Imagine walking into a bank and finding out that your account has been closed, not because you have done anything fraudulent or illegal, but simply because the industry in which you work has been deemed unsavory by the government. The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) “Operation Choke Point” has the purported intention of reducing crimes, such as fraud, identity theft, and money laundering. However, rather than filing a complaint in court, DOJ is “choking off” banking services to entities that have been labeled as questionable. Regardless of its stated intent, the program is deliberately preventing law-abiding citizens from engaging in legitimate activites.
The ‘Real’ Problem with Federal Real Property Management
When it comes to processing its inventory of real property, which includes buildings, structures, and land, the federal government has a real problem.
The FCC’s Newest Motto for Net Neutrality: Three Times is the Charm
It is a sad state of affairs when a federal agency continues to waste taxpayer dollars on a concept that failed, not once but twice to pass muster with the court. On May 15, 2014, Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Chairman Tom Wheeler brought up for a vote a notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) that has […]
What is the 340B Program and Why You Need to Care
Problems in the 340B drug discount program are growing and costs are increasing due as more entities participate in the program.
CAGW’s Obamacare Horror Stories
You may remember Sen. Harry Reid’s (D-Nev.) infamous floor speech on February 26 regarding Obamacare Horror stories. He said: Despite all that good news, there are plenty of horror stories being told. All of them are untrue, but they are being told all over America… Those tales turned out to be just that – tales, stories […]
IRS Should Not Create Software That Already Exists
While very little gets done in Washington during an election year, deadlines must be acknowledged and addressed, such as the expiration of the Internet tax moratorium on November 1, 2014. Two days prior to that critical date, a lesser-known but nonetheless important matter is scheduled to come to an end. On October 30, 2014, the […]
Not So Fast — How Many Have Paid? How Many Were Previously Insured?
“ACA Total Blows Past 7 Million!” “Obamacare Comeback?” “More Than Seven Million Have Enrolled Under the Affordable Care Act, Whitehouse says!” blare numerous April 1, 2014 newspaper headlines. The president gave a speech in the White House Rose Garden stating, “Last night, the first open-enrollment period under this law came to an end. And despite […]
Happy Birthday for Obamacare?
On March 23, 2010, President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) into law. The healthcare reform law is also known as the Affordable Care Act. President Obama and Vice President Biden gave brief remarks during the signing ceremony. Below are some of the statements and promises made by the president to the […]
Murkowski’s Folly
The first rule of communications is getting the message right. A March 11, 2014 op-ed by former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt appearing in the Los Angeles Times provided a unique glimpse into how messaging used by politicians can shift over time. The editorial detailed the push in the 1990s by former Alaska Senators […]
STELA Takes Center Stage at Hearing
The House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Communications and Technology is slated to hold a hearing on the Satellite Television Extension and Localism Act of 2010 (STELA) on March 12, 2014. This hearing opens a window of opportunity to discuss outdated regulatory schemes, such as retransmission consent agreements, and must-carry provisions of the Cable Act […]