I have previously written in these pages that conservatives shouldn’t buy into the “leftist trope” when talking about “massive Medicaid cuts.” But it’s worth dissecting this issue in detail to explain how Democrats distort rhetoric and reality regarding government spending, and how conservatives can avoid falling into that trap.
There are numerous reasons why conservatives shouldn’t talk about a budget reconciliation bill as “cutting” Medicaid — and those reasons go far beyond the fact that the House-passed budget resolution itself mentions “Medicaid” not at all. The resolution calls for the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find $880 billion in deficit reduction over 10 years. While the text does not mention Medicaid, the list of programs within the committee’s jurisdiction suggests that much of those savings will end up coming from Medicaid and/or Medicare.
Rather than playing semantic games that “Medicaid” doesn’t appear in the budget resolution, which will only come back to bite conservatives when they have to outline specific deficit reduction proposals, policymakers should instead make an affirmative case for reform. The policies being envisioned would not “cut” Medicaid but rather slow the growth of a program that has exploded beyond recognition over the last several years.
Medicaid Spending Will Keep Growing
The most recent Congressional Budget Office (CBO) economic baseline, released early this year, tells the story. According to CBO, federal spending on Medicaid will total $656 billion in the current fiscal year, which ends on Sept. 30. Over the upcoming decade (2026 through 2035), federal Medicaid spending will total nearly $8.6 trillion.
Simple math indicates that, if federal Medicaid spending remained at current-year levels over the decade, it would total $6.56 trillion. Instead, CBO says federal Medicaid spending over that period will total $8.6 trillion, or over $2 trillion more than if program spending remained flat. […]
— Read More: thefederalist.com
At Last, a Company With Integrity in the Gold IRA Industry
For several years, I’ve been vetting out precious metals companies in search of the best. I believe in gold and silver but it’s hard to find integrity in the Gold IRA industry. The vast majority operate with shady tactics and gigantic spreads that take advantage of Americans who simply want to protect their life’s savings.
I’ve found a handful that I like and I’ve worked with some of them. By no means would I “unrecommend” them because, again, I vetted them out and found them to be above the fold. Unfortunately, it isn’t hard to be better than the rest when the rest are so darn awful.
After years of searching, I finally found a company that truly operates with integrity. Augusta Precious Metals has three important attributes that set them far above the competition:
- Non-Commissioned Sales Team: I cannot stress how important and unique this is. With just about every other company in the Gold IRA industry, the sales teams make commission from every account they open. This means they steer their clients toward the gold and silver products with the highest commission. With Augusta Precious Metals, the team is solely focused on putting the best gold and silver for their clients into their IRA. They get paid to serve the best interests of the Gold IRA client, NOT their own commission pay.
- Incredibly Low Fees: Most Americans would be shocked if they knew the spread other Gold IRA companies charge. Augusta charges just 5% versus up to 45% elsewhere.
- No Pressure, No Gimmicks: There’s an understanding among most in the Gold IRA industry that fear and pressure is the way to go. Augusta Precious Metals takes a sober approach when working with clients because they hold integrity in the highest possible regard. This is why they don’t offer gimmicks like “free” or “bonus” silver. It’s also why they do not apply pressure tactics to get quick sales. Their educational and transparent approach to doing business is exceedingly rare in the Gold IRA industry.
