Old News

Have you noticed how the conversation inside the beltway and within the MSM has shifted away from Obamacare. After characterizing it as an “historic achievement,” President Obama now never talks about the wonders of his newly enacted policy. Leaders like Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have scurried off to ram through Wall Street legislation that is hardly the true and necessary reform we need, and are actively planning for environmental legislation that will crush our fragile economy and “solve” problems that are scientifically dubious. But health care—that’s old news.

Unless … you’re paying a little bit of attention. The Associated Press (generally very friendly to this President) reports (h/t: Legal Insurrection):

President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law will increase the nation's health care tab instead of bringing costs down, government economic forecasters concluded Thursday in a sobering assessment of the sweeping legislation.

A report by economic experts [Medicare's Office of the Actuary] at the Health and Human Services Department said the health care remake will achieve Obama's aim of expanding health insurance — adding 34 million Americans to the coverage rolls.

But the analysis also found that the law falls short of the president's twin goal of controlling runaway costs, raising projected spending by about 1 percent over 10 years. That increase could get bigger, however, since the report also warned that Medicare cuts in the law may be unrealistic and unsustainable, forcing lawmakers to roll them back.

Of course, supporters of the President will harken back to the CBO finding that it will “save money.” What they won’t mention is that the CBO was forced by law to use ridiculously unrealistic assumptions that were crafted to make the bill deficit neutral. In reality, it is not. They’ll also argue that 1 percent (a percentage that, if history serves, is likely to grow dramatically) is a small price to pay for the 34 million who are uninsured. That’s until you realize that 1 percent of the trillions this bill will cost us is a very, very big number.

The Democratic congress’ successful attempt to ram through bad legislation in order to make history is one of the most egregious political acts in my lifetime. Most of us in the Center hope that over the next 7 months, they'll come to their senses and do things more deliberatively. Not likely.