Biden DOE Launched Voter Registration Campaign Aimed at Welfare Recipients

 The Department of Energy targeted low-income households that qualify for federal weatherization assistance as part of former President Biden’s executive order to promote voter turnout, RealClearPolitics is first to report.

At the direction of then-Secretary Jennifer Granholm, the Energy Department launched an initiative called “Get Energized to Vote” to boost turnout ahead of the 2022 midterms, despite the fact that the agency had no congressional mandate to do so and no experience running voter turnout campaigns.

As part of that effort, the agency directed approximately 35,000 households participating in the Weatherization Assistance Program to resources about where and how to register to vote. The longstanding program, which began during the Carter administration, provides weatherization services to the poor, specifically households at or below 200% of the poverty line.

The Biden administration saw it as a vehicle for voter registration recruitment.

“By targeting those individuals who interact with DOEs weatherization program, DOE aims to aid in increasing turnout and reducing the barriers that disabled persons faced at the polls,” reads a September 2021 department memo sent to Susan Rice, Biden’s top domestic policy adviser. Helping welfare recipients sign up to vote was just one priority. Other specific targets listed by the memo include: “first time voters, college students, voters with disabilities, and voters with limited English proficiency.”

Shortly after Biden arrived in office, the former president signed an executive order directing all federal agencies to promote voter registration and participation “consistent with applicable law.” While agencies can aid in the process of signing up voters, federal law strictly prohibits partisan activities by officeholders and government employees. Republicans quickly cried foul, alleging unlawful federal assistance in state elections.

“Allowing federal employees from the Biden Administration to flood election administration sites threatens election integrity and reduces Americans’ confidence,” said Wisconsin Rep. Bryan Steil, the Republican chair of the House Administration Committee, alleging that the executive order was an attempt by Biden “to tilt the scales ahead of 2024.”

Nine Republican attorneys general filed suit that same year, accusing Biden of attempting “to convert the federal bureaucracy into a voter registration organization and to turn every interaction between a federal bureaucrat and a member of the public into a voter registration pitch.”

The Biden administration dismissed those charges as “baseless” at the time. A White House spokeswoman, Robyn Patterson, accused Republicans of lying about the 2020 election and using “those same debunked lies to advance laws across the nation that make it harder to vote and easier to undermine the will of the people.”

A full suite of programs was already online by then.

The Energy Department uploaded a “Voting Playbook” to its website, updated leave policies for federal employees to go vote on Election Day, and distributed “know your rights” fact sheets to targeted constituencies. The biggest push appears to have come ahead of the 2022 midterms when Democrats expanded their control of the Senate and managed to limit their losses in the House.

Granholm cut a direct-to-camera public service announcement in August of 2021 underscoring the importance of voting. According to the DOE memo sent to the Biden White House, the clip would be shared across social media channels, including those “with high youth engagement.”

“By using these platforms, DOE can potentially affect voter behavior by providing direct and free access to the production of voter registration materials on vote.gov,” the memo states. “Through video messaging, DOE will encourage voter participation in underserved and disadvantaged communities, which can include women, indigenous persons, and minorities.”

The video has been delisted from YouTube, but an archived version remains on Granholm’s official X account. It features the secretary making a broad, non-partisan overture to the “sacred” right to vote, invoking the memory “of those who fought, and some who died, to secure the right to vote for women, for indigenous Americans, for people of color.”

Granholm later violated the Hatch Act, a law that limits the political speech of federal employees, during an October interview with the magazine Marie Claire, according to the U.S. Office of Special Counsel, when the secretary described Democratic majorities as “good news.” The federal watchdog did not pursue disciplinary action at the time.

Granholm decamped for K-Street after leaving office and has joined the lobbying firm DGA Group as a senior counselor. Attempts to reach the secretary for comment were unsuccessful.

President Trump rescinded Biden’s executive order, which had directed federal agencies to promote voter registration. Asked what to expect from the Department of Energy ahead of the next midterms, a White House official told RCP the agency would be focused on “core functions,” namely addressing energy, environmental, and nuclear policy.

