Health Care By the Numbers (US and Finland)

A few tidbits from research I'm doing for a presentation:

United States

Annual income per capita: $44,070

Annual health care expense per capita: $6,174

%GDP on health care: 15.30

HCPC/IPC: 14.01

Lifetime expense (male): $463,050

Lifetime expense (female): $493,920

Life expectancy (male): 75

Life expectancy (female): 80

Healthy life expectancy (male): 67

Healthy life expectancy (female): 71

Deaths per 1000, 15-60 (male): 137

Deaths per 1000, 15-60 (female): 80

Child mortality rate (per 1000 under 5): 8

Infant mortality rate (per 1000): 7

Neonatal mortality rate (per 1000 births): 4

Child mortality (annual): 35,000

Maternal mortality ratio (per 1000 births, reported): 8

Maternal mortality ratio (per 1000 births, adjusted): 11

Finland

Annual income per capita: $33,170

Annual health care expense per capita: $2,472

%GDP on health care: 7.60

HCPC/IPC: 7.45

Lifetime expense (male): $187,872

Lifetime expense (female): $205,176

Life expectancy (male): 76

Life expectancy (female): 83

Healthy life expectancy (male): 69

Healthy life expectancy (female): 71

Deaths per 1000, 15-60 (male): 132

Deaths per 1000, 15-60 (female): 57

Child mortality rate (per 1000 under 5): 3

Infant mortality rate (per 1000): 3

Neonatal mortality rate (per 1000 births): 2

Child mortality (annual): 35,000

Maternal mortality ratio (per 1000 births, reported): 6

Maternal mortality ratio (per 1000 births, adjusted): 7

HCPC/IPC is the ratio of Health Care Per Capita (dollars) to Income Per Capita (also dollars).

The figures for Denmark, Norway, and Sweden are comparable to Finland's, if not quite as impressive.

The numbers that stand out to me are the per capita incomes. In essence, they suggest that it's possible to reduce American's per capita income by 25% and still deliver better and more efficient health care. I'm not suggesting that everyone's pay get cut by a fourth, but consider where American health care could be given the great wealth of our country...

Sharon considers the angles. This one is a beaut:

Continuing with this week's musical theme:

I said to Hank Williams, how lonely does it get?

Hank Williams hasn't answered yet

But I hear him coughing all night long

A hundred floors above me in the Tower of Song

Leonard speaks for all songwriters in this quatrain: Whatever I know about loneliness, Hank Williams knows more. However good a songwriter I am, Hank Williams is a hundred floors above me. And all we mere mortals can ask for is an enigmatic cough of inspiration.

Now there's a guy who knows how to make an exit!

Sunday Funnies & Arts

As always, click to enlarge...

Avatar 3D. D: James Cameron. Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang. A great Disneyland ride of a movie, Avatar offers such an enchanting vision of the planet Pandora and the world of the indigenous Na'Vi that one very nearly overlooks its length and pedestrian, timeworn plot. The film's designers and art crew must have thought that they'd died and gone to heaven, as it's apparent from the outset that the producers spared no expense in nailing down every detail. Embers flutter by, glistening; insects buzz from the background to the foreground and back again; a jellyfish-like amalgam of flora and fauna presents itself from every possible angle. Meanwhile, the lush greens and blues underlie an ecological paradise that visually justifies the New Age environmentalism of the Na'Vi. It's all that much more compelling in 3D: The characters look three-dimensional, not like cutouts stacked one upon the other. Clearly, Avatar sets new standards for science fiction and fantasy movies. I can't imagine that anyone would leave Avatar feeling less than satisfied.

Having said that, it's a shame that all of this hangs on stock characters and an ancient plot line. A corporate-military consortium, presumably from the United States, arrives on Pandora with the the aim of extracting its supply of unobtainium, a precious element buried under the Na'Vi's sacred tree of life. The consortium would like to negotiate with the Na'Vi, but it has no problems bulldozing the tree and forest out of the way and subjugating the native population. Jake Sully (Worthington) undergoes a procedure in which he becomes an avatar -- a Na'Vi look alike -- with the mission of reporting back to the consortium on the Na'Vi's willingness to negotiate. He concludes that they won't, and says so despite his growing affection for the people and his infatuation with Neytiri (Saldana).

