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

Health Care Thoughts: Cap per Procedure

by Tom aka Rusty Rustbelt Health Care Thoughts: Cap per Procedure Some employer health plans are experimenting with a cap-per-procedure system, allowing $X for a certain procedure and forcing employees to pay any difference. This is not as harsh for employees as it first sounds, as the plans are using this as leverage to cap fees […]

The DOMA Opinion

Now the shoe is on the other foot, and it is time for the court to strike down a federal statute in order to advance a liberal policy goal rather than a conservative policy goal. Justice Scalia’s paean to the democratic process* in his dissent sounds a little hollow, coming in the wake of his votes to […]

The Solution to the Economy: Raise Social Standards and Social Efficiency

Guest post by Edward Lambert as taken from his Blog Effective Demand Yes, the economy is a concern. There are problems to sort out. The problems run deep. What is the solution? The solution to the problems of the economy will be found through “Social Efficiency” and raising the social standards that have been declining […]

One way zipping around town

From the New York Times comes this note a way to rent a car for short time periods and convenience. I am not personally acquainted with this system, although I have used Zip cars. Car sharing has been around for decades in Europe and has caught on in the United States with Zipcar. These station-based […]

Redistribution and public production of public goods–not "let the markets handle it"

by Linda Beale Redistribution and public production of public goods–not “let the markets handle it” In recent posts, the Importance of Distribution and Markets, Minimum Wages, and the Sins of Friedmania,  I have noted the centrality to sustainable democratic institutions of corraling the market so that the power and wealth of the elite few does […]

My take on the NSA, Privacy and Protection

Let me just say, I’m no lawyer and what follows is not legal scholarship. Of all the reading and listening I have done regarding the spying by our government via electronic data collection and storage, I have found nothing that specifically gets at the issue for me as to why it’s not a good thing.  […]

The Fundamental Principle That States Are People, My Friend

OH. WOW.  I actually called this exactly right in my post yesterday—this being, well, this.  [Inadvertently-omitted link to court opinion inserted.  H/T Dan Crawford.]  Specifically: Roberts’ 5-4 opinion today in Shelby County, Ala. v. Holder, the Voting Rights Act case that I discussed, and predicted the outcome of, in that post yesterday. Regular AB readers […]

UK Territories to sign OECD Tax Info-Sharing Agreement, Reveal Beneficial Owners

by Linda Beale UK Territories to sign OECD Tax Info-Sharing Agreement, Reveal Beneficial Owners The UK’s David Cameron announced  that Britain’s 10 crown dependencies and overseas territories–Cayman Islands, Bermuda, Jersey, Gilbraltar, Anguilla, Turks and Caicos Islands, Guernsey, Isle of Man, and the British Virgin Islands–would sign on to the OECD’s multilateral convention on Mutual Administrative […]