Conservative Principles Now

It seems that every week the administration tries to find a new excuse cut and run in Afghanistan. This week the line is that without a stable government and a clear winner in the elections sending more troops to the country would be unwise. On the other hand, Secretary Clinton is about ready to roll out a new strategy on the Sudan that calls for greater US engagement with Khartoum –offering the its leaders “incentives” for good behavior.

So apparently in the Obama era, US foreign policy means being overly cautious when engaging with fledgling democracies but embracing dictatorships that practice genocide.

The White House’s assertion that you’ll be able to keep your health insurance if you like it is wrong given the incentives built into the House and Senate bills (i.e., employer mandates and creation of a government-run health plan). Companies will find it easier to pay a tax or fine and dump their employees out of their existing private coverage and onto a public plan or other alternatives. And it won’t just be the health insurance options that are limited.

Under current legislation, the government would have the authority to determine the benefit packages that Americans get, from medical treatments and procedures to drugs and devices. These decisions would be determined by the Secretary of Health and Human Services and an advisory committee on benefits. At the end of the day, Americans will get what the government decides they can receive in terms of health benefits.