Capitol Hill Update, 13 January, 2014House & Senate/Schedule: The House and Senate are both in session this week, and both chambers will be in recess next week.

The White House is touting something called "Promise Zones" as a model to spur economic growth. These areas feature federal spending with the usual strings attached, attempting to spur economic growth and civic renewal. What the country needs is not set of federally micromanaged zones, but to restore the original American promise for all of the us: here we can be free.

Obamacare is struggling to survive its encounter with the real world. We were promised it would decrease the number of uninsured, lower health insurance prices, allow consumers to keep their policies and doctors, reduce Emergency Room usage, or reduce costs with preventive care.  None of those promises were ever true, and now they're being proven such. Even the expansion of the Medicaid program is proving counterproductive. All of that points to a simple truth.You can't legislate reality.

When the Obama Administration quietly announced a year delay in the Obamacare employer mandate on the eve of the 4th of July, it came as a big surprise. But knowing what we do now about the nonfunctional nature of the healthcare.gov backend, it's completely unsurprising that they delayed the employer mandate. In 2014, expect delays, waivers, and unconstitutional ad hoc changes to Obamacare and other laws to continue.  

As the holiday travel season draws to a close, many people are getting their second yearly hand of love from the Transportation Security Administration. A better solution to air travel security is to privatize the TSA. Let each airline and airport decide, and fund, its own security.

Democracy and Power 104: Future Debt BurdenA government debt is a government claim against personal income and private property – an unpaid tax bill. —Hans F. Sennholz

On November 26, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) released his plan to generate tax revenue from Oregon and California lands currently under control of the federal Bureau of Land Management. The plan has met with mixed reviews. Counties in Oregon that are desperate to replace lost tax revenue from timber jobs are crossing their fingers, hoping this is their long sought solution. Environmentalists are predictably frothing at the mouth. But the solution proffered only serves to expose the problem in more stark relief: the fact that any of these lands are under federal control is the real problem.

Every year since college, my best friend Dan and I have submitted our best observations on a wide range of topics that reflect on the year that has just expired. We follow the well established template of The McLaughlin Group program.Here are my reflections on 2013:BIGGEST WINNER OF THE YEAR: I can't even think of one, as 2013 has seen so many failures that have hurt so many Americans. The only one I can think of is David Ortiz of the Red Sox, who emphatically reclaimed the City of Boston for Bostonians.

Personal Freedom and Prosperity 107: Limiting GovernanceAs government expands, liberty contracts. —President Ronald ReaganBudget Deal:  An Illusion of Responsible GovernanceAmerica's big federal government is broken.  Americans know it.  Our political elites know it.