No one can criticize the Obamacare legislation for being too short. But even at 2K+ pages, the new law fails to address some major problems with the health system. One of these is the flawed formula Congress created years ago to determine how much the Medicare payment physicians receive for services rendered. Year after year, the Congressional reimbursement formula calls for sharp reductions in Medicare payment rates. And year after year, Congress votes to suspend its own formula. That keeps doctors from bailing out of the Medicare program, but it …
The press has rushed to report a minuscule drop in “teen births” based on data released Tuesday by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). As usual, the mainstream media are focusing on a trivial, politically correct story while ignoring the real story buried in the data. Here’s the real story: According to CDC, a record 40.6 percent of children born in 2008 were born outside marriage — a total of 1.72 million children. The overwhelming majority of the unwed mothers were young adults with low education levels, precisely the kind …
On April 6, last minute action by the Obama administration averted a near trade conflict with Brazil concerning the trade-distorting U.S. cotton subsidy programs. With the provisional deal, the U.S. avoided about $830 million in trade sanctions on over 100 American exports targeted by Brazil. Those retaliatory tariffs would have gone into effect on April 7. More changes to U.S. cotton programs, which were declared illegal under the WTO’s 2008 ruling, have been pushed back to as early as 2012 when Congress will have to revisit the farm bill. So, …
Leaders from 46 nations, the most gathered together since the United Nations was formed in San Francisco in 1945, will meet over the next two days in Washington, DC. The stated goal of this Obama administration-hosted summit is laudable: keeping nuclear weapons out of terrorist hands. Who could argue with that? And this Nuclear Security Summit comes less than a week after President Barack Obama released a Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) and just days after he signed a New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev. As many …
Along with many of our allies, we here at Heritage have been focusing attention on “Progressivism,” the political movement which is largely responsible for the growth and vast expansion of centralized administration in the federal government. As I have argued in my own book, progressivism challenged the original principles of the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution as outmoded 18th century ideas and instead promoted “evolving” rights and a “living” Constitution that constantly adapts the founding principles and unlimits government to address any and every social problem of the …
House Cloakroom: April 12 – 16 Analysis: After a two week recess the House eases its way back into work with a light week full of suspension bills. However, if the Senate is able to finish up its work extending provisions such as unemployment insurance, COBRA, and the Doc Fix those items could possibly, though not likely, be seen on the floor this week as well. Additionally, the retirement of Supreme Court Justice Stevens could possibly put many of the legislative priorities for Congress and the administration in flux over …
The President of The Heritage Foundation, Dr. Edwin J. Feulner, today passed along his heartfelt condolences to the people of Poland and joins them in mourning the tragic passing of their President, Lech Kaczynski, the First Lady Maria Kaczynska and other Polish officials and ministers. Dr. Feulner stated: “On behalf of the entire Heritage family I pass to the people of Poland our heartfelt condolences for the tragedy that occurred this morning. Poland is a strong ally, one we can count on as evidenced by the more than 2,000 Polish …
The tragic deaths of Polish President Lech Kaczynski, the Polish First Lady Maria Kaczynska, and dozens of senior Polish officials, are being mourned today by tens of millions of people across the free world. For much of the 20th Century, the Polish people fought to be free, from the twin evils of fascism and communism, and their sacrifice and bravery has been a testament to their courage and indefatigable spirit, as well as an inspiration. In recent years as well, Poland has shed blood in the defence of freedom, with …
The death this morning of Polish president Lech Kaczynski and First Lady Kaczynska is a tragedy that will touch the heart of many Americans. President Kaczynski was a Polish patriot of the first order, whose life exemplifies the meaning of courage, sacrifice and commitment to his family, his country and the Polish people. From his early days in the legendary Solidarity movement, President Kaczynski fought for the independence, sovereignty and self-determination of his country. And in the two decades since the fall of the Soviet Union, President Kaczynski has been …
The Obama Administration continues to talk up the prospects for strong U.N. sanctions on Iran at the same time that it is becoming increasingly clear the United States is unlikely to persuade Russia and China to approve anything stronger than a mild slap on the wrist for their Iranian friends. Yesterday President Obama said “We are going to be pushing very hard to make sure that both smart and strong sanctions end up being in place soon to send a signal to Iran and other countries that this is an …
