Blog Archives
3/26/12 – House budget opponents circle the wagons Read Replies
Spending cut proposals from last year’s House budget report generally carried over in the new version of the “Path to Prosperity” that was unveiled last week, and proposals for a tax overhaul represented a welcome bonus.
3/19/12 – A tale of two videos Read s Reply
A week before Americans went to the polls in 1980, candidate Ronald Reagan addressed a question to them: “Are you better off than you were four years ago?”
3/12/12 – Don’t believe everything you hear Read replies
There are known knowns. These are things we know that we know. There are known unknowns.
3/5/12 – Can this country be saved?
We began this week’s entry with some seemingly random thoughts on topics ranging from Charles Ponzi’s birthday to a pending court case and the partisan divide in Washington.
2/27/12 – House Ways and Means should get moving
Rushing in “where angels fear to tread,” SAFE sent a February 1 letter to the members of Congress suggesting four points for action in 2012. http://bit.ly/wcMHT8
2/20/12 – Budget lands with a thud
The president’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2013, including an updated projection for the years through 2022, was delivered to Congress a week ago.
2/13/12 – Plumbing the depth of the fiscal hole
The president’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2013 et seq. is expected today.
2/6/12 – Spreading the word and achieving impact
Following last week’s entry, SAFE sent a one-page call for action to every member of Congress. http://www.s-a-f-e.org/contacting_legislators_2012.htm#020112
1/30/12 – SOTU finesses fiscal responsibility
Did a White House speechwriter stumble across SAFE’s “to do” list for Congress (see our 1/16/12 entry) and decide to contradict every point in the State of the Union (SOTU) address?
1/23/12 – Cut defense spending with care Read Replies
It is a myth that conservatives agree about everything, ask anyone who has attended a SAFE board meeting or two, particularly when it comes to defense spending.
1/16/12 – SAFE offers DC a “to do” list for 2012
The nation’s legislators are returning to Washington, but it appears unlikely that Congress will get down to business before, say, the week of February 6.
1/9/12 – About those recess appointments
As anyone who has been paying attention knows, the president saw fit to appoint four individuals to high-ranking positions while Congress was out of town for the holidays.
1/2/12 – Happy 2012, and why it’s time to focus on taxes Read a Reply
Our last entry (12/19/11) counseled fiscal visionaries to disdain “grandiose plans for future action” and “start demanding real corrective action in the here and now.”
12/19/11 – Beware the planning disease; it takes action to get things done
Last December, in the wake of the mid-term elections, we said it was “nice to look forward to a new Congress in which fiscal visionaries will have a chance to do something besides hanging on for dear life.”
12/12/11 – Jobs, jobs, jobs, but how?
The latest US employment data were seen as encouraging, with the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate falling from 9.0% to 8.6% in November.
12/5/11 – Bin the payroll tax cut Read Replies
Until Americans recognize the urgency of the fiscal problem and demand corrective action, there is little hope for a solution.
11/28/11 – Tax cuts for rank and file now; tax increases for the wealthy in 2013
Last Monday, the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction announced it had deadlocked due to “significant differences.”
11/21/11 – GOP economic plan offers some good ideas, but weak execution
Our review of Democrat proposals to promote economic recovery was not complimentary.
11/14/11 – “We can’t wait” campaign is a farce
History does not repeat itself, but certain patterns keep recurring.
11/7/11 – Flattering and cajoling the “Super Committee” Read Replies
Another meeting took place on November 1, perhaps the most revealing public meeting yet of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.
10/31/11 – Decision time for the Joint Committee Read Replies
What a surprise! The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction is deadlocked over spending cuts vs. tax increases, with its November 23 deadline just around the corner.
10/24/11 – Wasteful spending: the EEOC has outlived its usefulness
SAFE member Alan Richter, PhD of Spokane, Washington, recently offered two suggestions for reducing the deficit – abolish the EEOC, “which is a waste of taxpayer money,” and disenfranchise voters who do not pay income taxes.
10/17/11 – Bloom Energy could be the last straw Read Replies
If you think the push for wind, solar, etc. power is all about manmade global warming (MMGW), think again.
10/10/11 – Joint Committee must get back to basics Read Replies
On October 6, the SAFE board reviewed our position vis-à-vis the proceedings of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction.
10/3/11 – JC update: hunting for a painless solution Read a reply
The members of the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction have been given a unique opportunity to work across the House/Senate divide in a bitterly split Congress.
9/26/11 – “Happytalk” revisited and what to do about it Read a Reply
Some readers may recall an entry deploring one-sided political rhetoric, which at the time seemed well nigh unstoppable. “Happytalk” blossoms in the nation’s capital, 7/6/09.
9/19/11 – Elementary, my dear Holmes
There are 16 pieces in a chess game, which can only make certain moves, and 64 spaces on the board.
9/12/11 – A tempting offer: spend now, pay later
With apologies to the People’s Court, this week’s entry might be summed up like this: “The problems are real, the proposed solutions political, and the prognosis uncertain.”
9/5/11 – Federal Family Flim Flam Read Replies
The week of August 22-28 brought two natural disasters in the eastern United States, an earthquake and Hurricane Irene.
8/29/11 – Congress’s ratings hit new lows: some thoughts about the stats Read Replies
Other observers are still talking about the debt limit deal and the Joint Committee it spawned, but we are up to date on that story for now and will shift to another topic.
8/22/11 – A list of targeted spending cuts Read Replies
Last week’s entry offered four suggestions for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (JC)
8/15/11 – And so it begins: a “Super Committee” is born
For those who came in late, the US government has a spending problem, not a deficit problem.
