When the Earth began to form an estimated 4.6 billion years ago, the climate was decidedly inhospitable. Scientists believe clouds of hydrogen and helium and interstellar dust cloaked the Earth. Astroids, meteors and comets bombarded the globe before it morphed into a habitable planet.
Even today, the Earth is still adjusting, progressing through periods of cooling and warming as it continues to evolve.
Unfortunately, Americans have been indoctrinated to believe any changes in climate are abnormal. However, scientific research shows the Earth's history has been marked by ice ages, followed by shorter-term warmer temperatures, the retreat of glaciers and then the return of colder temperatures.
Researchers at the Utah Geological Survey have documented at least five major ice ages on the planet. The earliest was more than two billion years ago and the most recent one began three million years ago and it continues today. Surprise! The Earth is at the tail end of an ice age.
About 20,000 years ago, the average temperature on Earth was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit colder than today. In some regions of the world, it was as much as 40 degrees colder. Around 11,500 years later, there was a sudden 20 degree Fahrenheit spike in temperatures, the Utah scientists reported.
During the last 100,000 years, scientists have recorded sudden changes in temperatures 24 times, the Utah geologists have written. That fact has never crept it into the mainstream media because their narrative has argued that even one degree change in temperatures will produce catastrophic results.
Another "mini-ice age" may be in the Earth's future. Climate modeling by Northumbria University in Wales predicts colder temperatures from 2030 through 2040 as a result of decreased solar activity. In a study released last week, scientists estimated a 60 percent drop in the sun's activity for a decade.
Regardless of what you believe about the credibility of claims about man-made climate change, there is indisputable evidence that the Earth's climate is not static. Today's climate will not be the same 1,000 years from now as it is today, even if all greenhouse gasses are eliminated.
Against that background comes a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) on the potential health impact of changes in the climate. The document does not wade into the debate about what causes climate change, instead focusing on planning for the inevitable health risks.
Whether the Earth warms or cools rapidly, sudden and sustained changes will affect health of the world's inhabitants. Since climate changes unequally affect some regions and countries, the impact may be more severe in different parts of the world, including the United States.
Changes in temperatures, precipitation, storms and sea levels have the potential for increasing health risks for allergies, asthma, respiratory diseases, food-and-water-borne illnesses, heat-related deaths and vector-borne diseases transmitted by insects, the GAO report points out.
Planning for the likelihood of these health calamities is a prudent precaution. The problem is that an alphabet-soup of federal and state agencies are involved in the planning, reporting and researching of the the adverse effects of climate change on health, according to the GAO.
In its research, the GAO interviewed staff at 26 federal agencies involved with the issues connected to climate change and associated health risks. That is part of the problem. The myriad of federal agencies have shared few details with the states and cities that are on the front lines of health issues.
In its recommendations, the GAO called on the Health and Human Services Secretary to direct the Centers for Disease Control to develop a plan to assume the lead role in assessing the health risks and communicating the results to states and cities. That is a sensible first step.
Instead of debates over climate change causes, the country would be better served by preparedness to deal with health issues. Moves to levy carbon taxes, ban gasoline automobiles, outlaw coal plants and stifle debate will have a tiny or no impact on the Earth's natural maturation process.
Politicians have employed scare tactics to raise fears over climate change. What has been missing is a historical perspective on the Earth's inevitable climate evolution. Too many Americans have been duped by climate fiction promoted by activists masquerading as scientists.
Once Americans better understand the health risks, they will support plans to prepare for the inevitable changes in the Earth's climate.
Monday, November 30, 2015
Thursday, November 19, 2015
The Night The Lights Went Out in Paris
The City of Light had not seen such darkness since World War II. Islamic terrorists slaughtered 129 innocent people in a series of coordinated strikes on November 13 in Paris. The unspeakable horror of that night will never be erased, even in this city which celebrates life on a grand scale.
Calling the attacks an "act of war," French President Francois Hollande acted decisively, declaring a curfew and deploying thousands of military troops to secure the city. That shining symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, was bathed in darkness instead of light. City life came to a sudden halt.
The tree-lined streets of Paris were eerily silent with no pedestrians in sight. Sounds of joy that normally echo from crowded cafes and bars were muted. The tense hush reminded many of France's darkest days during the German occupation of France in World War II.
As dawn shook residents from their slumber, small groups of Parisians began venturing into the empty streets. They snapped photos with their smart phones and posted pictures online as a rebuke to terrorists who hoped to shut down the city. Resilient Parisians refused to be cowered by murderers.
Their ancestors stood up to the Germans during the occupation. These spunky Parisians would again show the world they would resist those who wanted to destroy their city and their way of life.
Soon what began as a trickle, turned into a wave of humanity. Parisians streamed into the streets of their city, hastily erecting memorials to the victims. They clutched friends and strangers alike as they mourned the loss of so many. They searched for answers and found none that made sense.
The murderous rampage struck at the heart of the spirit of Paris. The worst attack was carried out by jihadists at the Bataclan Concert Hall, a legendary venue for rock music. Terrorists sprayed the theater with automatic weapons, snuffing out the lives of 89 innocent victims and wounding 99 more.
The hall is one of many cozy performance venues that dot the city. It is a temple of Paris nightlife in a city that is fond of live performances, concerts, nightclubs and unpretentious cafes. They even delight in music played by amateur artists who ply their craft in the cavernous subway underground.
The Islamic terrorists' thirst for blood was not satiated by the massacre at the concert hall. They carried out lightning strikes at a restaurant and two cafe bars, firing indiscriminately at patrons. Small cafes and bars hold an almost reverential place in Paris because they are safe refuges from tourists.
More than 100 rounds were fired inside one restaurant, La Petit Cambodge. As people scattered for cover, the terrorists kept emptying their assault weapons. The barrage of gunfire left 15 dead and 15 with life-threatening injuries. A leisurely dining experience had turned into a crimson nightmare.
The attacks were centered in and around the Eleventh Arrondissement, an administrative district in Paris. It is home to a mix of young suburban Parisians, expats and newly-arrived immigrants. There is a blossoming nightlife, featuring little bars, restaurants and quirky boutiques.
