Policy Papers
Two Simple Trade Questions for USTR Froman; One Simple Trade Question for Senate Democrats
U.S. Trade Representative Michael Froman will appear today at a Senate Finance Committee hearing concerning President Obama’s 2014 trade policy agenda. There are two simple questions he should answer: When will President Obama negotiate a trade agreement to completion? When will the president’s trade rhetoric match reality? In relation to this hearing, there is an equally pressing question Senate Democrats must answer: When will Senate Democrats act on President Obama’s... Continue Reading
April 30, 2014
Israel Checks Its Back, Obama Nowhere to Be Found
Remember when President Obama claimed in March 2012 that “I have Israel’s back”? That assertion has been belied by all the facts, including the last nine months of pressuring our ally Israel in peace negotiations rather than recognizing the Palestinians have demonstrated no interest in peace. Nine Months Later, Another Failed Timeline Nine months ago, on July 29, 2013, the State Department spokesman said the Israelis and Palestinians agreed “to engage in direct, final... Continue Reading
April 30, 2014
Obama Economy: Stalled Growth
Today the Commerce Department released the latest disappointing Obama economic numbers: first quarter GDP grew at 0.1 percent. This follows growth of 2.6 percent in the fourth quarter of 2013, and 1.9 percent growth for all of 2013. The economy has now grown at a 0.1 percent annualized rate in two of the last six quarters. This data comes on the same day as a report that China will likely overtake the U.S. as the world’s largest economy this year. This would be the first time since 1872... Continue Reading
April 29, 2014
The Obamacare Debate Isn’t Over
At press conferences on April 1 and 17, President Obama declared the debate on the health care law “over.” The White House can prematurely celebrate its questionable count of eight million sign-ups, but the end of the federal exchange’s open enrollment period doesn’t mean the Obamacare debate is over. The President says Democrats should “forcefully defend and be proud” of the law. But Americans are experiencing the pain of the president’s health care... Continue Reading
April 29, 2014
Democrats’ Keystone Policy: Uncertain and Unaccountable
Earlier this month, 11 Senate Democrats signed a letter requesting the president to approve the Keystone XL pipeline. On April 18, 2014, the Obama administration gave its response when it indefinitely delayed any decision. The president’s policy on the Keystone XL pipeline is to create uncertainty, not to clear it up. And Senate Democrats want to be unaccountable with any real votes. That keeps billionaire activists donating, radical environmentalists politicking, and... Continue Reading
April 11, 2014
A Timeline of Folly on Iran
April 10, 2014
Why the Obamacare Debate Isn’t Over
President Obama declared the national debate on the health care law “over.” The White House can prematurely celebrate its questionable 7.5 million sign-up number, but the end of the federal exchange’s open enrollment period doesn’t mean the Obamacare debate is over. Michael Gerson, in a Washington Post opinion piece, summed it up well: “The Obama administration is pausing to bow at mile two of a marathon”. Americans are going to see and experience ongoing... Continue Reading
April 9, 2014
Rural America “Less Relevant” Under Democrats
In March, Congressman Bruce Braley warned donors that if Democrats lose their Senate majority, they “might have a farmer from Iowa who never went to law school, never practiced law, serving as the next chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee.” His comments disparaged Senator Chuck Grassley, mocked farmers and ranchers, and demonstrated Democrats’ growing antipathy towards rural America’s priorities. In late 2012, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the Obama... Continue Reading
April 9, 2014
Court Broadens Freedom of Political Speech
Last week the Supreme Court struck down the aggregate limit on political contributions Americans can give to campaigns and political parties in an election cycle. The court did not undo limits on the amount people can contribute to candidates, some political action committees or state parties. The decision does not allow a donor to give one more dime to an individual candidate or party than he or she could before. As Chief Justice John Roberts noted in the majority opinion, the McCutcheon case... Continue Reading
April 8, 2014
Paycheck Fairness Act: A Democrat Campaign Stunt
For half a century, workers have been protected against sex-based pay discrimination by the Equal Pay Act of 1963 and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Despite this, Democrats are pushing their election-year campaign to seek a vote on S. 2199, the Paycheck Fairness Act. Leader Reid has moved up consideration of Paycheck Fairness before consideration of minimum wage so that a Senate vote would coordinate with the President’s speech and Executive Orders today, on what activists call... Continue Reading