8/8/11 – Debt limit deal settled nothing Read Replies
There was a feeling of closure as the votes on the Budget Control Act of 2011 were shown taking place on national TV, first the House (269-161) in the early evening of August 1 and then the Senate (74-26) the next day.
8/1/11 – Who cut my credit rating?
We had planned to review the debt limit “deal” today, but the terms were still being debated when we went to press.
7/25/11 – Looking at things in a different way
Gary Neil Asteak, Esq., a criminal defense attorney in Easton, PA, presented a session at the Criminal Law Symposium (6/2/11, Harrisburg) entitled “The Four Noble Truths – Dharma for the Defense.”
7/15/11 – Making sausage in DC: haggling over a debt limit increase
Many Americans are against raising the $14.3 trillion debt limit, including a majority of Republican and independent voters.
7/11/11 (T-22) – When worlds collide: two very different strategies Read a Reply
Rumor has it that the world as we know it will end on August 2 unless an agreement to raise the $14.3 trillion federal debt limit is reached by then.
7/4/11 – Remember the past to save the future
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it,” wrote philosopher George Santayana, which is generally taken to mean that a failure to remember past mistakes may result in making them again.
6/27/11 – Social Security belongs on the table with everything else.
It is hardly a newsflash that Social Security faces long-term fiscal problems.
6/20/11 – Slouching towards a debt limit deal Read Replies
We have no inside information on what will happen in the Biden talks, but some predictions making the rounds seem unrealistic if not downright deceptive.
6/13/11 – Federal budget workshops – a good effort with limited results
Representative John Carney sponsored three Concord Coalition budget workshops on June 8.
Prepare for a change of pace.
5/30/11 – Never mind a 10-year plan; cut spending now Read Replies
Some people believe all “conservatives” think alike, but this is not so.
5/23/11 – Tips for fiscal visionaries: policies and politics are closely connected Read a Reply
From the SAFE archives (fall 1998): “Our approach is to use the strength of our organization and the strength of our ideas in an intelligent way so we can advance our agenda.
5/16/11 – Of course the debt ceiling will be raised, but on what terms?
Nobody in a position of responsibility is suggesting the federal government’s debt limit will not be raised, as it always has been when needed.
5/9/11 – An administrative blitz: taking cover is not enough
With legislative gridlock likely over the next 18 months, we expect big government supporters to concentrate on advancing their agenda through administrative action (AA).
5/2/11 – Meanwhile, on the administrative front Read a Reply
From the standpoint of the president and his party, the current situation in Congress must seem like a big comedown after scoring an $800B fiscal stimulus package, GovCare, and GovFinance in the last Congress.
4/25/11 – Tip for fiscal visionaries: be persistent or get run over. Read Replies
It is nice to have the facts and logic on your side, but in a politicized debate (which might be about almost anything these days, with the possible exception of low calorie, organically grown apple pie) that is not enough.
4/18/11 – Stay alert: this will be a long, tough ride. Read Replies
Relatively few Americans expect any significant long-term spending cuts before the 2012 elections, Rasmussen, 4/13/11.
4/11/11 – Government shutdown: a temporary reprieve
This entry will update a story from the last issue of the SAFE newsletter and offer our assessment of where things seem to be headed.
4/4/11 – A glum anniversary for GovCare
The 2,000+ page healthcare “reform” package was enacted in March 2010, by a whisker-thin margin, with no Republican support.
3/28/11 – A status report on the budget brawl
Consider how the DC tussle over fiscal policy has proceeded thus far. Somehow. things do not seem to be headed in a constructive direction.
3/21/11 – Japanese nuclear plant damage: a big setback for nuclear power.
We had another topic in mind for this week’s entry, but given the high profile situation at the Fukushima plant let’s talk about nuclear power instead.
3/14/11 – How to keep big government going (for a while)
As discussed last week, Social Security (and indeed the government as a whole) resembles a Ponzi scheme wobbling on the brink. Now what?
3/7/11 – Social Security is burnt out, now what? Read Replies
SAFE member Harry Thompson of Tucson, Arizona has asked us to remind readers of Charles Ponzi’s birthday (born March 3, 1882).
2/28/11 – The budget: will Congress save the day? Read a Reply
SAFE blasted the budget proposed by the president for FY 2011.
2/21/11 – The budget: a “lowball” offer Read a Reply
The president’s budget for FY 2012 was released a week ago.
2/14/11 – Jobs: do not let the perfect be the enemy of the good. Read Replies
This entry will be about employment ( the flip side of unemployment), an oft-cited justification for stimulative fiscal and monetary policies.
2/7/11 – SAFE to Congress: you need to do much, much better Read Replies
The letter mentioned at the end of last week’s entry has been sent individually (primarily via fax) to the 535 members of the two houses of Congress.
1/31/11 – To win the future, do not let the government do it
Our expectations for the State of the Union address were modest (see 1/17/11 entry), but the president undershot them.
No policy area has been covered more intensively in this blog than healthcare; there were 16 entries about the subject in 2009 alone.
1/17/11 – SOTU and budget preview Read Replies
The president will deliver the State of the Union (SOTU) Address on Tuesday, January 25, with the proposed budget for FY 2012 to follow on February 1.
1/10/11 – Game theory is a powerful tool, but it cannot engineer the future
Fiscal visionaries will never be able to convert the hard-core supporters of bigger, more pervasive, and costlier government.
1/3/11 – The time for politics as usual is over.
Let’s start with a bit of levity – this entry will get serious soon enough.