On the northern fringe of Paris, bomb explosions also shuddered the Stade de France stadium. The field was the scene of France's World Cup soccer triumph in 1998 and has hosted raucous concerts. A suicide bomber and a passerby were killed by the blasts outside the packed stadium.
As security whisked President Hollande from the stadium, most in the crowd reacted with stunned silence to the explosions. There was no panic, despite the frantic call to evacuate. The resolute French filed out in an orderly fashion, although some stayed and milled around on the stadium floor.
As word of the killing spree spread, Parisians sought shelter in their apartments. Many opened their doors to complete strangers reeling in shock. Paris taxi drivers shuttled people to their destinations for free. Everyone pitched in and did what they could to relieve the human suffering.
This was Paris at its best. This city that glitters often has shone the brightest in times of turmoil. Though tourists view Parisians as cold and aloof, they are passionate about their city, their culture and their collective resilience in the face of evil. No city reflects its citizens like Paris.
The terrorists left a deadly trail of carnage. But they never will kill the spirit of this city. Ingrained in every Parisian is the will to survive even in the worst of circumstances. The city will never forget what happened November 13, however, it will emerge united and stronger.
Calling the attacks an "act of war," French President Francois Hollande acted decisively, declaring a curfew and deploying thousands of military troops to secure the city. That shining symbol of Paris, the Eiffel Tower, was bathed in darkness instead of light. City life came to a sudden halt.
The tree-lined streets of Paris were eerily silent with no pedestrians in sight. Sounds of joy that normally echo from crowded cafes and bars were muted. The tense hush reminded many of France's darkest days during the German occupation of France in World War II.
As dawn shook residents from their slumber, small groups of Parisians began venturing into the empty streets. They snapped photos with their smart phones and posted pictures online as a rebuke to terrorists who hoped to shut down the city. Resilient Parisians refused to be cowered by murderers.
Their ancestors stood up to the Germans during the occupation. These spunky Parisians would again show the world they would resist those who wanted to destroy their city and their way of life.
Soon what began as a trickle, turned into a wave of humanity. Parisians streamed into the streets of their city, hastily erecting memorials to the victims. They clutched friends and strangers alike as they mourned the loss of so many. They searched for answers and found none that made sense.
The murderous rampage struck at the heart of the spirit of Paris. The worst attack was carried out by jihadists at the Bataclan Concert Hall, a legendary venue for rock music. Terrorists sprayed the theater with automatic weapons, snuffing out the lives of 89 innocent victims and wounding 99 more.
The hall is one of many cozy performance venues that dot the city. It is a temple of Paris nightlife in a city that is fond of live performances, concerts, nightclubs and unpretentious cafes. They even delight in music played by amateur artists who ply their craft in the cavernous subway underground.
The Islamic terrorists' thirst for blood was not satiated by the massacre at the concert hall. They carried out lightning strikes at a restaurant and two cafe bars, firing indiscriminately at patrons. Small cafes and bars hold an almost reverential place in Paris because they are safe refuges from tourists.
More than 100 rounds were fired inside one restaurant, La Petit Cambodge. As people scattered for cover, the terrorists kept emptying their assault weapons. The barrage of gunfire left 15 dead and 15 with life-threatening injuries. A leisurely dining experience had turned into a crimson nightmare.
The attacks were centered in and around the Eleventh Arrondissement, an administrative district in Paris. It is home to a mix of young suburban Parisians, expats and newly-arrived immigrants. There is a blossoming nightlife, featuring little bars, restaurants and quirky boutiques.
On the northern fringe of Paris, bomb explosions also shuddered the Stade de France stadium. The field was the scene of France's World Cup soccer triumph in 1998 and has hosted raucous concerts. A suicide bomber and a passerby were killed by the blasts outside the packed stadium.
As security whisked President Hollande from the stadium, most in the crowd reacted with stunned silence to the explosions. There was no panic, despite the frantic call to evacuate. The resolute French filed out in an orderly fashion, although some stayed and milled around on the stadium floor.
As word of the killing spree spread, Parisians sought shelter in their apartments. Many opened their doors to complete strangers reeling in shock. Paris taxi drivers shuttled people to their destinations for free. Everyone pitched in and did what they could to relieve the human suffering.
This was Paris at its best. This city that glitters often has shone the brightest in times of turmoil. Though tourists view Parisians as cold and aloof, they are passionate about their city, their culture and their collective resilience in the face of evil. No city reflects its citizens like Paris.
The terrorists left a deadly trail of carnage. But they never will kill the spirit of this city. Ingrained in every Parisian is the will to survive even in the worst of circumstances. The city will never forget what happened November 13, however, it will emerge united and stronger.
Monday, November 9, 2015
The Obama Effect: Republicans Gain Control
After the election of Barrack Obama in 2008, the national media pronounced final rites for the Republican Party. Pundits declared the GOP was too white, too old and too out-of-step with America to appeal to voters. It turns out reports of the party's death were premature.
Since President Obama pranced into the White House, the Republican Party has arisen from the ash heap of defeat to the height of domination. The GOP today controls 56 per cent of the country's 7,383 state legislative seats. Thirty-two of the nation's 50 governors are Republicans.
On the national level, Republicans have majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Democrats once controlled the majority of the local and state elected offices and ruled the two legislative branches in Washington. The decline has reached epic proportions.
How bad have Democrats fared since the coronation of Mr. Obama?
Consider since 2009, Democrats have lost 910 state legislative seats. The party once dominated both chambers in 27 state legislatures. Now the number has skidded to 11, the lowest since 1978. The party has conceded 12 governorships, 69 seats in the House of Representatives and 13 Senate seats.
Despite the historic gains, the media continues to portray the GOP as the party that preaches hate, bigotry and misogyny. It is the party in decay, according to the media cabal. The reality is Democrats have suffered their worst string of defeats in decades. Call it the "Obama Effect."
There are a few inescapable conclusions that can be drawn from the voters rejection of the Democratic Party.
