis. This maneuver, which undoubtedly is a subterfuge to drain away support for opposition rallies, is unlikely to result in a …
Muzzling the freedom and independence of the press and restricting information flows are the tools of 21st century tyrannies, as well as of Cold War holdovers like Cuba. Whether in Tehran, Caracas, Havana, or Quito, silencing the independent press is essential for consolidating and holding power. Blaming domestic unrest on foreign demons, particularly the international media or the U.S., is another tired-and-true demagogic technique. Latin American leaders of the Castro-Chávez school recognize that today’s outpouring of popular unrest in the streets of Tehran might soon repeat on their turf. Furthermore, …
ProPublica reports: A key stimulus program to bring Internet service to rural America may not be up to the job of spending its $2.5 billion in extra funding effectively, according to a report (PDF) released Monday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s inspector general. … Monday’s report found that the Rural Utilities Service continues to grant loans to areas that already have broadband service and to communities near major cities.
News 14 Carolina reports: ALBEMARLE, N.C. — Minimum wage is set to rise in North Carolina next month but the effects are already being felt at summer camps around the state. The wage hike’s strain on some already tight budgets could mean fewer counselors to look after the children. “It is harder when there are less counselors to get things done,” said Toni Watson, a college student and third-year counselor at the Stanly County Family YMCA. “It’s a lot easier when there are more of us to help with the …
The Senate will soon vote on the Travel Promotion Act of 2009. The Act would create a government-run public relations campaign funded by a tax on international visitors. It is being touted as a way to increase travel to the United States. But the economic downturn has not just hit the United States—worldwide pocket books are feeling the crunch. Adding more money to the price tag of travel to the U.S. will likely just encourage international travelers to take a staycation, or spend their money on a trip to another …
