Study: 'Medicare for all' projected to cost $32.6 trillion

After taking into account current government health care financing, the study estimated that doubling all federal individual and corporate income taxes would not fully cover the additional costs.

AP  "Sen. Bernie Sanders' "Medicare for all" plan would increase government health care spending by $32.6 trillion over 10 years, according to a study by a university-based libertarian policy center.

That's trillion with a "T."

"The latest plan from the Vermont independent would require historic tax increases as government replaces what employers and consumers now pay for health care, according to the analysis being released Monday by the Mercatus Center at George Mason University in Virginia. It would deliver significant savings on administration and drug costs, but increased demand for care would drive up spending, the analysis found.

"Sanders' plan builds on Medicare, the popular insurance program for seniors. All U.S. residents would be covered with no copays and deductibles for medical services. The insurance industry would be relegated to a minor role.

" 'Enacting something like 'Medicare for all' would be a transformative change in the size of the federal government," said Charles Blahous, the study's author. Blahous was a senior economic adviser to former President George W. Bush and a public trustee of Social Security and Medicare during the Obama administration." . . ."

So if all else fails, blame it on the Koch Brothers...

Townhall

NO ANTI-KAVANAUGH GROUNDSWELL IN MAINE OR ALASKA

Power Line  "The hope of Democrats that they can stop the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh rests largely on two moderate Republican Senators, Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski. So far the signsregarding these two aren’t encouraging for Democrats, though we’re still relatively early in the process.

"Democrats recall that during the fight over repealing Obamacare, Collins and Murkowski bucked the GOP leadership and, along with Sen. John McCain, defeated legislation that would have effectuated a repeal. The Washington Post reports that, in the hope of a repeat performance, a “well-organized campaign” is under way to pour millions of dollars worth of anti-Kavanaugh ads into small towns throughout Maine and Alaska.

"The Post also reports that, so far, constituents are unmoved. In separate interviews with the Post, Collins and Murkowski say that voters view the health-care debate and the Supreme Court very differently:

“The protests are similar, the media campaign is more aggressive this time, but the constituent involvement is less. And I think that’s because health care is so personal and affects everybody,” Collins said.

“A different level of intensity, a different level of intensity. What I was hearing at home were very personal stories,” Murkowski recalled of last summer’s interactions with constituents. “Literally people in tears. The level of just emotional outpouring that made it just — intense is the best word — is different than it is now.”

"That doesn’t surprise, but this does:

Some Senate aides said the confirmation battle for Education Secretary Betsy DeVos sparked more constituent outreach than either Kavanaugh’s nomination or last year’s confirmation of Justice Neil M. Gorsuch.

. . . 

4 Reasons A Straw Ban Isn’t As Sustainable As You Think

American Thinker

Bustle  . . . "There are myriad environmental benefits to reducing or eliminating single-use plastics, which aren't recyclable more often than not. But it's important to move towards a more sustainable future in a way that doesn't make life more difficult for people who rely on plastic. Straws have been the particular focus of attention in recent years, David M. Perry writing for Pacific Standard notes, following a viral video of a sea turtle with a straw in its nose, even though straws haven't been shown to be a particularly large source of plastic pollution in our oceans. If we're thinking about solutions to the problem of single-use plastics, we need to consider options that don't cause undue harm and that are truly sustainable, in every sense of the word. Here are a few reasons that plastic straw bans might not be as sustainable as you'd think." . . .

Hollywood's transgender revolution

Daily Caller   "Transgender persons are now more easily celebrating their identities in Hollywood, according to the number of transgenders working in the business.

“ 'It’s a revolution,” transgender film director Rain Valdez told ABC News, calling the changing culture in Hollywood a movement. “It’s exciting to me that we’re finally asking for our seat at the table, to tell our stories because no one can tell them better than we can,” Valdez said."

" 'Transgender Silas Howard began as a largely unknown director of independent films, but is now directing episodes of hit TV shows like “The Fosters,” “This Is Us,” and “Transparent.” Howard is also directing a film about a set of parents coming to terms with their child being transgender, starring Claire Danes, Jim Parsons and Octavia Spencer among other famous actors and actresses.

“ 'It’s a big shift,” Howard told ABC. “We’re seeing so much talent. We are seeing shows that are told from the ground up. It is so authentic and it is so universal and that’s an exciting thing to witness.”

"The CW’s TV show “Supergirl” recently announced its first transgender superhero who will also be played by a transgender person.

