Overview for healthcare

Deal or No Deal?

Until now, the threat of a government-run healthcare plan has deterred Republicans from negotiations with the administration. But now that the single most threatening element of such a deal has been voted down by Democrats, Republicans can begin to think: are there things we want? ... well, maybe …

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Written by David Frum on Wednesday September 30, 2009

Obama Heads for Foreign Policy Disaster

Despite the domestic focus of these early months of his presidency, Barack Obama thinks of himself as a foreign policy thinker above all, according to those who know him best. His confidence is undiminished by his lack of experience and credentials, and that confidence continues to flourish despite …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday September 17, 2009

Giving Moderation a Bad Name

The so-called moderate Baucus plan announced yesterday offers no answers to the problem of rising health costs. It imposes an individual mandate, extends federal subsidies, and imposes a tax on employers to generate some expansion of coverage. But as to cost control, it proposes virtually nothing. …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday September 17, 2009

The Hidden Healthcare Problem: Immigration

Steve Sailer points out that Obama has promised to block illegal aliens for benefiting from his 2009 health plan, while also promising to legalize illegal aliens in his proposed 2010 immigration plan. Steve Sailer makes a good point here : If Obama promises both: A) to block illegal …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday September 17, 2009

Why is the Club for Growth Attacking Senator Bennett?

The Club for Growth has released a new ad attacking Utah Sen. Robert Bennett’s sponsorship of the Healthy Americans Act. But many of the ad's criticisms of the Bennett bill also apply to the Republican alternative to the president’s health plans: the Coburn-Ryan bill. Why then is one bill …

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Written by David Frum on Monday August 31, 2009

Being the Angry Party Will Keep GOP Out of Power

The way many conservatives see it, the way to win is not by emulating the no-drama strategy of the Obama campaign, but rather the hard-nosed, foul-mouthed Chicago tactics of Rahm Emanuel circa 2005 and 2006 . But this strategy will not work for the GOP. Bruce Bartlett, as always, is a fascinatin…

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Written by Thomas J. Marier on Monday August 31, 2009

The Headlines Review

Napoleon Linardatos presents a humorous take on today's headlines. Napoleon Linardatos presents a humorous take on today’s headlines. “As Internet Booms, the Postal Service Fights Back” - New York Times , 08.28.09 The U.S. Postal Service plans to start its own email …

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Written by Napoleon Linardatos on Sunday August 30, 2009

Michael Pollan: I'll Still Shop at Whole Foods

CEO John Mackey's views on health care, much as I disagree with them, will not prevent me from shopping at Whole Foods. Whole Foods is not perfect, however if they were to disappear, the cause of improving Americans' health would suffer. John Mackey's views on health care, much as I disagree with …

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Written by Michael Pollan on Friday August 28, 2009

Obama's Big Idea: Bankrupt Medicare Faster

The president has spoken repeatedly about how well Medicare works and has promised seniors it will be strengthened by his plans. But Medicare is going bankrupt and is unsustainable: It will be $37 trillion in deficit by the year 2050. How can Medicare avoid bankruptcy? It cannot with the current …

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Written by Stanley Goldfarb on Thursday August 27, 2009

The Whole Foods Dilemma

Now two unions are joining the campaign to boycott Whole Foods, in order to punish the company for the free-market healthcare beliefs of its CEO. I know how I will respond: by buying an extra half-gallon of grass-fed milk at the store. But something more is called for here, a counter-boycott. And I …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday August 27, 2009

Universal Coverage: Stand Around & Wait

NM SYMPOSIUM: America already has government healthcare: Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, programs for Indians on reservations. The program I’m personally familiar with is Tricare, for military dependants. Go to Clark Clinic on Fort Bragg to see how government medicine works: Not very well. Tens of …

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Written by Sean Linnane on Thursday August 27, 2009

Instead of Universal Coverage, Reforms that Will Work

NM SYMPOSIUM: In the end, doing nothing and playing the role of obstructionist and defender of the healthcare status quo is not an option for the GOP. By opening up competition and choice and ensuring portability of insurance, Republicans can provide a basic safety net without the need for a vast …

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Written by E. D. Kain on Wednesday August 26, 2009

Tipping the Scales

This below press release seems unfortunately phrased. This below press release seems unfortunately phrased. As policymakers here in DC continue on the path to health reform, the Strategies to Overcome and Prevent (STOP) Obesity Alliance will hold an open discussion on September 9 regarding …

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Written by David Frum on Tuesday August 25, 2009

Obamacare Isn't Happening

Five months ago, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that Obama would achieve a transformational healthcare victory by the August recess. Now Senator Feingold is predicting that there will not be a bill before Christmas. Five months ago, the conventional wisdom in Washington was that Obama …

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Written by Henry Clay on Tuesday August 25, 2009

The Elderly Say "No"

People on Medicare are often suspicious of expanded government involvement in healthcare, because they see it as competing with Medicare for scarce dollars. Tom Schaller asks : "Why are senior citizens crying "socialism" at town halls?" As we like to say in academia:  I don't know the answer, …

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Written by Andrew Gelman on Tuesday August 25, 2009

The Big Money Speaks

Yesterday, the first ad debuted in what is being described as a $12 million campaign in favor of the Democrats’ health plans. After an August of angry public meetings, September looks to be the month when the big money is heard. Yesterday, the first ad debuted in what is being described as a …

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Written by David Frum on Friday August 14, 2009

The Reckless Right Courts Violence

Hysterical talk from TV and radio hosts may be a cynical marketing exercise. But it's getting too dangerous to ignore. A man bearing a sidearm appears outside President Obama's Aug. 11 town hall meeting in Portsmouth, N.H., under a sign proclaiming, "It is time to water the tree of liberty." …

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Written by David Frum on Thursday August 13, 2009

What I Saw at the Town Hall

Twenty minutes into my two-hour wait to get a seat at Senator Ben Cardin's town hall event, I started keeping a "Nazi tally" by counting references I overheard to Adolf Hitler, Germany, or the Nazi Party. The town halls are exactly what you're seeing on TV. The crowds are overwhelmingly conservativ…

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Written by Alex Knepper on Wednesday August 12, 2009

Now It’s the Dems Turn to Experience Mediscare

The Dems are finally discovering what should have been obvious from the sea of gray and white heads in evidence in all those town hall videos: senior citizens loathe Obamacare. The Washington Post finally discovers what should have been obvious from the sea of gray and white heads in evidence …

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Written by Gusher on Monday August 10, 2009