This being Hollywood, everything turns out for the best. The Na'Vi accept Tully as one of their own and he leads a successful resistance against the consortium. Unlike what has been happening to native populations since Cortez invaded Mexico with superior technology, the Na'vi repel the technologically superior consortium. Along the way, there are the usual unavoidable cliches ("Noooooo"; "Oh...My...God"; and Na'Vi war cries that resemble high school football yells). But while all of this may prevent Avatar from being a great movie, that's almost beside the point. It's a great experience that very nearly transcends its medium.

I've long resisted special effects for their own sake. One of the many things I appreciated about the Lord of the Rings cycle is that it employed its effects and computer animation in the service of a fine story. Avatar lacks LOFTR's narrative, but its presentation is impeccable, and a quantum leap over many of LOTR's effects. For possibly the first time since science fiction took to the screen, one can sense and feel what another world and its people might actually be like.

Up in the Air. D: Jason Reitman. George Clooney, Vera Farmiga, Natalie Keener, Jason Bateman. Ryan Bingham likes his life just as it is. He travels over 250 days a year and is very nearly a member of American Airlines 10,000,000 Mile Club. Sure, his job is no great shakes: He's a consultant who specializes in downsizing and travels all over the country telling people that their jobs have been eliminated. He also lives -- on the few days that he's there -- in a one-bedroom apartment in Omaha and reports to a thoroughly sleazy boss (Bateman). But, he's good at his work, beholden to no one, and enjoys first-class travel, good meals out, and fine hotels.

Then he meets the luscious Alex (Farmiga) who shares his cynical humor and whose emotional unavailability punctures his amiable facade. Moreover, recent B-school grad Anna Kendrick (Keener) joins his company and comes up with a way of firing people on-line, thus eliminating the need for travel and saving the company millions of dollars. Bingham takes Kendrick on a trip to show her the error of her ways and, in spite of himself, begins to develop some empathy for his victims. (With a few exceptions, director Reitman uses non-actors in these parts, and to great effect.) He takes time off to squire Alex to a his rural Wisconsin home for a family wedding, and improbably cures the groom of a case of cold feet. He returns to the road with Anna, where they disastrously misjudge one woman's reaction to being fired. Without revealing too much, Ryan ends the film sadder but wiser while Kendrick discovers a layer of humanity beneath a frosty surface.

It's a fine movie, both funny and oddly touching. Regardless of the part -- and he's ranged from Ryan Bingham to Bob Barnes in Syriana -- Clooney seems incapable of rendering a poor performance. Like a classic star of the Thirties and Forties, he brings a certain flair and personality to each part. But he's a modern actor, too, and just as ably inhabits an individual role, bringing it to unique life. Here, he slides into the part of Ryan like it's one of the designer suits he wears so well.

Up in the Air is an adult film without the ambitions of Avatar. Its themes of commitment and work are definitely of this planet. It evokes them with a wit, style, and insight unfortunately rare in contemporary films. So don't miss it: This might be your only chance in a while to witness these artistic values executed so well on the big screen..

PWALLY recounts the wild times with Mr. and Mrs....

Mrs. Karl Rove finally sees the light...

On being a pedestrian in Newport...

Mmm. Grits. Better yet, grits Texas style...

Some people go for those sultry evenings, sipping cocktails in the blue, red and grey...

Trust Respect Faith Hope Karma...

The Real Death Panels

Back from Ireland to find health care reform in trouble publicly due mostly to misinformation. According to an NBC poll, majorities of Americans mistakenly believe that the proposals on the table would

• provide health care to illegal aliens (heaven forbid)
• lead to a government takeover of the health system
• spend taxpayer dollars on abortion (we wouldn't want health care reform to enable women full access to their constitutional rights)

The poll also finds that

Forty-five percent think the reform proposals would allow the government to make decisions about when to stop providing medical care for the elderly.

