Relevant and even prescient commentary on news, politics and the economy.

Taxing wealthy to pay for health care

by divorced one like Bush As we are talking about taxes and health care this is The Real News Network article regarding raising taxes on the wealthy to pay for health care. (The Real News Network is a global online video news network that listens to and is dependent on its audience. No ads. No […]

Stagecoach Driver Waxman issues Ultimatum on HR3200: Get on Board or We Leave Without You

by Bruce Webb Waxman: Blue Dogs must relent on health reform” (UPDATE: the linked article has subsequently been rewritten and expanded. What follows is the version from earlier this morning) House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) says there is “no alternative” to having healthcare legislation bypass his committee if Blue Dog Democrats […]

What is competition?

rdan A reader commented that market share statistics do not reflect whether competition occurs in a health insurance market. To stress a point he stated competition occurs when companies >1, and many states have competition of >2 major players, which makes for a more competitive market than a monopoly allows. Competition to me means that […]

Blue Dog House

Robert Waldmanndares to debate Nate Silver Nate Silver argues that health care reform might be in more danger in the House than the Senate. He notes that there are, by the standard DW-NOMINATE rating system, many conservative Democrats in the House and none (zero) in the Senate (Ben Nelson rates marginally marginally left of center). […]

The Blues Sued

Robert Waldmann In an even with some possible relevance to the ongoing health care reform debate Bayonne Hospital Center just sued Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield accusing it of “Life-Threatening Business Practices” via John Aravosis Any thoughts ?

Kornhauser’s Tax Literacy Project–about time

edited 072909 to correct link for giving online, by Linda Beale One of my big gripes (in case you haven’t noticed) is the ease with which ordinary Americans can be fooled about tax issues by organizations, often ones with greedy purposes of furthering their own interests in lower taxes for themselves, that publish misleading or […]

CBO on Health Care: July 14th to 20th & MSM Distortions

by Bruce Webb Last week was kind of a busy time for CBO scoring with the result that some stories got over-reported and others not reported at all. So lets back up a little. Tuesday July 14. CBO scores the coverage costs of HR3200, the House Tri-Committee Bill. The CBO Director’s Blog puts this announcement […]

Fixing the fixing. Health care Deja vu

by divorced one like Bush Responding to a couple of comments to my post yesterday, I want to present some history. PARCA. Patient Access to Responsible Care Act. 1997 by Alfonse D’Amato (R-N.Y.) and Rep. Charlie Norwood, a Georgia Republican and licensed dentist who argues: “If we can protect trees and animals, why can’t we […]