Free Republic

WASHINGTON -- A group called the Herndon Alliance -- a coalition of liberal health-care groups, unions and patient-advocacy groups created in late 2005 -- was only a few months into its work planning a health-insurance overhaul by the time it asked focus groups what they thought of the idea of a government-run plan to compete with private ones. The public-option was an article of faith for many in the alliance, but the focus groups' reactions were sobering. Skepticism ran high. The chief worry: Giving access to inexpensive government insurance to America's 46 million uninsured would boost costs, or reduce care,...

We were all awakened late last week to a disclosure that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger paid substantial sums from his political accounts after the election to four key aides in his administration. If this does not tell the people of California that this Governor is no better than the last, then I do not know what will. The funds paid out to the key staff members were characterized as ‘bonuses’ and paid to the Governor’s chief of staff, his communications director, the governor’s personal assistant and the first lady’s chief of staff. All of these individuals are full-time state employees. The...