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    Tomorrow’s Local Government Pension Crisis is Here

    When it comes to retirement and pension benefits, federal, state, and local government officials have all been humming the same mantra: never pay for something today if you can put off paying for it until tomorrow. Unfortunately, tomorrow is here. The federal government is on the hook for $41 trillion … More

    No Change Coming in Tax Policy

    MINNEAPOLIS – Economic advisers from both Barack Obama and John McCain’s campaigns squared off in a panel on tax policy this afternoon, and the consensus among the non-partisan members of the panel was that no matter who wins, Americans should not expect any major changes in tax policy. After both … More

    Why America Is Evolving Toward Government-Run Health Care

    Today the U.S. Census Bureau released its annual estimate of the uninsured. For some, it came as a surprise that both the rate and number of people without health insurance actually declined, from 47 million, or 15.8% in 2006, to 45.7 million, or 15.3% in 2007. For those of us … More

    Morning Bell: Mainstreaming Medicare

    DENVER — The air of excitement among progressive activists really is palpable here at the Democratic National Convention. Their supreme confidence that they will win the White House has been shaken a little, but they still believe Barack Obama will prevail and they are certain they will strengthen their majorities … More

    Medicare’s Low Administrative Costs Strike Again

    As we’ve documented before, one of the left’s favorite arguments when pushing for single-payer health care is that, Medicare (a single-payer system) spends a lot less on administrative costs than private insurance does. And it is true: Medicare does spend a lot less on oversight of their many payments. But … More

    Grading the Lawmakers’ Entitlement Reform Proposals

    Kudos to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Last month the paper asked each member of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation to explain how he or she would solve the long-term Social Security and Medicare funding shortfall. Their responses claimed two and a half pages of editorial space in the July 13 issue. It’s … More

    The Real Record Breakers Are Coming

    Yesterday the White House updated its budget estimates by releasing the annual “Midsession Review.” Media reports have focused on the projected budget deficits of $389 billion this year and $482 billion in 2009. As always, larger truths have been left out: Reports calling next year’s projected budget deficit of $482 … More

    Stark’s Remarks on Taxes Revealing in Ways He May Not Intend

    In a body known for intemperate remarks and fabricated figures, Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) put in a worthy nominee for top honors in 2008 recently when he said: … the unfunded cost of the McCain-Bush tax cuts is more than $100 trillion. So if you weren’t giving away all of … More

    Morning Bell: More Evasions on Medicare

    Earlier this month, Anheuser-Busch was bought by the Belgian brewer InBev for $50.3 billion. As symbolic as the purchase was for American beer drinkers, the deal will have an even bigger impact on Belgium’s economy. A gross domestic product (GDP) of $378.9 billion makes Belgium the 28th-largest economy in the world. Now … More

    The Heads in the Sand Coalition Strikes Again

    Already Medicare expenditures account for 3.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). Medicare Part A – the part of Medicare that pays hospital bills – is already spending more in benefits than it gets in revenues and is projected to grow by 7.4 percent on average over the next 10 … More