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NCPA Quarterly Reports Highlights - 2002

[ First Quarter | Second Quarter | Third Quarter | Fourth Quarter ]
  1. Testimony/Briefings/Capitol Hill Events
  2. Other Events
  3. Publications
  4. On The Speakers Circuit
  5. On The Internet
  6. Television
  7. On the Radio
  8. In Print
 
Testimony/Briefings/Capitol Hill Events
  • On October 2, respected pollster Bill McInturff conducted an NCPA Washington briefing to discuss poll results from swing women voters on key policy issues for the NCPA's Women in the Economy project.
  • On October 29, the NCPA hosted a reception for Mark McClellan, newly confirmed commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration, at the Capitol Hill Club.
  • On November 13, the NCPA sponsored a Capitol Hill briefing on "Making Health and Retirement Benefits Work for Women: Ideas for the 108th Congress." Speakers included Karen Schaeffer of Schaeffer Financial; Terry Neese, president of Women Impacting Public Policy; and NCPA President John Goodman. NCPA Senior Fellow Celeste Colgan moderated.
  • On November 14, the NCPA held its first meeting of its newly created Health Advisory Group in Washington, D.C. The group, chaired by NCPA Policy Chairman Pete du Pont and Dr. Goodman, met with Bush administration officials and Advisory Group members from the health care industry to discuss ways to help shape the policy debate on health care reform.
 
Other Events
  • Alphonso Jackson at the Federal Reserve Bank. On October 24, the NCPA and Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas were hosts to Alphonso Jackson at a policy forum luncheon. Jackson, Deputy Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, spoke about his role as HUD's chief operating officer.
  • Kate O'Beirne luncheon. On October 25, the NCPA hosted a Dallas luncheon as part of the Hatton W. Sumners Distinguished Lecture Series featuring Kate O'Beirne, Washington editor of National Review and host of CNN's Capital Gang. O'Beirne spoke about her "view from Washington."
 
Publications
  • An NCPA study, Economic Freedom of North America, co-published with the Fraser Institute in Canada, compared how the 50 U.S. states and 10 Canadian provinces rank on a scale of economic freedom and proves the direct relationship between policies that foster economic freedom and economic growth and prosperity.
  • Another study, Better Off Welfare, by NCPA Director of Publications Joe Barnett, showed that while welfare rolls have fallen more than 50 percent since reforms were passed in 1996, the decrease in welfare recipients nationwide could have been significantly greater, and that states could adopt more effective policies without any changes in federal law.
  • A third NCPA study, Medicare Reform and Prescription Drugs: Ten Principles, by John Goodman, Robert Goldberg of the Manhattan Institute and NCPA Senior Fellow Greg Scandlen, showed that Medicare and prescription drug reform deserve thoughtful deliberation. The authors propose 10 principles to guide that reform, such as a reformed Medicare could cover prescription drugs without any increase in taxpayer subsidies.
  • The NCPA Brief Analysis Investor Tax Relief, by NCPA Senior Fellow Bruce Bartlett, showed that President Bush needs to continue to advocate long-term tax relief and stand up to those opponents who engage in class warfare and claim tax cuts only benefit the rich.
  • In another Brief Analysis, Repeal the Federal Job Tax, by NCPA Senior Fellow William B. Conerly, the NCPA showed how the federal government is returning only half of state taxpayers' unemployment tax dollars to pay for administration of the unemployment insurance system while Congress is using the balance of the taxes it collects for other programs and dropping IOU's into the unemployment tax trust fund.
  • A third Brief Analysis, Chile Leads the Way with Individual Unemployment Accounts, also by Conerly, discussed how Chile has become the first country to successfully use individual accounts in unemployment insurance and concluded that the United States should mirror Chile's willingness to experiment with unemployment insurance reform.
  • The NCPA Brief Analysis, Cigarette Smuggling, by Bruce Bartlett, showed that both organized crime and terrorist groups are making lucrative profits smuggling cigarettes and diverse state tobacco taxes are the cause.
  • Another Brief Analysis, Making Sense of Sustainable Development, by Steven F. Hayward, fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and senior fellow at the Pacific Research Institute, showed that environmental sustainability is positively correlated with economic freedom.
  • A Brief Analysis, Association Health Plans - Part One: Lowering Small Group Costs, by Greg Scandlen, showed that the advantages of Association Health Plans are that they would control costs and improve access to coverage for small employers and individuals.
  • In a follow-up Brief Analysis, Association Health Plans - Part Two: Answering the Critics, Scandlen showed that Association Health Plans would introduce more competition into the market, reduce unnecessary regulation and administrative costs and make health coverage more affordable for many small employers and their employees, without new federal subsidies or expenditures.
  • Another Brief Analysis, Is Medicare Too Stingy?, by NCPA Manager of Research Devon Herrick, showed that while Congress debates whether to keep proposed cuts in the fees Medicare pay doctors, low physicians fees result in less access to doctors and reduce the quality of care for the nation's elderly. When doctors' fees are cut, they respond by spending less time with patients, refusing to accept new patients, cutting back on the purchase of new equipment and reducing amenities.
 
