James C. Capretta

Political leaders should take steps now to head off the debt crisis that will occur if policies are not changed. Waiting for the crisis to hit before acting would lead to much more painful austerity.

In addition to experience and leadership skills, the GOP candidates for president need to articulate a realistic plan for taxes, health care, and the federal budget.

If the Supreme Court rules for the plaintiffs in King v. Burwell, Congress will have the opportunity to address some of shortcomings of Obamacare. A properly constructed plan could provide secure insurance coverage to those affected by the decision without the mandates and heavy regulation of Obamacare.

Governor Huckabee claims to be representing average Americans against the rich and powerful, but his opposition to reasonable Social Security reforms would force tax hikes on the middle class.

The federal budget process should be amended to give the executive and legislative branches the opportunity to reach agreement on a budget plan, however infrequently that might occur.

Republicans in Congress should use the budget reconciliation process to pass an agenda that is difficult for the president to veto.

The new physician-payment system approved by Congress will give the Medicare bureaucracy even more control over the practice of medicine.

The Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 was written for a different era. It’s time to update the process to reflect fiscal and political realities.

The Burr-Hatch-Upton plan is a viable alternative to the Affordable Care Act, with features that many Americans will find more attractive than current law.

The “doc fix” legislation moving through Congress is flawed. It will permanently increase Medicare spending and open the door to more micromanagement of physician services by the federal government.

Last November, voters gave Republicans full control of Congress for the first time in eight years. The GOP should the most powerful tool at its disposal — budget reconciliation — to advance an agenda that’s right for the current moment.

King v. Burwell could be an enormous opportunity for those opposed to Obamacare. But it will only offer such an opportunity if conservatives are prepared to give the states a serious alternative arrangement.