Philip Wegmann is White House correspondent for RealClearPolitics.

https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2025/08/06/biden_doe_launched_voter_registration_campaign_aimed_at_welfare_recipients_153144.html

Increasing Social Security retirement age... Without forgetting some people aren't living longer

 I have a new policy brief co-authored with John Shoven of Stanford looking at how we might address part of Social Security’s funding gap by raising the retirement age, but doing it in a way that account for differential mortality by income — the fact that rich people tend to live longer than the poor, which means that rich people are contributing more to Social Security’s insolvency than are the poor.

The trick is to do two things at once: first, increase the Social Security retirement age by (we assume) two years. This cuts benefits for all new retirees by around 13%, rich and poor alike.

But second, we alter Social Security’s benefit formula in a progressive way. We increase benefits by around 13% for low earners. This means that, even if they can’t work longer, their Social Security benefits aren’t affect. What the retirement age increase takes away, the benefit formula change gives back.

But for the very highest earners we would reduce benefits further, so their total benefits would be reduced by around 26%. This is equivalent to about a four year increase in the Social Security retirement age. So the step accounts for the fact that richest Americans are living extra-long times.

This approach actually saves more money than simply increasing the Social Security retirement age by two years, because the benefit reductions are focused on the people who get the highest benefits.

This idea wouldn’t fix Social Security’s short-term funding gap nor would it prevent Social Security’s trust funds from running out. For these, we’ll need other steps (likely including additional revenues). But Social Security’s long-term shortfall needs to be addressed, and once fully implemented our idea would fix about half of it — without reducing benefits for the Americans who need them the most.

Andrew Biggs is a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute, where my work (mostly) focuses on retirement issues

https://littleknownfacts.substack.com/p/increasing-social-securitys-retirement

Myth: There is Little Waste, Fraud, and Abuse in Medicaid

 

• Proponents of the bloated, bureaucratic status quo claim that there is little waste, fraud, and abuse in the nearly $1 trillion Medicaid program.
• Paragon research estimates nearly $1.2 trillion in improper federal Medicaid payments—a 25 percent improper payment rate—over the past decade.
• The OBBB contains significant Medicaid reforms—addressing Medicaid money-laundering schemes and requiring able-bodied, working-age adults to perform community-engagement requirements.
• In addition, OBBB further addresses the rampant Medicaid waste, fraud, and abuse in a myriad of ways, including more frequent eligibility reviews of able-bodied, working-age ACA expansion enrollees, requiring states to reduce the improper payment rates, no longer paying health plans for individuals enrolled in multiple states, and making sure taxpayers are not paying for Medicaid coverage for the deceased.
• The OBBB institutes systems to prevent individuals from being enrolled in Medicaid in multiple states at one time.
  • A recent Wall Street Journal report indicated that insurers received $4.3 billion for Medicaid enrollees simultaneously enrolled in multiple states from 2019 to 2021.
  • On July 17, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) announced it found 1.2 million people enrolled in multiple state Medicaid programs and 1.6 million people doubly covered by Medicaid and a subsidized exchange plan. CMS estimates that its corrective actions will save $14 billion annually—a massive victory for taxpayers.
• The OBBB requires states to check the Death Master File quarterly to remove deceased Medicaid enrollees and deceased providers.

Background

Under current law, states are supposed to be penalized for improper payment rates above three percent. But this policy has never been enforced; states can receive waivers, permitting waste to continue unabated. The OBBB would limit the ability of the HHS Secretary to waive commonsense, good governance requirements to combat improper payments.

Under the OBBB, there will now be an enforceable budget-neutrality requirement for Medicaid demonstration projects or waivers. States run much of their programs through waivers. Theoretically, this allows states to tailor their programs to the unique needs of their enrollees and test new approaches for the delivery of Medicaid services.