12/20/10 – Out with the old, in with the new
Some previous year-end entries – 2007: Fiscal visionaries at bay; 2008: The Grinch that stole Christmas; 2009: Two crises and a partridge in a pear tree – were grim in tone and/or conveyed forced cheerfulness.
12/13/10 – DC action: the tax cut deal is overloaded. Read Replies
The results of the November elections were interpreted by some observers – perhaps with a touch of wishful thinking – as a repudiation of soaring government spending, deficits and debt.
12/6/10 – Fiscal Commission sets stage for further discussion. Read Replies
Skeptics said the Fiscal Commission could not possibly recommend a meaningful plan to address the fiscal problem, not with its bipartisan composition and a 14 of 18 votes requirement.
11/29/10 – Dear EPA: shape up or ship out Read a Reply
Last week’s survey of the federal regulatory landscape might be summarized by a four-quadrant model.
11/22/10 – Regulatory common sense requires eternal vigilance
SAFE has proposed a Regulatory Common Sense Commission to review the regulatory activities of government with a view to (a) improving the performance of necessary tasks, (b) eliminating unnecessary tasks, and (c) reducing regulatory burden on the private sector.
11/15/10 – Fiscal Commission: Co-Chairs’ Proposal Read a Reply
|
Apr. 27 |
May 26 |
June 30 |
July 28 |
Sept. 29 |
Nov. 30 |
Dec. 1 |
On recently visiting the Fiscal Commission’s Website, we noted that the date of the sixth meeting had been changed from November 10 (eight days after mid-term elections) to November 30.
11/08/10 – Internal Revenue Code 2.0 – part two
SAFE has developed a SimpleTax proposal that would streamline the tax law and also – together with a spending ceiling of 20% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) – help to balance the budget.
11/01/10 – Internal Revenue Code 2.0
If our proposal for a Spending Reduction Commission clicked, the federal budget could be balanced by 2015 – ideally without raising taxes.
10/25/10 – Getting down to brass tacks about spending. Read Replies
Three weeks ago, SAFE sent the Fiscal Commission some suggestions for its upcoming report.
10/18/10 – Surveying the path forward
In addition to substantive news and analysis, we occasionally muse about how to promote SAFE’s agenda.
10/11/10 – The bailout mentality puts us all at risk
There is something in the human psyche that does not want to accept losses.
10/4/10 – Fiscal Commission: tough decisions in November Read Replies
We last reported on proceedings of the Fiscal Commission after it July 28 meeting.
9/27/10 – The generational divide: two takes on the fiscal problem Read Replies
There is a new book out on the coming fiscal meltdown, Boomergeddon, with a nuclear explosion depicted on the front cover.
9/20/10 – Raising taxes and a crackdown on cheating won’t solve the fiscal problem
After talking about D.C. rallies and the Constitution for several weeks, let’s turn to a “bread and butter” issue: Should taxes be raised during a sputtering economic recovery, and if so how?
9/13/10 – Long live the Constitution
Reader input is often helpful in deciding what issues to cover, and this week’s entry originated with a suggestion from SAFE Member Harry Thompson of Tucson, Arizona.
9/06/10 – The path forward from August 28 Read Replies
As reported last week, the Restoring Honor rally was a patriotic/ spiritual event – and not openly political. Glenn Beck rally in D.C., 8/30/10.
8/30/10 – Glenn Beck rally in D.C. Read a Reply
Many people turned out for the Restoring Honor rally at the Lincoln Memorial on August 28, including SAFE directors Steve McClain and Bill Whipple.
8/23/10 – “Good news” about Medicare is much exaggerated
Last week we reviewed the fiscal outlook for Social Security as of its 75th anniversary.
8/16/10 – Clamor builds for another Social Security fix Read Replies
August 14 (last Saturday) was the 75th Anniversary of Social Security, and the 45th Anniversary of Medicare/Medicaid fell on July 30.
8/9/10 – Sorry, but there are no “painless” ways to raise taxes. Read a Reply
As reported last week, consideration is being given to eliminating “tax expenditures,” which some people characterize as spending by another name, as a means of increasing tax revenue.
8/2/10 – Fiscal Commission fiddles as budget burns. Read Replies
Conservatives would balance the budget by reducing government spending and commitments, not by raising taxes in a doomed attempt to cover them.
7/26/10 – D.C. update: the “green” energy push
We predicted several months ago that passage of the “healthcare reform bill” (GovCare) would not mark the end of this year’s push for bigger, more intrusive, more costly government.
7/19/10 – Resolving the fiscal mess: SAFE responds to a fictional inquiry Read Replies
Imagine yourself as a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform, which is supposed to recommend a cure for the government’s dire fiscal problem.
Last week we reported on the Fiscal Commission’s meeting and public hearing on June 30, which revealed sharply divergent opinions as to what recommendations should be made.
7/5/10 – Fiscal Commission update: lots of input, little progress.
Last week’s entry expressed concern about the feasibility of resolving the profound disagreement in this country as to the proper size and role of government.
6/28/10 – And never the twain shall meet: the Left/Right divide. Read a Reply
For those who came in late, SAFE advocates smaller, more focused, less costly government.
6/21/10 – The “plan now, act later” idea is a nonstarter
SAFE is not alone in worrying about the government’s fiscal situation.
6/14/10 – War on cheap energy grinds on.
If the Gulf oil spill sparks a backlash against the oil industry, we suggested last week, this could provide new impetus for a radical overhaul of the energy sector.
6/7/10 – Disaster in the Gulf: environmental effects and political fallout. Read A Reply
The Gulf oil spill has been going on since late April, and British Petroleum’s efforts to stop it have been unsuccessful thus far.
