Kicking the Can Read Online Free PDF

decisions—unlike the limited power given to the payment advisory board; a deficiency of Obamacare. We’ve been falsely accused of profligate partisanship. Our accommodation of the President’s challenge should dispel that accusation. Haines has graciously agreed to utilize the jurisdiction of Ways and Means.”
    “Crony capitalism,” Sebastian remarked, “a health care industry where success depends on close relationships between businesspeople and government officials, corrupting the ideals of public service by reshaping the US health care system behind closed doors with select health care organizations in the Speaker’s back pocket.”
    Mitchell muted the broadcast and read from his iPad. “On a brighter note, the digital trailer we streamed has generated eighty-nine million hits, fourteen million ‘likes,’ and twenty-six million ‘tweets,’ all in just over four hours.”

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    B illionaire industrialist Clive Donald had lots of friends, many of whom were on payroll. His personality repelled people, like two positively charged magnets, but the media consistently granted him an audience so the press conference would be by picked up by the networks. There was no arm-twisting required. He preferred to roil Washington, making outlandish accusations, and then fade into the woodwork. They knew he could deliver an extemporaneous piece on dysfunctional government sleepwalking. Forty-eight hours later, President Cannon and Sebastian were in the basement of the West Wing tuned to his press conference.
    “The polls say it all…a congressional approval rating of eleven percent. The system corrupts. Americans are fed up. They want term limits—no professional politicians. How much longer are we going to let this trend play out before we realize our federal government is dysfunctional? Washington isn’t focused on problem solving…It bounces from one crisis to another. The two-party system is more intent on warring than serving America.”
    Periodically, Donald used his right hand to push back his long, wavy hair. He blinked repeatedly—not a flutterbut a hard blink that pulled his cheeks and forehead together when his eyes shut.
    “I’m announcing my intention to administer an intellectual competition to uncover policy solutions to resolve the entitlement mess and balance the federal budget. The best and the brightest teams of private, academic, and government policy experts will submit written proposals to compete for one hundred million dollars in prize money and bragging rights.”
    Donald’s only reference to President Cannon was to state his opinion that because Cannon had been elected and ran on the platform of sustainable government, the popular vote was demanding accountability in Washington—a long-term solution to the budget deficits, growing sovereign debt, and broken legislative process. He included Speaker Bennett’s name in his statement that Congress confuses America with itself. To his credit, he understood government finances were unintelligible to the layperson, so he framed the materiality of the financial crisis in a vignette.
    Sally has a job that pays $40,000 per year. She spends $60,000. She puts the extra twenty grand on her credit card, with a teaser rate of one percent; and she’s not required to pay anything on the principal. The credit card company doesn’t send a monthly statement, so she has no idea how much she owes. Sally also has student loans, a car loan, and a mortgage, totaling $200,000. One afternoon, Sally finds a credit card statement in her mailbox. When she opens the envelope, she discovers her credit card balance is now $800,000. Sally’s debt is $1,000,000, but her income and spending habits haven’t changed.
    The journalist asked if his numbers were accurate…proportional to our government’s situation. He responded affirmatively. His call to action was simple. He advocated more involvement by Americans in the political process and greater transparency in the