Demonstration projects are supposed to be budget neutral (i.e., not result in more federal spending than would occur absent the waiver). However, lax enforcement and inflated baseline projections often result in demonstrations imposing steep costs on the federal government. The OBBB requires CMS to certify the demonstration’s budget-neutrality requirements for a waiver to be granted.

Ryan Long is the Director of Congressional Relations and a Senior Research Fellow at Paragon Health Institute. In this role he is the leading voice communicating Paragon’s research and proposals to Congress by connecting with and educating policymakers and their staffs and leading the Congressional Health Policy Education Program. As a researcher, Long produces original papers and policy briefs promoting consumer choice, market competition, and innovation in healthcare markets. 

https://paragoninstitute.org/medicaid/myth-there-is-little-waste-fraud-and-abuse-in-medicaid/

High-Fiber Diets and Supplements Can Improve Health for Patients With Obesity

 When discussing obesity with your patients, it’s important to highlight the benefits of proper fiber intake. Explaining to your patients how fiber improves overall digestion, and their well-being can be a good starting point. Offering a real-world example can also be useful for patient comprehension.

“Fiber is like a clean-up crew that helps to get rid of the dirt, grime, and waste that is left behind like after moving out of an apartment or home,” explained Sue-Ellen Anderson-Haynes, a registered dietitian nutritionist in the Boston area and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“Sometimes, I also say that fiber is like a broom that sweeps away the garbage in the colon; it also acts like a sponge to soak up and remove the bad cholesterol, thereby reducing inflammation and risk of disease.”

Fiber’s Impact on Patient Health

Personalizing the benefits of fiber can be helpful in your discussions with patients, according to Anderson-Haynes, who is also the owner of 360Girls&Women, a holistic health and wellness resource that provides corporate wellness workshops, health and wellness coaching, and other services.

“When working with my patients, I focus on what their health concerns are and tie in fiber into the equation,” she said. For example, if a patient is struggling with elevated blood glucose levels, addressing fiber intake is a great opportunity to showcase its importance and to suggest appropriate ways to add more fiber to their diet, she noted.

Furthermore, in her sessions with patients, she inquires about their consumption of plant-based foods, such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, and whole grains.

“I compare what they are consuming to what the recommendations are based on their specific health profile — age, medical history, etc. — and I then discuss their disease risk based on what the evidence shows us about those who follow low-fiber diet and those who meet the recommendations,” Anderson-Haynes said.

In addition, a helpful explanation about physiologic benefits is beneficial. “It’s important to discuss how fiber is essential for good intestinal health,” said James Dasher, MD, a bariatric surgeon at Novant Health Bariatric Solutions in Kernersville, North Carolina. “It helps keep the colon on an ‘even keel’ and helps both diarrhea and constipation. So for patients with loose bowels — like gastric bypass patients — it firms up the bowel movement and makes it more normal. In constipated patients, it helps soften the bowel movement and makes it easier to pass.”

Fiber also helps prevent diverticulitis (inflamed colon), as well as hemorrhoids, the surgeon said.

Directives for Fiber Supplements

Dasher suggested psyllium fiber as a great way to start. “Patients do not need fancy or expensive supplements,” he said.

Some patients may be particularly interested in fiber supplementation due to its impact on satiety. “One of the benefits for patients to consume more fiber is that it lowers cholesterol,” Dasher said. “Once consumed, fiber expands in the stomach and makes you feel full.”

Patients with high cholesterol can also benefit from a fiber boost.

A Standford Medicine study revealed that high fiber consumption “led to a rise in gut bacteria-derived bile acids, which break down cholesterol and other lipids, and that there was a decrease in certain lipids.”

Additionally, studies have demonstrated that metabolic diseases — such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease — are reduced with the consumption of dietary fiber due to gut microbiome changes and reduction of inflammatory pathways.

Another benefit is what fiber intake produces, which plays a role in the inflammatory processes in the body and benefits the gut, brain, heart, and even hormone health, according to Anderson-Haynes. “Dietary fiber is the greatest producer of short-chain fatty acid,” she said.

