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

Healthcare Reform; Socialism or Fascism?

by Run75411 Healthcare Reform; Socialism or Fascism? Whole Foods CEO John Mackey in 2009 originally called President Obama’s healthcare plan a form of Socialism while writing an op-ed for the Wall Street Journal: “The problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people’s money.” Margaret Thatcher” and added to Thatcher’s statement: “While […]

SCOTUS Chastises Congress and the Executive Branches

by run 75411Update:  Beverly Mann adds this note lifted from comments: The Supreme Court is rarely in session. It’s seasonal, part-time work. They usually hear argument in 10 cases a month, seven months a year. In December, they didn’t hear even that many.There’s really sooo much that can, and should, be said about the issue […]

Brands and generics pharmaceuticals…

The case is Federal Trade Commission v. Watson Pharmaceuticals et al, No. 12-416.   Via the New York Times comes this note: Last year, for the third time since 2003, the 11th Circuit upheld the agreements as long as the allegedly anticompetitive behavior that results — in this case, keeping the generic drug off the market […]

Raising the Price of Pizza 10 to 14 cents. . .

by Bill aka run75441 Raising the Price of Pizza 10 to 14 cents. . . Will pizza and food prices really have to increase to cover healthcare costs for the mostly young employees of the Olive Garden’s, Denny’s, and Papa John’s restaurants? A 10 to 14 cents increase per pizza is being proposed by Papa […]

The war against women

by Maggie Mahar    (The author of Money-Driven Medicine: The Real Reason Health Care Costs So Much (Harper/Collins 2006), Mahar also served as the co-writer of the documentary, Money-Driven Medicine (2009), directed by Andrew Fredericks and produced by Alex Gibney.Before she began writing about health care, Mahar was a financial journalist and wrote for Barron’s, […]

The Elephants are Still Thirsty

by Run 75411 The Elephants are Still Thirsty In my earlier post on Carrying Water for Elephants I explained how the $716 billion in planned reductions to Medicare was calculated, who it impacted, and from where it originated. The $716 billion is far larger than the initial $449 billion first reported. In 2010, the CBO arrived […]

Medicare Cuts: What is the Fight About?

by Run75411 “Water For Elephants” “carrying water for elephants” is a phrase that means carrying a heavy load, much like carrying a secret that you can’t tell even someone you love wholeheartedly, just as in the end Jacob does for his wife.An elephant drinks 25-75 gallons of water a day far more than any man […]

Repeal the ACA and Lower Costs for Citizens

by Run75441 Repeal the ACA and Lower Costs for Citizens… Chicken Little, Courtesy of “EW.Com Entertainment Weekly”What presidential candidate Romney has vowed to repeal is showing more benefit than harm in driving down the cost of healthcare for individuals, groups, and commercial insurance. If repealed by Romney, the results could cost more than leaving it […]

Second Verse, the Same as The First

by Run 75441“Second Verse, the Same as The First”The story never seems to change . . . When you say that the high income earners, the top 20 percent, pay 90 percent of the taxes, what should they pay, 99 percent? These are the people who have enough money to invest in businesses and to […]