Last March, Citizens Against Government Waste wrote in its monthly newsletter, WasteWatcher, that scientists, engineers, and economists have and are continuing to push back against the anthropogenic (man-made) global warming hypothesis. In other words, the science is definitely not settled and much more research must be done before governments spend trillions of tax dollars on inefficient alternative energy sources such as wind and solar while limiting access to energy derived from fossil fuels.
The USA Act(s): A Tale of Two Spending Reform Bills
To borrow from (and bifurcate) one of Charles Dickens’ most famous sentences, the current governing environment might be described as “the worst of times … the age of foolishness … the epoch of incredulity … the winter of despair …” Anyone who remembers the rest of the opening line from A Tale of Two Cities knows that Dickens painted a more balanced picture, referencing also “the best of times … the age of wisdom … the epoch of belief … the spring of hope …” That upbeat effort notwithstanding, a cup half full does not accurately reflect the state of government spending today.
Obamacare Further Immerses Itself Between Doctor and Patient
Citizens Against Government Waste’s February Waste Watcher, “Obamacare’s Cerberus,” discussed concerns with three organizations created under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare. They are the Patient Centered Outcome Research Institute (PCORI), the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI.) All have the capability to develop into government rationing boards.
Obamacare’s Cerberus
In March 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), or Obamacare, was signed into law. The debate over controversial Obamacare initiatives is ongoing, particularly whether the law will lead to rationing and price-controls that are seen in single-payer or government-run healthcare systems.
Rethinking the War on Poverty
Last month, House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) convened a summit of top conservative thinkers and presidential candidates to showcase free-market alternatives to fighting poverty in the United States. The Kemp Forum on Expanding Opportunity was named in honor of Speaker Ryan’s political mentor, New York congressman, HUD secretary, and Vice-Presidential candidate, Jack Kemp. Most of the media coverage marveled at how “wonky” and “low-octane” the event was, compared to the clamor of the 2016 race for the White House. The underlying message throughout the long policy discussions was that addressing poverty deserves a new approach.
Scrubbing Oppressive Federal Regulations
The current political conversation is dominated by taxes and spending, which leaves out one of the most impactful activities of the federal government: regulations. The burdens that regulations place on individuals and businesses are often overlooked and underreported; the regulatory process is long overdue for major reform.
Right to Work and the Friedrichs Case
On January 11, 2015, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association. Rebecca Friedrichs, a schoolteacher in Anaheim, California, brought the case, which addresses two key questions: do public-sector union agreements violate the First Amendment’s protections of freedom of speech and assembly, and does the First Amendment prohibit the practice of requiring public employees to affirmatively opt-out of subsidizing political speech rather than to affirmatively consent?
Auditing the Federal Reserve: Foiled Again!
Overshadowed by the excitement of President Obama’s final State of the Union, the Senate considered a procedural motion on S. 2232, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015, on January 12, 2016.
State of the Union Observations
On January 12, 2016, President Obama delivered his final State of the Union address. During his address, President Obama cited some of his accomplishments while in office: the millions of people with healthcare, the increase in jobs and decrease in unemployment, and the great investments in renewable energy across the country.
Official Time: Practically Opaque in Every Way
On May 9, 2013, President Barack Obama signed an Executive Order stating, “Openness in government strengthens our democracy, promotes the delivery of efficient and effective services to the public, and contributes to economic growth.” His pronouncement does not equate with reality: not all federal agencies are as open and transparent as the president wishes them to be. With apologies to Mary Poppins, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has proven to be practically opaque in every way: When it comes to reporting hours spent on “official time,” the last report OPM released on this virtual union subsidy was for fiscal year (FY) 2012.