Despite fawning media support, Mr. Obama's purported popularity with voters has never been an assest to Democratic office seekers. His endorsement has had little impact in the majority of races, except in heavily Democratic states. His coattails don't stretch beyond the D.C. Beltway.
In fact, many Democratic candidates distanced themselves from the president in the most recent mid-term elections. Mr. Obama was uninvited by a host of Democrat candidates involved in tight races, especially in districts where neither party held a clear majority of registered voters.
Yet the latest Gallup Poll finds 47 percent of Americans approve of the job Mr. Obama's doing. At the same point in his second term, Bill Clinton's rating was 59 percent. Bush's numbers plunged to 32 percent and his unpopularity led to a thrashing of the GOP in the 2008 elections.
The suspicion has been that Mr. Obama's polling numbers are padded by voters reluctant to negatively rate the first African-American president. Privately people may express misgivings, but publicly critics are afraid of being branded a racist. It raises questions about the veracity of polls.
To state it another way: the polls may not accurately reflect Americans' feelings toward Mr. Obama. He likely is not as popular with the electorate as the polls suggest, despite his two-term victories against unimposing GOP candidates.
Flawed polls don't entirely explain the nosedive of the Democratic Party. There are a couple of other factors in play. One is the overwhelming unpopularity of Mr. Obama's signature health care plan. Democrat candidates have been forced by their GOP opponents to defend the scheme with voters.
More often than not it has spelled disaster for Democrats. In last week's gubernatorial race in Kentucky, a decided underdog Republican Matt Bevin ousted a popular Democrat by duck-taping him to the Obamacare reform. Ironically, the polls had the Democrat well ahead on election day.
A third explanation is one the national media will never report. Republican solutions to issues are resonating with voters. Many GOP candidates are hammering home the message of less government, lower taxes, economic growth, tighter borders and expanding school choice.
These traditional GOP themes are supposedly out-of-fashion with voters. The media cartel has dredged up polls, pundits and academics in a propaganda campaign to suggest Americans favor more government, expanded welfare, free college, open borders and higher taxes on the rich.
Their clarion call has not swayed voters. Democrat defeats have been lost on the current crop of party presidential candidates who continue to preach archaic ideas that have been soundly rejected in state and local races. That does not portend well for Democrats chances next November.
All signs point to a Democratic Party trouncing next year. Modeling developed by the Reuters news organization shows that the incumbent president's party is less likely to hold onto the office unless the current occupant's popularity is 50 percent or higher.
History is also on the side of Republicans. Democrats have failed in four of their last five attempts to win three consecutive terms in the White House, the lone anomaly being President Franklin Roosevelt. Historically, voters usually tire of the ruling party after two terms and change horses.
All the evidence points to a Republican resurgence. Just don't expect the mainstream media to acknowledge the reversal of fortunes for the GOP.
Since President Obama pranced into the White House, the Republican Party has arisen from the ash heap of defeat to the height of domination. The GOP today controls 56 per cent of the country's 7,383 state legislative seats. Thirty-two of the nation's 50 governors are Republicans.
On the national level, Republicans have majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Democrats once controlled the majority of the local and state elected offices and ruled the two legislative branches in Washington. The decline has reached epic proportions.
How bad have Democrats fared since the coronation of Mr. Obama?
Consider since 2009, Democrats have lost 910 state legislative seats. The party once dominated both chambers in 27 state legislatures. Now the number has skidded to 11, the lowest since 1978. The party has conceded 12 governorships, 69 seats in the House of Representatives and 13 Senate seats.
Despite the historic gains, the media continues to portray the GOP as the party that preaches hate, bigotry and misogyny. It is the party in decay, according to the media cabal. The reality is Democrats have suffered their worst string of defeats in decades. Call it the "Obama Effect."
There are a few inescapable conclusions that can be drawn from the voters rejection of the Democratic Party.
Despite fawning media support, Mr. Obama's purported popularity with voters has never been an assest to Democratic office seekers. His endorsement has had little impact in the majority of races, except in heavily Democratic states. His coattails don't stretch beyond the D.C. Beltway.
In fact, many Democratic candidates distanced themselves from the president in the most recent mid-term elections. Mr. Obama was uninvited by a host of Democrat candidates involved in tight races, especially in districts where neither party held a clear majority of registered voters.
Yet the latest Gallup Poll finds 47 percent of Americans approve of the job Mr. Obama's doing. At the same point in his second term, Bill Clinton's rating was 59 percent. Bush's numbers plunged to 32 percent and his unpopularity led to a thrashing of the GOP in the 2008 elections.
The suspicion has been that Mr. Obama's polling numbers are padded by voters reluctant to negatively rate the first African-American president. Privately people may express misgivings, but publicly critics are afraid of being branded a racist. It raises questions about the veracity of polls.
To state it another way: the polls may not accurately reflect Americans' feelings toward Mr. Obama. He likely is not as popular with the electorate as the polls suggest, despite his two-term victories against unimposing GOP candidates.
Flawed polls don't entirely explain the nosedive of the Democratic Party. There are a couple of other factors in play. One is the overwhelming unpopularity of Mr. Obama's signature health care plan. Democrat candidates have been forced by their GOP opponents to defend the scheme with voters.
More often than not it has spelled disaster for Democrats. In last week's gubernatorial race in Kentucky, a decided underdog Republican Matt Bevin ousted a popular Democrat by duck-taping him to the Obamacare reform. Ironically, the polls had the Democrat well ahead on election day.
A third explanation is one the national media will never report. Republican solutions to issues are resonating with voters. Many GOP candidates are hammering home the message of less government, lower taxes, economic growth, tighter borders and expanding school choice.
These traditional GOP themes are supposedly out-of-fashion with voters. The media cartel has dredged up polls, pundits and academics in a propaganda campaign to suggest Americans favor more government, expanded welfare, free college, open borders and higher taxes on the rich.
Their clarion call has not swayed voters. Democrat defeats have been lost on the current crop of party presidential candidates who continue to preach archaic ideas that have been soundly rejected in state and local races. That does not portend well for Democrats chances next November.
