Today in the Washington Examiner January 18, 2011

Timothy P. Carney - Tick, tick, tick: The cost of Obamacare is a time bomb



In fighting against Obamacare repeal this week, Democrats portray their health care law as a money saver, claiming Republicans would add to the deficit by abolishing the legislation. But in their franker moments, the bill's authors admit that "reform" could be something of a time bomb that will cause exploding health care costs down the line. One top Senate aide plainly stated last summer, "This is a coverage bill, not a cost reduction bill." The time-bomb nature of Obamacare was presaged by Mitt Romney's health care bill in Massachusetts, which also expanded health insurance coverage by mandating that all individuals buy insurance, prohibiting insurers from dropping customers, and subsidizing the insurance of those with difficulty affording it.


Michael Barone - A sigh of relief when mad and evil people are foiled


Obama first came to the favorable attention of the nation at the Democratic National Convention in 2004 when he proclaimed that we were not red states and blue states but red, white and blue America. After months of partisan debate, in which he like others used the military metaphors common in our political vocabulary, he spoke in Tucson as the leader of one nation.


It will probably help him politically. But, more important, it will help the nation.






Byron York - Rethinking Obama's political performance in Tucson


By then, however, the president's supporters had tied the killings to the issue of political rhetoric. In Tucson, Obama played good cop to their bad cop by assuring everyone that rhetoric had not motivated the violence. But he still brought up the topic because, he said, it had "been discussed in recent days." Of course, it would not have been discussed in recent days had his supporters not made so many unfair accusations.




Pence urged to enter race for president in 2012


"Mike Pence extraordinarily exemplifies the optimistic, pro-growth, pro-job creation Reagan-Kemp wing of the GOP. Grass-roots conservatives, Republicans, the tea party and populists are looking for a man or woman of principle who can champion and unite the newly energized and engaged citizenry," Benko said. "Mike Pence is the best choice to lead us into a new era of peace and prosperity."






Cornyn mocks those who inject themselves into a primary?


John Cornyn is a pretty good senator, but to many conservatives, Cornyn represents a Republican establishment that disdains the Tea Party and cares little for principle. That's because Cornyn, as chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, decided to get involved in the Florida Senate primary last cycle, backing liberal Gov. Charlie Crist over conservative Marco Rubio. Read More






Obama admin bullies states over card check rules


This is pretty bad, even by Obama administration standards. Such blatant help for union political allies certainly makes the administration's intentions clear, and tells us who really owns this White House. From a political perspective, Republicans in these states should welcome the development: Read More




Obama's EPA devotes another $7 million to 'environmental justice' campaign


Not even sure what the "Environmental Justice" noted in the headline above might be about? It's likely that neither are most other Americans but that doesn't prevent President Obama's EPA administrator, Lisa Jackson, from sending $7 million of the taxpayers' money to dozens of groups mounting academic and propaganda campaigns organized around that theme. Read More






Reagan historian Shirley disputes Reagan son's Alzheimer's speculation


Craig Shirley, a Washington public affairs executive and author of two books on President Reagan, says the former president's son has no evidence to base his allegation that his father was afflicted by Alzheimer's Disease as early as his first term in the White House. Read More


Why aren't they clamoring for stricter gun laws in liberal Vermont?


In an op-ed for the New York Post today, Michael A. Walsh makes a good point about those clamoring for tighter gun control laws in the wake of the Tucson shooting: Read More


Obama fund-raisers finding job more difficult thanks to liberal economic policies


As a candidate, Barack Obama raised more money than any previous presidential aspirant, just under $750 billion in fact. Running for reelection, Obama is looking to increase his take in 2010 and is gearing up accordingly. Read More