Tax Day: Where All the Money Goes

From The Heritage Foundation's Morning Bell:

In 2013, the major entitlement programs - Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and other health care consumed 49 percent of all federal spending. These programs, and interest on the debt, are on track to consume an even greater share of spending in future years, while the portion of federal spending dedicated to other national priorities will decline.

SHARE OF FEDERAL SPENDING IN 2013:

Chart: Obamacare Premiums by State

The Heritage Foundation has put together this chart comparing the state-by-state cost of health insurance premiums before and after Obamacare. Millennial residents in 46 states and the District of Columbia will see increases in their premiums—a whopping 252.5% increase for Virginians, from $165 per month to $581.55 per month). Only in five states will residents see a reduction in premiums: Colorado, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island. (View large image.)

Heritage Graphic: 10 Problems with Immigration Bill

Source: Heritage Foundation

Gang of Eight Reform: Too Much Too Fast

From the Heritage Foundation, "the Gang of Eight Immigration Bill, explained in one infographic."

Despite Sen. Marco Rubio's sincere belief in the need to fix immigration—and let's face it, who doesn't believe immigration needs fixing—the 844-page Gang of Eight's "comprehensive immigration reform" may simply be too much for Americans to endure after Obamacare, another comprehensive piece of legislation that has already thrown our economy and our health care system into a dangerous tailspin.

"In my view," writes John Hinderaker, "the bill is flawed at its core ... and efforts to improve it are misguided. Here is why..." 

Hinderaker lists 5 sound reasons, chief among them that this legislation will not stop what he argues is the "insane policy" of "chain immigration," which allows newly legalized residents to "bring over their family members, ad infinitum." 

He estimates when all is said and done, this bill covering 11 million initially will quickly result in 30 million newly-legalized U.S. residents — each eligible, as the Heritage infographic notes, "for government benefits such as welfare and entitlements." (Is now a good time to point out that the newly arrived Boston terrorist family received more than $100,000 in welfare payments?)

"Conservatives," he argues, "should propose one, and only one, reform: an end to chain immigration, as part of a recalibration of our immigration law that would seek to serve the interests of existing American citizens, and no one else."

 Americans are still on the floor from the economic body blow of Obamacare. Is it too much to ask from Washington that it give the country a chance to get back on its feet before knocking it down with immigration reform?