All signs point to a Democratic Party trouncing next year. Modeling developed by the Reuters news organization shows that the incumbent president's party is less likely to hold onto the office unless the current occupant's popularity is 50 percent or higher.
History is also on the side of Republicans. Democrats have failed in four of their last five attempts to win three consecutive terms in the White House, the lone anomaly being President Franklin Roosevelt. Historically, voters usually tire of the ruling party after two terms and change horses.
All the evidence points to a Republican resurgence. Just don't expect the mainstream media to acknowledge the reversal of fortunes for the GOP.
Monday, November 2, 2015
Obamacare: America's Unhealthy Insurance Scheme
After the president declared Obamacare a roaring success, the nation's media turned a blind eye to reports chronicling the unraveling of the largest government boondoggle in history. Mr. Obama's signature health reform plan is wallowing in billions of fraud, mismanagement and insolvency.
The bloated federal bureaucracy paid for by taxpayers to oversee the implementation of Obamacare is an administrative muck up. Nearly every aspect of the health plan designed to cover the uninsured has been an utter failure. Moreover, costs have exceeded even the rosiest predictions.
When the health plan was signed into law in 2010, reports showed 14.4 percent of all adults were uninsured. Today nearly 13 percent (12.9%)of adults have no insurance despite billions in government spending. More than 32 million Americans remain uninsured.
The president has claimed 17.6 million Americans have signed up for health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. About five million of those Americans previously had no insurance. That means the overwhelming majority were forced to give up their previous policy.
Even the 17.6 million number is dubious. Survey data from the global consulting firm McKinsey shows that 16 percent of those who enroll never obtain insurance. That means the number of Americans covered under Obamacare is closer to 13.7 million, far short of its original goal.
For those meager results, taxpayers will pay almost double the administration's under inflated cost estimate. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected costs over the next decade will top $1.993 trillion. The president promised costs would not exceed $900 billion over 10 years.
To make matters worse, there have been a slew of investigations by government watchdog groups excoriating the government apparatus for its handling of the implementation and operation of the insurance program.
In one of the most recent reports, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General documented the dismal performance of tax-funded insurance cooperatives that were created in 2011 at a cost of $2 billion. The co-ops were supposed to compete with private health insurance firms.
The inspector's findings were a searing indictment of the government scheme. Seven co-ops have shuttered their doors. Of the remaining 23 co-ops, 22 are in deep financial trouble. As a result, more co-ops will soon be forced to close because of insolvency.
Another audit by the same inspector general forced a stunning admission from the Health and Human Services Department, the agency entrusted with overseeing Obamacare. The department could not verify the accuracy of more than $2.8 billion it paid out in subsidies to newly insured Americans.
The IG investigation found HHS "did not have systems in place to ensure that financial assistance payments were made on behalf of confirmed enrollees in the correct amounts." Translation: the agency had no idea if those receiving subsidies met the income, citizenship or tax requirements.
The Obamacare state exchanges have fared only slightly better than the co-ops. Many of the exchanges have floundered, suffering systemic failures, cost-overruns and slipshod controls. More than $5.5 billion has been doled out to the problem-plagued exchanges.
The independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a field test to determine the viability of enrollment controls in federal and state exchanges. In its covert operation, GAO delegates applied for coverage through the exchanges.
The GAO applicants used fictitious Social Security numbers, fraudulent household income data and fake citizenship information. Ten of its 11 undercover operatives were able to receive Obamacare subsidies and tax credits from the exchanges using the bogus data.
It should came as no surprise that in August of this year the HHS Inspector General found that the website Healthcare.gov was failing to verify applicants' Social Security numbers, citizenship and household income.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration conducted its own investigation this year and revealed that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was failing to verify whether individuals had purchased mandated health coverage before distributing tax credits.
Even for this government, the level of dereliction, bureaucratic bungling and incompetency is epic. Yet the president and his media sycophants continue to unabashedly propagandize the success of the health care law, ignoring the flawed implementation of the complex reform.
For all these issues, Obamacare has victimized the very people it was supposed to help. Millions of Americans have had their insurance plans cancelled, lost access to their doctors, been socked with skyrocketing premiums and been forced to accept higher insurance deductibles.
This year alone rates for insurance sold through the government website are expected to increase an average of 7.5 percent for coverage in 2016. Consumers in some states will pay even higher rates. For example, insurance prices in Idaho are expected to spike 30 percent.
The president has left a fetid trail of broken promises on his way to proclaiming Obamacare an unqualified success. Now that the truth has been exposed, it is clear the reform has been a disaster. However, Americans are stuck with the tax bill and saddled with shoddy health coverage.
The next president must halt the charade and end resuscitation of the terminally ill health plan.
The bloated federal bureaucracy paid for by taxpayers to oversee the implementation of Obamacare is an administrative muck up. Nearly every aspect of the health plan designed to cover the uninsured has been an utter failure. Moreover, costs have exceeded even the rosiest predictions.
When the health plan was signed into law in 2010, reports showed 14.4 percent of all adults were uninsured. Today nearly 13 percent (12.9%)of adults have no insurance despite billions in government spending. More than 32 million Americans remain uninsured.
The president has claimed 17.6 million Americans have signed up for health care coverage under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. About five million of those Americans previously had no insurance. That means the overwhelming majority were forced to give up their previous policy.
Even the 17.6 million number is dubious. Survey data from the global consulting firm McKinsey shows that 16 percent of those who enroll never obtain insurance. That means the number of Americans covered under Obamacare is closer to 13.7 million, far short of its original goal.
For those meager results, taxpayers will pay almost double the administration's under inflated cost estimate. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has projected costs over the next decade will top $1.993 trillion. The president promised costs would not exceed $900 billion over 10 years.
To make matters worse, there have been a slew of investigations by government watchdog groups excoriating the government apparatus for its handling of the implementation and operation of the insurance program.
In one of the most recent reports, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General documented the dismal performance of tax-funded insurance cooperatives that were created in 2011 at a cost of $2 billion. The co-ops were supposed to compete with private health insurance firms.
