taxes

Johnny Key’s Amendment: An Eloquent Admission Of The “Private” Option’s Future Costs

March 6, 2014 Nic Horton 3 Comments

You probably heard that on Tuesday the House, on its fifth attempt, approved funding for the Obamacare “private” option for the next fiscal year. Some “private”-option advocates think of Arkansas’s Medicaid expansion as a “brilliant approach,” but I imagine our readers know I’m disappointed that it passed. The Arkansas Project and the Advance Arkansas Institute have repeatedly warned over the last year that this program will create unpredictable costs and make the state increasingly dependent … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Republicans, Obamacare, Private Option Tagged With: Arkansas, funding, government spending, Governor Mike Beebe, health care, Johnny Key, medicaid, obamacare, Policy, Politics, private option, taxes

FGA: State Taxpayers ‘On The Hook’ For Millions In ‘Private’ Option Cost Overruns

March 4, 2014 Nic Horton 1 Comment

Our guest article yesterday from Rep. Joe Farrer revealed the unanticipated costs to Arkansas taxpayers of the Obamacare-Medicaid “private” option. In short, the program is already pricier than promised -- and, despite promises that it would cost state taxpayers “nothing” in the first three years, the impact looks like it’s about to blow a hole in the state budget. Jonathan Ingram of the Foundation for Government Accountability has released a new paper that outlines the budgetary problems … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Politics, Private Option Tagged With: Arkansas, expansion, FGA, Government, health care, legislature, medicaid, obamacare, Policy, Politics, private option, spending, taxes

Supporters Of Obamacare Hate Obamacare!

February 26, 2014 Nic Horton 1 Comment

One of the more ridiculous arguments that legislators have made in support of the Medicaid expansion “private” option (Republican legislators, in particular) is that the “private” option is a “conservative response to Obamacare.” Rep. Charlie Collins regularly makes these types of claims on his Twitter feed; Speaker Davy Carter famously said last year that “a vote for the private option is a vote against Obamacare.” The problem with these theories is that, well, Medicaid expansion is a central … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Politics, Obamacare, Private Option Tagged With: Garland County, Government, health care, Hot Springs, Medicaid expansion, obama, obamacare, private option, Senator Alan Clark, spending, taxes

Wile E. Coyote Policy & Law School Lunacy (Podcast)

January 25, 2014 Nic Horton Leave a Comment

This week on the show: John Cooper's historic northeast Arkansas win Senator Missy Irvin says "no" to the PO Jonathan Ingram's 'private' option paper Nic's trip to Bowen law school The Daily Caller's coverage of Bowen … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: Arkansas, Bowen school of law, daily caller, Elections, Government, health care, John Cooper, Jonesboro, missy irvin, Policy, Politics, private option, spending, taxes, UALR

The ‘Private’ Option Scare Tactics Of The Beebe Administration

January 24, 2014 Nic Horton 4 Comments

There’s no doubt the ‘private’ option version of Medicaid expansion is in serious, serious trouble in Arkansas. Perhaps there is no better indicator of this fact than the all-out scare tactic campaign that is currently underway by the Beebe administration. On Tuesday, Department of Human Services Director John Selig said "We do not have a contingency budget” if the private option is not extended. Selig also said, as reported by the Dem-Gaz, that If we do away with the private option, [the … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Politics, Medicaid, Private Option Tagged With: Arkansas, budgets, Dan Rahn, DCC, Dina Tyler, Government, health care, John Selig, medicaid, Mike Beebe, private option, Sheila Sharp, spending, taxes

Jonesboro Sun Scorches Steve Rockwell

January 9, 2014 Nic Horton 1 Comment

If you're following the state senate race in Jonesboro (the election is in five days; early voting is underway now), you'll want to read the blistering editorial from the Jonesboro Sun that ran yesterday. It makes one obvious point and one surprising one. The obvious point is that the two candidates -- John Cooper and Steve Rockwell -- disagree about many issues: If ever there were two polar opposites running for the same state Senate seat, John Cooper and Steve Rockwell would be them.These … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Arkansas Legislature, Arkansas Politics Tagged With: Arkansas, Conservatives, Democrats, Government, health care, John Cooper, jonesboro sun, legislature, Liberals, medicaid, obamacare, private option, Republicans, Senate District 21, spending, Steve Rockwell, taxes

From Each According To His Ability & Top Ten Of 2013 (Podcast)

January 3, 2014 Nic Horton 1 Comment

For this week's show, I discuss: Steve Rockwell says 'Let's raise taxes!' "From each according to his ability" Tax increases that are hitting taxpayers Top ten stories of 2013 … [Read more...]

Filed Under: Podcast Tagged With: 2013, 2nd Amendment, Arkansas, John Cooper, Jonesboro, medicaid, obamacare, podcast, Senate District 21, spending, Steve Rockwell, taxes, top ten

Happy New Year: Your Taxes Just Went Up!

January 2, 2014 Nic Horton 1 Comment

The new year brings all kinds of excitement -- new beginnings, new resolutions, and new politicians. Oh and -- how could I forget -- new taxes! Heritage has a rundown of 13 new taxes that went into effect yesterday in 2013 that you'll be contending with on your upcoming tax returns.* One in particular -- the payroll tax increase -- will hit all Americans who earn a paycheck: Payroll Tax: increase in the Social Security portion of the payroll tax from 4.2 percent to 6.2 percent for workers. … [Read more...]