lifted from comments, by reader vtcodger Vtcodger says: You’re right that Single Payer is probably the best answer for the US. And it is probably where we will end up. But apparently, we have to beat ourselves up some more before the Washington-NewYork elite are willing to face up to reality. So, we’re going to […]

Robert Waldmann has been playing hooky. Look it’s the end of the semester. My actual job involves some actual work these days (ETA of a Thesis defense 40 minutes). Also, I note no popular demand for my opinions on the Obama administration plan to reform financial regulation, and I still know jack about finance. So […]

by cactus Via Steve Benen and The Reality-Based Community, an interview in >Foreign Policy with Mohsen Makhmalbaf, Mousavi’s spokesman outside Iran: FP: There has been growing criticism here in Washington that U.S. President Barack Obama hasn’t said or done enough to support those demonstrating in the streets of Iran. Do you think Obama is being […]

rdan Stefanie Kelton of New Economic Perspectives points us to Jamie Galbraith and one of his conference papers on public/private investment and globalization. (Re-posted with permission from the author.) Economic Growth and Public Investment You may check James K. Galbraith’s interesting conference paper”. (warning pdf) An important point is that “contrary to popular myth, U.S. […]

by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt The federal government is concerned about the incidence of Medicare re-admissions. Typical scenario: an elderly patient is admitted to the hospital for pneumonia and related distress. After a four day stay the patient is discharged to a long-term care facility. A week later the patient is readmitted with acute distress, […]

by Linda Beale [Excerpted from an earlier posting on ataxingmatter] On ataxingmatter, I considered Michigan’s tough problems and proposed a solution that could offer a way to deal fairly with the many issues the State faces. Michigan, as everybody knows, is a depressed state these days. High unemployment, high foreclosure rates, and even the Red […]

by Divorced one like Bush For your consideration here are some real numbers from a Medicare Advantage policy via United Health Care Cat Scan billed $1042.00Not Covered $ 831.68That means the contracted charge for this service with UHC is $210.32.Copay $ 42.06UHC payment $ 168.26 The “copay” is 20%. Same plan has a “Deductible/Copay” individual […]

By Spencer; The CPI rose 0.1% in May as the core CPI rose 0.1% and energy rose 0.2%. The real significance of the rise in energy prices shows up in this table that shows the composition of real average hourly earnings — the final column in the table. In the fourth quarter real earnings rose […]

105 years ago today, James Joyce lost his virginity. Eventually, he wrote a very funny book about the day. May all our days be as productive.