Apparently, this last bit of pernicious nonsense comes about because the coverage of so-called "death panels," which are actually counseling aimed at helping the dying accept the ending of life. Turns out that they do some good, too.

But perhaps the most willfully dishonest assertion is that health care reform would lead to a government takeover of the health system. Instead, reform is exactly what it implies: For better or worse, a reform of the way that access to health care is currently provided. In other words, health care will continue to be provided through a combination of insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid.

As I wrote earlier, health care reform means such common sense changes as

• coverage of preventive care such as mammograms and colonoscopies
• the end of denial of coverage because of pre-existing conditions or medical history
• the end to dropping or reducing coverage of an existing medical condition
• prevention of arbitrary caps to lifetime or annual coverage, essential to preventing health care-related bankruptcies
• an option to purchase health care from the government, to so-called public option essentially to controlling costs and ensuring that minimal standards are meant
• government negotiation of purchases from pharmaceutical companies, essential to controlling drug costs (You wouldn't believe how much cheaper even over-the-counter drugs are in Ireland, and this in a country that is an expensive place to live.)

Worried about bureaucracies issuing end-of-life decisions? A friend's letter to his Congressman:

This is not a game. I am increasingly distressed to see that, as far as I can tell, the Republicans in Congress are treating the issue of health care reform as an opportunity to score points against the Democrats in general and the president in particular. This issue is not a game between Republican and Democratic politicians. If it continues to be treated as a game, then no matter which party wins, the American people will lose.

I support health care reform that includes a public option. If you oppose a public option, please explain to me as my representative in the House why I should trust insurance companies more than the government in which you serve.

Recently, the brother of a friend was diagnosed with germ-cell cancer which is highly treatable 90% of the time. Unfortunately, my friend's brother belongs to the other 10%. He works for a successful telecommunications firm. He has "good" health insurance. His insurance company refused to cover the stage II trial drug protocol that is his only viable chance for a cure even though it costs no more than the conventional therapy they were willing to cover and even though the insurance company's doctor recommended they grant a waiver and cover his experimental treatment. Now, tell me why I should trust the insurance companies.

Please, sir, have the courage to do the right thing. The status quo in health care is unacceptable. The American people have been waiting for reform since Harry Truman was president. Please do not succumb to the partisan pressure to play politics with the very lives of the people you represent.

More about insurance company death panels here and here...

Tomorrow is Elders for Health Care Reform Day...

Health care: Two countries, two stories...

Save Charity Hospital, NOLA's last, best hope for indigent and emergency care...

Goin' back to Avalon, where I have a pretty mama all the time...

What Does Health Care Reform Mean To Your District?

Thanks to Annette at just my little piece of the world for calling my attention to this useful website produced by the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. Use it to look up the impact of HR 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act, on your Congressional district. Here's what I found out about the bill and Washington's 8th:

America’s Affordable Health Choices Act would provide significant benefits in the 8th Congressional District of Washington: up to 20,000 small businesses could receive tax credits to provide coverage to their employees; 7,500 seniors would avoid the donut hole in Medicare Part D; 1,000 families could escape bankruptcy each year due to unaffordable health care costs; health care providers would receive payment for $20 million in uncompensated care each year; and 29,000 uninsured individuals would gain access to high-quality, affordable health insurance. Congressman David G. Reichert represents the district.

• Help for small businesses. Under the legislation, small businesses with 25 employees or less and average wages of less than $40,000 qualify for tax credits of up to 50% of the costs of providing health insurance. There are up to 20,000 small businesses in the district that could qualify for these credits.

• Help for seniors with drug costs in the Part D donut hole. Each year, 7,500 seniors in the district hit the donut hole and are forced to pay their full drug costs, despite having Part D drug coverage. The legislation would provide them with immediate relief, cutting brand name drug costs in the donut hole by 50%, and ultimately eliminate the donut hole.

• Health care and financial security. There were 1,000 health care-related bankruptcies in the district in 2008, caused primarily by the health care costs not covered by insurance. The bill provides health insurance for almost every American and caps annual out-of-pocket costs at $10,000 per year, ensuring that no citizen will have to face financial ruin because of high health care costs.

