Politics Information

Trump's New Drug Pricing Plan Isn't "The Best Deal" For Patients

President Trump will soon unveil a new plan to reduce drug prices.

End Foreign Freeloading - Don't Import It

Since day one in office, President Trump has been eager to put America first -- even when it has meant upending norms, upsetting political allies, and straining relationships abroad. This eagerness is worth applauding.

It's Time to Turn the Prescription Drug Debate on its Head

Politicians typically blame drug companies for soaring pharmacy prices. But insurers, pharmacies, and other middlemen are the real driving force behind rising drug spending.

Bring IP Back Into US-Japan

If you blinked, you might have missed it. On January 1, a limited trade deal between the United States and Japan took effect. It doesn't go nearly far enough.

America Shows How to Fight Climate Change Without Regulation

Speaking at the United Nations in December, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi drew cheers by saying the United States was "still in" the Paris Climate Agreement.

Are You Tired of Watching America's Natural Landscapes Disappear?

America's population is soaring. Our nation currently houses 330 million people. And each year, that number grows by 2 million. By 2065, more than 440 million people may call the United States home.

Don't Legalize Discrimination Against People With Disabilities

Imagine if the federal government treated disabled Americans as second-class citizens. It's an appalling thought. But it could happen soon -- if some special interest groups get their way.

To Boost the Economy, Fight Chronic Disease

To understand the health of an economy, look at the health of those who participate in it.

Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising Benefits Companies, but Patients Even More

Analysts at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently scored Speaker Nancy Pelosi's drug pricing bill, H.R. 3.

Healthcare Start-Ups Save Lives And Healthcare Dollars

Rising healthcare costs are taking their toll on American patients. Half of adults say they or a loved one skipped or delayed treatment in the past year due to cost concerns, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. About a quarter say they or a family member has struggled to pay medical bills.

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04/23/2024
This Is No 1960's Love-in During Anti-Israel Rallies
Amid the disruptions at elite universities across the nation, it is tempting to compare the student protests over Gaza to uprisings during the Vietnam War.

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04/23/2024
What Trump Fears Most

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04/23/2024
Biden Turned Whitewater, WI, Into a Border Town

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04/23/2024
MAGA 2.0
Can J.D. Vance keep it alive after Trump?

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04/23/2024
How Ohio Became the Center of the Republican World
Florida gets all the attention. The GOP power center of the future is closer to D.C.

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04/23/2024
Iran vs. Israel: Outline of a Different Future Is Visible
Both seem keen to limit hostilities, and key Arab states are ready to resist Tehran. But real change will require new Israeli leadership, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland

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04/23/2024
Colleges Must Revive Free Press on Their Campuses
Elite universities can work toward greater free speech, but things won't improve until legacy campus publications are challenged.

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04/23/2024
The Real Reagan: Getting Beyond the Caricatures

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04/23/2024
Groupthink Chorus Emerges at Trump Trial
Covering former President Donald Trump's trial on television is a difficult job.

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04/23/2024
Can Down-Ballot Races Lift Biden to Victory in 2024?
When you have a presidential candidate who is struggling to generate enthusiasm in the party base, it's natural to look for some external stimulation.

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04/23/2024
Biden Should Step Aside, Only Kennedy Can Beat Trump
And because Kennedy is the only candidate who can beat Donald Trump

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04/23/2024
Speaker Johnson Got 'Swamped' Over Ukraine
The return of GOP's minority-party mindset is very likely to be a self-fulfilling prophecy come November.

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04/23/2024
How Ukraine Wins
It took far too long, but House Speaker Mike Johnson showed true leadership in bringing Ukraine aid to a vote.

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04/23/2024
Leadership Lied, Said Border Funding Before Ukraine Aid
Florida Republican Rep. Byron Donalds told CNBC on Monday that the MAGA supporters who attempted to tie border security funding to military aid for Ukraine were lied to.

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04/23/2024
A Bipartisan House?
In my last dispatch, I described the Speaker of the House Mike Johnson as looking like an overmatched pharmacist. Well, he still looks like a pharmacist-but his mildness of affect has brought forth mighty victories in recent days, not just on aid to Ukraine, but also on surveillance funding (the FISA court) and various other spending bills, including the national security appropriation (which passed thanks to pressure from my friends in the bipartisan military caucus, For Country). So I was wrong to call him overmatched.

