Medicine
As the Congress considers President Obama's economic stimulus package, it is distressing, if not surprising, to hear Republican leaders such as Mitch McConnell of Kentucky decry that there is too much going to spending and not enough to tax cuts. Has he, have they, learned nothing? Trickle down doesn't work. Tax cuts for the wealthy don't work to stimulate the economy (though I suppose they are good for the wealthy!) Tax cuts for lower income people, endorsed by the President, are not likely to be enough to get them out of the hole that they are in. The first $350B in "bailout" funds was not spent where it was needed -- to help working people pay or re-negotiate their mortgages, prevent bankruptcy from medical bills, and tide them through being laid off. Rather, it was given to banks and other financial institutions who hoarded it, gave it away to themselves, and paid dividends to shareholders, but didn't loan money to consumers. McConnell and friends are either stupid, crazy or evil. In any case, no matter what they say, it would be a terrible mistake for the President to let them in any way derail the plans to "bail out" the rest of us. The remainder of the financial bailout needs to go to help regular folks stay in their homes. The huge economic stimulus package needs to be passed, and to focus on how regular folks can get jobs, housing, health care, and other necessities. Spend in ways targeted to fix the problems, and tax rebates are not the way to do so.
The "no tax / balanced budget" fixation has led most states, unlike the federal government unable to print money, to be in a desperate situation. Not learning from Joseph in Egypt, who saved some of the crop from the seven years of plenty to tide people through the seven years of drought, they have in most states had two modes: tax cuts in times of plenty and budget cuts in times of shortfall. Now that most of them have the biggest shortfalls ever, the budget cuts will go way past the fat into the muscle and bone stripping the ability of many states to provide the most basic services.
- Big Finance & Big Oil -- Teabaggers And Racism
. The news coverage would suggest that President Obama and the Democratic Party should just give up now; the teabaggers and the Republican naysayers have convinced the American people and we all now believe in – what was it again? No taxes? No health...
- Democrats Have A Bad Plan; Republicans Have No Plan
. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, chosen to be the Republican “point man” at President Obama’s health care summit presumably because he doesn’t come off like the meanest scold in the school the way Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky...
- The Trauma Of Joblessness: Who Is Evil?
. On November 8, 2009, the New York Times began its 98th “Neediest Cases” campaign, to raise funds for charities that help New Yorkers who are in real financial hardship. This year, however, the results of the New York Times / CBS News Poll published...
- Will The President Turn The “health Reform” Discussion Around To Real Reform? Can He?
. Like many progressives in the United States, I’m wondering what it was all about. “It”, in this case, being the election of a President who cared about people, who was committed to health reform, who believed that single payer was the best idea...
- Countdown To The 2012 Primary Care Armageddon
There are about 132 days until January 1, 2012 when Medicare will be forced to cut fees to physicians by a flat rate of 29.5%. These cuts have already been enacted by Congress. To prevent this action, the current Congress would need to take action...
Medicine
Social Justice: Economic Stimulus and Bailout
As the Congress considers President Obama's economic stimulus package, it is distressing, if not surprising, to hear Republican leaders such as Mitch McConnell of Kentucky decry that there is too much going to spending and not enough to tax cuts. Has he, have they, learned nothing? Trickle down doesn't work. Tax cuts for the wealthy don't work to stimulate the economy (though I suppose they are good for the wealthy!) Tax cuts for lower income people, endorsed by the President, are not likely to be enough to get them out of the hole that they are in. The first $350B in "bailout" funds was not spent where it was needed -- to help working people pay or re-negotiate their mortgages, prevent bankruptcy from medical bills, and tide them through being laid off. Rather, it was given to banks and other financial institutions who hoarded it, gave it away to themselves, and paid dividends to shareholders, but didn't loan money to consumers. McConnell and friends are either stupid, crazy or evil. In any case, no matter what they say, it would be a terrible mistake for the President to let them in any way derail the plans to "bail out" the rest of us. The remainder of the financial bailout needs to go to help regular folks stay in their homes. The huge economic stimulus package needs to be passed, and to focus on how regular folks can get jobs, housing, health care, and other necessities. Spend in ways targeted to fix the problems, and tax rebates are not the way to do so.
The "no tax / balanced budget" fixation has led most states, unlike the federal government unable to print money, to be in a desperate situation. Not learning from Joseph in Egypt, who saved some of the crop from the seven years of plenty to tide people through the seven years of drought, they have in most states had two modes: tax cuts in times of plenty and budget cuts in times of shortfall. Now that most of them have the biggest shortfalls ever, the budget cuts will go way past the fat into the muscle and bone stripping the ability of many states to provide the most basic services.
- Big Finance & Big Oil -- Teabaggers And Racism
. The news coverage would suggest that President Obama and the Democratic Party should just give up now; the teabaggers and the Republican naysayers have convinced the American people and we all now believe in – what was it again? No taxes? No health...
- Democrats Have A Bad Plan; Republicans Have No Plan
. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, chosen to be the Republican “point man” at President Obama’s health care summit presumably because he doesn’t come off like the meanest scold in the school the way Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky...
- The Trauma Of Joblessness: Who Is Evil?
. On November 8, 2009, the New York Times began its 98th “Neediest Cases” campaign, to raise funds for charities that help New Yorkers who are in real financial hardship. This year, however, the results of the New York Times / CBS News Poll published...
- Will The President Turn The “health Reform” Discussion Around To Real Reform? Can He?
. Like many progressives in the United States, I’m wondering what it was all about. “It”, in this case, being the election of a President who cared about people, who was committed to health reform, who believed that single payer was the best idea...
- Countdown To The 2012 Primary Care Armageddon
There are about 132 days until January 1, 2012 when Medicare will be forced to cut fees to physicians by a flat rate of 29.5%. These cuts have already been enacted by Congress. To prevent this action, the current Congress would need to take action...