Are we giving “too big to fail” banks $83 billion a year?
America / Fiscal policy

Are we giving “too big to fail” banks $83 billion a year?

The short answer is: maybe. On Wednesday, during the Senate Banking Committee hearing, Senator Elizabeth Warren grilled Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on the $83 billion implicit subsidy that big banks receive from low interest rates. That night, Fox Business News’ Gerri Wilson misquoted the figure, expressing outrage over the “$83 trillion dollars, you know, … Continue reading

The Sequester: A perplexity inside and outside Washington
America / Economy / Fiscal policy

The Sequester: A perplexity inside and outside Washington

And so we enter another manufactured financial crisis here in Washington. The U.S. government is on the precipice of implementing massive spending cuts to federal programs. Totaling $1.2 trillion over the next decade, these cuts, known as (cue the headline buzzword) the “sequester,” will cut nearly every federal program’s budget by 8.2%. Both the left … Continue reading

Health IT: Can We Integrate Healthcare With Technology?
America / Healthcare / Politics

Health IT: Can We Integrate Healthcare With Technology?

Here’s a novel idea: Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin proposes an idea to enforce the use of real names and identity of Facebook users in order to provide accurate health related information to the right person. Health information technology is an idea that has been discussed in the past, but more so now because of the buzz of … Continue reading

Taxing Your Soda and Pop
America / Healthcare / Politics / Regulation / Tax / Taxes

Taxing Your Soda and Pop

What are your thoughts about a federal tax on sugary drinks (ie. Soda, energy, and sports drinks)? The Field Poll, a non-partisan media-sponsored public opinion news service, found an interesting result in their survey of Californians’ views on the tax on sugary drinks. Approximately 40 percent of California residents voted in support of a soda … Continue reading

How is the President Confronting Climate Change and Energy Policy?
America / Energy

How is the President Confronting Climate Change and Energy Policy?

President Obama has been pressured from several different directions regarding climate change and environmental action. His pending approval of the Keystone pipeline as well as policy regarding greenhouse gas emissions is making it difficult to placate both sides of the spectrum. Climate change activists are fervently against the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, and … Continue reading

On Media Bias and Chris Matthews’ Buffoonery
America / Communications

On Media Bias and Chris Matthews’ Buffoonery

As a conservative, I’m always hesitant to make the claim of media bias, for two reasons.  First, I think the conservative claim of the mainstream media’s bias is often overwrought and self-fulfilling.  Politicians and their staffs feel wronged and unfairly treated and, as a result, create an us-versus-them atmosphere that only perpetuates the irascible relationship. … Continue reading

Why Should Increased Border Security Precede Immigration Reform?
America / U.S. Domestic Policy

Why Should Increased Border Security Precede Immigration Reform?

Last week, a bipartisan group of Senators known as the “gang of eight” unveiled the framework for an immigration plan that will put more than 11 million undocumented immigrants on the path to legal status. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) is fronting the coalition on the Right, which includes key players such as John McCain (R-AZ), … Continue reading