Americans may distrust economists, and most of them would have a rough time with an Econ 101 final exam if they had to take it today, but through everyday experience Americans also have internalized one of the most fundamental concepts of economics: there is no such thing as a free lunch. And it is because Americans instinctively believe in this fundamentally conservative concept that poll after poll shows Americans no longer trust President Barack Obama on health care. Americans know Obama is not telling the truth and that fact was crystallized in this …
Confused about whether the House health care bill, H.R. 3200, is deficit-neutral? No wonder. House Leadership maintains the bill will be “fully paid for and not contribute to the deficit.” On the other hand, CBO has said the bill will add $239 billion to the deficit over 10 years. Leadership’s statement is true, but only if you assume larger deficits every year. Larger deficits are deficit-neutral? How can this be? Leadership says, simple! They will pass PAYGO legislation first, and health care reform second. PAYGO – a key policy objective …
The Alliance Defense Fund announced today that a lawsuit had been filed in federal court on behalf of a Catholic nurse who says her employer, Mount Sinai Hospital, forced her to assist in performing a late-term abortion in spite of her strongly held religious beliefs against abortion. The suit alleges the nurse had repeatedly made her faith-based objections to assisting abortions clearly known to hospital administrators from the time she was hired, even signing a written statement stating her objection. It also states the hospital had a clear written policy …
Here’s what I wrote in last year’s column titled “Global Warming Rope-a-Dope” (12/24/2008): “Once laws are written, they are very difficult, if not impossible, to repeal. If a time would ever come when the permafrost returns to northern U.S., as far south as New Jersey as it once did, it’s not inconceivable that Congress, caught in the grip of the global warming zealots, would keep all the laws on the books they wrote in the name of fighting global warming. Personally, I would not put it past them to write …
Under the headline “Like Car Insurance, Health Coverage May Be Mandated: A Proposed Requirement That All Americans Have Policies Has Broad Support Among Reformers” Ceci Connolly reports today: Labor unions, economists, the medical industry, big business, some prominent Republicans and Obama all support the [individual mandate], which has its roots in the conservative philosophy of self-reliance. … Stuart Butler, a vice president at the conservative Heritage Foundation, agrees that bringing everyone — especially young, healthy patients — into the risk pool would be advantageous. But he advocates beginning with a …
The crisis in Honduras moves into its third week. Talks scheduled today for Costa Rica between the government of Roberto Micheletti and representatives of deposed president Manuel Zelaya appear to have broken down. The sticking point remains the demand for the return of Zelaya to presidential office. While mediating President Oscar Arias, the U.S., Venezuela’s populist authoritarian president Hugo Chavez, and even Raul Castro demand it, the Micheletti government remains adamant in defense of the constitutionality of its actions, while the Supreme Court balks at amnesty for Zelaya’s crimes.
Sen. Mark Begich (D-AK), member of Armed Services Committee, is about to speak at here at Heritage about missile defense. Why? Because the missiles don’t know the difference between liberals and conservatives. No Alaskan has served on armed services since 1968. That’s surprising, because Alaska is critical on many national security issues–missile defense is just one. UPDATE 2:21 PM: Begich believes national security is and should be a non-partisan issue. Not a surprising attitude for an Alaskan. This state has always had an international perspective. It is a hub for global …
Earlier this week, in conjunction with The Lewin Group, we released an analysis of the House health bill showing that if the public plan component became law: Approximately 103 million people would be covered under the new public plan and, as a consequence, about 83.4 million people would lose their private insurance. This would represent a 48.4 percent reduction in the number of people with private coverage. About 88.1 million workers would see their current private, employer-sponsored health plan go away and would be shifted to the public plan. Yearly …
According to President Obama’s televised remarks, he recently met with Congressional Budget Office (CBO) Director Doug Elmendorf to discuss health care reform. Of course, the President may desire to meet with anyone if he believes such a meeting can help advance his agenda. However, it is extremely disturbing for a senior staff person employed by the Legislative branch of our government to be meeting with the head of the Executive branch, most especially at a time when the CBO is among the most key participants in the ongoing health care …
The Obama Administration managed to open a wide gap with some of America’s most reliable allies, those of Central Europe. In the recent Open Letter to the Obama Administration from Central and Eastern Europe, some of the most magnificent freedom fighters of the region, including former presidents Vaclav Havel of the Czech Republic and Lech Walesa of Poland, to mention just a few, have warned that the U.S. should not take their countries and peoples for granted. Authors of the Open Letter, the most pro-American politicians and intellectuals, are warning …
