Commentary
Commentary
What if the doctors went out on strike?
WASHINGTON – With the writers’ strike at an end, couch potatoes can sigh with relief. But imagine if labor strife had befallen a far more critical group of individuals — like doctors. The notion of white coats on the picket lines is not as far-fetched as it may seem. Some ...
Business & Economics
Terminating Fiscal Conservatism
“For several years, we kept the budget wolf from the door,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his State of the State Address. “But the wolf is back.” Two days after this speech — January 10 — the governor declared a “fiscal emergency,” forcing the legislature to develop a plan within ...
California
Senator Kuehl’s Health Care Agenda
Democratic Sen. Sheila Kuehl, who chairs the Senate health committee, made sure that a recent attempt at health care overhaul in California went down in flames last month. Her committee rejected ABX1 1, the Schwarzenegger-Nunez health care reform legislation. That measure aimed for “universal” health care through compulsory purchase of ...
Business & Economics
Radio to the People
This week marked the anniversary of the announcement that the satellite radio firms Sirius and XM plan to merge, yet so far the companies have not been allowed to consummate the marriage. That’s because regulators are standing in the way, backed by well-heeled Washington lobbyists out to prove that ridiculous ...
Commentary
Do Our Candidates Need Their Vision Corrected?
The campaign trail is awash with promises to make universal health care a reality in the next presidential term. Candidates from both parties claim they can lower costs — and insure everyone — through legislative mandates and increased government intervention in the healthcare market. But they’re wrong. Only with a ...
Commentary
Massachusetts Hospital Association’s New Recipe for Fudge
An amazing story in the usually reliable Boston Globe by Steve LeBlanc made me gulp: might I have to recant my position on the ineffective and expensive Massachusetts health reform? Luckily, no: a report by the Massachusetts Hospital Association on the reform’s “success” manages to fudge the numbers just enough ...
Commentary
The Hidden Dangers of Government Health Care
Child and Family Protection Association, February 21, 2008 “Socialized health care” is the term we are using to describe various forms of government-controlled health care delivery and funding programs. This topic continues to spark a great deal of debate. We have already addressed a critical part of this issue from ...
Commentary
We’re Number Eight: Decoding the Advanced Placement Spin
SACRAMENTO – Last week the College Board released the results of Advanced Placement (AP) tests placing California eighth in the nation, with nearly one in five public school students scoring a college-credit-earning three or better on at least one 2007 AP exam. The news came with a positive spin, but ...
Commentary
On Patent Reform, Don’t Be Evil
Google has achieved wild success and cultural notoriety by operating under the corporate mantra “Don’t be evil.” But when it comes to patent reforms currently under consideration in Congress, Google — along with several other tech heavyweights — seems to be straying from the company line. The Patent Reform Act, ...
Agriculture
Bad Biofuel Policy Boosts Asian Inflation
Asia Sentinel (Hong Kong), 19 February 2008 The US decision to divert food crops for motor-fuel is proving a costly mistake – especially for Asia. What has long been predicted – that the US decision to push the use of corn to make biofuel would be a costly mistake – ...
What if the doctors went out on strike?
WASHINGTON – With the writers’ strike at an end, couch potatoes can sigh with relief. But imagine if labor strife had befallen a far more critical group of individuals — like doctors. The notion of white coats on the picket lines is not as far-fetched as it may seem. Some ...
Terminating Fiscal Conservatism
“For several years, we kept the budget wolf from the door,” said Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in his State of the State Address. “But the wolf is back.” Two days after this speech — January 10 — the governor declared a “fiscal emergency,” forcing the legislature to develop a plan within ...
Senator Kuehl’s Health Care Agenda
Democratic Sen. Sheila Kuehl, who chairs the Senate health committee, made sure that a recent attempt at health care overhaul in California went down in flames last month. Her committee rejected ABX1 1, the Schwarzenegger-Nunez health care reform legislation. That measure aimed for “universal” health care through compulsory purchase of ...
Radio to the People
This week marked the anniversary of the announcement that the satellite radio firms Sirius and XM plan to merge, yet so far the companies have not been allowed to consummate the marriage. That’s because regulators are standing in the way, backed by well-heeled Washington lobbyists out to prove that ridiculous ...
Do Our Candidates Need Their Vision Corrected?
The campaign trail is awash with promises to make universal health care a reality in the next presidential term. Candidates from both parties claim they can lower costs — and insure everyone — through legislative mandates and increased government intervention in the healthcare market. But they’re wrong. Only with a ...
Massachusetts Hospital Association’s New Recipe for Fudge
An amazing story in the usually reliable Boston Globe by Steve LeBlanc made me gulp: might I have to recant my position on the ineffective and expensive Massachusetts health reform? Luckily, no: a report by the Massachusetts Hospital Association on the reform’s “success” manages to fudge the numbers just enough ...
The Hidden Dangers of Government Health Care
Child and Family Protection Association, February 21, 2008 “Socialized health care” is the term we are using to describe various forms of government-controlled health care delivery and funding programs. This topic continues to spark a great deal of debate. We have already addressed a critical part of this issue from ...
We’re Number Eight: Decoding the Advanced Placement Spin
SACRAMENTO – Last week the College Board released the results of Advanced Placement (AP) tests placing California eighth in the nation, with nearly one in five public school students scoring a college-credit-earning three or better on at least one 2007 AP exam. The news came with a positive spin, but ...
On Patent Reform, Don’t Be Evil
Google has achieved wild success and cultural notoriety by operating under the corporate mantra “Don’t be evil.” But when it comes to patent reforms currently under consideration in Congress, Google — along with several other tech heavyweights — seems to be straying from the company line. The Patent Reform Act, ...
Bad Biofuel Policy Boosts Asian Inflation
Asia Sentinel (Hong Kong), 19 February 2008 The US decision to divert food crops for motor-fuel is proving a costly mistake – especially for Asia. What has long been predicted – that the US decision to push the use of corn to make biofuel would be a costly mistake – ...
