At the time of the Civil War in this country there were 8 million people living in the states of the Confederacy, 4 million of whom were African American slaves. When the war ended so did the institution of slavery. But the people of the south did not change. When the federal government left the states of the confederacy to their own reconstruction in 1874, each found ways to re-enslave African American citizens just because they … Continue reading »
We could do a lot worse in this country than the two men who are likely to be our presidential candidates. In the Feb. 8 Washington Post, Ruth Marcus provides a personality insight into the two men by those who think they know each well. I take more encouragement from the profiles than I do from knowing how negative election campaigns, like the GOP primary, seem destined to be.
The difference: President Obama of necessity must stand on his record which … Continue reading »
This week, the Murphy Institute at the University of St. Thomas will present two Catholic scholars in a dialogue on national health policy, especially the new Affordable Care Law. And how Catholic principles might explain the role of government in improving the quality, access and affordability of health care, and how Catholic voters might approach the role that Democrats and Republicans are likely to play in supporting implementation or repeal.
Presenters are John Carr, the Executive Director … Continue reading »
After a year-long primary election contest and a record number of nationally televised debates, Republican voters don’t have a consensus candidate for president. Despite the fact they’ve had an opportunity to try a cross-section of conservative messages on for size, Republicans aren’t sure what it takes to defeat President Obama and lead this country in a new direction.
Former Governor Mitt Romney will not find being the party’s candidate for president an easy task unless the power of establishment … Continue reading »
The Background
For more than the 33 years, since I was elected to the U.S. Senate, members of Congress have been working to bend the national health care cost curve. Mainly by changing how the Medicare program pays health care providers. In 1993, President Clinton focused not just on Medicare, but sought to change other policies to reduce the impact of other cost drivers in health care. Part of his effort to expand insurance coverage to … Continue reading »
Somewhere in the polarized policy making process that passes for Congress today is a long-term problem that won’t go away while Congress pretends it doesn’t exist. Back in 1997, the Republican House passed a Balanced Budget Act designed to change the way physicians are paid for services provided Medicare beneficiaries. The Sustainable Growth Rate (SGR) limited per service pay increases to the annual percentage increase in Medicare Part B. Along with other Medicare payment provisions in BBA 97, … Continue reading »
Q: What is your take on the new Wyden and Ryan Medicare Overhaul Plan?
A: First, the involvement of Ron Wyden means bipartisanship and bicameraliship in Congress is so unusual as to add credibility to a product that to date has had only Republican sponsors and them divided. Even though the history of reform has some bipartisan demonstrations of the success of the principles involved.
Second, the timing of it means that Republicans are losing confidence in … Continue reading »
Wolf Blitzer and CNN broke the story on Herman Cain’s latest marriage fidelity problem. Making it five at last count. Regardless of the size of Herman’s head, how can he possibly find room for what he knows that we don’t know? Plus all the things he should know as a candidate, but doesn’t? How desperate must Republican voters be to consider him presidential?
Newt has a big head too, but he’s compartmentalized the stuff we need … Continue reading »
Congressional Republicans used the debt ceiling vote this summer to force the president and the Democrats in Congress to cut entitlement spending. The president accepted the “out” of a bi-partisan Super Committee to force Republicans to commit now to allowing the Bush tax cuts on the wealthy to lapse at the end of 2012. Republicans’ best offer on tax reform was to do $300 billion in tax spending reduction in exchange for some permanent tax … Continue reading »
Herman Cain finally said it, but each of the front-runners in the Republican presidential primary has the same problem. Surrounded by campaign consultants and fund-raisers and pollsters, they are constantly changing their rhetoric to conform to the issue of the day. Those with records in elected office long ago found ways to justify changed positions. Newt Gingrich, who has been on almost every side of every issue, is the best at this. Asked why he … Continue reading »
Senator Durenberger is currently a Senior Health Policy Fellow at the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis Minnesota and chairs the National Institute of Health Policy (NIHP).
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