Washington vs. Paul Ryan – Review & Outlook, The Wall Street Journal
After passing the most destructive new legislation in decades (Obamacare, in case there was any doubt), Democrats are hammering Congressman Paul Ryan’s proposals for alternatives. The recognition that the GOP has alternative proposals should pop the “party-of-no” bubble mantra that the Democrats have been chanting, but probably won’t. Democrats would rather criticize the GOP’s ideas, and criticize it for having no ideas at all. Mr. Ryan brings some solid solutions to the table in his “Roadmap for America.” One echoes an idea I posted on these pages last year, simply buying private health insurance plans for those that need government help to have insurance. If you are a senior citizen, wouldn’t you rather have a very good private insurance policy than the mediocre Medicare? I don’t think anyone would answer no to that question. My article, The Better Way is the Cheaper Way, outlined that it would have cost Americans less to simply buy private insurance policies for the uninsured than to set up the ridiculous administration of Obamacare. I got the idea to do that analysis from Senator Tom Coburn from Oklahoma. He offered the same kind of advice when the SCHIP legislation was up for renewal in 2009. Taxpayer money is being wasted in setting up massive administrations to handle health insurance. If the government must spend money on supplying health care to Americans, it should get the best deal, and that would be through buying insurance in the private market. – Timothy Jones
A Threat Worse Than 9/11 – Robert Maginnis, Human Events
American cyber security is under a constant attack by hackers with varied levels of sophistication. The most urgent threat is that hackers from another nation will infiltrate the nation’s utility systems and cause a disaster similar to that of an EMP attack. Good preparation by government and by you at home is the best way to defeat the threat. – Dick Young
Open Season on Red States – Jeff Crouere, Human Events
The Obama administration is targeting its stimulus efforts to protect only its favored constituencies, unions. Right to work states like Arizona and Louisiana are being targeted hard for punishment by the administration. Money is flowing to unions all over the country, but the president is ignoring the urgent needs of oil workers in Louisiana and the citizens of Arizona who want a state free of illegal immigrants. – Dick Young
Friends rally round Charlie Rangel – Maggie Haberman, Politico.com
All of Charlie Rangel’s friends showed up for his 80th birthday party last night. Andrew Cuomo, Chuck Schumer, and Michael Bloomberg all attended. The party was half birthday celebration half pep rally for the congressman’s team. Rangel’s ethics violations were the topic of the night. The sleaze of New York were all there, and now America knows who will support the ethics violators. Charlie was willing to make a deal on the charges, implying guilt. Hopefully New Yorkers will remember this guest list when they vote in November. – Dick Young
