From The Washington Monthly, a look at how medical supply behemoths stick it to the little guy, making America’s health care system more dangerous and expensive; and Tom Donohue scares millions of dollars out of corporations and Republicans — but is his U.S. Chamber of Commerce good for business? The New York Times profiles Tony Podesta, Superlobbyist. Government for Sale: A look at how lobbyists shaped the financial reform bill. Masters of Main Street: Why the financial-reform bill should have taken on auto dealerships. A look at how the hard work of governing falls to the regulators. From Hoover Digest, Hoover scholars examine the health care reform law; should we try to tax away obesity and its supposed costs by targeting sodas, fast food, and video games? Gary Becker says no; an article on herbal supplements, the new snake oil: They don’t have to prove they’re pure, effective, or even safe; since Khalid Sheik Muhammad, the accused terrorist mastermind, is already in prison, why bother putting him on trial at all?; and in refusing to punish the authors of the so-called torture memos, the DOJ did the right thing — public servants deserve immunity. War on Public Workers: Scapegoating public employees is an insidious way of dividing public and private sector workers who share common interests. Tracking the junkets: A new Web site will keep a close watch on government travel. Washington's I.T. Guy: One man's quest to liberate all government information — with or without the government's help. Abandoned agencies: The number of news organizations covering federal agencies has fallen since 2003. Watchdog reporting is at an alarming low at many federal agencies and departments whose actions have a huge impact on the lives of American citizens.
