He went against all advice and prior practice in his letter to Congress. Once you think about it, there is virtually no chance that the emails found on Weiner's computer haven't already been seen by the FBI. There is also virtually no chance that we'll know this for sure until after the election. Comey has already provided unnecessary partisan editorializing regarding Mrs. Clinton's use of a private server--just the facts ma'am. He has tarnished his own reputation and that of the FBI.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Sunday, October 30, 2016
Friday, October 28, 2016
Texas Leads the Country in the Percentage of Children Who are Uninsured
From the Texas Monthly: A recently released report by the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families shows that Texas accounts for an astounding 20 percent of the nation's uninsured children with a staggering 682,000 kids without health insurance coverage in 2015. But, as the Texas Tribune notes, Texas is improving a bit. There were 888,000 uninsured children in the state in 2013, and the rate of uninsured kids has dropped from 16.6 percent in 2009 to 9.5 percent in 2015, though that's still double the 4.8 percent national average. The only state with a higher rate of uninsured children in 2015 than Texas was Alaska. According to the Georgetown Center's executive director, the blame falls on Texas' shoulders. “I think it speaks to this ongoing resistance and reluctance to embrace the coverage agenda,” Joan Alker told the Tribune. “We know that just because we’re talking about kids doesn’t mean that all states will do the right thing.”
More on the Problems With Obamacare
Most people are unaffected--if you have employer subsidized healthcare, if you have Medicare or Medicaid or if you qualify for a subsidy on the exchange. Some well functioning exchanges don't have this problem (California). Others have been managed by their state governments to maximize this problem.
These "problems" are easily fixable.
These "problems" are easily fixable.
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Saving Obamacare
Congress crippled the Affordable Care Act by eliminating a public option. There is no reason a public option cannot work alongside private insurance. Private insurers oppose it because it would reduce their profits and make it difficult to pay exorbitant salaries to their CEOs. Medicare has been instrumental in lowering costs (and could do more if Congress allowed Medicare to bargain with pharmaceutical companies). Why not make Medicare available to anyone who wanted it. Pre-65 subscribers might have to pay more than retirees, but costs would likely be cheaper than private insurance, especially if everyone was required to enroll in some plan. The same subsidies that low income subscribers receive now on the exchanges could be used to make costs reasonable.
O Canada!
Do you suppose we can apply for annexation? Maybe the Northeast, Great Lakes and the Pacific Coast?
The Economist: Liberty Moves North
The Economist: Liberty Moves North
Is the Financial System Still Dangerous?
We still haven't solved our problems with regulating the financial system. In a lot of ways the complexity of Dodd-Frank made things worse by hiding the real problems behind a confusing curtain. Banks are not less risky than they were before 2008 abut we've made it seem that way.
Anat Admati: It Takes a Village to Maintain a Dangerous Financial System
Federal Reserve Independence Is an Attribute Worth Keeping
Anyone who thinks Congress can do a better job with monetary policy than the Fed, raise your hand. The Fed has always been audited, both by independent internal auditors and an outside firm. Today's "audit the Fed" push is no more than an attempt by Congress to meddle with something they know almost nothing about. If you don't believe me, take a look at some of the questions they've asked Janet Yellen during her recent testimony.
The Fed has been the primary bastion against descent into the kind of troubles Europe is now facing. When the ECB tightened, the Fed loosened and we are much better off because of it. Now, if only Congress had done their half of the job and used fiscal policy to stimulate the economy beyond the first (and only) paltry attempt...
Alan Blinder: Hands Off the Fed
The Fed has been the primary bastion against descent into the kind of troubles Europe is now facing. When the ECB tightened, the Fed loosened and we are much better off because of it. Now, if only Congress had done their half of the job and used fiscal policy to stimulate the economy beyond the first (and only) paltry attempt...
Alan Blinder: Hands Off the Fed
Tuesday, October 25, 2016
The Real Obama Stands Up.
Obama's comeuppance tour.
And if you want to see more (believe me it's worth it) check out his Hanoi dinner with Anthony Bourdain on CNN. Note: It's not Ok to eat ketchup on hot dogs if you're more than eight years old.
For a piece of it (minus the hot dog question): Anthony Bourdain--Parts Unknown Hanoi
And if you want to see more (believe me it's worth it) check out his Hanoi dinner with Anthony Bourdain on CNN. Note: It's not Ok to eat ketchup on hot dogs if you're more than eight years old.
