In his 2025 inaugural address, Donald Trump compared himself to former President William McKinley boasting that he, like McKinley, would make “our country very rich through tariffs.”
A recent issue of The Economist drew a similar comparison, noting that McKinley was an imperialist who added Hawaii, Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico to U.S. territory and made Cuba a U.S. protectorate. Trump, of course, would like to annex Canada ...
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Is Trump really unaccountable for his actions?
Like the Queen of Hearts in Alice's Wonderland, Donald Trump has established "Off with their heads!" as the modus operandi of his second presidency.
He is swinging his sword in every direction, striking at honorable prosecutors and supposedly protected federal employees, stabbing at the heart of vital federal programs and stealing domestic tranquility from millions of immigrant families. In doing so, he is applying a severe stress test to democracy and the legit...
Patients, not government, should set health care prices
One of us trained with a world-renowned neurosurgeon who practices outside of the U.S. and operates on “inoperable brain tumors” with outcomes that leave other neurosurgeons in awe. He provides free or discounted care to half of his patients. For others, he charges 10-100 times what Medicare pays. Patients from around the world eagerly wait to see him and gladly pay, with many even wanting to pay more after surgery. That’s the value of his labor.
If this neurosurgeon wer...
Our nation’s hard-fought right to preventive care is at risk
The Affordable Care Act has transformed healthcare in the U.S. by ensuring access to no-cost preventive care services, such as cancer screenings, immunizations and contraceptives, for millions of Americans. However, the Supreme Court's decision to review the constitutionality of this provision, as highlighted in Becerra v. Braidwood Management Inc., threatens to undermine a critical component of the law.
The implications of this case extend beyond legal nuances, touching the...
What would RFK Jr. mean to HHS?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced senators today in a contentious confirmation hearing to serve as Health and Human Services Secretary under President Trump. He's a former Democrat — turned independent presidential candidate — turned Trump loyalist.He's also someone who has pushed vaccine misinformation, something he was repeatedly questioned about during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday.HHS is a massive system that oversees everything from the Food and Drug Administration to vaccine fundin...
All eyes on Cassidy for second RFK Jr. hearing
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Democrats: Americans’ health on the line if Medicaid scaled back
Medicaid cuts would affect around 22 million people in states that expanded the program, according to a new analysis by the Democratic National Committee (DNC).
"The state-by-state breakdown shows that gutting the program would involve decimating rural communities across the country," the analysis reads. Ten states have not expanded Medicaid, as is allowed under the Affordable Care Act.
"Make no mistake, it’s not just Americans’ pocketbooks but also their health that...
There’s a method to Trump’s madness; Democrats must respond with bold initiatives
President Trump has started his second term with many bold but divisive actions that could threaten his standing with the public.
He is a much different president than he was when he began his first term in 2017. Then he seemed happy just to be in the Oval Office, unaware of how to use his power. Now, he’s locked and loaded and ready to kick some progressive butt.
Trump has already gotten away with convictions on 34 counts of felony fraud. Will he be able to escape t...
GOP senators introduce bill to ban taxpayer funding for abortions
Republican lawmakers reintroduced a piece of legislation that would ban the use of federal funds for abortions or health coverage that includes abortion this week.
If passed, the bill would essentially codify a decades-old policy called the Hyde Amendment which has banned the use of any federal dollars on abortions since 1977.
There are two caveats, however. The Hyde Amendment does allow for federal funds to be spent on abortions if continuing a pregnancy en...
3 creative tactics for DOGE to end wasteful government spending
A majority of Americans believe the government is inefficient, profligate, and “doing too much.” Every year, taxpayers foot the bill for programs that haven’t even been evaluated in decades. The newly formed House and Senate DOGE caucuses represent a fresh opportunity to smash the status quo.
But for these efficiency warriors to succeed, they must confront the same challenges that have long plagued government reformers: the public’s simultaneous disdain for “wasteful gov...