5/24/10 – Fiscal Commission update: off to a somewhat promising start. Read Replies
We last wrote about the Fiscal Commission (FC) shortly before its first meeting on April 27 and a Fiscal Summit (FS) organized by the Peterson Foundation on April 28.
5/17/10 – Greek debt crisis: a double-edged sword.
It is natural to think of the Greek debt crisis as an illustration of what could happen if U.S. political leaders fail to get serious about putting the government’s fiscal affairs in order.
5/10/10 – GovFinance: too bad to fix.
As suggested last week, the push for a big financial overhaul bill (GovFinance) is premature.
5/3/10 – “Reforming” the financial system: a play in three acts.
PROLOGUE: Most readers will remember the financial panic in the fall of 2008. It was undeniably a scary time.
4/26/10 – Fiscal Commission lifts off this week, but where is it headed? Read a Reply
We have written before about the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform (hereinafter Fiscal Commission or “FC”). Now, with the first meeting scheduled to take place at the White House tomorrow, it is time for an update.
4/19/10 – I.O.U.S.A. Solutions: a not so subtle pitch for raising taxes. Read Replies
Do you remember I.O.U.S.A., a film intended to dramatize the message of the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour and hopefully spark a debate of long-term fiscal issues during the run-up to the 2008 election?
4/12/10 – Centralized control of education may be overrated. Read a Reply
Our last entry ended with a question: After 50 years of generally counterproductive intervention in K-12 education, is the federal government finally about to get its act together?
4/5/10 – K-12 education: are charter schools the answer?
Enough about GovCare for now; this week’s entry will be about charter schools.
3/29/10 – Raising the ante: America’s future is at stake. Read Replies
Opponents of GovCare fought the good fight, with a “Code Red” rally in Washington on Saturday, March 20.
3/22/10 – A tangled web: we must enact GovCare to reduce the deficit. Read a Reply
This entry will tie together two story lines: (a) the Fiscal Commission that is supposed to recommend ways to deal with unsustainable deficit spending, and (b) the GovCare proposal that would make the fiscal situation worse.
3/15/10 – Gridlock won’t look so bad if it stops GovCare. Read Replies
Many people say “Washington is broken,” but they are not all talking about the same thing.
3/8/10 – If coal power is too “dirty,” how about nuclear? Read Replies
The president recently announced plans for a nuclear resurgence, as was noted in our global warming/ energy policy microblog:
3/1/10 – Should government be held to a higher standard?
We are indebted to SAFE member Harry Thompson in Tucson, Arizona for suggesting this week’s topic: government practices that would not be tolerated in the private sector.
2/22/10 – Here goes nothing: some thoughts about the Fiscal Commission Read a Reply
It has been suggested that presidents appoint commissions when they don’t want to do anything about something, while giving the illusion that they do.
2/15/10 – Don’t just stand there, do something constructive.
We reviewed the president’s budget last week, and ended by suggesting that Congress should “bin it.”
2/8/10 – Sorry, but the budget was dead on arrival. Read Replies
This week’s entry will review the president’s budget proposal, which was transmitted to Congress on February 1.
2/1/10 – Washington is not working so let’s take another helping.
SAFE’s prediction about the State of the Union (“SOTU”) address was not fully borne out.
1/25/10 – A setback for GovCare, now what?
Just before Christmas, when a 60-vote supermajority was mustered to cut off debate on the Senate version of the healthcare plan (GovCare), it seemed that some version of this plan was inevitable and would be enacted early in 2010.
1/18/10 – Hey, this deck is stacked!
As readers of this blog are surely aware, SAFE is a big believer in smaller, more focused, less costly government.
1/11/10 – A case for demanding better results Read Replies
Last week’s entry predicted that, in the upcoming State of the Union (SOTU) address, the president will call for improved “debt management,” to be achieved on a bipartisan basis based on a review by an independent commission or task force.
1/4/10 – The wrong way to defuse the debt bomb. Read Replies
Happy New Year! With Congress mercifully in recess, there is not much happening in the public policy arena.
12/21/09 – Two crises and a partridge in a pear tree
Crisis I: After posting last week’s entry, an update on the battle over GovCare, SAFE wrote the Delaware members of Congress.
12/14/09 – Healthcare: down to the wire.
The last four entries were devoted to a review of the U.S. political system, ending with a discussion of the pros and cons of calling for a Constitutional convention.
12/7/09 – RX, part two – a Constitutional convention? Read Replies
How can the GRA disease be cured?
11/30/09 – RX, part one – Reform Congress
Lest SAFE be viewed as a bunch of alarmists, here is one more analysis suggesting the disease could be life threatening.
11/23/09 – What is causing GRA? Read Replies
It was previously suggested that the U.S. political system is faltering due to crucial issues ignored, bad ideas entertained, proposals presented deceptively, and dissent dismissed.
11/16/09 – Is this any way to govern a country?
Underlying the disputes in Washington about healthcare “reform” and other proposed initiatives, one senses that something is amiss with the body politic.
11/9/09 – GovCare: good intentions are not enough. Read Replies
Before trying to fix a machine, one needs to understand how it works.
11/2/09 – Healthcare insurers: imperfect yes, demons no.
As previously reported (10/26/09 entry), one of the primary arguments for creating a government-backed entity to offer healthcare insurance has been the alleged shortcomings of private HCI providers – callous behavior to maximize profits, inefficiency, and limited competition.
10/26/09 – Crunch time in the healthcare debate.
As of two months ago, we concluded that none of the healthcare “reform” plans under active consideration were worthy of support – including a Senate Finance bill without a “public option.”
