Policy Papers
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February 2014 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.7 percent Unemployed Americans: 10.5 million Employment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent for February 2014, up 0.1 percent from January. It reported an increase of 175,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. The employment figure for December was revised from 75,000 to 84,000 jobs created, with the figure for January revised from 113,000 to 129,000 new jobs. According to the Wall Street Journal, “February’s job growth... Continue Reading
March 6, 2014
President Obama’s Latest Executive Power Grabs
Last summer, a reporter questioned whether President Obama had the legal authority to unilaterally delay the health care law’s employer mandate. President Obama responded: “[I]f Congress thinks that what I’ve done is inappropriate or wrong in some fashion, they’re free to make that case … But ultimately, I’m not concerned about their opinion – very few of them, by the way, are lawyers, much less constitutional lawyers.” President Obama threw down... Continue Reading
March 5, 2014
The Obama Budget: Punting on Third Down
On Tuesday, President Obama released a budget that makes no tough choices. He increases spending. He increases taxes to pay for it. He allows the national debt to continue to increase without the slightest reforms. It shouldn’t be this way. The President has three years left in office, yet he has abandoned all pretense of bipartisanship in favor of election year pandering. He has proposed “investments” in programs his base favors and tax increases on businesses that create jobs... Continue Reading
March 5, 2014
March 2014 Policy Calendar
March 5, 2014
Foreign Policy: Energy Is America’s Strategic Asset
Last week, Russia invaded Crimea, escalating crisis in Ukraine and further demonstrating the failure of President Obama’s Russian “reset.” On December 31, 2006 and again on January 1, 2009, Russia cut off its vital natural gas exports to Ukraine to bully its neighbor into concessions in commercial and foreign policy disputes. Russia could stop supplies again to increase its leverage in the current crisis. Ukraine imports about 60 percent of its natural gas from Russia and... Continue Reading
March 5, 2014
Fifth Anniversary of the Russia Reset
Five years ago, in February 2009, Vice President Biden announced a “reset” in relations with Russia. A few weeks later, on March 6, Secretary of State Clinton presented to her Russian counterpart a button marked “reset.” When the Senate was considering President Obama’s arms control capitulation to Russia in the form of New START, Secretary Clinton promised that ratifying the treaty “would also continue our progress toward broader U.S.-Russian... Continue Reading
February 27, 2014
Small Businesses Face Obamacare Sticker Shock
In an October 2009 speech to small business owners, President Obama promised his health care plan would “make the coverage that you’re currently providing more affordable.” Once again, the President’s rhetoric doesn’t match Obamacare’s stark reality. Last Friday, February 21, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Office of the Actuary quietly released a new report confirming the Democrats’ health care law will increase health insurance... Continue Reading
February 26, 2014
Republican Alternative to S. 1982: Considerations on the Iran Sanctions Provisions
This amendment adds to S. 1982 the Nuclear Weapons Free Iran Act (S. 1881), which carries out President Obama’s stated policy on Iran. He said in the State of the Union Address that if Iran does not “seize this opportunity, then [he would] be the first to call for more sanctions.” This bill provides new sanctions authority, but holds that authority in abeyance until the expiration of the interim deal, thereby giving Iran a chance to seize this diplomatic opportunity and... Continue Reading
February 25, 2014
Obama Budget Preview: Tax, Spend, & More Gimmicks
Next Tuesday, President Obama is expected to release his fiscal year 2015 budget. It will be 29 days late, but Americans should not expect to see any evidence of leadership. The President’s budget is not expected to make any tough decisions or be in touch with reality any more than it has been in the past. The President’s previous budgets have taken the untenable position that he can increase spending, increase taxes, and increase the debt without any meaningful reforms. Obama... Continue Reading
February 25, 2014
Democrats’ One-Two Economic Punch
More than four years into the economic recovery, the unemployment rate remains near levels previously seen only during recessions. Despite this, the Obama Administration and Senate Democrats are pushing for an increase in the federal minimum wage that the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says will lead to further job loss. CBO Estimates the Effect of a $10.10/hour Minimum Wage Source: CBO Bad Time to Increase the Minimum Wage Weak jobs reports suggest momentum needed to boost... Continue Reading
