As you probably know by now, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare). Legally, it means nothing, since it’s only an action of one chamber of Congress. Politically, it shows that Republicans may have gotten the message that the law is unpopular, and filled with problems. The Washington Post called it the “first major act of the new Congress,” and […]
John LaPlante
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More bailout candidates for 2011
Dailyfinance.com has a list of 10 American companies that will disappear in 2011. Bailout possibilities, anyone? Failed governments usually soldier on, propped up by cash infusions. (The Obama stimulus plan, for example, largely stimulated the finances of state and local governments.) http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1514 Private companies that fail to meet public demands and keep costs under control are either taken over, or dissolve entirely.
A Guide to Repealing ObamaCare
What can state legislatures do to repeal ObamaCare? Plenty, says Christie Herrera of the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). ALEC has just released The State Legislators Guide to Repealing ObamaCare, which offers legislators plenty of options for defunding ObamaCare, drawing attention to its harmful effects, and otherwise working to undo the increasing rate of “governmentizing” health care. For states, ObamaCare has several harmful effects, including: Increased […]
Michigan should consider dismantling ObamaCare
Gov. Snyder and members of the Legislature certainly have their hands full, but here’s something else they should consider: Fend off ObamaCare. The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) has just released The State Legislators Guide to Repealing ObamaCare which offers legislators plenty of options for defunding ObamaCare, drawing attention to its harmful effects, and otherwise working to undo the increasing rate of “governmentizing” health care. ObamaCare […]
School Choice in Minnesota: Real but Small
In advance of school choice week, we should ask, “How widespread is school choice in Minnesota?” The answer is “modest, at best.” On the plus side, it has the second-best law on charter schools in the nation, according to the Center for Education Reform. The center cites the following: There are no caps on the number of charter schools. A variety of institutions–colleges, school districts, and […]
Creative destruction
A couple of weeks ago I purchased a new laptop computer, and I have enjoyed learning about its features since. But I also have the slightest tinge of sadness. You see, this computer will replace one I bought in 2004 – which at the time was the latest and greatest. Now its best days are past, with its technology on the junk heap of computer […]
The Daily Grope: Congressman calls for special treatment from TSA
U.S. Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) says the TSA labors under the illusion that “congresspeople should be treated like everybody else.” Clyburn based his reasoning on the recent shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.). The funny thing is, though, that Giffords was nowhere near an airport, and the TSA could have done nothing to prevent the assault. http://apps.detnews.com/apps/blogs/watercooler/index.php?blogid=1445
The Daily Grope: Naked scanners won’t stop at airports, DHS says
“If you object to the naked scanners, you can just not fly. Nobody’s forcing you to get on airplane.” Have you heard that argument? Or offered it yourself? As if to prove that civil liberties are indeed an invisible cloak, the Department of Homeland Security is looking at looking at you, not just at the security line at an airport, but, well, everywhere. “The department […]
Fact-checking PoliFact
Who watches the watchdogs? Politfact made news last year when it said that the claim ObamaCare was a “government takeover” of health care was the “lie of the year.” Pretty damning stuff, no? But does this news service, which won a Pulitzer Prize in 2009, shoot straight (oops! Did I just incite violence?) when it evaluates the claims of various politicians? Two recent developments make […]
Driving your Edsel to the store to buy some yogurt shampoo?
Andrew Coulson draws a contrast between private business and the public sector: “So there I was, checking e-mail this morning on my JooJoo when I came across this editorial about how the private sector lacks accountability unless the government provides it through regulation! This naturally caused me to expectorate New Coke all over over myself and my Apple III, forcing me to toss my Levi’s […]