Capitol Comment 175 – Health Coverage Mandates Do More Harm Than Good: A Personal Perspective
The Mental Health Parity Act of 1996 left me with a "mental health tax" of $4,300 — more than my federal income tax liability for last year.
Capitol Comment 173 – ‘Gag Clauses’ in Managed Care Contracts: If It’s Already Fixed, Don’t Fix It
In September, President Clinton told a union audience he was proud of his 1994 attempt to impose a government-run health care system on America — in effect putting a government…
Capitol Comment 172 – How the Balanced Budget Act Will Soon Cut Off Medicare Beneficiaries’ Choice of Doctors
Americans have always taken pride in being the freest people in the world. As recently as 1994, the American public recoiled at the thought of receiving health care through a…
Capitol Comment 171 – Free Trade: Fast Track to Prosperity
On September 16, President Clinton finally introduced his legislative proposal for renewing fast track authority to negotiate trade agreements. This authority, which expired in 1994, would allow the president to…
Capitol Comment 167 – EPA Ups Expected Cost of Air Quality Standards to $46 Billion
In April, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) admitted that it overestimated the benefits from the new air quality standard for fine particulate matter, lowering its estimates of annual reduced premature…
Capitol Comment 162 – Risky Business: Insurance, Risk Classification and the Consumer
Legislators and regulators increasingly are attempting to improve the availability and affordability of insurance -- whether life, health, auto or home -- by restricting how insurance companies can classify risks.
Capitol Comment 161 – The Senate and House Kiddycare Schemes Are a Bad Deal for Kids
Parents had better put the kids to bed early this week. Otherwise, youngsters might happen across C-SPAN in time to watch the United States Senate and House of Representatives cast…
Capitol Comment 160 – Can You Differentiate a Taxpayer From a Consumer at the Grocery Store?
The federal sugar program fixes the price of sugar bought in the United States at roughly double the world price, costing consumers 1.4 billion dollars a year.1 Yet, program supporters…
Capitol Comment 159 – Why America Should Renew MFN for China
Members of Congress will soon be asked to vote on the unconditional extension of China's most-favored-nation (MFN) trading status for one more year. Legitimate reasons for concern over various policies…
Capitol Comment 158 – Cox-Wyden Putting Internet Taxation on Hold
The promise shown by the emergence of electronic commerce has attracted some undesirable attention - taxes. States and localities have recently been examining an extension of their tax authority to…