10/19/09 – For better schools: get the right people, put them in charge, and stand back Read Replies
HANOVER, MD – What drew SAFE directors Jerry Martin, Steve McClain and Bill Whipple to the Chesapeake Science Point Public Charter School (CSP)?
10/12/09 – Déjà vu: Scoring a healthcare bill Read a Reply
When Medicare and Medicaid were launched in 1965, the costs of these programs were wildly underestimated.
10/5/09 – Carbon showdown on multiple fronts. Read a Reply
In last week’s entry, we recapped energy policy failures dating back to the 1970s and suggested that enactment of the Waxman-Markey (WM) energy bill (which passed the House in June) would compound the damage.
9/28/09 – Energy policy: time for some common sense
U.S. energy policy has been in a muddle since the oil price shocks of the 1970s, as the government promoted one far-fetched solution after another.
9/21/09 – The march that was, and what it may mean Read Replies
This week we bring you a first hand report on the 9/12 “March on Washington,” plus some observations about its significance.
9/14/09 – Nothing ventured, nothing gained
As a general rule, asking for things is more effective than keeping quiet and hoping for the best.
9/7/09 – A conversation about healthcare
Remember the story about five blind people and an elephant.
8/31/09 – If you can’t hear what we hear, you aren’t listening Read Replies
Let it be remembered that SAFE said the following about the coming fiscal crisis in a March 1996 statement (see the first issue of our newsletter):
8/24/09 – Healthcare: deal or no deal? Read Replies
The past two entries have focused on the extraordinary national ferment about the big push for near universal healthcare insurance coverage (or GovCare), which figures to continue during the August recess of Congress and peak with the 9/12 “March on Washington.”
8/17/09 – Healthcare: the empire strikes back Read Replies
As previously related (8/10/09 entry), the surging opposition to government-run healthcare seemed to surprise the politicians leading the charge for GovCare.
8/10/09 – A national conversation about GovCare
Not long ago, it appeared that near universal healthcare (or “GovCare”) would breeze through.
8/3/09 – Wishful thinking: a weak basis for government action
We referred in a previous blog entry to how an ancient ruler ordered the tide to stop. How to win: be proactive, not reactive, 10/29/07.
7/27/09 – Education: never mind a master plan
Some readers may have heard a story about Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw that goes something like this:
7/20/09 – Education: revamping the curriculum
A 2006 membership survey confirmed support for SAFE’s agenda, and also provided some useful feedback on strategy.
7/13/09 – SAFE to Congress: wake up
We posted a hypothetical letter to Congress in May 2008, urging big spending cuts to balance the budget. A line in the sand on taxes, 5/26/08.
7/6/09 – Happytalk blossoms in the nation’s capital.
We have noticed a pattern in Washington of late, which goes something like this.
6/29/09 – Stopping the big government express: what’s the plan?
The National Taxpayers Union hosts a conference every other year on taxpayer concerns.
6/22/09 – Delaware tea parties with a healthcare theme
It was not our idea, but the next round of TEA (taxed enough already) parties in Delaware – scheduled for Thursday, July 2, in Wilmington (two locations), Dover, and Georgetown – will protest the Administration’s plan for healthcare reform.
6/15/09 – Whatever happened to the greatest financial crisis of our time?
Released in January of 2009, “The End of Wall Street As We Know It” by Dave Kansas
6/8/09 – How to win the global warming debate
In three previous entries (5/11/09, 5/18/09, 5/25/09), we reported on plans afoot to restructure the U.S. energy sector in the name of averting a global warming crisis.
6/1/09 – We interrupt this program for a special announcement
We have it on the highest authority that the U.S. government is “out of money,” and everyone knows what that should mean – adjustments on the spending side.
5/25/09 – The high cost of “green” energy
Last week’s entry presented three arguments against the proposed cap and trade system:
5/18/09 – A dubious case for cap and trade
Last week, we characterized EPA regulation of CO2, etc. as “a bad idea from any angle.”
5/11/09 – EPA regulation of CO2: a bad idea from any angle.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a proposed finding, a decade in the making, that carbon dioxide (C02) is a pollutant that endangers public health and welfare.
5/4/09 – Two milestones coincide: 100 entries and 100 days
Hey, folks, did you know this is entry 100 of SAFE’s blog?
4/27/09 – Delaware’s fiscal situation: a case study
SAFE generally focuses on federal taxes and spending because about two-thirds of all the government spending in this country is at the federal level.
4/20/09 – Let’s keep the party going!
Tax day tea parties took place around the country on April 15, as previewed in last week’s entry, and from what we can gather they were a success.
April 13, 2009 – What’s up with the tea parties? Read a reply
Talk show host Glenn Beck will promote an April 15 “tea party” in San Antonio, Texas.
4/6/09 – SAFE plan for healthcare reform is “government-lite”
Our last entry identified the leading problem with healthcare (soaring costs) and its root causes (government policies, consumer behavior, and ossified industry structure).
3/30/09 – A “ready, aim, fire” approach to healthcare reform
The last two entries posed a dilemma: no one is happy with the U.S. healthcare system, but the Administration’s plan for fixing it appears unaffordable.
3/23/09 – Healthcare plan will not pay for itself
The president promised more and better healthcare at lower cost during the campaign last fall (10/20/08 entry), and he has continued on message.
3/16/09 – A tale of two summits
The Fiscal Responsibility Summit (February 23) and the Healthcare Summit (March 5) were both held at the White House, with a similar number of participants, over the course of an afternoon.
3/9/09 – Recession plus: could this be the big one?
Everyone should worry about the government’s soaring entitlement outlays and general lack of budgetary discipline.
