Barack Obama did not disappoint in his much-hyped speech Wednesday on how to address the nation’s fiscal problems. I expected generalities and overly optimistic projections larded with some demagogy on Republicans destroying Medicare. That is what we got. Perhaps the…
Spending proposals are small progress toward country’s needs
In offering concrete proposals on reducing Medicare and Medicaid spending, House budget chairman Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, performed a valuable service. Unfortunately, the rest of his budget plan perpetuated confusion and collective self-deception rather than providing clarity. The Obama…
Our spending on actual ‘food’ has changed over time
If you are bothered by rising food costs, there are some simple steps you can take: Go out to eat less. Make more meals from scratch. But wait, you might reply. Aren’t some of the sharpest price increases in staple…
Ryan deserves kudos for laying out a plan, if not its details
House budget chair Paul Ryan, Republican of Wisconsin, deserves to be congratulated for his courage in putting a concrete deficit reduction proposal on the table. I don’t agree with many features of his plan, but Ryan’s willingness to lay out…