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The Twinkie Manifesto - NYTimes.com: "nothing before or since has matched the doubling of median family income between 1947 and 1973."
When you start from the great depression and the largest war, I sure hope things improve a lot!
Monday, November 19, 2012
Friday, November 16, 2012
What the world doesn't know about health care in America | Fox News
What the world doesn't know about health care in America | Fox News: "A growing list of European countries, including Denmark, England, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, and Sweden, have been forced by public outcry and laws to address unacceptable waits for care.
Meanwhile, it is understood that “waiting lists are not a feature in the United States,” as stated in a 2007 study and separately underscored by the OECD (“[the US is] a country where waiting time is not a policy concern”)."
"England’s 2010 “NHS Constitution” declared that no patient should wait beyond 18 weeks for treatment (after GP referral). Even given this long leash, the number of patients not being treated within that time soared by 43% to almost 30,000 in January."
"Royal College of Surgeons President Norman Williams, calling this “outrageous,” charged that hospitals are cutting their waiting lists by simply raising thresholds."
"Confirming OECD studies, Howard in 2009 reported the US had superior screening rates to all 10 European countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) for all cancers. And Americans are more likely to be screened younger, when the expected benefit is greatest. Not surprising, for almost all cancers, US patients have less advanced disease at diagnosis than in Europe."
"treatment of diagnosed high blood pressure, the focus of preventing heart failure and stroke, was highest in the US"
"in 2007, 88.1% of US patients received medication to control it, compared to only 62.4% in the ten European nations."
"Swedes waited a median of 55 days, even though 75% were “imperative” or “urgent.” Canada’s heart surgery patients wait more than 10 weeks after seeing the doctor, and two months for CABG even after cardiologist appointments.
“Most United States patients face little or no wait for elective cardiac care,” "
"Americans enjoy unrivalled access to health care— whether defined by access to screening; wait-times for diagnosis, treatment, or specialists; timeliness of surgery; or availability of technology and drugs. And, gradually, Europeans are circumventing their systems. Half a million Swedes now use private insurance, up from 100,000 a decade ago. Almost two-thirds of Brits earning more than $78,700 have done the same."
Meanwhile, it is understood that “waiting lists are not a feature in the United States,” as stated in a 2007 study and separately underscored by the OECD (“[the US is] a country where waiting time is not a policy concern”)."
"England’s 2010 “NHS Constitution” declared that no patient should wait beyond 18 weeks for treatment (after GP referral). Even given this long leash, the number of patients not being treated within that time soared by 43% to almost 30,000 in January."
"Royal College of Surgeons President Norman Williams, calling this “outrageous,” charged that hospitals are cutting their waiting lists by simply raising thresholds."
"Confirming OECD studies, Howard in 2009 reported the US had superior screening rates to all 10 European countries (Austria, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland) for all cancers. And Americans are more likely to be screened younger, when the expected benefit is greatest. Not surprising, for almost all cancers, US patients have less advanced disease at diagnosis than in Europe."
"treatment of diagnosed high blood pressure, the focus of preventing heart failure and stroke, was highest in the US"
"in 2007, 88.1% of US patients received medication to control it, compared to only 62.4% in the ten European nations."
"Swedes waited a median of 55 days, even though 75% were “imperative” or “urgent.” Canada’s heart surgery patients wait more than 10 weeks after seeing the doctor, and two months for CABG even after cardiologist appointments.
“Most United States patients face little or no wait for elective cardiac care,” "
"Americans enjoy unrivalled access to health care— whether defined by access to screening; wait-times for diagnosis, treatment, or specialists; timeliness of surgery; or availability of technology and drugs. And, gradually, Europeans are circumventing their systems. Half a million Swedes now use private insurance, up from 100,000 a decade ago. Almost two-thirds of Brits earning more than $78,700 have done the same."
Thursday, November 15, 2012
FEMA's Top-Down Approach to Disaster Relief Is Fundamentally Flawed | Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute: Commentary
FEMA's Top-Down Approach to Disaster Relief Is Fundamentally Flawed | Tad DeHaven | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Federal efforts suffer from excessive bureaucratic red tape and an inherent inability to effectively coordinate the dispersion of relief supplies. State and local officials, on the other hand, are naturally closest to those affected and thus better appreciate the needs of their communities.
Another problem is that, like all federal aid, it is manipulated by policymakers for political gain. Studies have shown that presidents issue the most "major disaster" declarations in years they are up for re-election. Indeed, policymakers have apparently decided that handing out disaster relief funds is a good way to curry favor with voters as the average annual number of total disaster declarations has more than tripled since the mid-1990s."
Another problem is that, like all federal aid, it is manipulated by policymakers for political gain. Studies have shown that presidents issue the most "major disaster" declarations in years they are up for re-election. Indeed, policymakers have apparently decided that handing out disaster relief funds is a good way to curry favor with voters as the average annual number of total disaster declarations has more than tripled since the mid-1990s."
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
Staten Islanders offer to school FEMA after Sandy's wrath | Fox News
Staten Islanders offer to school FEMA after Sandy's wrath | Fox News: "She said small businesses, neighbors and local leaders teamed up to ensure people had clothes, food, water, blankets and hot meals, as well as other survival basics."
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
The U.S. Should Be Wary of Arming Syrian Rebels | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary
The U.S. Should Be Wary of Arming Syrian Rebels | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary: "Washington has a dreadful track record of being manipulated by thugs and charlatans in other countries masquerading as committed democrats. The decision to aid the Afghan mujahideen during the 1980s ended up strengthening radical Islamic forces."