3/2/09 – The young and the reckless Read a Reply
Last week, we related the stimulus bill to other initiatives in play – mortgage foreclosure plan, more financial sector rescue funds, healthcare (SCHIP + proposals on the way), “green” energy, and pressure for tax hikes.
2/23/09 – Taking stock after a crushing defeat
Instead of bewailing the passage of stimulus bill, which the president signed on February 17, let’s consider how its results are likely to be assessed and the relationship of this development to other battles that are coming up.
The minority party was raising objections to the economic stimulus bill. Polls indicated public support was slipping.
2/9/09 – Looking ahead to the Fiscal Responsibility Summit
The past week was a discouraging one for advocates of smaller, more-focused, less costly government, and we will not pretend otherwise.
2/2/09 – Economic stimulus package: what’s the rush?
The administration wants a four-month delay in the long planned (and heavily advertised) switch from analog to digital TV broadcasting due to “mounting concerns that too many Americans who rely on over-the-air broadcast signals won't be ready.”
1/26/09 – Let’s hear it for “responsibility”
Incoming presidents traditionally express the principles or goals that they intend to support in an inaugural address.
1/19/09 – Never mind the “tax cut”
When concern was being expressed about a slowing economy in early 2008, it was said that any economic stimulus measures should be timely, targeted and temporary.
What is the biggest Ponzi scheme of all time?
1/5/09 – Some call it stimulus; we call it pork.
The first big fight in the 2009 Congress will be over the massive spending bill that the president elect has asked be ready for signature on the day he takes office.
12/24/08 – The Grinch that stole Christmas.
In this holiday season, why not give it a rest about the coming fiscal meltdown and so forth?
12/22/08 – Pointers for the loyal opposition.
Last week, we reported on “the big pork, big government express that is barreling down the tracks.” Subsequent developments have confirmed our fears.
12/15/08 – Spend now, PAY LATER
It is hard to fathom all the things going on inside the Beltway these days, but one thing is clear.
12/8/08 – FLT: a nightmarish scenario
Did you know the United States has been in an economic recession since December 2007?
12/1/08 – Once again, this time in plain English. Read a Reply
Someone commented recently that the SAFE blog is not “written for us.”
11/24/08 – First things first: time to clean up the fiscal mess.
We recently argued that now is not “the best possible time” for undertaking new government initiatives.
11/17/08 – Don’t bail out the Big Three, but an apology would be nice.
As anyone who reads the financial pages should know, the U.S. auto companies (aka “the Big Three”) are on the ropes.
11/10/08 – Election over: now what? Read a Reply
The 2008 election results hardly represent a victory for smaller, better-focused, less costly government, but stay tuned. The battles over what will actually happen to the government’s operations may prove interesting.
11/3/08 (E minus 1) – Other voices: SAFE is not alone.
Previous entries spelled out the economic issues as clearly as we knew how, culminating in “What would you like, central planning or an eclectic mix,” 10/27/08.
10/27/08 (E minus 8) – What would you like, central planning or an eclectic mix?
Senators McCain and Obama have endorsed essentially the same economic goals, but offered quite different approaches for achieving them.
10/23/08 (E minus 12) – A paradox: the global warming scare lives on.
A depressed housing market, plunging stock market, and fears of a recession to come have ended any chance for a serious debate about longer-term economic issues in the 2008 election.
10/20/08 (E minus 15) – Both candidates offer “pie in the sky” healthcare plans.
Senators Obama and McCain both propose major healthcare “reform,” but along very different lines.
10/15/08 (E minus 20) – October surprise: financial turmoil.
While SAFE has been rattling on about smaller, better-focused, less costly government – and other advocates of fiscal responsibility in government have been pushing the idea of a bipartisan commission with government spending, taxes, and entitlements all on the table – events have been moving in a different direction.
10/10/08 (E minus 25) – Famous last words: “my plan will cut taxes”
A dozen questions from the public (selected by moderator Tom Brokaw from thousands of questions submitted) were posed to Senators McCain and Obama in the October 7 presidential debate (town hall format, at Belmont University in Nashville, TN).
10/6/08 (E minus 29) – Time to get real Read a Reply
Our last entry concluded with a financial bailout proposal seemingly on its way to passage in Congress, basically because there did not seem to be much choice.
09/29/08 – Are we there yet: go to sleep, it’s another 500 miles.
This has been a long, often torturous election campaign – generally more focused on personalities and insults than on substance.
09/22/08 - SAFE cartoon says it all
On 9/14/08, SAFE conducted a three-question survey on global warming at Newark Community Day
09/15/08 – The battle for mind share heats up.
This electoral cycle has seemed to stretch on interminably, but finally the pot is coming to a boil.
09/8/08 - Progress on the energy front
We strive to base each entry of this blog on “up to the minute” information, which should help to keep it interesting and relevant.
9/1/08 – Not another one: the first “economic stimulus package” was bad enough
When the idea of an economic stimulus package to head off a possible recession came up in early 2008, we suggested that longer-term concerns were more important.
8/25/08 – Fiscal Wake-Up Tour message goes nationwide. Read a Reply
I.O.U.S.A. – a film to dramatize the coming fiscal crisis (considering current liabilities plus commitments, the government was in a $53 trillion hole as of 2007 that is growing about $2-3 trillion per year) – has been released nationwide.
8/18/08 – Nuclear power: building for the future, and hold the subsidies
The nuclear power industry has flourished in recent years, sparking talk of a renaissance.
8/11/08 – Nuclear power: walk first, then run
It remains to be seen whether there will be a nuclear power renaissance, but of this much we are sure. A crash program to build a new wave of plants, with massive government involvement, is not the way to go.