"Scarlett Johansson abdicated herself from playing the role of a transgender character in an upcoming film, following backlash largely from the transgender community.

“ 'I’ve learned a lot from the community since making my first statement about my casting and realize it was insensitive,” she said, CNN reported. “I have great admiration and love for the trans community and am grateful that the conversation regarding inclusivity in Hollywood continues.” (RELATED: Woman Decides To Become A Man. Now She’s Accused OF ‘Mansplaining’ And ‘Male Heterosexual Privilege’)" . . .

5 Reasons Hillary Clinton Was the Worst Presidential Nominee in History

PJ Media

"Like every presidential election that liberals lose, years later we’re still hearing about how unfair it all was. Of course, the favorite complaint of liberals this time around is “Russia did it!” Even if you accept for the sake of argument that Russia wanted Trump to win and hacked John Podesta’s email (and neither of those assertions may be true), buying some inconsequential Facebook ads for both sides and revealing the contents of John Podesta’s emails (none of which turned into truly major stories) wasn’t exactly a game changer.

"Liberals also noted that Hillary would have won had the election been decided by the popular vote. This is like noting that if football games were decided by passing yards instead of the score, the Patriots would have beaten the Eagles in the Super Bowl. It doesn’t work that way, by design. We’ve also heard complaints that Bernie Sanders is responsible, presumably for daring to run against Hillary at all and we can’t forget “sexism.” That’s always a liberal rallying cry. 

"Moreover, it is impossible to overemphasize that, other than a few true believers, almost all of the political professionals (myself included) thought Hillary would win. In fact, if you believe Michael Wolff’s book, Fire and Fury, even the Trump campaign thought it was going to lose – and no wonder" . . .

How Hillary Clinton used the anti-Trump Russia dossier during the campaign

Look what was a companion article today as well...

The US in one direction, Cuba and Venezuela in another

Tony Branco

Silvio Canto, Jr.  "On Friday, President Trump celebrated some good news from the U.S. economy.  In the last week, a different message is coming from Cuba and Venezuela.
"We are watching three countries going in different economic directions: the U.S., Cuba, and Venezuela.  It is a classic case of free markets versus socialism.
"Down in Cuba, the message has not changed over the years, as the new president reminded us:

Cuba's economy grew less than expected in the first half of 2018 and an ongoing liquidity crisis will force fresh belt tightening, President Miguel Diaz-Canel said on Sunday.

"He is proposing constitutional changes.  However, Cuban perestroika won't work any better than the one we saw in the USSR.

"Venezuela is more than falling apart: "Venezuela could eventually have 1 million percent inflation."

"What does that inflation level mean?  It means this: "Venezuela's currency has lost 99.9997 percent of its value in the past 6½ years.  To put that in perspective, $333,333 worth of bolivars in 2012 would be worth $1 today."

"A failed state?  I think so!

"As I recall, a "bolivar," the currency, was 4.29 to a U.S. dollar back in the 1980s.  It used to be a middle-class country!

"On the other hand, we had great news in the U.S.

"It was a good day for the U.S. economy; for workers; and, yes, for President Trump.  It is not the same down in Cuba and Venezuela."

Obama scolds Transgender activist: 'You're in my house!'

From Update America:  Obama tells reporter "This is my house!" Press cheers

CNN Politics  . . . "Shortly after the incident, an immigration group claimed the protestor was an undocumented immigrant named Jennicet Gutiérrez, who is transgender. According to a press release, Gutiérrez was a founding member of FAMILIA TQLM, established to advocate for LGBTQ immigrants who the group says are often excluded in the immigration debate.

"Immigration activists often interrupt Obama when he's delivering speeches on the road -- examples have included remarks he delivered in San Francisco in 2013, and speeches he delivered in Chicago and Las Vegas last November.

"Interruptions are more rare at the White House, where guests are typically invited and pre-screened. One previous example came in June 2012, when Obama was announcing a change in immigration policy.

"A reporter from the Daily Caller website called out a query in the middle of Obama's remarks, leading the President to retort that it wasn't the time for questions.

"The reporter later said he miscalculated the ending of Obama's speech." 

Comedy for Conservatives Week at Legal Insurrection

Legal Insurrection

"For people on the right, there was plenty to chuckle about this week."

• Democrats’ embrace of Socialism reflects the desperation of a party losing control of the judiciary and regulatory state
• They’re Losing Their Minds: Trump Derangement Syndrome Descends into New Level of Ridiculousness
• Hilarious Satirical Interview of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Triggers Liberals  (That video)
• . . . 

