President Biden yesterday warned governors to “get out of the way of the people that are trying to do the right thing” by imposing new mask mandates, requiring vaccine passports, and other COVID restrictions. Biden called out Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, pointedly noting their states account for one-third of all new cases. DeSantis pushed back, saying … [Read more...] about “Vax Shaming”
Doug Badger
Unmasking Washington’s Role In COVID
Was America’s federalist system of government an asset or liability during the COVID-19 pandemic? Doug Badger and Bob Moffit conclude, based upon ample evidence, that it was a benefit that “fostered policy innovation, enabled state officials to avoid misguided measures,” and resulted in better economic outcomes. In their new Heritage paper, “Health Care Reform COVID-19 … [Read more...] about Unmasking Washington’s Role In COVID
Destructive New Subsidies
Obamacare Subsidies: Six Reasons Congress Should Not Make Temporary Increases Permanent By Doug BadgerThe Heritage Foundation, May 26, 2021 The recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act spent an estimated $90 billion on free health insurance for the unemployed and on temporarily increasing Obamacare premium subsidies. That temporary expansion made some of the nation’s highest-paid workers … [Read more...] about Destructive New Subsidies
Misplaced Trust on Mask Mandates
The CDC and mask mandates: Unmasking the truth | By Norbert Michel and Doug Badger | April 27, 2021, National Interest | How reliable are government declarations that mask mandates prevent the spread of the coronavirus? Not very, as a new article by Norbert Michel and Doug Badger in National Interest demonstrates. With the Center for Disease Control’s announcement this week that it’s … [Read more...] about Misplaced Trust on Mask Mandates
Don’t Attack Innovation
“Pharmaceutical Innovation is Winning the War on COVID-19. Biden Shouldn’t Disarm.” | By Doug Badger | Chicago Tribune, April 17, 2021 The Biden administration is launching what amounts to a federal assault against pharmaceutical innovation—innovation that led to the historic feat of producing vaccines against COVID-19 in record time. President Biden would impose federal price controls on … [Read more...] about Don’t Attack Innovation
Back To Normal?—Doug Badger In Sun Sentinel
Will life after COVID-19 be normal? |By Doug Badger |Sun Sentinel, March 5, 2021 | Can the federal government ban evictions? Seems like a pretty straightforward question. But the answer touches on a deeper one, as yet unsettled: Will life after COVID-19 be normal? Consider what a federal judge said recently when he struck down a Centers for Disease Control ban on evictions, which the Trump … [Read more...] about Back To Normal?—Doug Badger In Sun Sentinel
The New Push to Expand Government’s Role in Health Care Won’t Work
The following is an open letter from 68 leaders participating in the Health Policy Consensus Group. The full list of signatories follows the letter. Democrats in Congress have proposed a COVID-19 relief bill that includes provisions to dramatically increase government subsidies for health care coverage for millions of people who already have insurance while further expanding … [Read more...] about The New Push to Expand Government’s Role in Health Care Won’t Work
Assessing President Biden’s Obamacare Expansion Proposals
Joe Biden rejected calls from other Democrats to back a single-payer, government-run health care system, instead saying his plan was to expand the Affordable Care Act. President Biden is now proposing to "fix" it—including spending vastly more money on the program, creating a public option (i.e., another government-run health plan), and imposing price controls. Two of the country's leading … [Read more...] about Assessing President Biden’s Obamacare Expansion Proposals