Much of the global reaction to the passage of U.S. health care reform revolves around the clout it gives President Obama on the international stage. In her article about the president's bruising legislative victory, Sabine Muscat of the Financial Times Deutschland writes that the passage of U.S. health care reform not only saved President Obama's neck domestically, it gives … [Read more...] about U.S. Health Care Reform is a Foreign Policy Success: Financial Times Deutschland, Germany
Will HCR Revive The “Lost” Tenth Amendment
With the President earlier today signing the Health Care Reform Act as passed by the Senate and House, opponents have already responded with a flurry of lawsuits. According to National Public Radio, thirteen states’ attorneys general have filed paperwork to begin the constitutional litigation process of trying to overturn HCR. Under particular attack will be the mandate … [Read more...] about Will HCR Revive The “Lost” Tenth Amendment
Public already rallying to the health reform law
All along a chief Republican argument against the health care reform bill was that the American electorate opposed it. Republicans were confident that public outrage against it would lead to a GOP takeover of Congress and even the possibility of repeal. There were always three problems with this argument: 1) Some of that opposition came from the left. Those voters might … [Read more...] about Public already rallying to the health reform law
Save Social Security — Eliminate The Payroll Tax And The Social Security Trust
A recent AP headline read: "Social Security to start cashing Uncle Sam's IOUs." It's a very poignant headline because if you consider what went into making it, you quickly realize how utterly insane our system for funding Social Security benefits has been, and immediately understand the thing to do to rectify the insanity — pay Social Security benefits out of general … [Read more...] about Save Social Security — Eliminate The Payroll Tax And The Social Security Trust
Affordable Health Care for America: It’s Now the Law of the Land
Plenty will be said an written by politicians, journalists and pundits about the historic event we just witnessed in the East Room of the White House: President Obama’s enactment of the most extensive health care legislation in decades---perhaps in our history. As an American, I just want to express my thanks and my personal sentiments about this landmark … [Read more...] about Affordable Health Care for America: It’s Now the Law of the Land
From Now to November
According to pundits, Americans will be marking time for eight months, waiting to vote next fall in "a referendum on the most significant social legislation enacted in half a century." But like most conventional wisdom, that's too simplistic a view of the political landscape in a confused, angry and volatile time. As the President prepares to sign an interim bill and the … [Read more...] about From Now to November
What the health care law does – and when
There is a great deal of confusion about when specific benefits and taxes associated with the new health care law go into effect. Fortunately, Reuters has posted the following fact box explaining the timeline of the law's implementation. I'm posting this without comment. WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR OF ENACTMENT *Insurance companies will be barred from dropping people from … [Read more...] about What the health care law does – and when
C-SPAN Brings History Alive Through Digital Archive
These are historic political times. C-SPAN has long been the definitive chronicler of that history. Last week C-SPAN opened up its historical chronicle to the world. The full C-SPAN archive is now available at C-SpanVideo.org and -- bloggers take note -- you can search, clip, excerpt and embed it. That's 23 years of history through five presidential administrations; 160,000 … [Read more...] about C-SPAN Brings History Alive Through Digital Archive
Why Health Care Reform Passed After It Seemed It Was Dead
I've often noted that the conventional wisdom has a)short shelf-life b)many fathers when it proves to be correct c)deadbeat dads who insist it wasn't theirs unless they are forced into a DNA test where paternity nails down their parenthood. One conventional wisdom that was prevalent in the new and old media was that after GOPer Scott Brown's election health care reform was DOA … [Read more...] about Why Health Care Reform Passed After It Seemed It Was Dead
Washington’s not broken anymore!
Three long weeks ago, I made the case that Scott Brown single-handedly broke Washington:As recently as January 18, the day before Scott Brown’s election, there was no firm consensus that Washington was broken. Now it is a staple of high-minded conversation. Imagine for a moment, that instead of Scott Brown, Massachusetts voters had elected Sen. Martha Coakley. The House and … [Read more...] about Washington’s not broken anymore!
Healthcare victory party
What does victory mean for the Democrats? Yglesias: Barack Obama will go down in history as one of America’s finest presidents.Drum: Even if this is [Obama's] high point, then, his presidency will have been pretty successful based just on his first year. But if he manages to grow in office and accomplish even more? Then he'll be the most successful president of the past … [Read more...] about Healthcare victory party
A november win will not mask this Republican loss
Having followed the American health-care reform debate since the 2008 election campaign, it is clear that this issue is very personal to every American. It is also clear that this issue of health-care is not only about the substantive question of how do the citizens of the worlds richest and most powerful country go about attaining health-care coverage, but it also asks the … [Read more...] about A november win will not mask this Republican loss
What are rights (and what do they have to do with health care)?
In my previous post I mentioned that health care is a "right" and not a privilege. Several commenters mentioned that my definition of "rights" was fundamentally different than that spelled out in the Constitution. In short, the Constitution speaks of negative rights - those that cannot be abridged by the government. Alas, freedom of speech, or religion, or the press are … [Read more...] about What are rights (and what do they have to do with health care)?
Acorn Goes Bye Bye
One more whipping boy out of the political agenda. Given the probable corruption I'm not real sorry to see them go. … [Read more...] about Acorn Goes Bye Bye
Interview with Matthew Alexander
Continuing my series of interviews with persons of interest with respect to major issues of the day, I bring you this interview with military Matthew Alexander (a pseudonym), an Air Force officer credited with conducting interrogations that led to the successful targeting of Al Qaeda in Iraq leader Abu Musad al Zarqawi, and the author of How to Break A Terrorist: The U.S. … [Read more...] about Interview with Matthew Alexander
Remember the Good Old Days When Republicans Cared Nothing for Public Opinion?
It wasn't that long ago -- only a little over a year. Now, you can add public opinion to the growing list of Principles Republicans (Now) Hold So Dear (emphasis is in original): … [Read more...] about Remember the Good Old Days When Republicans Cared Nothing for Public Opinion?
Some Initial Reaction to Passage of HCR Bill (TWO UPDATES)
In addition to the right-wing calls to repeal health care reform, which have been going on since well before it actually passed, the immediate reaction to yesterday's historic passage of the Affordable Health Choices Act has included one act of actual, and one act of implied, violence, and a veiled call for secession. … [Read more...] about Some Initial Reaction to Passage of HCR Bill (TWO UPDATES)
Financial Markets Move Quickly & Democracy Moves Slowly
Next up, financial reform... The crash of 1929 happens in 1929 [and] Glass-Steagall, which reforms Wall Street in a radical way, doesn't happen until 1933. There aren't even proper hearings on Capitol Hill about the crisis of '29 until I think late '32. And so it's not that surprising it's taken a while. That from a Michael Lewis interview with Terry Gross last week. He was … [Read more...] about Financial Markets Move Quickly & Democracy Moves Slowly
Have the Republicans In Essence Walked Into a Democratic Trap on Health Care Reform?
Time's Mark Halperin makes the (convincing) case that they have. … [Read more...] about Have the Republicans In Essence Walked Into a Democratic Trap on Health Care Reform?
Health Legislation Can Be Funny Business
In my continual quest to lighten things up when Murphy's Law strikes -- i.e. the cantankerous new health legislation -- I download U-Tube versions of the late night comics. Well, folks, I can't wait nor plan to stay up tonight hours past my bedtime so I stole what's available from the Huffington Post. From Lea Lane: She offers 10 bonuses from the health legislation you … [Read more...] about Health Legislation Can Be Funny Business