For a piece of it (minus the hot dog question): Anthony Bourdain--Parts Unknown Hanoi
It's Happened Before
Republicans came to their senses and refused to vote for Goldwater. Will today's Republicans do the same with Trump? The parallels are eerily similar.
Confessions of a Republican.
And if you're interested in whether things have changed?
Bill Bogert, Republican, today.
Confessions of a Republican.
And if you're interested in whether things have changed?
Bill Bogert, Republican, today.
Monday, October 24, 2016
Saturday, October 22, 2016
Friday, October 21, 2016
The Eon of the Humans--The Sapiezoic
Will we survive to see it? The depressing lack of discussion of climate change in the presidential race this year reflects a serious problem. Our public discourse has largely been taken over by short sighted people who pander to the portion of us who refuse to look beyond our own comfort. Climate deniers dominate the current Congress, fossil fuel barons use their wealth to affect policy--all based on the claim that climate change is a hoax and that, anyway action to halt it is too costly. The science is clear and has convinced the majority that climate change is real. We need leaders with greater vision and the ability to convince people that maintaining a climate favorable to humans is possible without doing harm to those currently living on the planet.
How Long Will We Last? Deep Time, Deep Survival by David Grinspoon
How Long Will We Last? Deep Time, Deep Survival by David Grinspoon
How Do We Break the Silence on Climate Change?
Numerous commentators have bemoaned the fact that not a single question about climate change was asked during any of the debates (Mrs. Clinton did allude to it on two occasions).
Climate Silence Goes Way Beyond Debate Moderators
Climate Silence Goes Way Beyond Debate Moderators
Hillary Clinton--The Right Human for the Job
Clinton is not winning because Trump is such a bad candidate, she's winning because she's the best prepared candidate in history.
Paul Krugman: Why Hillary Wins
Paul Krugman: Why Hillary Wins
David Brooks on Donald Trump and his Political Style
David Brooks is often wrong and sometimes confused, but he did get this right.
In the New York Times Friday October 21, 2016:
"Clearly, we have a giant task of moral repair ahead of us. That starts with a renunciation of the Trump style. One big lesson of 2016 is that that can only happen if people police members of their own party. If somebody is destroying the basic social and moral fabric through brutalistic rhetoric and vicious misogynistic behavior, it doesn’t really matter that he agrees with you on taxes and the Supreme Court; he has to be renounced or else he will drag the whole society to a level of degradation that will make all decent politics impossible."
In the New York Times Friday October 21, 2016:
"Clearly, we have a giant task of moral repair ahead of us. That starts with a renunciation of the Trump style. One big lesson of 2016 is that that can only happen if people police members of their own party. If somebody is destroying the basic social and moral fabric through brutalistic rhetoric and vicious misogynistic behavior, it doesn’t really matter that he agrees with you on taxes and the Supreme Court; he has to be renounced or else he will drag the whole society to a level of degradation that will make all decent politics impossible."
Thursday, October 20, 2016
IBM goes Apple
As a certified Apple fanboy, I approved this message.
Macs are cheaper than Windows PCs
Once you consider lifetime and support.
Macs are cheaper than Windows PCs
Once you consider lifetime and support.
What's the Matter with Hillary?
When I talk with my friends about the election (something I usually try to avoid) many of them indicate they have a problem deciding who to vote for because they "can't stand Hillary." I confess that I don't understand the problem. One can object to her policies (even though many of them would actually benefit Trump's core voters). But it's hard to understand why so many people seem to find her personally unlikeable. The link below from Jennifer Hoelzer of the Huffington Post is sort of a annotated resume for Hillary Clinton. How is this a person who is unlikeable?
It's not OK to Hate Hillary Clinton
It's not OK to Hate Hillary Clinton
The Recovery in Perspective
The alternative was much more painful.
Fiscal Foolishness
Longer version with more detail.
What some people still don't understand about the stimulus.
Fiscal Foolishness
Longer version with more detail.
What some people still don't understand about the stimulus.
Trump in Texas
From the Texas Monthly. Republicans control the electoral mechanism in Texas. Are they rigging it for Clinton? How paranoid do you have to be to believe that?