Natural Ways to Boost Fiber

Anderson-Haynes encourages patients to focus on plants, since “natural fiber is only found in plants such as nuts, seeds, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.” She also recommends using a plate guide for better illustration.

“The plate guide is helpful in adding ½ nonstarchy vegetables, ¼ carbohydrates — like a whole grain or starchy vegetable — and ¼ protein of choice; adding plant-based proteins significantly increases fiber intake — tofu, legumes, and more,” Anderson-Haynes said.

Other suggestions for patients include adding fruit, nuts, and even seeds to smoothies or breakfast fruit bowls.

“Also, replacing typical high-glycemic cereals with oats, buckwheat, and even cornmeal as a porridge for breakfast topped with nuts and seeds are other ways I encourage my patients to increase fiber intake,” the registered dietitian nutritionist recommended.

Risks of Overconsuming Fiber

Be sure to encourage patients to consult with a healthcare provider before taking a fiber supplement, as a personalized approach is best.

“Too much fiber intake coupled with not enough fluids, for example, can cause serious abdominal discomfort and other unwanted problems,” cautioned Anderson-Haynes.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/how-high-fiber-diets-and-supplements-can-improve-health-2025a1000kvu

What Your Sperm Says About You

 Semen analysis not only provides information on fertility but also offers insights into the overall health. A recent study published in Nature reported that sperm quality can significantly improve with basic lifestyle and dietary changes.

Global Decline

Sperm quality has steadily declined over the past 50 years. Between 1973 and 2011, the global sperm concentration and total sperm count decreased significantly.

This decline was most pronounced in Western countries, with a reduction in the total sperm count of almost 60%.

The study, led by Hannah Lyons, a researcher at the Robinson Research Institute and School of Biomedicine at the University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia, attributed this decline to multiple factors.

These include chronic conditions such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome, exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals such as phthalates, bisphenol A, cadmium, dioxins, and lead, and heat exposure.

Lifestyle factors, including certain medications, substance use, poor diet, and physical inactivity, can impair sperm production by disrupting hormonal regulation, damaging testicular cells, and increasing oxidative stress due to elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

High ROS levels can damage sperm DNA, compromise the membrane integrity, and reduce sperm motility. Established risk factors include smoking, heavy alcohol consumption, drug abuse, and excessive exercise.

Nutrient Impact

Sperm quality can recover more rapidly than previously believed. In a study of 132 men with fertility issues, a 3-month micronutrient regimen, including L-carnitine (440 mg), L-arginine (250 mg), zinc (40 mg), vitamin E (120 mg), glutathione (80 mg), selenium (60 µg), coenzyme Q10 (15 mg), and folic acid (800 µg), significantly improved semen parameters. Volume, sperm concentration, progressive motility, total motility, and morphology increased by 33.3%, 215.5%, 93.1%, 36.4%, and 23.0%, respectively (all P < .001). No improvements were observed in healthy individuals (n = 73).

In the 6 months following the intervention, the pregnancy rate among the partners of the participating men was also recorded. More pregnancies occurred in the intervention group (25.8%) than in the healthy group (15%). Although this study had some limitations, including age differences and limited risk factor data, two additional trials supported these findings. The researchers concluded that micronutrients may restore sperm production within 3 months.

Combined Approach

A 2021 study by Markus Lipovac, PhD, at the Robinson Research Institute at the University of Adelaide, and colleagues evaluated 339 men who received micronutrient supplements along with lifestyle changes. These include a healthy diet, regular exercise, and reduced smoking and alcohol consumption.

Of these, 162 men received supplements and lifestyle guidance, whereas 177 followed lifestyle and dietary modifications. After 6 months, sperm DNA fragmentation index (DFI) and pregnancy rates were assessed. In the supplement group, DFI decreased from 10.48 to 6.51 overall and from 20.39 to 9.93 in men with DFI > 15% (P < .001). Pregnancy rates were higher with supplements: 27.78% vs 15.25% overall and 41.30% vs 22.86% in men with DFI > 15%.

