Category: News and Politics
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‘Tuna tail’ public opinion after tax reform?
The president’s most recent public approval rating according to the latest NBC/Wall Street Journal poll: I noticed that the graph looks like a fish. Looking ahead, we will see the impact of the tax reform proposal reflected in the next public opinion poll. If this tax reform proposal is as unpopular as I think it will be…
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A note on populism and civility
For more than 30 years I’ve been an active consumer advocate for health care reform. My message has been the same over the years. We are on an unsustainable path that is increasingly hurting ordinary Americans. The solutions are available but we lack the leadership to implement them. Over my career I’ve helped more than…
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The most powerful speech of the 21st century
George W. Bush delivered this speech on Oct. 19, 2017 at the at the “Spirit of Liberty: At Home, In The World” event hosted by the George W. Bush Institute in New York City. It is simply the best speech from a national leader that I’ve heard in my adult lifetime. He addresses how to…
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The ultimate cost of opposing corruption
In the spring of 2016 the world learned about the “Panama Papers”, more than a million leaked documents from powerful law firm Mossack Fonseca that showed money laundering and corruption of hundreds of the wealthiest families in the world. The leak report titled “The Revolution Will Be Digitised” exposed the ways that financial corruption is…
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15 basic facts about methane and the environment
I’m probably among the small portion of people who follow or care about methane news. There has been more news about thane in the past two weeks than in decades previous. The topic is complex and controversial. This post is an attempt to lay out basic facts that e do know and agree on without…
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Eight reasons why we must keep the estate tax
Update 10/9/2017: It now appears certain that Republicans will abandon their effort to repeal the estate tax due to public accumulated public resistance. It is important for the United States to keep the estate tax in place for a wide range of public policy, social equity and financial reasons. I have long promoted the basic…
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Shocking Legislative Scam Proposed by Senators; Endorsed by President
Is is shocking and horrifying to read that 48 United States Republican Senators and the president of the United States have pledged their vote to a secret proposed legislative scam known as the ‘Graham-Cassidy bill’ that: They have not seen or read Is not available in written form for public review Can only be passed…
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Single payer health care on the rise
We see fresh indications that public and legislative support for a single payer health care system are on the rise. Bernie Sanders is one of a growing number in Congress who support the HR 676 “Medicare for All” bill this week. A long list of Democratic Congressional representatives co-sponsored the House bill. The president even took time…
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Yiddish Curses for Republican Jews
(I copied, edited and reformatted this lighthearted humor from Facebook but do not know the original source. The original was attributed to Rabbi Aaron Spiegel). May you sell everything and retire to Florida just as global warming makes it uninhabitable. May you live to a hundred and twenty without Social Security or Medicare. May your…