8/4/08 – Nuclear power: no panacea Read a Reply
We suggested a clear edge for nuclear power over wind power in the 5/5/08 entry (“The Holy Grail: Energy policy based on evidence vs. propaganda”).
7/28/08 –Derailing the government gravy train.
Only by recognizing the obstacles they face can fiscal visionaries hope to develop strategies for overcoming them.
7/21/08 – Sorry, the coming fiscal crisis is for real
Just as we discount dire warnings about manmade climate change, some observers question whether the United States is really headed for a fiscal meltdown fueled by soaring entitlement outlays (Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid) for seniors.
7/14/08 – Plot thickens, as the Peterson Foundation cranks up. Read a Reply
We continue to believe that the presidential candidates will be forced into discussing the government’s dismal long-term fiscal outlook during this year’s campaign, but it is not a sure thing.
7/7/08 – To drill or not to drill; that is the question. Read a Reply
Are you tired of paying $4 a gallon or so for gasoline, with even higher prices likely by yearend.
6/30/08 – Don’t check your brains at the door.
Congratulations, says a letter from Canada, you have won the XYZ lottery and are entitled to a prize of $130,000.
6/23/08 –First anniversary: time to take stock and move forward.
A year after this blog was launched, we are pleased with the results. Only you, the readers, can say, however, whether the blog is meeting your needs and where you would like to see it go in the future.
6/16/08 – To win “Budget Hero,” raise taxes. Read a Reply
In response to an e-mail invitation, we checked out “Budget Hero,” an interactive game offered by American Public Media and the Woodrow Wilson Center.
6/9/08 – Treatment courts: a concept that makes sense Read a Reply
Some readers may have gotten the impression that SAFE opposes all government programs, but this is not so.
6/2/08 – Message to Congress: cap taxes now Read a Reply
This entry will elaborate on the parallel between complex, hugely expensive government programs and situations that arise in some families.
5/26/08 – A line in the sand on taxes Read a Reply
People only fret about wasteful government spending, but they get excited about taxes. Witness the Boston Tea Party and the French Revolution.
5/19/08 – Strategies to cut government spending
Terminating wasteful government programs could be a great way to balance the budget, but those who benefit from such programs (beneficiaries, advocates, administrators, etc.) are organized, well funded, and resolute.
5/12/08 – Ethanol 101: the staying power of government programs
Many people are becoming disillusioned with the government’s support for corn-based ethanol, and SAFE believes the time has come to pull the plug on this program.
5/5/08 – The Holy Grail: energy policy based on evidence vs. propaganda. Read a Reply
Last week’s entry ended with a jab at “policy wonks” who advocate a government-led restructuring of the energy sector in the name of combating global warming. This week we would like to recognize the efforts of scientists who are doing bona fide research on climate change, such as Dr. David Legates, the Delaware state climatologist.
4/28/08 – The Icarus syndrome: why the bad ideas keep coming. Read a Reply
Last week’s entry ended with a conundrum: If our political leaders are truly concerned about high gas prices, as they profess to be, why are so many “solutions” suggested that would simply make the problem worse?
4/21/08 – Pain at the pump: why energy prices are soaring.
Soaring prices for motor fuel represent a burden for all of us, and it would be nice to do something about them. First, however, we need to understand their cause.
4/14/08 – Getting action on Social Security Read a Reply
Having reviewed the problems of the Social Security system last week, we will now suggest a strategy to sell the needed reforms.
4/7/08 – Straight thinking about Social Security Read a Reply
Reforming Social Security may be easier than figuring out what to do about Medicare and other healthcare programs, but still represents a major challenge. To progress, we must overcome some common misconceptions.
3/31/08 – Government intervention: a surefire way to make things worse Read a Reply
Given a housing slump and slowing economy in an election year, there will be no shortage of suggestions that the government should intervene in a big way.
3/24/08 – The Bear Stearns buyout and other bad omens
Given recent developments, it seems timely to revisit the threat of a fiscal meltdown. Why might there be a meltdown, what would it look like, when would it happen, and should one cut the red wire or the black one to stop it?
3/17/08 – A winning strategy for healthcare insurance Read a Reply
However understandable the desire for universal healthcare insurance (HCI), efforts to achieve this goal could prove counterproductive. A winning strategy, we think, will require a “bottom-up” versus “top-down” approach.
3/10/08 – With liberty, justice, and healthcare insurance for all
Roundly 250 million Americans have healthcare insurance, per the U.S. Census Bureau, but many view 47 million Americans (1 out of 6) without healthcare insurance (HCI) as the real story – and a “gold mine” for political candidates.
3/3/08 – Connecting the dots: earmarks matter, and words also Read a Reply
“It's worthwhile to urge reducing government spending,” a friend recently wrote, “but perhaps a bit abstract when the average reader looks at bottom-line budget numbers.”
2/25/08 – Better days ahead; fiscal visionaries should persevere
“I continue to support the overall goal of our organization,” says SAFE member Harry Kenton, “but realistically I believe we are ‘tilting at windmills’ because no Congress will ever accept our agenda.” Is he right?
2/18/08 – Let’s hear it for real change! - Read a Reply
Calls for change are not new in American politics. Thomas Dewey said “it’s time for a change” during his presidential runs in 1944 and 1948. The question is, what kind of change and why should it be made?
2/11/08 – If you want good answers on healthcare, ask good questions! - Read Replies
U.S. Comptroller General David Walker has spoken often about the coming fiscal crisis, and he did so again at Princeton University on February 6th. His subject was “Keeping America Great”
2/4/08 – State of the budget: the road ahead.
The State of the Union Address is “in the can,” setting the tone for 2008. Beyond that, fiscal visionaries should start paying close attention to what the candidates in this year’s presidential election have to say.