On The Speakers Circuit
  • On October 11, John Goodman discussed Social Security privatization in countries around the world at a meeting of the Fraser Economic Freedom Network Foundation in Madrid, Spain.
  • On October 14, Dr. Goodman discussed how think tanks can promote policy ideas on the Internet at an Atlas Economic Research Foundation conference also in Madrid.
  • On October 23, Dr. Goodman was the featured speaker at the Bradley Public Policy Forum, held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Business Administration. He spoke on "Reforming the U.S. Health Care System" at this event, sponsored by The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation.
  • On October 24, NCPA Senior Fellow H. Sterling Burnett presented evidence to the Citizens Against Forced Annexation in Saginaw, Texas, that municipal growth at the expense of already incorporated areas is not economical.
  • On October 29, Celeste Colgan was the featured speaker at a Manhattan Institute luncheon held at the Harvard Club in New York City. Colgan discussed public policy issues that affect women in the economy.
  • On October 31, Pete du Pont outlined the challenges that terrorist attacks present to U.S. communities at a Hudson Institute conference on biological and chemical terrorism held in Washington, D.C.
  • On November 7, Burnett chaired a policy panel at the Association for Public Policy Analysis and Management's annual meeting in Dallas.
  • On November 19, Colgan spoke about how most women get left out of retirement plans at a meeting of the American Society of Women Accountants in Denver.
  • On December 10, Dr. Goodman discussed consumer-driven health care options at a Town Hall Meeting on the future of health care in Minneapolis, moderated by Secretary of Health and Human Services Tommy Thompson.
  • On December 10, Burnett spoke on tort reform at the Uptown Exchange Club in Dallas.
  • NCPA Senior Economist Barry Asmus, who makes more than 50 speeches a year, gave numerous presentations during the fourth quarter of 2002. He spoke to groups in Indianapolis; San Francisco; Dallas; Cincinnati; Phoenix; Las Vegas; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; San Diego; Charlotte, North Carolina; Sun City West, Arizona; Houston; Scottsdale, Arizona; Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Florida; San Antonio, Texas; Colorado Springs, Colorado; and La Quinta, California; He also spoke on the future of capitalism at the annual meeting of the American Bankers Association in Phoenix.
 
On The Internet
  • Pete du Pont wrote 13 columns that appeared on The Wall Street Journal's OpinionJournal.com. Among the topics: energy, tax reform, the war on terrorism, the elections, Social Security reform and health policy.
  • Bruce Bartlett told Salon.com that United Airline's employee-ownership program never fully worked, resulting in the company's bankruptcy filing.
  • Bartlett appeared in the December 7 edition of "Newsbytes," the Post-Newsweek's online business information site, to discuss the nominee for the post of director of the National Economic Council.
  • In an October edition of NewScientist.com, Sterling Burnett discussed environmental groups that are more interested in limiting people's energy use than solving the problem of rising carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
  • Greg Scandlen told BenefitNews.com that Associated Health Plans make small business health coverage affordable.
  • During the fourth quarter of 2002, hits for all five NCPA Web sites totaled more than 16 million. The NCPA's main Web site (ncpa.org) experienced more than 12 million hits during the fourth quarter.
  • Our online journal, Daily Policy Digest at ncpa.org, is now available on weekends, presenting the best articles of the previous week. Subscribers to DPD in the fourth quarter totaled more than 7,500.
  • The NCPA's Team NCPA Web site at www.teamncpa.org, where our Team NCPA volunteers will go to monitor the news and spread the word about Social Security reform, has registered nearly 2,500 volunteer team members since being launched.
  • Debate Central continued to be one of the most popular debate Web sites on the Internet, as students pursued the 2002-2003 national debate topic on mental health. During the fourth quarter, the debate Web site experienced a record 2.7 million hits.
 
