Barack Obama

Fact Finder: The truth about ObamaCare exchanges

By Jonathan Ingram
02/28/2012
The Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as ObamaCare, permits states to establish health insurance exchanges. These exchanges will operate as new bureaucracies to oversee the purchase of government-approved health insurance. States electing to create these exchanges must comply with federal rules that will dictate virtually all aspects of the exchanges’ operations. If Illinois chooses...

The truth about ObamaCare exchanges

02/28/2012
While a number of people are urging the state to immediately create an ObamaCare exchange, the reasons are based on myths, not facts. In this report, we respond to those myths.

Life isn’t fair: The teachers’ union boss’ teachable moment

By Chris Andriesen
02/21/2012
by Dan Proft I stand corrected. The teachers’ unions do have the ability to educate. New Jersey Education Association Executive Director Vincent Giordano recently provided, however inadvertently, the greatest teachable moment in public education since American Federation of Teachers President Al Shanker said, “When school children start paying union dues, that’s when I’ll start representing the...

Lost opportunity for Medicaid reform

11/11/2011
by Jonathan Ingram As the Institute reported last week, Republican members of the Illinois House of Representatives filed a resolution urging the federal government to give the state greater flexibility in administering its Medicaid program. That resolution was still stuck in committee on Wednesday, when Represenative Patti Bellock, R-Hinsdale, motioned the full House to bring the resolution...

Illinois Republicans ask Super Committee for Medicaid flexibility

11/01/2011
by Jonathan Ingram Earlier today, Republican members of the Illinois House of Representatives filed a resolution in the General Assembly urging the federal Super Committee to recommend granting the state greater flexibility in administering its Medicaid program. In particular, they ask that the Super Committee and Congress repeal the “maintenance of effort” requirements in ObamaCare. As you...

Letter from the CEO: How to spot the good and bad eggs

10/31/2011
This letter was featured in the Fall 2011 edition of Compass, which arrived in mailboxes last week. The complete issue is downloadable here. Halloween is a wonderful holiday for children and grown-ups alike. You have tricks and you have treats. The same is true in policy and political debates. There are tricks and there are treats;...

Support for ObamaCare hits record low

10/31/2011
by Jonathan Ingram A year and a half ago, Nancy Pelosi told the public that Congress had to pass ObamaCare so they could find out what was in it. Well, Americans aren’t pleased with the result. New polling data from the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that support for ObamaCare is at all-time low. Only 18 percent of Americans think that they...

The persuadable middle is listening to Occupy; why the tea party should start, too

10/28/2011
By John Tillman Last week, the Chicago Tribune published a commentary piece I wrote about the Occupy Wall Street protestors in Chicago. They’ve been camped out near my office for the past few weeks, and I decided to engage them in conversation on my way home one night. The media has likened the Occupy Wall Street protestors...

IlliNOis JOBS: Ranks of Unemployed Grow Most in the Nation

By Chris Andriesen
09/15/2011
For a second month in a row, Illinois holds the unenviable position of leading the nation in negative jobs data. This month, the bad news is in the number of unemployed Illinoisans.  Data released Sept. 15 by the Bureau Labor of Statistics showed that more people became unemployed last month in Illinois than in any...