This person seems to have a personal idea of racism

Shehan Jayawardene: The Federalist Papers; Snowflake's Safe Space & Buttercup Ranch

Virtue Signaling Is Now A Cheap, Prolific Substitute For Actual Virtue

The less prone we are to self-examination, the more self-aggrandizing we become in our denunciations. It’s making our society harsher.

Both left and right are guilty, though we must admit that it is far easier to be a liberal than a conservative. TD

The Federalist

  "For several reasons, all embarrassing testaments to my vice, I was listening to an interview of a beloved former contestant on ABC’s “The Bachelorette.” He was making public amends after having traded his good-guy persona for a series of one-night stands and unfulfilled promises.

"I’m sure it’s a temptation of some enormity to be suddenly surrounded by beautiful and willing young women who see you as you want to see yourself. Still, he knew, as all celebrities must know, that how his fans saw him wasn’t real. He began to cope with that disparity by becoming louder in support of various charities. Somehow he thought that by putting his weight behind a good cause he could bridge the chasm between perception and reality, a chasm exacerbated by his womanizing.

"His case was less egregious than, but still reminiscent of, Harvey Weinstein’s bizarre public mea culpa about fighting the National Rifle Association in light of the revelations of his predation. Such a jarring non sequitur was deemed unacceptable because he’d violated the last sexual norm: consent. But it was still revealing in how we’ve come to see public support of a popular cause as a great balm for our personal guilt.

"It made me wonder how often we all do this. We feel the dissonance between who we ought to be and who we are, and we make up for it by becoming noisier about some issue. If our noise can also implicitly condemn moral beings with whom we disagree, then we might come that much closer to feeling satisfied with ourselves." . . .

Noelle Mering is the arts and culture editor and social media manager for helenadaily.com. She received her undergraduate degree from Westmont College in California and did graduate work in philosophy at the Franciscan University of Steubenville. Noelle and her husband live in Southern California with their six children. Noellemering.com

Hillary Gets Standing Ovation From Fans At Broadway Production Of Hello, Dolly!

‘OMG!! Bette and Hillary together have made my day and my night. What an amazing surprise!!’ CBS News political journalist Joe Stevens wrote on Instagram. "Journalist"? The death of journalism.

UK Daily Mail  "This is why we have the electoral college. "Via Daily Mail:

Weasel Zippers

"Hillary Clinton has received a standing ovation from her devoted fans while out on the town for the Broadway production of Hello, Dolly!

"The audience at the Schubert Theatre in Manhattan gave an unrestrained cheer on Thursday night as they spotted the Clinton entourage entering and taking prime seats in Orchestra Level.

" ‘You can still be 46!’ one fan shouted over the roar of applause, referring to hopes for another Clinton presidential bid.

"Star Bette Midler greeted Clinton backstage during intermission, where the former Democrat candidate delivered an impromptu address to the cast and crew.

" ‘Vote!’ Clinton told the cast, according Midler’s Instagram post. ‘Tell your friends to tell their families and friends in every state to register, and make sure they have not been purged from the rolls before they get there to cast their ballot!!’ ". . . 

Why are Americans not sick to death of this Democrat Party?

American Thinker

Holy Kenneth Copeland! Maxine Waters Says She Is Sent By God To Stop Trump

. . . Addressing the congregation at First AME Church, Waters said, “You’ve gotta know that I’m here to do the work that I was sent to do, and as pastor said to me when I came in this morning, ‘When God sends you to do something, you just do it!’” she exclaimed to cheers from the crowd." . . .

Hollywood Left and Never-Trumpers Unite to Hound President

. . . "It might also explain why Never-Trumpers like Max Boot have become so unraveled.

"Boot’s latest folly is to team up with the most militant nuts of the institutional Left -- Rob Reiner and Obama's Director of National Intelligence James Clapper -- to launch a seedy get-Trump effort called “Investigate Russia.”

"Think about that. Someone who climbed through the ranks claiming to be a conservative has now teamed up with Rob Reiner to hound a Republican president. Meathead and Max, together chasing Vladimir.

"Investigate Russia" is a one-stop shop for Trump-hatred:

All relevant information is aggregated in one place to provide context and allow users to see the full picture of what Russia has done and will continue to do unless we start paying closer attention. For generations, people have fought to protect democracy. Now it is our turn.

"Now it's "their turn." Useful idiots can be quite useful, especially conservative useful idiots." . . .

Twitter Suspends Account Who Threatens Conservative High School Students With Bat