Television
  • John Goodman appeared on the PBS' "NewsHour with Jim Lehrer" to discuss uninsured individuals and tax credits for the purchase of private health insurance. He also appeared on KTVT in Dallas to discuss the uninsured.
  • Pete du Pont appeared on MSNBC's "Briefing Room" program to discuss how Congress should pass the resolution supporting potential military action in Iraq.
  • Bruce Bartlett appeared on CNN's "Money Morning" to discuss possible changes in President Bush's economic policy in light of the personnel shake-up. He also was interviewed on CNBC and CNNfn's "Street Sweep" about the shake-up.
  • Bartlett appeared on CNN's "Moneyline Weekend" to discuss the Bush administration's economic priority of making last year's tax cut permanent.
  • Bartlett also appeared on CNNfn's "Money and Markets" election analysis program to discuss election results in relation to the economy.
  • NCPA Policy Analyst Matt Moore appeared on PBS' "McCuistion" program to discuss how Social Security and Medicare reform must be a priority for the next Congress.
  • NCPA Senior Fellow Brooks Hamilton appeared on PBS' "McCuistion" program to discuss 401(k) reform.
  • Bartlett and Sterling Burnett appeared on PBS' "McCuistion" program to discuss the estate tax.
  • Burnett appeared on KDFW-TV in Dallas to discuss President Bush's clean air guidelines.
 
On the Radio
  • Pete du Pont appeared on Laurie Morrow's "True North" radio program on WDEV in Montpelier, Vermont, to discuss how Social Security reform will be a major issue when Congress returns from vacation. He also appeared on WOR-AM in New York City to discuss Iraq.
  • Bruce Bartlett appeared on the syndicated Laura Ingraham program to discuss the recovery of the economy.
  • Greg Scandlen appeared on KSTP Radio in Minneapolis-St. Paul; WZYX in Cowan, Tennessee; WKCT in Bowling Green, Kentucky; WJNX in Palm Beach, Florida; WEGP in Presque Isle, Maine; WAAM in Ann Arbor, Michigan; KSAL in Wichita, Kansas; KNOX in Grand Forks, North Dakota; KPQ-AM 560 in Wenatchee, Washington; WSAU in Wausau, Wisconsin; WRPN in Ripon, Wisconsin; KCTE in Kansas City, Missouri; and KNYX in Las Vegas, New Mexico, to discuss free-market, consumer-driven health care reform. He also appeared on American Public Radio in Los Angeles to discuss health care tax credits, Association Health Plans and Medical Savings Accounts.
  • Joe Barnett appeared on WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee, to discuss welfare reform.
  • Sterling Burnett appeared on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" to discuss a bill proposed in New Jersey requiring handguns to be equipped with "smart gun" technology. He also appeared on KRLD radio in Dallas to discuss the success of NAFTA on its 10th anniversary.
  • Celeste Colgan was interviewed by the Radio America network on women in the economy.
 
In Print
  • John Goodman engaged in a side-by-side debate on single-payer health insurance with Stephanie Woolhandler and David Himmelstein, the nation's leading advocates of national health insurance that appeared in the November/December edition of Oncology Issues.
  • Dr. Goodman and Philip Porter, professor of economics at the University of South Florida, wrote a peer-reviewed academic article entitled "Is the criminal justice system just?" that was published in the International Review of Law and Economics.
  • Pete du Pont wrote eight columns distributed to newspapers nationwide by Knight-Ridder/Tribune News Service. Topics included unemployment accounts in Chile, payroll tax holidays, the November elections, economic policy, prescription drug coverage in Medicare, Social Security reform and Medicare reform.
  • Bruce Bartlett wrote 27 syndicated columns that appeared in The Washington Times and other publications through Creators Syndicate. Topics included income tax reform, election results, the VAT tax option, profit shortfalls, economic growth and recovery.
  • Matt Moore wrote a column on investment choices and Social Security that ran in the New York Times. He also wrote columns on Social Security reform that ran in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and Orlando Sentinel.
  • Sterling Burnett told the Conservative News Service that he expects the Bush administration to move quickly to adopt a new energy bill when Congress convenes in January.
  • Burnett told the United Nations wire service that the free market and technology reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
  • Burnett also wrote an article on property rights that ran in the Fort Worth Star Telegram and one on terrorism that ran in the Birmingham News.

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