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5 Financial Pressure Points To Evaluate During COVID Times

Financial pressure is a part of life for most people, and now the COVID-19 pandemic has brought new financial pressure points or exacerbated existing ones for many individuals and families.

Why Are People Complaining About Innovative COVID Treatments?

Gilead Sciences just announced it will charge $3,120 for a full course of Remdesivir, the first new FDA-approved treatment for COVID-19. Some knee-jerk members of Congress like Lloyd Doggett (D-Tex.) immediately condemned that price tag as "outrageous." The Institute for Clinical and Economic Review, a left-leaning nonprofit that releases its own recommendations of "fair" drug prices, claimed that Gilead could afford to price Remdesivir as low as $10 per course of treatment -- the cost of the raw ingredients used to make the drug.

Proposed Healthcare Reforms Will Not Help the Latinx Community

Joe Biden is officially the Democratic presidential nominee, all thanks to his moderate reputation.

Trade Enforcement Can Accelerate America's Economic Recovery

The stock market has largely rebounded from COVID-19 and American retail sales are improving steadily. Even more encouraging is that the U.S. unemployment rate fell for the fifth consecutive month in September. Each of these gains are sure signs that the Trump administration's economic response to the coronavirus crisis is working.

Drug Price Controls: Right Objective, Wrong Solution

This month, President Trump signed an executive order to reduce Medicare spending on prescription drugs. For each medication, Medicare will pay no more than the lowest price available in other developed countries.

Keep Thanksgiving, Family and Friends Alive

Joe Biden or Donald Trump will never visit me in my home, stand beside me at the funeral home or dance at my wedding. I will not be receiving any calls from either of them to pray for me during sickness or to check on how my children are doing. I probably will never sit in a room with them to visit, laugh and tell funny stories or just to hang out over a cup of coffee. I do not personally know either one. I welcome the opportunity to visit with either of them, but doubt it will happen.

The "E" Stands for “Excellence:” Remembering Walter E. Williams

Walter E. Williams, prolific author, piercing cultural commentator, old school economist (that’s a good thing), devoted husband, loving father, and long-time friend of Grove City College has passed from this world.

How Congress Can Really Fix Surprise Billing

House and Senate leaders recently agreed on legislation to end surprise medical bills as part of a big coronavirus relief package. President Trump signed it into law at the end of December.

A Federal Rule Will Reverse Strides in Cancer Treatment

"You've got cancer." That's one of the scariest sentences in the English language.

Biden Must Restore Seniors' Access to Essential Medicines

On January 19, Medicare officials announced a new payment model that could wreak havoc on the chronically ill.

Violence In America, Don't Be Surprised

The most recent attack at the United States Capitol will most likely insure a permanent fence and additional security. The attack which resulted in the loss of life for a long serving Capitol police officer and the attacker is another senseless violent act.

Protecting the Innovation that Protects Global Health

The most far-reaching healthcare policy decision of 2021 won't be made in Congress or the White House. It will be made at the World Trade Organization, which is considering a petition to waive all patent rights on Covid-19 vaccines.

Don't Repeat Europe's Vaccine Catastrophe

For many Americans, the calamitously slow vaccine roll-out in countries like Germany, France, and Italy comes as a surprise. After all, in the early days of the pandemic, Europe's response to the crisis seemed highly competent, especially compared to the United States.

A Full Plate for the New U.S. Trade Czar

The newly confirmed U.S. trade representative, Katherine Tai, is about as qualified as a person can be for the job. Which is a good thing, because she already faces a series of challenges.

Don't Let the US Import Europe's Failed Cancer Policies

With a majority in both the House and Senate and control of the Oval Office, Democratic leaders are excited about the prospect of making significant changes. One good example of this is the House Democrats' "Lower Drug Costs Now Act."

