This is the moment of truth

The Defining Moment - The New York Times

The guy's an amateur

In Defense of the ‘Balloon Boy’ Dad - The New York Times

Righting the voice of wrong

Chamber of Horrors - Slate

LATE ADDITION: The Chamber's Mistakes - Slate

Surprise, surprise

Health Insurers Emerge as Obama's Top Foe in Reform Effort - Washington Post

Strategic advice: hit where it hurts (silver and gold).
Busted Trust - Slate

LATE ADDITION: Democrats Fire Back at Health Industry - Washington Post

We'll leave it there

That darn liberal media again.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
CNN Leaves It There
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

It only matters if you enjoy chewing, speaking, social interaction, and substantial employment

The American Way of Dentistry - Slate

Aside from the physical risks of scanty or nonexistent dental care (see the story of Deamonte Driver for an extreme example), it's also worth noting the social consequences. As the author of the above article rightly observes: "In a country in denial about class divisions, a mangled mouth is the clearest indication of second-class citizenship. Missing or rotting teeth are like a scarlet T, declaring their owner to be trash."

Some inequities, some forms of senseless unfairness in life, are probably unavoidable. But some are not.

And then do the same with their salaries

Let Congress Go Without Insurance - The New York Times

The change that matters most

The Rabbit Ragu Democrats - The New York Times

Off the deep end. Way, way off

Meet the Man Who Changed Glenn Beck's Life - Salon

If Obama's for it, they're against it

Just the kind of thoughtful governance we all hope for:
The Politics of Spite - The New York Times

Speaking of stupidity...
The Medicare-Isn't-Government Meme, Part 4 - Slate

No fair!

Interesting comment today in Roger Cohen's NYT column:

Whatever may be right, something is rotten in American medicine. It should be fixed. But fixing it requires the acknowledgment that, when it comes to health, we’re all in this together. Pooling the risk between everybody is the most efficient way to forge a healthier society.

Europeans have no problem with this moral commitment. But Americans hear “pooled risk” and think, “Hey, somebody’s freeloading on my hard work.”

A reader, John Dowd, sent me this comment: “In Europe generally the populace in the various countries feels enough sense of social connectedness to enforce a social contract that benefits all, albeit at a fairly high cost. In America it is not like that. There is endless worry that one’s neighbor may be getting more than his or her 'fair' share.”

So, to the extent such attitudes are in fact to blame, we can say that hundreds of thousands of Americans suffer or die each year from lack of health care due to the simple, shameful fact that millions of us are using the moral-reasoning algorithms of a six year old. ("But Mommmm! I don't wanna share!")

Yes, government can expand human freedom. That's not a typo

The Centrist Public Option - Washington Post

The G.O.P. health plan: don't get sick

And if you do, die quickly. (Nice summary, Rep. Grayson.)



The GOP, of course, is using Grayson's presentation to whip up another wave of phony outrage amongst the unthinking faithful-- as if the real source of their irritation isn't that Grayson is right (precisely why he shouldn't apologize: truth is always a valid defense). But apparently some Republi-weenies can't handle the truth -- or a dose of their own medicine (not that it has ever occurred to a serving Republican to characterize an opponent's position accurately).