The limitations of this study include missing demographic data, lack of randomization, and lack of information on the extent of lifestyle changes.

The researchers emphasized that while the study could not separate the effects of micronutrient supplementation from lifestyle interventions, both appeared to benefit reproductive function, with spermatogenesis being relatively responsive.

However, only active micronutrient treatment significantly reduced sperm DNA fragmentation and improved pregnancy rates, highlighting the need for randomized trials and further investigations.

DFI Interpretation

• < 15% — very good sperm quality
• 15%-25% — good sperm quality
• 25% — impaired sperm quality (increased DNA damage)

A higher DFI is associated with lower fertility and an increased risk for miscarriage.

Short-Term Gains

Sperm quality may improve within 1 month of treatment. In a study of 402 men with abnormal semen, a 1-month personalized program including reduced or no smoking and alcohol, wearing loose underwear, avoiding baths over 15 minutes, limiting radiation exposure, stopping finasteride or dutasteride, and avoiding laptop use on the lap produced positive effects such as motility increased by 7.6%, sperm concentration by 6.9 million/mL, and total sperm count by 15.7 million (all P < .001).

These findings challenge the belief that treatment must last at least 3 months, based on the 42- to 74-day sperm production cycle. The authors noted that this has major implications for the treatment and management of environmental- or lifestyle-related causes of male infertility.

Broader Implications

Semen analysis may reflect the overall health of men, not just their fertility. Men with infertility or abnormal semen are at a higher risk for hospitalization and early death.

Men with infertility had a 26% higher risk for death (95% CI, 1.01-1.59), and men with oligo- or azoospermia had a 67% higher risk (risk ratio, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.26-2.21) than those with normal sperm counts.

Sperm Analysis

A study of 11,935 men at two health centers in the US from 1994 to 2011 found that low ejaculate volume, low sperm concentration, low total sperm count, poor motility, and low total motility were associated with increased mortality rates. Mortality was assessed using data from the Social Security Death Index and the National Death Index. The authors concluded that men with two or more abnormal sperm parameters had a 2.3-fold higher mortality risk.

Abnormal sperm parameters often reflect poor health or disease and are linked to a higher risk for cancer. Studies have shown that men with infertility have an increased risk for prostate and testicular cancer. The exact reasons for this association are unclear but could point to genetic causes, which the research team has emphasized in their study.

The researchers concluded that semen analysis could be a useful health tool for diagnosing infertility. Male fertility is closely linked to overall health, long-term illnesses, and risk for death. Routine semen testing could help detect health risks early and allow for immediate lifestyle changes. Abnormal results may prompt further health checkups. The link between poor sperm quality and self-image may motivate men to take better care of their health.

Sensitive Communication

Colloquial language and humor can sometimes help in medical conversations, but not in men’s reproductive health. In a survey of men, participants reported a lack of sensitive communication from healthcare professionals, with insensitive language frequently used to communicate the diagnosis of infertility in men. Humor was frequently employed, with comments such as, “Your nuts are stuffed,” or, “…your sperm […] they’re all kind of knackered.” These remarks caused distress, and participants said that the same information could have been conveyed more sensitively.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/what-your-sperm-says-about-you-2025a1000kve

Federal Government Funds Program for Hepatitis C Care and Cure

 A new $100 million pilot program launched by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) offers state and community-based health care organizations the resources for prevention, testing, and treatment of hepatitis C among individuals with substance use disorder and serious mental illness, according to an HHS press release.

The program, known as the Hepatitis C Elimination Initiative Pilot, will be administered by the Substance and Mental Health Administration. “This program is designed to support communities severely affected by homelessness and to gain insights on effective ways to identify patients, complete treatment, cure infections, and reduce reinfection by hepatitis C,” according to the press release.

The upfront investment in hepatitis C management is projected to not only save lives, but also to save community health care costs in the long-term, according to the press release.

“This is a vigorous pilot program that provides the first steps toward the large goal of eliminating hepatitis C in the United States population,” said William Schaffner, MD, professor of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, in an interview.

