Non-Executive privelege

Vice President Richard B. Cheney once claimed that he was covered by executive privilege and therefore he shouldn't have to release the documents relating to the energy task force that he initiated. This 2004 argument was only partially upheld by the Supreme Court. It was upheld in the sense that the courts are not the correct place to decide secrecy issues.

However, now Mr. Cheney is claiming that he is not a part of the executive branch. This extraordinary claim is coming during a dispute with the National Archives and Records Administration over classified documents that would normally be placed in the care of the Archives. The Office of the Vice President appears to be part of the executive branch for the purposes of 44 U.S.C. § 2207 which covers Vice Presidential records. Executive Order 13233 Sec. 11 also speaks to this topic.

Immigration Debate Bears Unacceptable Behavior

The immigration debate brings out strong emotions about how to handle the issue. This is how democracy works where we exchange ideas even in a heated manner. We can be as heated as we want in the debate but there is a limit.

The New York Times reports this morning that many Senators supporting  the immigration bill have received threats  in phone calls and letters. This is completely unacceptable behavior for anyone to engage in, especially those who live in a country where we have the chance to vote officials out of office. It is one thing to tell the official that you will not vote for them again, but another entirely to make a menacing threat. I understand that tempers and emotions flare around this issue, especially because we have been fed fear for the past six years regarding terrorists. Terrorism is something that it is proper to worry about as is crime and drugs, but these concerns should not lead to threats of harm against those who seek a solution to the vexing problem of immigration.

One Issue Focus May Shut Senate Down

Judges are important in the administration of justice. Judicial nominees deserve votes in committee and on the floor. Senators have a responsibility to hold up a nomination when they have a cause to desire closer scrutiny. However, none of this should shut down the entire business of the United States Senate.

The Democrats attempted this procedural maneuver by which you present a motion to limit committees to only work for two hours. This basically prevents any business from getting done because everything in the Senate goes through the committee process, unless the leadership agrees that it will proceed directly to the floor. This creates a danger with troops in the field because it will stop the authorization and appropriations process from moving forward.

Free-Market Principles of Health Care Policy

1.Health care is a service not a right. Health care is best delivered by the market just like other important goods and services. Markets exist wherever consumers are allowed to seek the greatest value for their money and producers are allowed to seek profits by providing what consumers want.


2.Repeal existing regulations first. Benefit mandates, “guaranteed issue,” and “community rating” are among the regulations that unnecessarily increase health care spending.

3.Reduce reliance on third party payers. Over-reliance on third-party payers is at the root of many health care problems. Government policies that reward the reliance on third parties to pay for routine medical expenses encourage Americans to overuse health care services and reduce the rewards to providers who would otherwise compete on price.

4.Help only those who need help. Universal coverage is not the appropriate goal of health care reform. Despite saturation media coverage of the “crisis” of the rising number of people without health insurance, the proportion of Americans who lack health coverage has increased little over the past decade.

5.Single payer is not the answer. Single-payer health systems provide inferior care and fail to provide universal access. Such programs cause long delays in the provision of care, low rates of investment and innovation, and inferior health outcomes.

6.Encourage entrepreneurship. Specialty hospitals, retail clinics, and other innovations can lower costs and improve access to quality health care services.

7.Expand Health Savings Accounts. Health Savings Accounts are a key part of empowering consumers and restoring market discipline to health care providers.

8.Expand access to prescription drugs. Prescription drugs are extending life, reducing suffering, and making surgery less necessary, yet they are heavily regulated and often the target of price controls and rationing.

9.Reduce malpractice litigation expenses. Malpractice insurance, litigation and the practice of defensive medicine and responsible for part of the unnecessary high cost of health care in the U.S.

10.Encourage long-term care insurance. Middle and upper-income families should privately insure for their long-term care needs.