April 8, 2014
Tax Day
Next Tuesday, April 15, is tax day. Millions of Americans will spend the days before the deadline dealing with the stress and frustration that has become our current tax code. April 21 is Tax Freedom Day – the point in the year when Americans have earned enough money to pay their tax bill for the year and can finally start earning money they get to keep. The Tax Code Needlessly Complicates Americans’ Lives The IRS estimates that it takes 13 hours for the average taxpayer to file... Continue Reading
April 8, 2014
Consistent Warnings against a Minimum Wage Hike
Sources January 14, 1987: New York Times February 28, 2014: President Obama January 21, 2014: Bill Gates February 7, 2014: CBO February 27, 2014: Janet Yellen March 6, 2014: Warren Buffett March 11, 2014: Bloomberg poll March 12, 2014: Letter from economists March 12, 2014: Duke University survey March 19, 2014: Survey of employment professionals March 31, 2014: Letter from trade associations April 3, 2014: Harry Reid Continue Reading
April 4, 2014
Not-So-Happy Fifth Anniversary of President Obama’s Prague Speech
Five years ago in Prague, President Obama announced he would seek “a world without nuclear weapons.” Since that time: Iran continued to accelerate its nuclear program until President Obama seemingly conceded an Iranian right to enrich uranium. President Obama then threatened to veto legislation implementing his own policy on Iran, and now it appears talks with Iran will continue for the sake of talks. North Korea conducted at least two nuclear weapon tests and multiple tests of... Continue Reading
April 4, 2014
March 2014 Unemployment Report
Unemployment Rate: 6.7 percent Unemployed Americans: 10.5 million Employment and Unemployment The Department of Labor reported an unemployment rate of 6.7 percent for March 2014, unchanged from last month. It reported an increase of 192,000 nonfarm jobs over last month. The employment figure for January was revised from 129,000 to 144,000 jobs created, with the figure for February revised from 175,000 to 197,000 new jobs. Today’s job growth figures falls short... Continue Reading
April 3, 2014
Obamacare Sign-Up Total Is Not the End of the Debate
On Tuesday, President Obama declared the national debate on the health care law “over.” The White House can celebrate its dubious 7.1 million sign-up number, but to a majority of Americans, this debate is far from over. According to an April 2 Quinnipiac poll, 55 percent of Americans remain opposed to the health care law. People understand that the administration is inflating its Obamacare numbers. The administration’s 7.1 million total includes people who selected a plan on... Continue Reading
April 1, 2014
April 2014 Policy Calendar
April 1, 2014
Minimum Wage Increase Is Bad for Jobs
President Obama has expressed support for an increase in the federal minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 an hour: a 39 percent increase. Senator Harkin and 37 Democrat cosponsors have introduced S. 1737. That bill would raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 an hour over two and a half years and index it to inflation after that. Democrats are set on this course even though it will destroy jobs for some low-wage workers and harm job creation. CBO Predicts Job Loss from Minimum Wage Increase The... Continue Reading
April 1, 2014
Democrats Block American Energy Jobs
Senate Democrats claim they want to help the unemployed, but they support energy policies that destroy existing jobs and prevent new ones from being created. They want to mandate an increase in the minimum wage to $10.10 per hour, yet fight against coal mining jobs that pay an average of $29.96 per hour, or oil and gas extraction jobs that pay an average of $36.84 per hour. Energy Jobs Are Waiting to Be Tapped Since the recession began in 2007, America’s energy sector has proven to be one... Continue Reading
April 1, 2014
Obamacare’s Bad Economics
Democrats have made countless false claims about the President’s health care law over the years. The latest, and one of the most absurd, is that the law is fiscally responsible. Last month, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and Budget Committee ranking member Chris Van Hollen claimed at a press conference that Obamacare saves the American people and the federal government money. The Obama administration and its allies are desperate for a good news story, but the numbers are stubbornly... Continue Reading
March 27, 2014
White House Delays ‘Firm’ Obamacare Enrollment Deadline
The White House now claims Obamacare sign-ups have hit six million. There are still big questions remaining: how many people have paid their first month’s premium; how old are they; and did they already have insurance? As an indication the Obama administration may lack confidence in its numbers, the delays keep coming. On Wednesday, March 12, HHS Secretary Sebelius told the House Ways and Means Committee that there would be no more Obamacare delays. The administration resolutely vowed the... Continue Reading