• Relieving the burden of uncompensated care for hospitals and health care providers. In 2008, health care providers in the district provided $20 million worth of uncompensated care, care that was provided to individuals who lacked insurance coverage and were unable to pay their bills. Under the legislation, these costs of uncompensated care would be virtually eliminated.

• Coverage of the uninsured. There are 53,000 uninsured individuals in the district, 7% of the district. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that nationwide, 97% of all Americans will have insurance coverage when the bill takes effect. If this benchmark is reached in the district, 29,000 people who currently do not have health insurance will receive coverage.

• No deficit spending. The cost of health care reform under the legislation is fully paid for: half through making the Medicare and Medicaid program more efficient and half through a surtax on the income of the wealthiest individuals. This surtax would affect only 9,650 households in the district. The surtax would not affect 97.3% of taxpayers in the district.
  

This analysis is based upon the following sources: the Gallup-Healthways Survey (data on the uninsured); the U.S. Census (data on small businesses); the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (data on the Part D donut hole, health care-related bankruptcies (based on analysis of PACER court records), and uncompensated care); and the House Committee on Ways and Means (data on the surtax).

Some things you can do to help:

1. Publish the report for your district on your blog or web site.
   
2. Contact your Congressman urging him or her to support HB 3200 and request an explanation if they do not support it.
3. Put a pointer to the web site on your Facebook page and urge your friends to look up the report for their district.

Note: If you find the web site confusing or are pressed for time, contact me personally and I'll look up the report for your district...

Piece of clay...

Paul Krugman writes that President Obama can't give the Blue Dog Dems what they want because what they ask for makes no sense...

According to the Committee report, the number of uninsured Washingtonians by district, the number of 2008 health care-related bankruptcies, and the percent of taxpayers affected by a proposed surcharge on each district's wealthiest taxpayers:

WA-1 (Jay Inslee-D)
62,000 uninsured (9%)
1,100 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 1.8% of taxpayers

WA-2 (Rick Larsen-D)
104,000 uninsured (14%)
1,150 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 0.9% of taxpayers

WA-3 (Brian Baird-D)
114,000 uninsured (15%)
1,550 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 0.9% of taxpayers

WA-4 (Doc Hastings-R)
140,000 uninsured (19%)
1,500 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 0.6% of taxpayers

WA-5 (Cathy Rodgers-R)
127,000 uninsured (18%)
1,200 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 0.8% of taxpayers

WA-6 (Norm Dicks-D)
88,000 uninsured (13%)
1,300 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 0.8% of taxpayers

WA-7 (Jim McDermott-D)
83,000 uninsured (13%)
2,050 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 2.1% of taxpayers

WA-8 (Dave Reichert-R)
53,000 uninsured (7%)
1,000 bankruptcies
Surcharge: 2.7% taxpayers

WA-9 (Adam Smith-D)
(link broken -- most like WA-3)

Even though the 4th and 5th districts would benefit most from HB3200, you can count on Rodgers and Doc "Dim Bulb" Hastings to oppose it on ideological grounds, as will Dave "Empty Suit" Reichert. Whether they ultimately sign on to this particular bill or not, the D's will support whatever Nancy Pelosi brings to the floor. But it would be nice for them to know that their constituents have their back...

Idiots

Idiots. Senate Democrats are getting cold feet over meaningful health care reform because -- gasp! -- it might be expensive. Here's the thing:

YOU HAVE A 59-40 EDGE IN THE SENATE AND A PRESIDENT WHO WANTS TO DO THIS. HEALTH CARE IS ALREADY EXPENSIVE: THIS COUNTRY ALREADY SPENDS MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE. THAT'S ONE REASON WHY WE NEED A PUBLIC OPTION. ANYWAY, WHY IS THERE $7 TRILLION TO BAIL OUT WALL STREET AND NOTHING TO BAIL OUT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE WHO ARE GETTING STRANGLED BY HEALTH CARE COSTS. THIS OPPORTUNITY MIGHT NEVER COME ALONG AGAIN. AND YOU'RE CHOKING. DON'T BLOW THIS.

