• Medicaid was created to provide for the healthcare needs of pregnant women, the disabled, low-income children, and some seniors.
• Medicaid is a major source of healthcare spending, representing nearly $1 out of every $5 spent on health care in the U.S.
• Far more people are on Medicaid than those who would be considered truly needy under Medicaid’s original mandate.

By: Patrice Onwuka

• In spite of the IRA’s Clean Electricity Investment Tax Credit (48E) for new solar projects, U.S. investment in solar dropped by 12% in the first half of 2024.
• Without the IRA subsidies, the U.S. would likely have reduced emissions by between 24% and 35% by 2030 compared to 2005, and with IRA subsidies, the U.S. will likely reduce emissions by around 30% to 43% by 2030.
• EV brakes and tires release approximately 1,850 times more pollution than gas-powered cars, which demonstrates that IRA subsidies might create more pollution.

By: Gabriella Hoffman

• Eighty-eight percent of senior citizens prefer to age in place at home instead of moving to a senior living facility. However, this is often difficult to achieve due to a shortage of qualified caregivers, restrictive regulations, and affordability.
• The average cost of full-time, in-home care is around $80,000 annually, and around-the-clock, intensive care can reach $230,000. Medicare does not cover this kind of “non-medical care,” making aging in place unaffordable to most seniors.
• In-home care also provides companionship. Lack of companionship contributes to loneliness and is linked to depression, anxiety, and chronic diseases. Seniors with companionship have improved mental health and longevity.

By: Heather Madden

• Millions of bureaucrats exercise important political powers while never having to run for election, and voters can only wield democratic accountability over them through presidential elections every four years.
• On average, the federal bureaucracy’s dismissal process takes 170 to 370 days, and most years, less than 0.2% of the federal bureaucracy is let go from their positions.
• Since managers cannot easily terminate federal employees for failing to deliver on work targets, the work-from-home arrangement adopted by many agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic further insulates employees from accountability.

By: Inez Feltscher Stepman

• In the military, lethality—the capability and capacity to destroy—determines the likelihood of success.
• The link between men, masculinity, and combat effectiveness, particularly in terms of aggression and lethality, is not just a historical observation but a psychological and physiological one.
• Controlled aggression is an essential trait for battlefield success, with psychological studies of combat performance demonstrating that when aggression is properly channeled, it enhances a soldier’s ability to engage decisively with the enemy. This trait, often more pronounced in men, provides a strategic advantage crucial for mission success in hostile environments.

By: Meaghan Mobbs