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Home Archives for 2009

Archives for 2009

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Health Care Debate Leaves Obama with No Good Options, “Public” or Otherwise

Competent pro-free market voices like the Cato Institute's Michael Cannon and the editors of the Wall Street Journal (via Patient Power) have raised red flags about the so-called "co-op" idea that's moving through the Senate and being floated by the administration as a fallback from the "public option". The Journal cleverly calls the co-op idea "Fannie Med". Cannon writes:The president’s approach to health care reform hasn’t changed at all. All he has done is tried to distract attention from how dangerous and unpopular his approach really is. But that doesn't mean President Obama could use the "co-op" rhetoric to smoothly shift political gears and pull government health care over the finish line in Congress any easier than … [Read more...]

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School Reform News September Highlights: Choice in Indiana, Tennessee, and Colorado

Most readers probably don't know that I am a contributing editor and regular writer for the Heartland Institute's monthly publication School Reform News. But the September issue just came out, in which I wrote two stories and was quoted in another. Without further ado here they are: For all my Hoosier friends, "Indiana Joins Growing List of School Choice States" Doesn't sound like a Volunteer thing to do, but "Tennessee Lifts Charter School Cap After U.S. Threat" From our own backyard, "Private Choice Program in Colorado Beats State Graduation Rate" Happy school reform reading! For the 3 or 4 of you who actually care, I may start this as a regular feature. … [Read more...]

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Obama Learned One History Lesson

Rossputin makes a great observation about the not-so-great surprise (I'm shocked!) that the Obama porkulus money is being spent at such a slow pace:The “stimulus” bill was NEVER about stimulating the economy or fixing the infrastructure that needs fixing. That’s why it’s not being spent quickly and why many infrastructure projects are being undertaken where the bridge or road is not in very bad shape but happens to be in an important Democratic district. Instead the “stimulus” bill is about stimulating the Democrats’ chances in the next election. The plan all along has been to save as much money as possible until mid-2010 and then spend like crazy, trying to buy as many votes as possible going into a mid-term election when … [Read more...]

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Trips to Whole Foods Now Take On a Whole New Wonderful Meaning

So I hear that some wacko Lefties are trying to boycott Whole Foods because the company's CEO wrote a widely read opinion-editorial for the Wall Street Journal explaining why Obama Care is bad medicine and offering a proven, constructive alternative. I'm proud to say that the lovely Mrs. Virtus today went shopping at Whole Foods. It wasn't the first time, and certainly not the last. We're not overboard on the natural foods thing, but with some pretty serious food allergy issues in our household, the availability of some alternatives they offer is quite convenient. Being very cost-conscious consumers, we tend to purchase different types of groceries and necessities at different stores. So it's not like we give Whole Foods a tremendous … [Read more...]

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Yes, It’s Time for Birthers to Get Over Their Deluded Obama Fantasies

Some Blog Guy over at Rocky Mountain Right writes about an apparent surge of the Birther movement in Colorado:We get it. You don't like Obama. We don't either. But please focus on stuff he's actually done instead of fantasies. Just wanted to take a moment and state that I second the motion. Anyone else with me? James Taranto of the Wall Street Journal offered a more in-depth analysis of this non-issue a few weeks ago -- I commend that to you, too. Glad to see that Mr. Bob also agrees. … [Read more...]

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Rolling the Obama Care “Public Option” Uphill Becoming a Harder Job

Love how the Denver Post lends a hand to Barack Obama and appointed Senator Michael Bennet in the health care debate:He acknowledged that the ire in town halls — in Colorado, and across the country — was mostly about fear of changing a system that hasn't worked for years. [emphasis added] Not "changing a system that he said hasn't worked for years," mind you. A stated opinion given cover with a straight news declaration of fact. Sigh. I'll even give them the benefit of the doubt and suspect that the phrasing was an unintentional slip that reflects the newsroom's own uninformed bias rather than some malicious attempt at partisan hackery. I know of many personal friends and acquaintances who could tell stories -- some of them rather … [Read more...]

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Congress Out of Control: Tax Dollars Needed to Explain Joys of Broadband

Remain unconvinced that our government has way too much money to spend? Thanks to Martin Buchanan for pointing me to this article in today's Denver Post:At least six applications from Colorado, including one from the governor's office, will be submitted during the first round of the $7.2 billion federal broadband funding program. The state is asking for $3.8 million over two years. The money would be used to launch "an educational campaign on the merits of broadband and how it affects everyday activities," said John Conley, executive director of the Statewide Internet Portal Authority, which is handling the bid on behalf of the governor's office. The campaign would create six full-time positions and include a "mobile vehicle" that … [Read more...]

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Transforming Anti-Obama Care Debate to Pro-Liberty Health Reform

I'm a little late in posting, but I recommend to anyone who wants to stay intelligently attuned to the ongoing health care reform debate, please take a listen to my recent iVoices podcast interview with Brian Schwartz (click the play button): Both in the podcast and in a new Patient Power posting, Brian explains how the current medical insurance system suffers from too much regulation already and how insurance companies can gain more credibility in the debate. Speaking of the debate... … [Read more...]