President Obama has been strongly promoting his plan for an energy security trust fund in recent weeks. It has met quite a bit of opposition and many doubt its viability. In this plan $2 billion of oil and natural gas royalties would go towards advancing electric car batteries, biofuels, fuel cells and renewable energy development. … Continue reading
Today, the consensus is that our immigration system is in dire need of reform. However, there are still those who do not wish to acknowledge the precedence that this matter should take. Apart from being merely a matter of doing the right thing, it is crucial to understand that some sort of earned legal status … Continue reading
In early February, the National Academy of Social Insurance (NASI) hosted their 25th annual policy research conference on “Medicare and Social Security in a Time of Budget Austerity.” It was a two-day event and I gladly participated in one of their several sessions on a Friday afternoon. The session that I chose to attend was … Continue reading
It’s budget season! Last week, the House Budget Committee released its annual budget proposal for FY 2014, the third iteration of the Ryan budget. But this year, for the first time since 2009, the Senate Budget Committee released its own proposal too. The release of both budgets last week was exciting not just for budget … Continue reading
Social, economic and political problems plague policy makers and focus attention on an array of both domestic and foreign issues. Congress is notably polarized and it seems that the more important an issue may be, the more difficult compromise is. Top environmental issues tend to revolve around energy production, renewable energy technology, food production, water … Continue reading
On Friday the Bureau of Labor Statistics released the unemployment report for February. 236,000 jobs were created and unemployment fell to 7.7% (a .2% decrease from January). This is good news for the slowly recovering economy … we think. One aspect that contributed to the lower unemployment rate was a rise in discouraged workers. These … Continue reading
Figure 1. States position on Medicaid Expansion under the ACA. Via: The Advisory Board Company To expand, or not to expand Medicaid, that is the question. Why are some states skeptical about Medicaid expansion and making the assumption that the “plan is [too] costly?” If the states expand their Medicaid program, they would receive federal … Continue reading
On Monday, March 5th the House subcommittee on Energy and Mineral resources conducted a hearing regarding offshore energy potential in the US. Recent debate over the keystone pipeline has occupied much of the president’s attention in terms of energy policy, but there is a very strong push by businessmen and environmentalists alike, pushing for greater … Continue reading
What does Medicare or home health services mean to you? Is it even relevant? I’ll tell you why we should care. Not to be the bearer of bad news, but you will eventually grow older and hospital visits will become more frequent. Eventually we will be enrolling in Medicare programs or experiencing at first-hand, various … Continue reading
On February 15, 2013 the House Energy and Commerce committee held a hearing to look into the role of states and the protection of the environment under current law. The delegation of power between the state and federal government is one of the most prominent debates in American history. It is a debate that is … Continue reading
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