The inspector's findings were a searing indictment of the government scheme. Seven co-ops have shuttered their doors. Of the remaining 23 co-ops, 22 are in deep financial trouble. As a result, more co-ops will soon be forced to close because of insolvency.
Another audit by the same inspector general forced a stunning admission from the Health and Human Services Department, the agency entrusted with overseeing Obamacare. The department could not verify the accuracy of more than $2.8 billion it paid out in subsidies to newly insured Americans.
The IG investigation found HHS "did not have systems in place to ensure that financial assistance payments were made on behalf of confirmed enrollees in the correct amounts." Translation: the agency had no idea if those receiving subsidies met the income, citizenship or tax requirements.
The Obamacare state exchanges have fared only slightly better than the co-ops. Many of the exchanges have floundered, suffering systemic failures, cost-overruns and slipshod controls. More than $5.5 billion has been doled out to the problem-plagued exchanges.
The independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) recently conducted a field test to determine the viability of enrollment controls in federal and state exchanges. In its covert operation, GAO delegates applied for coverage through the exchanges.
The GAO applicants used fictitious Social Security numbers, fraudulent household income data and fake citizenship information. Ten of its 11 undercover operatives were able to receive Obamacare subsidies and tax credits from the exchanges using the bogus data.
It should came as no surprise that in August of this year the HHS Inspector General found that the website Healthcare.gov was failing to verify applicants' Social Security numbers, citizenship and household income.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration conducted its own investigation this year and revealed that the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) was failing to verify whether individuals had purchased mandated health coverage before distributing tax credits.
Even for this government, the level of dereliction, bureaucratic bungling and incompetency is epic. Yet the president and his media sycophants continue to unabashedly propagandize the success of the health care law, ignoring the flawed implementation of the complex reform.
For all these issues, Obamacare has victimized the very people it was supposed to help. Millions of Americans have had their insurance plans cancelled, lost access to their doctors, been socked with skyrocketing premiums and been forced to accept higher insurance deductibles.
This year alone rates for insurance sold through the government website are expected to increase an average of 7.5 percent for coverage in 2016. Consumers in some states will pay even higher rates. For example, insurance prices in Idaho are expected to spike 30 percent.
The president has left a fetid trail of broken promises on his way to proclaiming Obamacare an unqualified success. Now that the truth has been exposed, it is clear the reform has been a disaster. However, Americans are stuck with the tax bill and saddled with shoddy health coverage.
The next president must halt the charade and end resuscitation of the terminally ill health plan.
Monday, October 26, 2015
Capitalism Under Attack in America
Socialism was once a dirty word in America. If a politician was branded a "socialist," the scarlet label spelled disgrace and defeat. Today in the Democratic Party presidential primary an avowed proponent of socialism has risen in the polls as his views have received increasing popular support.
How far has capitalism fallen out of favor? In the recent Democratic Party presidential debate, no candidate rushed to defend capitalism, including Hillary Clinton, whose tepid support for free enterprise seemed at odds with the views of most in the audience.
The Gallup polling firm has shed some light on the rise of socialism in a 2010 report. The results of its opinion research showed that 53 percent of Democrats have a positive image of socialism. By comparison, only 17 percent of Republicans hold a flattering view of socialism.
Among all Americans, about one-third (36%) have a positive impression of socialism. What the research makes clear is that socialism has found a home in the Democratic Party. It helps explain the improbable candidacy of unabashed socialist Bernie Sanders.
A more recent Gallup poll, conducted in June, found that 47 percent of Americans would consider voting for a socialist candidate for president. Democrats (52%) were more favorable toward a socialist campaigner than independents (49%) and Republicans (26%).
This may be shocking news to many Americans who associate socialism with Communist China or the former Soviet Union or Fidel Castro's Cuban regime. Do Americans really want a society controlled by a totalitarian government that dictates economic winners and losers?
The answer to that question can be found in the Gallup research. In the firm's poll, 86 percent of Americans favorably rated the term "free enterprise," including a majority of Democrats. Yet in the minds of many economists, capitalism and free enterprise are synonymous.
A 2014 report by the Pew Research Center on Global Attitudes and Trends found that Americans are more likely than their counterparts in other industrialized countries to believe their own efforts will determine success. That is another one of the hallmarks of a capitalist society.
This suggests the term "capitalism" has become anathema for many Americans. Democrats, especially the party's liberal wing, have demonized capitalism for years. Their propaganda campaign has been abetted by the media's portrayal of the current system as patently unfair and corrupt.
The steady drumbeat of disinformation has included false narratives about capitalism. The economic system has exacerbated income inequality, increased poverty, gutted the middle class, fueled job losses and made health care unaffordable. Capitalism is now a four-letter word: e-v-i-l.
All society's problems cannot be laid at the feet of capitalism. Capitalism does not guarantee equal outcomes in life. No economic system does, not even the socialism preached by Mr. Sanders. Yet Democrats keep insisting income equality demands equal prosperity.
Capitalism allows each person the right to their property, to invest as they see fit, to work for the benefit of themselves or their family, to buy and sell goods and services with little or no interference from the government. This economic freedom unleashes the God-given potential of each individual.
Under capitalism, Americans have grown more prosperous. More people own homes. Ingenuity is rewarded. Democracy is strengthened. Billions of dollars are spent each year on safety nets for those less fortunate. America has led the way in innovation and the reduction of poverty.
For all this evidence of success, there is little public recognition of why America enjoys such abundance. The education system no longer celebrates capitalism. You can find weighty tomes written by college professors bemoaning the human misery caused by capitalism.
Where are capitalism's defenders today? Business leaders should be at the forefront of extolling the virtues of a system that benefits job creation, investment, entrepreneurship and growth. But most cower, scared the political correctness crowd will attack anyone who touts capitalism.
Americans are allowing their economic model to be trashed without a peep. Too many people take free enterprise for granted and assume it will always be the nation's economic engine. However, a socialist president could change the current model in ways that would bring lasting economic ruin.