1/28/08 – State of the budget: a 40-year slump
Many presidents have talked about fiscal responsibility in their State of the Union addresses, offering plans or commitments to shrink the deficit, balance the budget, or even start repaying the National Debt. Why, then, has the situation been deteriorating since the 1960s?
1/21/08 – An update on global warming (cooling?)
Some people say the global warming debate is over; we say it is just getting started. Here are three reasons to question hugely expensive programs based on predictions of catastrophic climate change.
1/14/08 – New spin on an old theme could make a big difference.
Remember the line James Carville coined in the 1992 election, “It’s the economy, stupid!”
1/7/08 – Cut the pork; earmarks need to go.
In the context of a nearly $3 trillion federal budget, why all the fuss about a few Congressional earmarks?
1/1/08 – Opportunities abound for fiscal visionaries!
Attention fiscal conservatives, deficit hawks, and others with similar ideas, we have been playing defense for years and it is not working.
12/24/07 – Fiscal visionaries at bay.
At the end of another year, we ponder the performance of the country’s political leaders vis-à-vis the SAFE agenda.
12/17/07: Government spending: what crackdown?
There has been much said about the president’s recently demonstrated readiness to veto budget-busting spending bills, and we find this change in attitude encouraging.
12/10/07: 2008 campaign: government’s fiscal woes will be discussed.
Given irrefutable evidence that a fiscal crisis is coming unless the government takes decisive action to cut spending, raise taxes, and/or restructure entitlements – if you can’t believe the top accounting executive of the federal government, Comptroller General David Walker, who can you believe – one might think all the presidential candidates would be staking out positions on what should be done.
12/3/07: Learning from experience: why government programs fail
For those who favor more government controls to address the “healthcare crisis” (see last entry), we would like to offer a history lesson.
11/26/07: The key to a better healthcare system: empower patients
Last week’s topic was rebooting the tax system; this week we will conduct a similar exercise for government healthcare policies/programs.
11/19/07: Let’s stop tinkering with taxes and reboot the system
When repairs become expensive and performance is not up to current standards, there comes a time to buy a new car.
11/12/07: Three signs that fiscal visionaries are gaining ground
SAFE and those with similar views are not conservatives dedicated to maintaining the status quo, they are visionaries who see the fiscal problems that lie ahead and are offering ideas to make things better.
11/05/07: Two cheers for the Fiscal Wake-Up Tour
The speakers were smart, well informed, and pulled no punches about the coming fiscal crisis.
10/29/07: How to win: be proactive, not reactive. Read a Reply
Our theme this week is that “fiscal conservatives” need to develop a positive, forward-looking message.
10/22/07: Potpourri: updates and snippets
Writing this blog presents a different challenge every week.
10/15/07: Refundable tax credits: not the answer for healthcare.
In the 2008 election campaign, candidates will be asked to offer solutions for relentlessly rising healthcare costs and 45 million+ Americans being without healthcare insurance.
10/8/07: The SCHIP veto: a “Pyrrhic victory” at best
Last week’s entry advocated the elimination of government grant programs as a step towards putting the finances of the federal government in order.
10/1/07 – Enough already with government grants!
SAFE has been conducting a letter writing campaign against government grants for months, attacking them from many directions with good, rational arguments.
9/24/07 - Taking the public pulse: lessons learned
SAFE has hosted a booth at Newark Community Day for years, most recently on September 16, 2007.
9/10/07 – The coming fiscal storm: an historical perspective.
In the digital age, with nearly instant access to news and commentary around the world, there is a tendency to think that everything worth knowing about was written or said in the past two weeks.
9/17/07 – Getting through to “irrational” people.
Last week’s entry took a trip down memory lane, demonstrating that both SAFE the Concord Coalition were making the same basic points in the 1990s that they are making today.
9/3/07 – Alternative energy: let the market decide
As explained in our 8/27/07 entry, the outcry about global warming by Al Gore et al. seems considerably overstated. However, one point must be corrected.
8/27/07: Global warming: let’s get real
Some people claim the linkage of CO2 emissions to global warming is backed by the overwhelming weight of scientific opinion.
8/20/07: The future of healthcare finance; choosing a path.
Our last entry focused on the overall cost of U.S. healthcare – tripled since 1960, highest in the world, said to be headed higher – and asked a question: who is going to pay for all this?
8/14/07: Healthcare by the numbers.
You may have seen a recent AP report that the U.S. lags many countries when it comes to human life expectancy, ranking 42nd in this category.
8/6/07: Universal health care: we don’t want it!
Much has been said and written about the millions of Americans who lack healthcare insurance; the issue will keep coming up between now and the 2008 elections.
7/31/07: Ideas for making a SAFE Commission pay off.
The Fiscal Wake-Up Tour (see 7/13 and 7/26 entries) paints a grim picture:
7/26/07: Understanding the fiscal problem is great, but we also need answers. Read a Reply
As reported on 7/13, the Concord Coalition, Heritage Foundation and Brookings Institution have been crisscrossing America.
7/13/07: Wake-Up Tour; some questions for political candidates.
The Concord Coalition, Heritage Foundation, Brookings Institution, and U.S. Comptroller David Walker have been touring America to make a point.
The “energy crisis” hit in the 1970s, and for all the promises of our political leaders it has never gone away.
7/7/07: Low share of medical outlays paid by patients leads to waste.
For more about a 1970s era study (the Rand Health Insurance Experiment)
6/20/07: SAFE represented at National Taxpayers Conference.
This biennial event took place in Washington, D.C. on June 14-16, 2007