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 […]

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, […]

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 […]

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). […]

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 ?

Robert Waldmann is honestly puzzled by this post by Brad DeLong. Brad notes that firms don’t seem to be hoarding labor and goes on to predict a jobless recovery. We Are Live at The Week with “The Jobless Recovery Has Begun”.. “Okun’s Law.” Here is the gist: if GDP (production and incomes, that is) rises […]

Robert Waldmann on Karl Marx, Arthur Laffer and Simon Peter. Which one here is not like the others, because he was a lunatic extremist egalitarian not an ambitious sophist ? Marx famously declared “From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.” This is quite probably the grossest distortion of a quote […]

Robert Waldmann Kevin Drum writes Conor Friedersdorf has three reasons he doesn’t think he’ll be able to support any of the progressive healthcare reforms currently on tap. Argument #3: I keep seeing the argument that America is the leading health care innovator, and that if our system looks more like what Europe has, there won’t […]

Robert Waldmann It sure looks like the US economy would benefit from a second stimulus. However, it also looks clear that congress will not pass an optimal second stimulus. Getting my thoughts on economics and politics from a philosophy major, I note that Matthew Yglesias notes that it would be very hard for congress to […]

Robert Waldmann There is something which I genuinely don’t understand about US journalism. Why don’t US journalists cite Seymour Hersh more ? I have never heard anyone rank him as an investigative journalist lower than number one, yet his stories vanish for months or years until someone else reports them. For example, yesterday the Wall […]