Rise up Americans. Once capitalism disappears, it will be too late for its proponents to recapture the prosperity that our nation has enjoyed. Raise your voices in support of capitalism, the economic system that is responsible for America's greatness.
How far has capitalism fallen out of favor? In the recent Democratic Party presidential debate, no candidate rushed to defend capitalism, including Hillary Clinton, whose tepid support for free enterprise seemed at odds with the views of most in the audience.
The Gallup polling firm has shed some light on the rise of socialism in a 2010 report. The results of its opinion research showed that 53 percent of Democrats have a positive image of socialism. By comparison, only 17 percent of Republicans hold a flattering view of socialism.
Among all Americans, about one-third (36%) have a positive impression of socialism. What the research makes clear is that socialism has found a home in the Democratic Party. It helps explain the improbable candidacy of unabashed socialist Bernie Sanders.
A more recent Gallup poll, conducted in June, found that 47 percent of Americans would consider voting for a socialist candidate for president. Democrats (52%) were more favorable toward a socialist campaigner than independents (49%) and Republicans (26%).
This may be shocking news to many Americans who associate socialism with Communist China or the former Soviet Union or Fidel Castro's Cuban regime. Do Americans really want a society controlled by a totalitarian government that dictates economic winners and losers?
The answer to that question can be found in the Gallup research. In the firm's poll, 86 percent of Americans favorably rated the term "free enterprise," including a majority of Democrats. Yet in the minds of many economists, capitalism and free enterprise are synonymous.
A 2014 report by the Pew Research Center on Global Attitudes and Trends found that Americans are more likely than their counterparts in other industrialized countries to believe their own efforts will determine success. That is another one of the hallmarks of a capitalist society.
This suggests the term "capitalism" has become anathema for many Americans. Democrats, especially the party's liberal wing, have demonized capitalism for years. Their propaganda campaign has been abetted by the media's portrayal of the current system as patently unfair and corrupt.
The steady drumbeat of disinformation has included false narratives about capitalism. The economic system has exacerbated income inequality, increased poverty, gutted the middle class, fueled job losses and made health care unaffordable. Capitalism is now a four-letter word: e-v-i-l.
All society's problems cannot be laid at the feet of capitalism. Capitalism does not guarantee equal outcomes in life. No economic system does, not even the socialism preached by Mr. Sanders. Yet Democrats keep insisting income equality demands equal prosperity.
Capitalism allows each person the right to their property, to invest as they see fit, to work for the benefit of themselves or their family, to buy and sell goods and services with little or no interference from the government. This economic freedom unleashes the God-given potential of each individual.
Under capitalism, Americans have grown more prosperous. More people own homes. Ingenuity is rewarded. Democracy is strengthened. Billions of dollars are spent each year on safety nets for those less fortunate. America has led the way in innovation and the reduction of poverty.
For all this evidence of success, there is little public recognition of why America enjoys such abundance. The education system no longer celebrates capitalism. You can find weighty tomes written by college professors bemoaning the human misery caused by capitalism.
Where are capitalism's defenders today? Business leaders should be at the forefront of extolling the virtues of a system that benefits job creation, investment, entrepreneurship and growth. But most cower, scared the political correctness crowd will attack anyone who touts capitalism.
Americans are allowing their economic model to be trashed without a peep. Too many people take free enterprise for granted and assume it will always be the nation's economic engine. However, a socialist president could change the current model in ways that would bring lasting economic ruin.
Rise up Americans. Once capitalism disappears, it will be too late for its proponents to recapture the prosperity that our nation has enjoyed. Raise your voices in support of capitalism, the economic system that is responsible for America's greatness.
Monday, October 19, 2015
How To Cut the Federal Budget By Billions
Liberals usually dredge up images of starving children, the bedraggled homeless and the penniless elderly to justify fatter federal budgets. More government spending is the remedy for every social injustice. They mock advocates of fiscal responsibility, branding them heartless monsters.
In the mind of a liberal, Washington's budgets cannot be trimmed. There is no waste, no fraud, no inefficiency, no pork in the budget. Every penny in spending can be justified. Liberals never let the facts become an obstacle to their quest to spend, spend, spend.
No one can contest the fact the liberals, often with the support of wishy washy conservatives, have won the battle of the budget most years. The result has been record-busting spending. Just consider what has happened in the last 28 years.
In 1987, the federal budget burst through the $1 trillion ceiling for the first time. Since then, it has tripled to $3.8 trillion for the current 2015 fiscal year. That is nearly $300 billion more than the previous year. Next year's budget will likely be the first one to crack $4 trillion.
Those budget increases have been built on the backs of higher levels of debt. In President Obama's first four years in office, budget deficits surpassed $1 trillion annually for the first time in U.S. history. During this spending binge, America's debt has mushroomed to $18 trillion.
For most of the 20th century, federal government spending was about three per cent of the country's economic output or Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But today your government's spending amounts to more than 20 percent of the GDP.
As the federal government has gobbled up taxpayer funds, it has become more unwieldy, inefficient and susceptible to fraud. If you need evidence, look no further than the annual U.S. government audit released this month by Gene L. Dodaro, comptroller general of the United States.
In a report that attracted scant media coverage, Dodaro said the government's own records documented that various federal agencies doled out improper payments totaling $124.7 billion in 2014. That represents a $19 billion hike from the previous fiscal year, suggesting fraud is rampant.
For the record, the government classifies "improper payments" as fraudulent spending. However, not all of these payments are the result of fraud. Some improper payments are a by-product of lax government controls, non-existent safeguards or administrative bungling.
Over the years, the situation has grown worse. Since fiscal year 2003, improper payments have cumulatively totaled almost $1 trillion. That contributes to the growth in government spending that no politician or government official ever mentions. It is Washington's dirty little secret.
In 2014, the largest share of over payments occurred in three programs: Medicare, Medicaid and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Those plans accounted for 75 percent of the estimate of improper payments, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
One of the most popular frauds is the earned income tax credit claimed by those filing with the Internal Revenue Service. The government handed out $17.7 billion in improper payments to taxpayers for this credit last year. It accounted for 14.2 percent of the total improper payments.
