21% of People in MA Still Forgo Necessary Medical Care
I tweeted this factoid yesterday, but wanted to post on it too, because I think it illustrates the difference bewteen health insurance and health care.
A number of supporters of the current Senate bill have been pointing to RomneyCare to argue…
Tenet Refuses to Deny CIA Uses Journalism Cover--and Infiltrating American Groups
There's a whole lot more that came out in today's document dump while I've been fighting about health care. Here are the set released in response to an EFF FOIA. As a number of outlets have reported, that set includes evidence the government…
The MyBarackObamaTax
I did a post when Max Baucus first released the Senate Finance Committee bill, showing that for a middle class family of four, a significant medical event would leave the family with just $7,215 to pay transportation, education/child care, utilities,…
Holiday Season Torture Document Dump Open Thread
Sorry for even suggesting that there could be a "holiday season" torture document dump. But if you need a break from health care fights, here are some torture docs. Consider this an open thread.
Captive Consumers in Oligopolies Do Not Make Effective Markets
In a post citing liberally from a Matt Yglesias post naming me, Ezra takes on the argument that the health care bill, as currently conceived by President Lieberman, would be a bailout of the insurance industry.
There's an argument on the left…
Carl Levin Takes Ownership of Corrupt Deal with PhRMA
In voting against the Dorgan amendment last night, Carl Levin excused flip-flopping on this important issue in the interest of supporting the corrupt deal the White House secretly made with PhRMA.
Health Care on the Road to Neo-Feudalism
Passing Joe Lieberman's health care bill will be a fundamental step on the road to neo-feudalism.
Crazy Pete Hoekstra Throws Hissy Fit, Chases Jobs from Michigan
It's official. Crazy Pete's hissy fit about moving Gitmo prisoners to Standish, MI, have lost MI those potential jobs.
"Taking Care" of Almost-Seniors
Joe Lieberman thinks asking those in their 50s to pay $5,000 a year more for health insurance is "taking care" of them.
Rahm's Making the White House Look Terrible
This morning, the Politico made news by reporting that someone at the White House had ordered Harry Reid to cut a deal with Joe Lieberman on health care.
The White House denied the report.
"The White House is not pushing Senator Reid in any…
Ecuador Accuses US of Helping Colombia Assassinate FARC Leader
Ecuador just released a report accusing the US of participation in the assassination of Raul Reyes in 2008. Sort of makes you wonder whether our favorite assassination contractors were involved, doesn't it?
White House to Restore Emails from Plame Cover-Up Period
The National Security Archive has released a list of dates for which the White House will restore emails under its settlement agreement.
That list includes almost all of the most suspect dates when email was missing, most notably the period…
SCOTUS: Rummy Is Immune in Torture Suit
Today, SCOTUS declined to review an Appeals Court decision that ruled that Rummy and 10 other DOD officials are immune from suit for torture.
The Court’s denial of review of Rasul, et al., v. Myers, et al. (09-227) leaves intact a federal…
One of Few Things Growing as Fast as Health Care Costs Is Income of Richest 1%
The Economic Policy Institute provides a much needed counter-weight to those cheerleading the use of Cadillac-as-Chevy taxes to pay for the Senate health care bill. It shows, generally, that the millionaire's tax used to fund the House bill…
Blago Begins His Rahm Play
Blago has asked for FBI interview materials on Rahm, Obama, Valerie Jarrett, and the SEIU officials named in documentation.
Correction: Bad Nelson and Holy Joe Think Up a New Excuse
The press, other members of Congress, everyone have to stop reporting over and over again that the Bad Nelson and Holy Joe "oppose" some aspect of health care reform.
Two key senators criticized the most recent healthcare compromise Sunday,…
Grading the Economy
Nate Silver asks why Democrats aren't cheering the Administration's accomplishments on the economy more loudly. Here's why I'm not doing so.
We're All BCCI Now
The news that drug and gang money kept our finance system afloat last year supports my contention that Citi, in this day and age, is not all that different from what BCCI was in its day.
Maybe We'll Learn How All the CIA Leak Cover-Up Emails Disappeared?
MoJo reports that CREW and the White House may be close to a settlement on the missing White House email.
Trash Talk: Patriots Have A Strange Kind Of Mascot
Sports mascots are ubiquitous. College mascots are a tradition I suppose, irrespective of redeeming value, but pro mascots - with the exception of the San Diego Chicken, the Phoenix Suns Gorilla and, maybe, the Philly Phanatic are totally lame.…