The campaigns of Steve Forbes and Pat Buchanan resonated with voters this primary season because they were the only two candidates running who directly addressed the problem of economic growth. Inside the Beltway everything seems fine – and why not? Bill Clinton has created lots of employment for policy wonks, with his everchanging agenda of plans to nationalize health care, raise taxes, and pay people to become "volunteers."
A consensus is emerging on the right way to reform our health care system. The consensus stems from the recognition that the tax system has shaped and molded our health care system and is responsible for many of its problems. Health reform, therefore, requires tax reform.
Superfund was scheduled to be reauthorized in 1995, and its authority to level taxes on private companies expired at year's end. If Congress fails to reauthorize the program and the taxes, Superfund will be phased out as its existing revenues are depleted.
For a decade employers and benefits managers have been aggressively working to lower their health care costs. While they have been largely successful in their efforts – health care costs rose only 2.1 percent in 1995 – the savings came at a price: a lot of employees have been dissatisfied with being transferred into managed care plans.
The problem of health insurance portability can be resolved without costing the federal government additional money or distorting the health insurance market for other customers.
Despite spending more than $30 billion over 15 years, the federal Superfund program has failed.
Pat Buchanan is running hard and strong, perplexing all the pundits in the process. His issues, mostly trade, immigration and abortion, appear to be resonating with a sizable block of voters. But, there's a broader message here – Pat is tapping into a rich vein of distrust and disgust with the national government.
Social Security is back in the news. First, Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes suggested a market-based retirement system for young people. Now press reports indicate that the Advisory Council on Social Security will soon endorse a privatization of Social Security.