Category: Fiscal Policy
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The Rising Problem of SNAP Fraud and Abuse: 10 Types of Scams to Watch Out For
The Biden-GOP debt deal did not cut spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but it did adjust work requirements. However, with SNAP outlays projected to rise from $63 billion in 2019 to an estimated $145 billion in 2023, cuts will be necessary. Congress will have the opportunity to reform the program later this…
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How Site Neutrality Policies Could Save Medicare and Benefit Taxpayers and Seniors
After months of debate, Congress has finally raised the debt ceiling. However, the nation’s fiscal health remains a cause for concern. Lawmakers have avoided addressing the most expensive items, such as federal health and entitlement programs, but they will eventually be forced to confront this issue. One solution could be to reduce overpayments in the…
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The Dangers of Mission Creep for Local Governments: Balancing ESG, DEI, and Core Functions
Local governments have traditionally focused on specific functions such as public safety, education, and transit. However, there is increasing pressure from both internal and external sources for these organizations to address extraneous priorities, such as environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives. This can lead to adverse results for…
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How Site-Neutral Policies Could Save Medicare and Benefit Taxpayers and Seniors
After months of debate, Congress has finally raised the debt ceiling. However, the outlook for the nation’s fiscal health remains grim, as lawmakers have avoided addressing the expensive federal health and entitlement programs. At some point, Congress will have to confront this issue, and reducing overpayments in the Medicare program could be a solution that…
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The Latest Round of Inflation is Functionally Solved: What You Need to Know
The latest round of inflation is functionally solved and barring any unforeseen economic shocks, we are only two months away from full resolution. While this is not a prophetic revelation, it is a widely misunderstood observation. The main reported figure, the headline CPI data, only recently caught up with the reality of the situation. The…
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Iowa’s Conservative Reforms: A Model for Other States
Iowa has long been recognized for its first-in-the-nation caucuses during election season, but when it comes to policy, the state has traditionally gone unnoticed. However, after Republicans gained unified control of Iowa’s house, senate, and governor’s mansion in 2016, the state has begun to implement strong conservative reforms, setting it on a path of limited-government-policy…
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Is Washington Working Again? A Look at the Debt-Ceiling Negotiations
After the debt-ceiling negotiations, which resulted in a bipartisan compromise and prevented a default, the question arises: is Washington working again? Despite media narratives portraying Republicans as “terrorists” and “hostage-takers,” Speaker McCarthy managed to strike a deal with President Biden that passed both chambers of Congress with a comfortable majority. However, the debt-ceiling deal did…
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The Alarming Rise of SNAP Abuse and Fraud: 10 Ways the Program is Being Exploited
The Biden-GOP debt deal did not cut spending for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but it did adjust work requirements. However, cuts are necessary because SNAP expenditures have skyrocketed from $63 billion in 2019 to an estimated $145 billion in 2023. Congress will have an opportunity to reform the program later this year when…