Third Way Perspectives
Archive for March, 2010
Liz Cheney, It’s Your Father’s Fault
March 29th, 2010
This piece was originally posted on the Huffington Post.
Last Monday, a federal judge ordered al Qaeda member Mohamedou Slahi released from Guantanamo Bay. In response, Liz Cheney’s fear-mongering ultra-conservative group, Keep America Safe, tweeted “This is BAD.” Liz is right. This is bad, and it’s her father’s fault.
Health Bill Changes Everything
March 29th, 2010
This piece was originally posted in the National Journal.
“I can’t guarantee that this is good politics,” President Obama told House Democrats the day before Sunday’s climactic health care vote. Is it?
Three Ways the Health Reform Package Helps Control Costs
March 22nd, 2010
This piece was originally published in Reuters.
Among the many unfair accusations leveled at the health reform package just passed by the House is that it “does nothing” to control soaring health care costs.
In fact, nothing can be further from the truth.
Don’t Pass the Buck for the Obesity Epidemic
March 19th, 2010
This piece was originally published on Huffington Post.
Despite the fact that Americans spend at least $30 billion a year on diet pills and weight-loss products, one-third of American adults are obese, while one third of children are obese or overweight. Obesity-related health problems account for $150 billion in medical spending a year–or nine percent of our nation’s total medical costs.
Sky’s The Limit For 2010 Spending
March 19th, 2010
This piece was originally published in National Journal.
The wild card in the 2010 midterm campaign is spending — specifically, unrestricted spending by corporations, trade groups, and labor unions. In its January decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, the Supreme Court overturned part of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law as well as one of its own precedents in order to allow private groups to spend freely on campaigns right up to Election Day.
Rosner & Bennett: Public Backs Obama as a Wartime President
March 18th, 2010
This piece was originally published in Roll Call.
Even with Washington, D.C., consumed by fights over health care and jobs, President Barack Obama is still having to wage two real wars and the battle against an ongoing terrorist threat. A new poll says the public mostly approves how he is handling the security front.