What Newt’s Reading | January 30, 2021

What Newt’s Reading Through HR 1, the Democrats are looking to establish a one-party rule system that threatens the foundation of our country. -Newt Democrats Have Released a Roadmap to One-Party Rule By Phill Kline Real Clear Politics Using the recent violence at the Capitol as an excuse to bully Republicans, Democrats are trying to consolidate permanent dominance for their party using their razor-thin congressional majorities. HR 1, a bill supported by prominent House Democrats, would permit Congress to alter election laws in states across the country with severe financial penalties being enforced against states that do not comply. The bill would allow for legalized ballot harvesting, early voting, and universal mail-in voting — while barring the enforcement of voter ID laws, signature-matching laws, and other ballot security measures. This legislation goes against both the letter and spirit of the Constitution, which expressly grants broad deference to state legislatures in these areas. One can only hope Republicans do not cave to the pressure from major technology companies and defeat this legislation. President Joe Biden is not saving restaurants. He’s ruining them. Economists at Miami and Trinity universities have found that doubling the minimum wage to $15 an hour “would cost the hospitality industry more than one million jobs.” -Newt Biden Destroys Restaurants to Save Them By Michael Saltsman Wall Street Journal The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has ravaged the restaurant business, with the industry reporting 2.5 million fewer jobs than before the virus hit. While the Paycheck Protection Program extended a temporary lifeline to those businesses, government support for the restaurant industry has been inadequate. President Joe Biden’s proposal of instituting a nationwide $15 minimum wage for both tipped and untipped workers would aggravate job losses throughout the industry. Economists at Miami and Trinity universities have estimated that such a policy would lose the hospitality industry over a million jobs, with tipped workers accounting for around 700,000 of that number. While Biden has repeatedly claimed that raising the minimum wage has no adverse impact on jobs in sensitive industries, economic research shows that restaurant workers see lower tips in areas with higher minimum wages due to a transition to a self-service model. Increasing labor costs for restaurants will not help them recover from the damage caused due to the pandemic. The Biden administration has just selected someone to a top intelligence post who has spent years leading anti-Israel organizations and promoting the anti-Semitic Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions movement. This does not bode well for US-Israel relations. -Newt Biden Taps Anti-Israel BDS Activist for Top White House Intel Job By Adam Kredo Washington Free Beacon The Biden administration has picked Maher Bitar, who has spearheaded efforts to boycott Israel, to be the director of intelligence programs at the National Security Council. Bitar has expressed support for the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which seeks to isolate Israel economically, serving on the executive board of Georgetown University’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. Former Trump administration officials such as Victoria Coates argued that Biden’s pick threatens US-Israel relations and should be rescinded. Bitar’s selection was praised by Robert Malley, who is being considered to serve as the Biden administration's envoy to Iran. “Experts” want to make lockdowns our new normal. Karol Markowicz provides perspective on a "risk ruled society.” -Newt Beware the Experts Who Want Lockdowns to Go on Forever By Karol Markowicz New York Post While some people believe society is about to return to normal now that coronavirus vaccines are being rolled out, many so-called public health experts seem intent on making our present lockdowns permanent. In December, the New York Times reported that vaccinated people would still need to wear masks, relying heavily on studies conducted on monkeys that were intentionally exposed to large amounts of the virus. Needless to say, the study does not replicate real-life conditions. Even though the Times emphasizes the need to reduce the risk of disease, we have always assumed a moderate amount of risk to engage in society. Experts are trying to maintain the fear that the coronavirus pandemic may never end. We must worry therefore that President Biden’s proposal for a 100-day mask mandate may lead to draconian restrictions for the foreseeable future. The Biden administration’s plans for health care are just an extension of the past five decades' failed approach. -Newt To Make Health Care Affordable, Stop Focusing on Insurance By Joe DeSantis The Hill Over the last few decades, all of Washington’s attempts to institute “health care reform” have failed decisively. Key parameters such as per capita health care spending, average family premiums, and out-of-pocket costs have been rising significantly, indicating that solely focusing on expanding access to insurance will not solve the underlying issue of rising health care costs. First, given that most inpatient and outpatient medical services are shoppable, we should pass reforms that give patients more information regarding the price and quality of services from different providers. President Donald Trump’s transparency rules for hospitals and providers were a good first step, and polls consistently show that a bipartisan majority of Americans back further reform. Second, we must reduce chronic illness in America by prioritizing preventative medicine and high-quality primary care. Finally, we must work to advance the rate of scientific and technological progress in health care so as to use the genetic revolution to provide treatments for hereditary disorders. While the above approaches differ greatly from Washington’s point of emphasis on this subject, one must focus on the root cause of rising health care costs to cure the disease. Newt hosts monthly virtual events in which he discusses news of the day and why it matters to you and your community. These Newt Live events are your opportunity to communicate directly with Newt. We hope you will join us next time and let Newt answer your questions and provide his insight on the issues that concern you most. 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