Robret Waldmann Gang of 6 senators who correspond to 6.5 representatives. The US senate has an extreme rural bias. It has outdone itself by allowing Max Baucus to empower a bipartisan group of 6 senators to redesign health care reform. The states represented by the 6 senators (Iowa, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota and […]

Robert Waldmann The AP writes on the current state of negotiations in the 6 member Baucus Bipartisan ad hoc committee. Their plan includes an idea that is worse than I imagined possible. I mean that literally. Officials also said a bipartisan compromise would not subject companies to a penalty if they declined to offer coverage […]

I have generally decided that the NYT’s attempt at becoming the WSJ on its editorial page is not worth the trouble of discussing. An editorial staph that replaces the despicable but somewhat coherent Bill Kristol with the execrable incoherence of Ross Douthat is clearly suffering a fatal infection, and therefore not deserving of support. But […]

Robert Waldmann A courageously anonymous blue dog explains to Shailagh Murray and Paul Kanewhy they are blocking health care reform several dozen anxious House Democrats who are wary of the more liberal course their leaders have taken on health care. Feeling burned by a tough vote on climate-change legislation that is languishing in the Senate, […]

by divorced one like Bush Via Glenn Greenwald and his article The war being waged on the TARP watchdog’s independence comes an interview with Neil Barofsky the man charged with over seeing TARP. It appears the White House is not keeping true to the President’s campaign of a more transparent government. …the Obama administration is […]

Robert Waldmann Looks like there are still people interested in Marx. I guessed Brad would be interested (OK so I link begged but just a little) but I wouldn’t have guessed that James Wimberley would be. Mainly this post is about an e-mail from Ben Ross which I print (with permission) after the jump Ben […]

rdan The term small business is bandied about a lot, and often includes employers with 10 employees as in here and similar with Republicans. Yet it appears these little companies are not represented by SBA, nor Manufacturers of America, yet account for a large portion of our economy. Is that accurate?? A small business is […]

by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Useful Models for Reform? President Obama often cites the Mayo Clinic and the Cleveland Clinic as models for providers in a new era of health care reform. Question: Can these two models be replicated throughout the country? Answer: Not likely. The Mayo Clinic is unique but has replicated itself a […]

rdan Health care in Canada from 1983, hat tip Mark Thoma at Economist View, is worth reading.