Category Archives: social insurance
No compromise
In his blog Paul Krugman makes the point that the stimulus bill before Congress isn’t going to end up with bipartisan support. The GOP wants tax cuts and the Democrats want spending. The difference of opinion isn’t so much a … Continue reading
Filed under economics, healthcare finance, social insurance
Back to the future with Newt
I heard Newt Gingrich on NPR this morning talking about how the GOP can make a comeback. After saying that small government and tax cuts are the primary feature of the GOP, he went on to say that we shouldn’t … Continue reading
Filed under economics, radical right, social insurance
Health care stimulus
One of the strange things about our current economic situation is that, over the long run we need to save MORE, but over the short-term we are saving TOO MUCH. Over the past ten years or so we have been … Continue reading
Filed under economics, healthcare finance, social insurance
Tax whiplash
Remember a few years ago when the GOP was leading the charge to dimantle save Social Security? Some of us observed that excess Social Security taxes collected over the past 25 years had intentionally created a $2 trillion trust fund, … Continue reading
Filed under economics, social insurance
War on Healthcare
Today’s word: medical underwriting. “the use of medical or health status information in the evaluation of an applicant for coverage” – As I’ve pointed out before McCain’s healthcare plan relies heavily on state-run high-risk pools; it would essentially eliminate employer-sponsored … Continue reading
Filed under economics, healthcare finance, junglenomics, social insurance
Social Security “a disgrace”—John McCain
Via TPM, John McCain has apparently taken to calling Social Security an “an absolute disgrace” because “…we are paying present-day retirees with the taxes paid by young workers in America today. And that’s a disgrace. It’s an absolute disgrace and … Continue reading
Filed under brain dead media, economics, social insurance
Medicare Smackdown
As we progressives dream of universal health coverage, one overriding fear clouds the horizon. Who can take on the health insurance lobby? Based on a vote in the House of Representatives last week, one worthy opponent appears to be American … Continue reading
Filed under corporate welfare, healthcare finance, social insurance
Upside down
Who can point to the exact moment when the conservative movement took hold in the US? Forty-five years ago when Barry Goldwater published his manifesto Conscience of a Conservative is as good a marker as any to my mind. In … Continue reading
Filed under il duce!, radical right, social insurance
About Face
Social Security is back in the news. Obama wants to change the amount of wages subject to the Social Security tax. Currently only the first $102,000 of earned income is taxable. To shore up SS’s finances Obama wants to subject … Continue reading
Filed under social insurance
It’s really very simple
Ross Perot is back–with charts. However, instead of funky flipcharts, he now has a series of cool, web-based, graphics at PerotCharts.com. But the message hasn’t changed: Government Spending is Not Sustainable and we have to DO SOMETHING NOW (subtext: cut … Continue reading
Filed under economics, healthcare finance, social insurance