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Solving the Looming Superbug Crisis Will Require Bold Action From Congress

Antimicrobial resistance killed upwards of 160,000 Americans in 2010. More and more infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics and antifungals — and while Americans know this is a growing problem, few know how bad it already is.

Fracking Bans Will Cost Democrats the White House

It often seems as if Democrats want to reelect Donald Trump. Why else would their top presidential candidates advocate a ban on fracking, the drilling technique that supports millions of jobs and accounts for half of all U.S. oil production?

Proposed Drug Price Reform Would Short-Change Rare Disease Patients

A prominent healthcare watchdog claims it has found the solution to high drug prices.

Pipeline Hate Is Misplaced

Sixteen-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg admonished global leaders at last year's United Nations: "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"

Greenhouse Gas Credits Don't Help the Environment -- Or Consumers

General Motors Co. and Fiat Chrysler have a plan to survive a Democratic president.

House Drug Bill Would Undermine and Politiize Scientific Research

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's Lower Drug Costs Now Act (H.R.3).imposes strict price controls, taxes, and regulations on biopharmaceutical companies. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office expects the measure to reduce the industry's revenues by $1 trillion over the coming decade.

Texas Firms Save Lives and Healthcare Dollars

Sharp Cuts to Research Funding Would Deprive Patients of Hope

Congress is poised to pass two separate bills designed to bring down drug prices.

The High Cost of the White House's Drug Pricing Plan

The Trump administration will soon roll out a new plan to slash drug prices.

If You Like Your Health Plan, You Can't Keep It Under a Public Option

Nearly two in three Americans support the creation of a government-sponsored health plan to compete against plans offered by private insurers, according to the most recent survey data from the Kaiser Family Foundation.

House Drug Bill Dooms Medical Research

House lawmakers recently voted to pass the "Lower Drug Costs Now Act," which would enable government officials to set the price of lifesaving medicines. The bill would reduce pharmaceutical companies' revenues by a staggering $1 trillion over the coming decade.

Prioritize Chronic Disease Prevention to Slash Health Insurance Costs

Private health insurance spending surged $101 billion between 2016 and 2018. Hospital care and emergency services accounted for the largest share of that increase -- 42 percent.

IP Protections Are Key To Drug Innovation

Cystic fibrosis patients just got some life-changing news.

Addressing Out-of-Pocket Costs Key to Health Improvement & Cost Savings

More than 190 million Americans suffer from chronic diseases. For them, healthcare reform isn't a political football -- it's a matter of life and death.

Democrats' Green Schemes Threaten the Poor

Democrats claim to be champions of the poor. Yet their environmental policies make low-income communities even poorer.

Saudi Oil Attack Underscores Need for Energy Independence

When drones struck Saudi Arabia's oil processing facilities in September, 6 percent of global oil production went offline overnight.

Are Fossil Fuels an Ethical Investment?

Saudi oil giant Aramco -- the world's most profitable company -- issued its first public offering in December. The IPO has reenergized debate around whether it's ethical to invest in oil and natural gas companies.

Direct-to-Consumer Drug Advertising Benefits Companies, but Patients Even More

Analysts at the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office recently scored Speaker Nancy Pelosi's drug pricing bill, H.R. 3.

Pelosi's Drug Scheme Robs Patients of Tomorrow's New Medicines

The House of Representatives passed Speaker Nancy Pelosi's unprecedented crackdown on the pharmaceutical industry. Her bill, "H.R.3," would allow the government to dictate prices on a broad array of drugs, with the promise of bringing domestic prices closer to those in foreign countries with government-run healthcare systems.

Offshore Bans Hurt Working Class Americans

Congressional Democrats just betrayed America's working class.

AOC's Ravings Against Billionaires

"No one ever makes a billion dollars. You take a billion dollars."

Budget Deficit Capitulation: Our Spending Problem

During the week before Christmas, Congress rushed a spending bill into law.

Losing sight of the Great War in American History

The anniversary of the end of the Great War—despite President Donald Trump visiting pan-European ceremonies in France—passed almost unnoticed in the United States. This is noteworthy because 4,000,000 Americans were mobilized for the war and about 2,000,000 shipped to Europe, where 50,585 were killed in combat and another 200,000 suffered wounds. Another 100,000 American military personnel died from complications suffered by wounds and influenza. American combat deaths in World War I rank third only behind the American Civil War and the Second World War.