Sanctuary: Florida church invites fugitives to surrender | Fox News
Sanctuary: Florida church invites fugitives to surrender | Fox News: "A Florida church wants to help flocks of fugitives get right with the law, and will even host their court appearances via a closed-circuit TV system that links the house of worship to the local judge."
"This is the third time the church has partnered with law enforcement and the courts to hold the event. Durham said the event netted about 38 fugitives when it was held last year."
"This is the third time the church has partnered with law enforcement and the courts to hold the event. Durham said the event netted about 38 fugitives when it was held last year."
Beyond Allies and Adversaries | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary
Beyond Allies and Adversaries | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The binary approach to global affairs had unfortunate policy consequences in other respects. The inability of U.S. policy makers to accept the reality that a nation might wish to be neither friend nor foe led to CIA-orchestrated coups against the left-leaning but independent nationalist governments in Iran and Guatemala. Instead of tolerating such ideological ambiguity, the Eisenhower administration viewed those regimes as nothing more than Soviet puppets and reacted accordingly.
Unfortunately, the binary attitude persisted long after the 1950s. It was a major factor that prevented the United States from recognizing that North Vietnam's communist regime was primarily nationalist and was not going to be a surrogate of either the Soviet Union or China. A similar blind spot impelled Washington to embrace such corrupt and thuggish "friends" as South Korea's Park Chung-hee, Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Nicaragua's Anastasio Somoza and Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko."
Unfortunately, the binary attitude persisted long after the 1950s. It was a major factor that prevented the United States from recognizing that North Vietnam's communist regime was primarily nationalist and was not going to be a surrogate of either the Soviet Union or China. A similar blind spot impelled Washington to embrace such corrupt and thuggish "friends" as South Korea's Park Chung-hee, Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Nicaragua's Anastasio Somoza and Zaire's Mobutu Sese Seko."
U.S. Targeted Kill Lists for Next Generations? | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary
U.S. Targeted Kill Lists for Next Generations? | Nat Hentoff | Cato Institute: Commentary: Romney: "Well, I believe we should use any and all means necessary to take out people who are a threat to us and our friends around the world. And it's widely reported that drones are being used in drone strikes, and I support that and entirely, and feel the president was right to up the usage of that technology and believe that we should continue to use it, to continue to go after the people that represent a threat to this nation and to our friends."
Four Months Later, I'm Still Not over the Obamacare Ruling | Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: Commentary
Four Months Later, I'm Still Not over the Obamacare Ruling | Ilya Shapiro | Cato Institute: Commentary: "by letting Obamacare survive in such a dubious manner — I call it a "unicorn tax," a creature of no known constitutional provenance that will never be seen again — Roberts undermined the trust people have that courts are impartial arbiters rather than political actors."
"What had I (and everyone else) missed? The possibility that the ruling would be based on something other than competing legal theories. That is, eight justices decided the health care caseson the law — four finding that the Constitution limits federal power, four that constitutional structure must yield to "Congress' capacity to meet the new problems arising constantly in our ever-developing modern economy" — and one had other concerns on his mind."
"the whole reason we care about the Court's independence and integrity is so it can make the tough calls while letting the political chips fall where they may. Had the Court struck down Obamacare, it would have "merely" been a high-profile legal ruling, just the sort of thing for which the Court needs all that accrued respect and gravitas. Instead, we have a strategic decision dressed up in legal robes, judicially enacting a new law."
"What had I (and everyone else) missed? The possibility that the ruling would be based on something other than competing legal theories. That is, eight justices decided the health care caseson the law — four finding that the Constitution limits federal power, four that constitutional structure must yield to "Congress' capacity to meet the new problems arising constantly in our ever-developing modern economy" — and one had other concerns on his mind."
"the whole reason we care about the Court's independence and integrity is so it can make the tough calls while letting the political chips fall where they may. Had the Court struck down Obamacare, it would have "merely" been a high-profile legal ruling, just the sort of thing for which the Court needs all that accrued respect and gravitas. Instead, we have a strategic decision dressed up in legal robes, judicially enacting a new law."
Romney's Other 47% Problem | Harvey Sapolsky and Benjamin H. Friedman | Cato Institute: Commentary
Romney's Other 47% Problem | Harvey Sapolsky and Benjamin H. Friedman | Cato Institute: Commentary: "But if he still wants to attack those who freeload off of U.S. taxpayers, there is a better target: Our wealthy overseas allies.
Forty-seven percent is also roughly the U.S. share of global military spending. Our annual $700 billion-plus military budget exceeds the next 10 biggest military budgets combined. Much of that money buys forces needed to defend allies against threats they could afford to meet themselves. Alliances that once served the U.S. national interest have become a subsidy to rich allies."
"while Americans spend about $2,700 per capita annually on the military, NATO allies average around $500.
More than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, Europeans sit in cafes while over 80,000 American service personnel still help guard Europe against Russia, which now has a GDP around the size of Spain and Portugal combined."
Forty-seven percent is also roughly the U.S. share of global military spending. Our annual $700 billion-plus military budget exceeds the next 10 biggest military budgets combined. Much of that money buys forces needed to defend allies against threats they could afford to meet themselves. Alliances that once served the U.S. national interest have become a subsidy to rich allies."
"while Americans spend about $2,700 per capita annually on the military, NATO allies average around $500.
More than 20 years after the end of the Cold War, Europeans sit in cafes while over 80,000 American service personnel still help guard Europe against Russia, which now has a GDP around the size of Spain and Portugal combined."
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