While Democratic incumbents are running from constituents, holding secret meetings, and showing contempt for the people they represent, their challengers are stepping up: Hoping to highlight the incumbents’ decision not to hold similar meetings, New York Assemblyman Greg Ball, former Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg and Florida U.S. Army veteran Allen West announced this week that they are holding their own health care events. Ball, who | Read More »
In case you hadn’t realized that this debate is decades old:
Senator Claire McCaskill held a townhall today, and she may have had an epiphany:
The President is headed to Bristol, Virginia today, to appear at a Kroger’s grocery store to push his health care overhaul. The purpose of the visit is to put a little more pressure on Virginia Senators Warner and Webb, as well as local Congressman Rick Boucher, none of whom is currently supporting Obamacare. According to CNN however, there seem to be as many Obamacare skeptics | Read More »
As Erick points out, Obamacare took another heavy shot today, as the CBO concluded that the much-vaunted reforms pushed by Democratrs to control Medicare costs would have little or no effect. OMB Director Orszag has fired back quickly however, in an attempt to turn lemons into lemonade. He says that while CBO may have little faith in the provisions as they are currently drafted, a | Read More »
Congressman Henry Waxman is in charge of developing health care overhaul legislation that can pass the House Energy and Commerce Committee. He’s not having much success, as a few moderate Democrats have insisted on cost-cutting measures. Today Waxman made clear that he’s willing to make en end-run around the moderates, and bring his radical legislation straight to the House floor. In doing so, he made | Read More »
I pointed out yesterday that Democrats made a major mistake when they tied their credibility to porkulus, and then allowed Capitol Hill to debate health care rationing and cap-and-tax at the same time. Congress cannot both walk and chew gum – especially when they’re starting to worry about the 2010 political climate. The fights over which should be a top priority, and the uncertainty over | Read More »
In the last few days there’s been a lot of debate over how much health care ‘reform’ will cost. Democrats have talked about the latest estimate from CBO. Liberals have cheered about the reduced cost of the revised bill. They don’t mention that Senate Democrat leaders have been pressuring CBO to be ‘more creative’ with their health care score. Nor do they point out that | Read More »
As I’ve noted before, the left has found its hill to die for, at least when it comes to Obamacare: they demand a government-run plan. That’s because they recognize that a government-run plan will swamp private-sector competitors, and eventually lead to a single-payer federal program. With that in mind, it makes sense that they’ll do their best to destroy the reputation of anyone who points | Read More »
As the old saying goes, you can pick your poison. But now matter how you slice it, taking over health care and creating a government-run plan is going to be very expensive. Charlie Rangel and the Democrats might start by taxing Medicare for $344 billion in new taxes, then adding a new tax on soda for $112 billion, a new alcohol tax for $61 billion, | Read More »
As I mentioned a few days ago, I find it entertaining when liberals and the mainstream media question who leads the Republican party. The real question is who leads the Democrats. Is it the old line Pelosi/Reid/Rangel/Obama/Waxman liberals, or is it the moderates who worry that the voters will punish them for following a standard liberal agenda. On health care, we see yet again that | Read More »
The President and his allies in Congress have perfected their argument: health care in this country is expensive. Something must be done. This is something. Therefore, we must do this. Unfortunately, it is clear that the president’s plan is too costly, does not cover the uninsured as promised, and will make health care worse in America. To the first point, the Congressional Budget Office has | Read More »
Today the Wall Street Journal covers the innovative private-sector health care program which Safeway offers to its employees. It sounds like a model for how market incentives can encourage workers to live healthier and more active lifestyles: Safeway’s plan capitalizes on two key insights gained in 2005. The first is that 70% of all health-care costs are the direct result of behavior. The second insight, | Read More »
I guess the Democrats are going to buy America some really great health care; they clearly don’t plan to be frugal with our money: Health-care overhaul legislation being drafted by House Democrats will include $600 billion in tax increases and $400 billion in cuts to Medicare and Medicaid, Ways and Means Committee Chairman Charles Rangel said. Democrats will work on the bill’s details next week | Read More »
Unbelievable. Can you imagine the reaction if a Republican had tried this? Top aides to Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) called a last-minute, pre-emptive strike on Wednesday with a group of prominent Democratic lobbyists, warning them to advise their clients not to attend a meeting with Senate Republicans set for Thursday. Russell Sullivan, the top staffer on Finance, and Jon Selib, Baucus’ chief of | Read More »
I have consistently argued that the ‘Blue Dog’ label is essentially meaningless – that it is nothing more than an advertising slogan to help Democrats get elected in conservative districts while voting with liberals in DC. Blue Dogs in Congress claim to have no higher priority than deficit reduction and balanced budgets, but they have acted as accomplices to Pelosi, Reid, and President Obama, as | Read More »
Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell and House Republican leader John Boehner today jointly announce that Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal will give the response to President Obama’s budget message on February 24: Gov. Jindal to Deliver Republican Address to the Nation on February 24 -Speech to immediately follow President Obama’s First Address to Congress- WASHINGTON, DC –House Republican Leader John Boehner (OH) and Senate Republican Leader | Read More »
What’s the best way to pay tribute to a Lion of the Senate? For some, it seems to be to rubber-stamp his top legislative priority when it seems his career in public office is nearing its end: Senators on both sides of the aisle as well as operatives on K Street were candid that [Ted] Kennedy’s half-century push for universal health care could receive a | Read More »
National Journal reports that Barack Obama has selected CBO Director Peter Orszag to head up the Office of Management and Budget. Orszag is widely respected on both sides of the aisle for his professionalism and his command of budgetary detail. He’s almost certainly more supportive of expanded government than the typical Red State reader, but at least he’s likely to be a straight shooter. His | Read More »
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