Hepatitis C affects more than two million individuals in the US, and is often complicated by social and medical issues such as homelessness, substance abuse, and mental health issues, said Schaffner. Fortunately, hepatitis C can be treated with oral medications that cure the chronic viral infection, thereby ending ongoing liver injury and interrupting person-to-person transmission of the virus by sharing needles, he said.

Given that the population most affected with hepatitis C also is often homeless, with possible mental health issues and sharing of needles for illicit drug use, challenges in reaching this population include assuring them that the care they receive though this and other programs is nonjudgemental and helpful, Schaffner told Medscape Medical News.

The oral medications that now can cure the chronic hepatitis C viral infections must be taken over a period of weeks, and patients who lead socially disorganized lives often need assistance to assure that the medicine is taken as intended, so trained and sensitive personnel who are committed to helping this population are needed to make treatment programs succeed, he said.

Looking ahead, “the purpose of the pilot studies that will be funded by this program is to explore various approaches to determine which are more successful in bringing patients in to be evaluated and then to complete treatment,” Schaffner added.

State and community-based organizations are among the entities eligible to apply for the program. Potential applicants can find information about the program and application materials on the SAMSHA website.

Schaffner had no financial conflicts to disclose.

https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/federal-government-funds-program-hepatitis-c-care-and-cure-2025a1000kvl

Hazardous bacterial bloom hitting US lakes is a danger to people and pets

 No need for vacationers to test the waters here, experts say.

The summer vacation spoiler has been identified as a cyanobacterial bloom — and the National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS) says that the crummy blue-green conditions seem to be spreading, with a noticeable increase in scale since Aug. 2.

Currently, the contamination stretches approximately 160 miles and impacts coastal communities, ranging from Monroe, Michigan, to Port Clinton, Ohio.

The Buckeye State’s beloved Sandusky Bay is an especially adversely affected area and has comparatively strong concentrations of cyanobacteria — and cyanotoxins, a byproduct of the microorganisms — in the lake water.

The Ohio Department of Health has advised residents and visitors along the western shore of Lake Erie to keep out of the water due to “unsafe levels” of bacterial contamination.

In concentrated amounts, cyanotoxins can result in mild conditions ranging from diarrhea, headaches and skin irritation to more serious, life-threatening states depending on prior conditions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Lake Erie is a popular weekend getaway destination for Midwesterners and New Yorkers alike looking to beat the heat for a few days.Jacek Chabraszewski – stock.adobe.com
“If you see scum, keep your pets and yourself out of the water,” urged the NCCOS in a statement.

The organization also said that the bloom can be particularly intense during certain weather conditions.

During calm, low wind periods, it gathers on the surface as “scum,” rather than being broken up by the Great Lake’s raucous waves.

The NCCOS maintains that over the past decade or so, concentrated cyanobacteria sightings in Lake Erie have become more common, especially from June to October.

The EPA explained that the microorganisms are “very important to aquatic ecosystems” because they are photosynthetic — which is why conditions are worse in summertime — and support marine food webs; however, excessive growth can lead to concerns for aquatic and human health alike.

Bearing that in mind, those looking to watch where they wade this summer can take a peek at a consistently updated map of Lake Erie by NCCOS that specifically monitors algal blooms.

Lake Erie is also commonly recognized as the most polluted of the Great Lakes, per research by the University of Michigan.SVDPhoto – stock.adobe.com
While the recent blooms don’t impact lakegoers in New York, the Empire State has been exposed to its own fair share of aquatic advisories this summer — even trendy Hamptons beaches have been affected.

Windmill Beach in Sag Harbor was rated the 7th worst bacteria-ridden beach in the US this year, per a report from Surfrider Foundation — and just two years back, the EPA reported that over half of New York beaches are contaminated by sewage and feces.

https://nypost.com/2025/08/06/lifestyle/hazardous-bacterial-bloom-hitting-us-lakes-is-a-danger-to-people-and-pets-officials/