During 2014, Medicare financed health services for about 54 million elderly and disabled persons at a cost of $603 billion. Nearly 10 percent of that amount ($60 billion) was labeled improper spending. Most but not all of those payments can be attributed to fraudulent claims paid to Medicare providers.
The waste wasn't just confined to entitlements. Improper payments during last year were found in 22 government agencies and across 124 federal programs. That is the definition of pervasive waste. The government-wide payment error rate increased form four percent to 4.5 percent in 2014.
Error rates were even higher for some popular government programs. For example, the school breakfast program recorded 25.6 percent of its expenditures as improper payments. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act had a 23.1 percent fraudulent payment rate, reports the GAO.
No private or public corporation could operate with those error rates. But the federal government gets away with it because elected representatives do not hold them accountable. The bureaucracy thumbs its noses at scrutiny because mismanagement won't get you fired.
That's why Dodaro is not optimistic about the federal government addressing this critical issue. In his report, he wrote that "the federal government is unable to determine the full extent to which improper payments occur and reasonably assure that appropriate actions are taken."
This disclosure should sound alarm bells in the halls of Congress. But sadly it won't. Washington has become jaded to the waste, fraud and bureaucratic bungling. That is an indictment of the cozy inside the Beltway cabal that talks austerity but always votes for more spending.
Until Congress gets serious about budget reform, the situation will never improve. Spending will continue unabated. Wake up Americans. Start demanding a zero increase in spending until the bureaucrats clean up their act.
In the mind of a liberal, Washington's budgets cannot be trimmed. There is no waste, no fraud, no inefficiency, no pork in the budget. Every penny in spending can be justified. Liberals never let the facts become an obstacle to their quest to spend, spend, spend.
No one can contest the fact the liberals, often with the support of wishy washy conservatives, have won the battle of the budget most years. The result has been record-busting spending. Just consider what has happened in the last 28 years.
In 1987, the federal budget burst through the $1 trillion ceiling for the first time. Since then, it has tripled to $3.8 trillion for the current 2015 fiscal year. That is nearly $300 billion more than the previous year. Next year's budget will likely be the first one to crack $4 trillion.
Those budget increases have been built on the backs of higher levels of debt. In President Obama's first four years in office, budget deficits surpassed $1 trillion annually for the first time in U.S. history. During this spending binge, America's debt has mushroomed to $18 trillion.
For most of the 20th century, federal government spending was about three per cent of the country's economic output or Gross Domestic Product (GDP). But today your government's spending amounts to more than 20 percent of the GDP.
As the federal government has gobbled up taxpayer funds, it has become more unwieldy, inefficient and susceptible to fraud. If you need evidence, look no further than the annual U.S. government audit released this month by Gene L. Dodaro, comptroller general of the United States.
In a report that attracted scant media coverage, Dodaro said the government's own records documented that various federal agencies doled out improper payments totaling $124.7 billion in 2014. That represents a $19 billion hike from the previous fiscal year, suggesting fraud is rampant.
For the record, the government classifies "improper payments" as fraudulent spending. However, not all of these payments are the result of fraud. Some improper payments are a by-product of lax government controls, non-existent safeguards or administrative bungling.
Over the years, the situation has grown worse. Since fiscal year 2003, improper payments have cumulatively totaled almost $1 trillion. That contributes to the growth in government spending that no politician or government official ever mentions. It is Washington's dirty little secret.
In 2014, the largest share of over payments occurred in three programs: Medicare, Medicaid and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Those plans accounted for 75 percent of the estimate of improper payments, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report.
One of the most popular frauds is the earned income tax credit claimed by those filing with the Internal Revenue Service. The government handed out $17.7 billion in improper payments to taxpayers for this credit last year. It accounted for 14.2 percent of the total improper payments.
During 2014, Medicare financed health services for about 54 million elderly and disabled persons at a cost of $603 billion. Nearly 10 percent of that amount ($60 billion) was labeled improper spending. Most but not all of those payments can be attributed to fraudulent claims paid to Medicare providers.
The waste wasn't just confined to entitlements. Improper payments during last year were found in 22 government agencies and across 124 federal programs. That is the definition of pervasive waste. The government-wide payment error rate increased form four percent to 4.5 percent in 2014.
Error rates were even higher for some popular government programs. For example, the school breakfast program recorded 25.6 percent of its expenditures as improper payments. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act had a 23.1 percent fraudulent payment rate, reports the GAO.
No private or public corporation could operate with those error rates. But the federal government gets away with it because elected representatives do not hold them accountable. The bureaucracy thumbs its noses at scrutiny because mismanagement won't get you fired.
That's why Dodaro is not optimistic about the federal government addressing this critical issue. In his report, he wrote that "the federal government is unable to determine the full extent to which improper payments occur and reasonably assure that appropriate actions are taken."
This disclosure should sound alarm bells in the halls of Congress. But sadly it won't. Washington has become jaded to the waste, fraud and bureaucratic bungling. That is an indictment of the cozy inside the Beltway cabal that talks austerity but always votes for more spending.
Until Congress gets serious about budget reform, the situation will never improve. Spending will continue unabated. Wake up Americans. Start demanding a zero increase in spending until the bureaucrats clean up their act.
Monday, October 5, 2015
America's Crisis of Corruption
America has a corruption epidemic. From the White House to the state house to the school house, it exists at every level of government. This breach of public trust helps explain why Americans are fed up with the culture of corruption fostered by Washington's establishment political class.
In a recent survey by the polling firm Gallup, three out of four Americans (75%) said they were convinced that corruption in their government is pervasive. This is a watershed figure and eclipses the 66 percent who felt the same way in 2009 when President Obama took office.
Other research has found that 60 percent of Americans believe that corruption has increased in the last two years. Only 10 percent think the level of dishonesty has decreased. Those polled included a representative sample of Americans from all income, political and ethnic groups.