February 25, 2014
Obama Can’t Fix Obamacare
Earlier this month, the Congressional Research Service calculated that President Obama has signed 16 laws that amend, rescind, or repeal components of his health care law. Another source shows that during the past six months alone the Obama Administration has delayed parts of the law at least 21 times. These makeshift rewrites are designed to try to hide Obamacare’s harmful effects and protect endangered congressional Democrats. None of these small fixes can change the fact that many... Continue Reading
February 20, 2014
Obamacare Pounds Medicare Advantage
Seniors looking for health insurance have a choice of whether to enroll in the traditional, government-run Medicare fee-for-service (FFS) program or in an alternative, private option called Medicare Advantage (MA). Today 15 million people – roughly 29 percent of all Medicare patients – voluntarily enroll in an MA plan. Under MA, private health plans receive a capped monthly rate, determined by an annual bidding process, to cover Medicare Part A (hospital) and Part B (physician)... Continue Reading
February 18, 2014
Overselling the Stimulus
February 11, 2014
February 2014: Policy by the Numbers
The key number is 2.5 million workers. According to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, the Democrats’ health care law will reduce full-time employment by 2.5 million workers in 2024. Other recent numbers that also have major policy implications. Continue Reading
February 11, 2014
Scathing CBO Scorecard on Obamacare, Economy
Last week the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its 2014 Budget and Economic Outlook. From Obamacare to the unrestrained national debt, this report serves as a warning of the damage the President’s policies are doing to our country. CBO Confirms Obamacare Discourages Work Before the President signed his health care bill into law, Democrats claimed the proposal would create jobs. Then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi infamously declared: “So this bill is not only about the... Continue Reading
February 11, 2014
Another Disappointing Jobs Report
In December, the Obama Administration announced the worst monthly jobs gain in three years. A month later, the economy added a disappointing 113,000 jobs. Continued weak jobs reports suggest momentum needed to boost our economy has slowed, along with enthusiasm about an economic upturn this year. “Three months in a row would mean the job market is taking a turn for the worst.” -- Stuart Hoffman, Chief Economist, PNC Financial Services, 2/9/14 Continuing Troubles with Labor Force... Continue Reading
February 7, 2014
January 2014 Jobs Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.6 percent Unemployed Americans:10.2 million Labor Force Participation The labor force participation rate is 63.0 percent, an increase of 0.2 percent from last month and remaining near the lowest level in 35 years. The civilian labor force rose by 499,000 in January, after declining by 347,000 in December. Based on a Congressional Budget Office’s (CBO) labor market report, the Wall Street Journal anticipates that only one-third of the millions who have dropped... Continue Reading
February 6, 2014
CBO: Health Care Law Costs U.S. Economy
Before the President signed his health care bill into law, Democrats claimed the proposal would create jobs. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi infamously declared: “So this bill is not only about the health security of America, it’s about jobs. In its life it will create four million jobs – 400,000 jobs almost immediately.” Independent analysis quickly contradicted her statement. By August 2010, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office was predicting the health spending law... Continue Reading
February 5, 2014
A Very Bad CBO Report for Obama’s Policies
Yesterday the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released its 2014 Budget and Economic Outlook, which outlines its projections for the next 10 years. The laudable, though limited, restraint in discretionary spending over the past couple of years has led to short-term reductions in the deficit. But mandatory spending reform is still badly needed to prevent fiscal calamity. Democrats want people to believe that we do not have a fiscal problem anymore. “[O]ur deficits [have been] cut by... Continue Reading
February 5, 2014
Americans Don’t Trust IRS to Regulate Political Speech
In late November 2013, the Internal Revenue Service, under the direction of an interim commissioner, proposed new rules unrelated to tax policy. The rules were designed to re-categorize how tax-exempt 501(c)(4) groups – organizations designated as promoting social welfare – may participate in the political process. On February 27th, the 90-day comment period on these proposed rules ends. At stake in the proposed rules is either: The curtailment of the political speech for 501(c)(4)... Continue Reading