AND LISTEN TO WHAT PEOPLE ARE TELLING YOU.

Amy Goodman writes that while profiteers pollute health care reform, "62.1% of all bankruptcies in 2007 were medical"...E. J. Dionne says that when it comes to health care, beware of bipartisanship...

Angels and People/Life in New Orleans: Expressive life.

The poor, persecuted Army Corps of Engineers. And, BTW, calk up another win for the blogosphere:

During Hurricane Katrina, NOLA.com’s blogs, forums and other community tools became a primary way for New Orleans residents to communicate – to report their experiences, share their photos, send out cries for rescue and search for missing friends and relatives. The community used these features to inform one another of destruction, or the opening of a grocery store, or the switch flipping electricity on. In the most horrible moments of the deluge, people trapped in attics messaged friends on cell phones, and this information was posted on NOLA This lead to uncounted rescues. Rescue agencies begged NOLA to keep the reports coming – the blogs were guiding their rescue efforts. A mother who lost her children after she collapsed at the Superdome and was evacuated separately was reunited with her kids weeks later. A man clinging to his roof at the height of the storm in Chalmette sent in 83 photos that captured the drowning of St. Bernard Parish...

Conservative judicial activism with an assist from the Obama Administration...

JUST A SONG: Teena Marie's "Deja Vu (I've Been Here Before)", contributed by Clifton Harris. Cliff lives in New Orleans and blogs at Cliff's Crib. He writes about music and living in New Orleans, and perfectly captures the impact of politics and social policy on the daily life of the individual. I’m excited about his contributions to Just A Song and look forward to many more.

I love the song because unlike most ballads it doesn’t take you to a place of lost love or a personal reference to anyone. The lyrics are an escape and it makes me want to take a long ride through the city at night just to enjoy the moonlight. It’s also a great song for sitting by a lake and watching the waves just to get your mind off of reality for a few minutes. I can tell you that living in this post disaster environment there are times where mental escape is a necessity for those of us who try not to give in to the insanity. With a song like Déjà vu you can close your eyes and accomplish that...

Boiling mad!...

FRIDAY'S CHOICE: Billy Joe Shaver goes to "Georgia On A Fast Train" with his late, lamented son Eddy on lead guitar.

Health Care Is A Human Right

Saturday afternoon, I sat down in a minister's office with four other people to provide input to Barack Obama's still-under-development health plan. The advantage of a small meeting soon became apparent: No long-winded one or two people can dominate, as often happens in a larger meeting (especially with Democrats). The Obama strategy must prefer it this way: Anyone who had commented on health care at change.gov was asked to assemble a meeting. Although provided with a cheat sheet and few questions as a basic structure, we were all able to get any points across. One person took notes, wrote up the results and circulated them for approval, then passed them along to the Obama team.

The attendees made for a fairly diverse lot, considering the small size: A retiree dependent on Medicare, a disabled veteran dependent on the VA, an uninsured activist, a minister, and me (self-insured). All had an impressive familiarity with the issue, down to some detail. And we are all impressed and hopeful that our opinion had actually been solicited.

Although we filled out forms and provided (excruciating, in some cases) detail, the group spoke loud and clear on two matters that the Obama paperwork avoided or danced around. First, we urged Obama, in all of his communications, to treat health care as a basic human right. This, combined with a general mistrust of private insurers, led us to prefer either an goverment-funded and administered plan, which doesn't appear to be on the table as yet.

Everyone there was open to persuasion regarding the argument that the most efficient approach is to take advantage of the existing infrastructure, i.e., employer-based health coverage administered by private insurers. However, none of us is convinced of that now, and all agreed that going in that direction requires much heavier regulation than is currently the case. IMHO, this would entail as big a battle with insurance companies as dumping them altogether. And none of us at the meeting will ever sign for the idea that the guarantee of a basic human right can be left up to employers and insurers.