Perhaps, there are some Americans who think this is more about perception than reality. But a cursory glance through the FBI's public corruption files confirms the widespread impropriety that has touched every branch of government. Here is a sample of headlines from the files:
Former Texas Judge Sentenced on Racketeering Charges. Indiana City Councilman Sentenced for Failure to File Tax Returns. Former Congressman and Wife Convicted of campaign fraud. Ex-law Enforcement Officials Sentenced on Conspiracy, Tax and Money Laundering Charges.
The list of dishonesty extends for pages and pages. New Jersey School Administrator Sentenced for Bribery. Pennsylvania State Senator Convicted of Mail Fraud and Tax Charges. Former Wichita City Clerk Sentenced for Embezzling Funds. DEA Agents Charged With Stealing $1 Million in Currency.
The White House has not been immune from the disease of dishonesty. Controversies have included the the IRS targeting of conservative groups, the Justice Department's collection of phone data on reporters, Secret Service agents hiring of prostitutes and the Veterans Administration scandal.
The crookedness has created a stench that no amount of political stump speeches will erase. Every day brings a new headline and a new arrest warrant. It is a never ending march of corruption that taints American democracy and turns off voters who view every office holder as amoral.
Indiana University and City University in Hong Kong documented the level of corruption in a 2014 landmark study. Their research uncovered more than 25,000 convictions for violations of federal anti-corruption laws by U.S. government employees and officials in a 32-year period ending in 2008.
The research, which appeared in Public Administration Review, concluded that reducing corruption in government would help restrain spending for many states struggling to balance their budget. In other words, government dishonesty ends up costing taxpayers more money.
Politicians and government employees aren't the only culpable individuals.
Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption, surveyed Americans and found that a surprising seven percent admitted paying a bribe to a government official in the last 12 months. In the study, Americans named political parties as the most corrupt institutions in the country.
This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Corruption has seeped into both parties and throughout the government bureaucracy they have constructed. Too many politicians and government workers view kickbacks, bribes, misconduct and fraud as just part of the benefits that go with the office.
Sadly, the future portends the specter of more not less corruption in government. Today there is at least one sitting congressman who has evaded payment of federal taxes. A long-term senator has been charged with accepting bribes, yet still occupies a seat in the nation's legislative chamber.
The current political class looks the other way while its members commit all sorts of iniquities. They wink and nod and pretend to care. But they don't enforce their own rules. No wonder the public mood is to throw out all the bums, even the "good" ones.
Washington, state legislatures, cities and schools need to start policing their elected officials. There should be zero tolerance for any infraction of the code of conduct. Prosecutions need to more vigorous. Jail terms need to be stiffened. The guilty should not be allowed to ever hold office.
Americans are demanding more of their government and elected officials. They have every right to do so. Honesty, integrity and morality are not suggestions for the governing elite. Those characteristics are what should be required to occupy any office of public trust.
In a recent survey by the polling firm Gallup, three out of four Americans (75%) said they were convinced that corruption in their government is pervasive. This is a watershed figure and eclipses the 66 percent who felt the same way in 2009 when President Obama took office.
Other research has found that 60 percent of Americans believe that corruption has increased in the last two years. Only 10 percent think the level of dishonesty has decreased. Those polled included a representative sample of Americans from all income, political and ethnic groups.
Perhaps, there are some Americans who think this is more about perception than reality. But a cursory glance through the FBI's public corruption files confirms the widespread impropriety that has touched every branch of government. Here is a sample of headlines from the files:
Former Texas Judge Sentenced on Racketeering Charges. Indiana City Councilman Sentenced for Failure to File Tax Returns. Former Congressman and Wife Convicted of campaign fraud. Ex-law Enforcement Officials Sentenced on Conspiracy, Tax and Money Laundering Charges.
The list of dishonesty extends for pages and pages. New Jersey School Administrator Sentenced for Bribery. Pennsylvania State Senator Convicted of Mail Fraud and Tax Charges. Former Wichita City Clerk Sentenced for Embezzling Funds. DEA Agents Charged With Stealing $1 Million in Currency.
The White House has not been immune from the disease of dishonesty. Controversies have included the the IRS targeting of conservative groups, the Justice Department's collection of phone data on reporters, Secret Service agents hiring of prostitutes and the Veterans Administration scandal.
The crookedness has created a stench that no amount of political stump speeches will erase. Every day brings a new headline and a new arrest warrant. It is a never ending march of corruption that taints American democracy and turns off voters who view every office holder as amoral.
Indiana University and City University in Hong Kong documented the level of corruption in a 2014 landmark study. Their research uncovered more than 25,000 convictions for violations of federal anti-corruption laws by U.S. government employees and officials in a 32-year period ending in 2008.
The research, which appeared in Public Administration Review, concluded that reducing corruption in government would help restrain spending for many states struggling to balance their budget. In other words, government dishonesty ends up costing taxpayers more money.
Politicians and government employees aren't the only culpable individuals.
Transparency International, a global coalition against corruption, surveyed Americans and found that a surprising seven percent admitted paying a bribe to a government official in the last 12 months. In the study, Americans named political parties as the most corrupt institutions in the country.
This is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Corruption has seeped into both parties and throughout the government bureaucracy they have constructed. Too many politicians and government workers view kickbacks, bribes, misconduct and fraud as just part of the benefits that go with the office.
Sadly, the future portends the specter of more not less corruption in government. Today there is at least one sitting congressman who has evaded payment of federal taxes. A long-term senator has been charged with accepting bribes, yet still occupies a seat in the nation's legislative chamber.
The current political class looks the other way while its members commit all sorts of iniquities. They wink and nod and pretend to care. But they don't enforce their own rules. No wonder the public mood is to throw out all the bums, even the "good" ones.
Washington, state legislatures, cities and schools need to start policing their elected officials. There should be zero tolerance for any infraction of the code of conduct. Prosecutions need to more vigorous. Jail terms need to be stiffened. The guilty should not be allowed to ever hold office.
Americans are demanding more of their government and elected officials. They have every right to do so. Honesty, integrity and morality are not suggestions for the governing elite. Those characteristics are what should be required to occupy any office of public trust.
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