Per Ben Smith, here’s a new ad from a Tennessee Republican running for the House. Her dismay with cutting $500 out of Medicare “all to help pay for government control of medicine” encapsulates a contradictory message I haven’t heard so overtly since a man attending a town hall last year told a South Carolina congressman to “keep your …
Anyone who thought the fight was over with the signing of the Affordable Care Act was sorely mistaken. And no, I’m not talking about Republicans efforts to repeal the law or challenge its constitutionality. I’m talking about the writing of regulations that will implement the law.
Some 10-20 pages – or more – of regulations are …
Two Republicans who have provided some intellectual leadership for the GOP have signaled in recent days that “defunding” the Affordable Care Act may sound good on the surface, but won’t really work in practice.
On Friday, the American Spectator published an interview with Rep. Paul Ryan, in which the GOP ranking member on the …
Evoking the Continental Congress and Alexander Hamilton – and referencing Sen. Scott Brown’s election in Massachusetts – Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli emerged from a federal courtroom today sounding confident that the U.S. Supreme Court will ultimately find the Affordable Care Act to be unconstitutional.
Cuccinelli is …
Exactly one week after a federal judge in Michigan ruled that health reform’s individual mandate is constitutional, a federal judge in Florida has decided it may not be. In a decision that clears that way for summary judgement hearing scheduled for Dec. 16, Judge Roger Vinson said the following charges made in the lawsuit have merit and …
Over on TIME’s healthy version of Swampland, I have a post up about the controversy over including contraception as a “preventive service” under the Affordable Care Act. Planned Parenthood says yes; the Catholic bishops say no. Kathleen Sebelius will make the final call.
Kentucky’s Republican Senate candidate Rand Paul is in a spot of trouble over a comment he made about how to shore up Medicare. Speaking at a town hall in September 2009, Paul said “a $2,000 Medicare deductible would solve a huge amount of problems.” His Democratic opponent, Jack Conway, has seized on the statement, highlighting it …
In the first decision of its kind, a federal judge in Michigan has ruled that the individual mandate included in the Affordable Care Act is constitutional. Ben Smith at Politico posted a crucial piece of the judge’s ruling, which states that the federal government has power – via the Commerce Clause – to require Americans to maintain …
Per Ben Smith, Sharron Angle is now running an ad saying that Harry Reid “actually voted to use taxpayer dollars to pay for Viagra for convicted child molesters and sex offenders. What else could you ever need to know about Harry Reid?”
Presto, another example of members of Congress conducting politics under the guise of legislating. …
Recently, the Wall Street Journal published an explosive story about how McDonald’s might have to eliminate health insurance for their workers because of the Affordable Care Act. As WSJ reporter Janet Adamy wrote:
The move is one of the clearest indications that new rules may disrupt workers’ health plans as the law ripples
…
A quick recent history lesson seems in order, following Michael C.’s post below.
The “death panels” lie – and yes, it was a lie – came about after Democrats tried to include in health reform legislation compensation for doctors who talk to their patients about their end of life care plans. Talk to any doctor who cares for …
That’s how much the federal government has spent to date on healthcare.gov, the new consumer web site that pulls together information about the Affordable Care Act and insurance options available to the public.
I’ve praised the web site for being easy to use and for including a gigantic amount of information about private and public …
It’s just one poll, but Greg Sargent notices that a recent survey from Pew and National Journal indicates that the vast majority of Democrats don’t feel this has been a particularly successful Congress, legislation-wise. As Sargent notes, just 33% of Democrats believe this Congress accomplished more than recent Congresses. (37% said it …