Holidays and Politics: Rebuilding Civility

With the chill in the air and the leaves already falling, the holidays are just around the corner. Whether you're hosting or being hosted, the old rule of not discussing religion, money, or politics serves as a reminder of the issues which can divide even those who love each other the most. But in an era where everything, from ice cream to music, is politicized, avoiding political topics in conversation with those of differing views becomes almost impossible. Is this overly divisive and ever-present political tension healthy for society?

Medicare for All is the Wrong Prescription

In the fall of 2017, when Senator Bernie Sanders unveiled his vision for the future of the U.S. healthcare system (Medicare for All), I wrote a piece for the Center for Vision and Values titled, "Medicare for All is Good for None." In the piece, I argued that using the Medicare template as a model capable of absorbing quadruple the number of current enrollees was flawed from the start. Obviously, Senator Sanders did not read my piece.

Requiem for the Pro-Life Movement

Is the pro-life movement on Capitol Hill dead? If it is, it's congressional Republicans who have killed it.

Impeachment of the President: Who Should We Consult? We Say the Founders

Impeachment was in the news recently after President Donald Trump's personal attorney, Michael Cohen, pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations. In his plea, Cohen implicated Trump, stating that he, as Trump's attorney, had made payments to women at the direction of a "candidate for federal office." Some journalists jumped with joy at the news, as captured by headlines like this in the New York Times: "Donald Trump's High Crimes and Misdemeanors: The Principled Case for Impeachment is Clear, What is Missing is the Courage."

Jordan B. Peterson: A Sign of the End Times?

It is not often that a clinical psychologist becomes the cultural equivalent of a rock star, but Canadian academic Jordan B. Peterson has done just that. Cometh the hour, cometh the man, as the old saying goes, and Dr. Peterson is surely a man who has found his time. And all indications are that, behind his characteristically serious (if not slightly puzzled) expression, he quite enjoys the irritation and annoyance that his forthright statements on our current cultural climate cause the self-appointed members of contemporary Committees of Public Safety. Like Camille Paglia (who provided a jacket commendation for his latest book) he preaches that most unpopular of gospels in this age of victimhood: personal responsibility.

A Lot Less Bluster and a Little More Sasse

Predictably, the start of Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation hearing to the Supreme Court was an embarrassing fiasco for almost everyone involved. The Republican chair of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Chuck Grassley, had barely begun his opening remarks before Democratic Senator Kamala Harris interrupted to demand the meeting be adjourned, and less than two minutes in protestors started screaming. Protestors continued to interrupt the hearing, which was mostly just senatorial demagoguery on camera anyway, for the next four hours or so. There are many reasons for this: the stakes are high, everything connected with President Trump is radioactive, and the midterms are just two months away. But hours into a series of diatribes from senators on both sides of the aisle, Senator Ben Sasse from Nebraska took a different approach.

Beware of Bills in Sheep's Clothing

There is a bipartisan tradition of naming bills such that no reasonable person would oppose them. For instance, changes to our tax system came with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Who's against jobs? And how could anyone have voted against the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., "Obamacare")?

Showdown with the Ayatollahs: A Dangerous Situation

Yesterday, President Donald Trump imposed more economic sanctions on Iran. In response, Iranian officials denounced the sanctions. Does diplomacy have a chance in this situation? Or is war inevitable?

Hugh Culverhouse, Planned Parenthood, and Eugenics

The University of Alabama on May 29 announced its plans to return a $26.5 million donation from the largest donor in the university's history. The announcement came only hours after the donor, Hugh F. Culverhouse Jr., called for students to boycott the university in response to Alabama's recent ban on abortion.

Homage to a Cold War Prophet: Herbert E. Meyer

Both my country and I lost a great friend and freedom fighter this week: Herb Meyer, an unsung hero of the Cold War. He received the National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal for his November 1983 memo predicting a Soviet collapse and victory for the United States. "If present trends continue," wrote Meyer, "we're going to win the Cold War."