The Texas election is not rigged.
The Texas election is not rigged.
Democracy and Trump
If you weren't scared of a Trump presidency before, last night is an example why you should be. Trump marred his best debate performance (at least for 30 minutes until he began his ad hominem attacks) by refusing to say he would accept the results of the election. Even when elections have been questionably won, the loser has accepted the results without protest. The most recent being when Al Gore refused to appeal when the Supreme Court stopped the recount in Florida and gave the Presidency to George Bush.
The Third Presidential Debate
The Debate in One Scary Answer
The Third Presidential Debate
The Debate in One Scary Answer
Tuesday, October 18, 2016
Trump Attacks Republican Elections Officials
Almost all the elections officials in battleground states are Republicans or appointed by Republican governors.
State officials counter Trumps claim of election rigging
One billion votes--31 credible incidences of fraud
State officials counter Trumps claim of election rigging
One billion votes--31 credible incidences of fraud
Genius: A Biography of Richard Feynman
One of the best biographies you'll ever read and it's on sale at Amazon for $1.99 (Kindle edition).
Genius
Genius
Monday, October 17, 2016
Sunday, October 16, 2016
What Are Trump Voters Really Saying
Trump voters are not the marginalized white population. At the core they are people who have always voted Republican without thinking much about it or they are white nationalists. If you are planning on voting for Trump and don't think you fall into either of these categories, you need to worry about who you're in bed with.
Here's something to consider.
"Hillary Clinton, to her great credit, has offered programs ranging from expanded child care to free college to a plan to fight the opioid epidemic to child tax credit expansions to improvements to Obamacare that will leave millions of white Trump supporters much better off. This isn’t worth doing to win back their votes; it’s worth doing because it’s the right thing to do."
Taking Trump voters seriously.
Here's something to consider.
"Hillary Clinton, to her great credit, has offered programs ranging from expanded child care to free college to a plan to fight the opioid epidemic to child tax credit expansions to improvements to Obamacare that will leave millions of white Trump supporters much better off. This isn’t worth doing to win back their votes; it’s worth doing because it’s the right thing to do."
Taking Trump voters seriously.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
Thursday, October 13, 2016
The Times They Are A Changin
Bob Dylan wins Nobel Prize for literature.
Bob Dylan as the new Robert Frost
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Bob Dylan as the new Robert Frost
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Wednesday, October 12, 2016
Growing Evidence That Gun Controls Work
Gun-Control Groups Push Growing Evidence That Laws Reduce Violence
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Monday, October 10, 2016
The Essence of the GOP
Paul Krugman: Predators in Arms.
Decent Republicans--Get out of this cesspool of a party while you can.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Decent Republicans--Get out of this cesspool of a party while you can.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
The Lowest of the Low--Trump's US looks a lot like Russia
Trump goes low.
Putin punishes his rivals, too. Just like his protege Trump.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Putin punishes his rivals, too. Just like his protege Trump.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Sunday, October 9, 2016
Friday, October 7, 2016
What About the Planet?
[I]f we’re worried about the longer-term implications of current policies, the buildup of greenhouse gases is a much bigger deal than the accumulation of low-interest debt. It’s bizarre to talk about the latter but not the former...
It’s time to end the blackout on climate change as an issue. It needs to be front and center — and questions must be accompanied by real-time fact-checking, not relegated to the limbo of he-said-she-said, because this is one of the issues where the truth often gets lost in a blizzard of lies.
There is, quite simply, no other issue this important, and letting it slide would be almost criminally irresponsible.
Link
It’s time to end the blackout on climate change as an issue. It needs to be front and center — and questions must be accompanied by real-time fact-checking, not relegated to the limbo of he-said-she-said, because this is one of the issues where the truth often gets lost in a blizzard of lies.
There is, quite simply, no other issue this important, and letting it slide would be almost criminally irresponsible.
Link
Canada's Trudeau Steps Up on Climate Change
Oh Canada
British Columbia gives the lie to the alleged harmful impact of carbon taxes. Maybe the Northeast and the Pacific Coast can secede and join Canada in a union of rational people.
British Columbia gives the lie to the alleged harmful impact of carbon taxes. Maybe the Northeast and the Pacific Coast can secede and join Canada in a union of rational people.
Monday, October 3, 2016
Sunday, October 2, 2016
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