Free Republic

WASHINGTON — An updated version of the Graham-Cassidy health care bill circulating among lobbyists and on Capitol Hill on Sunday night has changed to provide more benefits to Alaska, a move to appeal to Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski, who has been highly skeptical of efforts to repeal the Affordable Care Act. The new version would grandfather Native Alaskans into Medicaid so they wouldn't lose coverage after the expanded Medicaid program is rolled back in 2020, according to a section-by-section summary of the new legislation obtained by an industry lobbyist

The Free-Lunch BunchThe Bush team's secret plan to "reform" Social Security During the 2000 campaign, candidate George W. Bush seemed particularly confident about his ability to pay for Social Security reform. Despite independent estimates that creating the kind of "voluntarily" private accounts he envisioned could cost more than $1 trillion, Bush consistently took the position that he could reform Social Security for free, without undermining promises to baby boomers anticipating retirement over the next several decades. Why was Bush so sure of himself? According to documents unearthed yesterday from the trove of 19,000 files given to me by former Treasury...

The Rich Are In Control Now The $10,000 grill is back in. Actually, it never went out. In the economic shock wave that struck after the terrorists did, sales of $400 to $800 barbecue grills - trade-up types popular with the middle class - dropped. Super grills equipped with built-in smoker boxes, cocktail carts, plate warmers, digital temperature probes - all meant for your custom "outdoor room" (with refrigerator, wet bar, pizza oven) - never slumped. "High-end sales held up," said Donna H. Myers, spokeswoman for the Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association. Also back is the $11,750 case of wine,...