White House Threatens Veto to Farm Bill with 3 Percent Cut to Food Stamps

The Associated Press reports, “The White House is threatening to veto the House version of a massive, five-year farm bill, saying food stamp cuts included in the legislation could leave some Americans hungry. The House is preparing to consider the bill this week. The legislation would cut $2 billion annually, or around 3 percent, from food stamps and make ...

The White House is threatening to veto the House version of the farm bill, citing its 3 percent cut to food stamps (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP).  But consider this: The cost of the program has doubled in the last five years, costing $80 billion last year, and a record 47.8 million Americans now use the program—a 70 percent increase since 2008. If the economy has “vastly improved,” as White House Press Secretary Jay Carney ...

TIME Poll: “Americans Believe Country Heading In Wrong Direction”

According to TIME, “A majority of Americans believe the country is heading in the wrong direction, according to a new TIME poll, with President Barack Obama’s approval and disapproval ratings essentially tied. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed said the United States is on the wrong track, with only 33 percent saying it is heading in the right direction. Obama’s approval rating stands at 48 percent—a ...

Obamacare Fines May Hurt California Workers

CHCF Center for Health reports, “For many businesses Obamacare is downright intimidating. The requirement to provide coverage to full-time employees or potentially face thousands of dollars in fines is what’s really worrying some large companies. Most employees at large businesses already receive health insurance through their employer. But there are still some exceptions. Barbara Andridge is a sales associate at a Walmart near Sacramento. She’s not sure if ...

Senate Investigates $58.7 Million Spent By DOJ On Conferences

The Washington Guardian reports, “The Justice Department spent a whopping $58.7 million last year to send its employees to conferences around the world, a jet-setting junket machine that has a key senator questioning the agency’s commitment to frugality in an era of sequester budget cuts. The department’s expenditures included nearly $500,000 for 30 employees to attend a conference in Indonesia, nearly $200,000 for just four ...

Debt-Flicks: Clueless

So a bunch of politicians are scratching their heads while deciding what to do about the debt ceiling. It seems as though they have “differing projections” of how bad our budget problems are.  It’s odd that after all the dire warnings about the consequences of the debt, there could still be anything other than a consensus. To everyone not in Washington, the writing is already on the wall. We thought we’d help those who are ...

“Welcome Disclosure About Medicare Payments”

The Washington Post editorializes, “Information can be efficiency’s best friend. The more that participants in the marketplace know about the true costs and benefits of various goods and services, and about the behavior of other individuals and firms, the easier it is for them to get the most for their money. The U.S. health-care system notoriously lacks transparency, which may be a reason why it produces poorer results ...

Washington Fall Preview- Debt Limit Showdown

POLITICO reports, “With Washington consumed by scandals this summer, the White House and GOP congressional leaders are slowly lurching toward a potential debt default or government shutdown this fall. Three months after President Barack Obama began his charm offensive with Senate Republicans, the two sides have yet to even agree on the scope of the spending or deficit problems — let alone what’s needed to solve ...