John Goodman’s Commentaries

The election this fall was supposed to be a red wave. Now it looks like that may not happen.

The Republican problem today is no different than it was 50 years ago. Too many Republicans don’t believe in reforming institutions. They think their only role is to oppose whatever the Democrats are trying to do. Most conservative think tanks aren’t much better.

Yet in troubled times, voters want problems solved. Here are some suggestions for policy changes affecting seniors—the group of voters most likely to vote.

This may surprise some of you, but we have been unable to find a conservative/libertarian alternative to the Democrats’ proposals on Medicare prescription drugs. Yet, there are real problems that need solving. This morning at Forbes, John Goodman provides a first-of-its-kind analysis of why the Medicare prescription drug market doesn’t work as it should, and what can be done to correct those problems – with no new taxes, no new spending and no new impediments to the discovery of life saving drugs. More.

Obamacare is a flawed program that has made health insurance unaffordable and unattractive for millions of people. Instead of fixing these flaws with sensible (bipartisan) reforms that need not cost the taxpayers an extra dime, the new proposal would double down on a colossal mistake.

Young adults with low- or middle-income jobs pay a heavy price if they marry. When higher tax rates are combined with a reduction in welfare/entitlement benefits, the economic loss from marriage is equal to between one-and-a-half and two years of income, on average. More.

The Medicare Advantage program, by contrast, has enrolled nearly half of all eligible people and has satisfaction rates of 90 percent or higher. There are good reasons why the MA program works so well. More.

This brief Q & A covers all the major issues, including telemedicine, direct primary care, portable health insurance, Health Savings Accounts, continuous open enrollment, etc. There are two types of information: (1) what the issue is about and (2) how the two political parties have differed. This is an invaluable resource for voters and candidates alike. More