Politics

Obama Administration Cuts Program Funding to Expand Florida Medicaid

On Thursday—possibly triggered by the lawsuit brought by Florida Gov. Rick Scott (R) last month to get the Obama administration to back off its plans to expand Medicaid in his state—the Obama administration announced it would not entirely withhold funds for a federal program called the Low Income Pool (LIP).

AP Photo/Nick Ut

Compulsion vs. Opportunity in the War on Poverty

Let me propose an idea for both sides in the poverty debate to consider: the true significance of work is not that it brings “dignity” to the poor, because they don’t consider themselves undignified now, and the welfare state goes to great lengths to reinforce that sense of entitlement instead of humbly accepting temporary charity. Work provides two concrete benefits more important than dignity: value and purpose.

food-stamps AP

Gallup: Americans ‘Greatly Overestimate’ Percentage of Gays, Lesbians in U.S.

According to the poll, Americans estimate on average that 23 percent of their fellow citizens are gay or lesbian. The National Health Interview Survey, published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – a highly definitive study from 2013 – found that fewer than 3 percent of respondents identified themselves as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, and only 1.6 percent self-identified as gay or lesbian.

gay flag

Hillary Clinton: the Perfect Political Organism

The ultimate political organism doesn’t have to worry about winning elections, and is only modestly concerned about the possibility of losing one. American politics is no longer a question of what the people support, but what we can marshal the combined willpower to stop.

hillary-wince-AP

With Iran Ship, Obama Reaps What He Sowed in Gaza Flotilla

The international diplomatic and military crisis sparked by Iran’s decision to send an “aid” vessel directly to Yemen–along with an escort of warships–rather than to the international coordinating point in Djibouti was the latest escalation in Iran’s attempt to assert its new dominance as a regional power. Notably, Iran’s tactics mirror those used by Palestinian activists, backed by Turkey, in the 2010 Mavi Marmara incident, when an Islamist “aid” ship challenged the Israeli navy off Gaza.

Gaza Flotilla (Israel Defense Forces / Screenshot / YouTube)