It's actually beyond me why a business of any size would want the current system to continue. The costs are crippling and coverage has shrunk. By the Obama team's own estimate, one in five Americans with employer-based coverage have needs that exceed their benefits. That's 60 million people, which when added to the 50 million uninsured adds up to more than a third of the country left behind by their own system. To me, that's an infrastructure broken beyond repair...

U. S. Senate to turn away 71-year old Negro man as "unqualified"? That's what the Roland Burris story has started to sound like. I'm no big fan of Rod Blagojevich, but let's face it: He pulled a neat trick by appointing Burris to Obama's Senate seat. It's time to seat him and move on. Luckily, it sounds like cooler heads are prevailing...

Thanks to Robert Frost's Banjo, I've been exposed to a whole blogging culture dedicated to the love and promotion of something dear to Citizen K.'s middle-aged heart: Old movies. I grew up watching them on television with my father, and came to appreciate the talents of now-forgotten actors like Ed Begley (Sr.), Van Heflin, and Katie Jurado.  In one of my first blog entries, I wrote about what makes an old movie an old movie. One time at Office Depot, my eyes lit up at the sight of Odds Against Tomorrow, a 1959 film that I hadn't even heard of.  Well, Asleep In New York,  Another Old Movie Blog, and The Classic Maiden all understand why no one in their right mind would walk away from a bargain-bin video of a movie starring Harry Belafonte, Robert Ryan, Shelley Winters, Ed Begley, and Gloria Grahame...

BeauSoleil has a new album out. J. Poet of Crawdaddy! reviews it here...

Every year, the Oxford American publishes a special southern music edition that includes a compilation CD. It's always worth getting because of the sweep of the music: The CD crosses decades and genres with ease, successfully mixing the work of regional performers, one-hit wonders, and international stars. This year's 10th Anniversary edition features two CDs. Order from their web site or look for it at your friendly neighborhood news stand...

Past OA compilations have dug have some wonderful obscurities. A few years ago, they wangled a license for the audio of Robert Mitchum and Lillian Gish singing "Leaning on the Everlasting Arms" in The Night of the Hunter. Check it out:

What Are You Doing On New Year's Eve?

Monday, Premium T. and I celebrated our first anniversary by returning to the corner table at Cafe Juanita. Tonight, we plan to celebrate New Year's Eve by staying at home, lighting a fire, listening to music, and reading together...

I'm going to reorganize the Citizen K. sidebars, consolidating some, renewing others, and starting a new feature or two...

Neither of us like to go out on NYE, especially here with the night rain making the drunks' drives home even more challenging...

This morning, I'm going to an Obama transition-sponsored community meeting on health care reform. The position overview sent out in advance needs a great deal of work: The writers appear to believe that the essential challenge is the need to modernize a dilapidated system without altering its fundamentals. There is no mention of health care as a right and it dances around the corrosive role played by private insurance...

The Soul of New Orleans: "The city has been through hell, but somehow the heart of this town is still beating." Don't miss the tantalizing review of New Orleans hot spots -- places to eat, drink, sleep, shop, and visit that may or may not be in standard guide books...

At this moment, Citizen K. is listening to Raphael Saadiq's homage to 1960's Motown, The Way I See It. While the sound is a throwback, the lyrics aren't: "Big Easy" is a harrowing account of lovers separated during the terror of Hurricane Katrina:

People Are Strange

Since the publication of Jane Mayer's New Yorker article about Sarah Palin, I've been monitoring the comments on the Draft Sarah Palin For Vice-President blog alluded to by Mayer. Most of it is dull and fatuous. There's a lot if whistling in the dark, media and poll bashing, and reassurances that whatever happens on November 4 will be God's will. Of greatest curiosity is the debate between  supporters of one crackpot idea -- that Obama is actually a citizen of Kenya and not the United States -- and those of an utterly shattered pot -- that he is actually an illegitimate child fathered by a Marxist pedophile friend of the family. I kid you not.

Plainly, both "ideas" hold about as much water as a butterfly net, if that much. One poster is convinced that as soon as the truth about Obama's lineage emerges (she subscribes to the citizen of Kenya theory), he will be forced from the ticket and replaced by Hillary Clinton. Her main concern is that Obama's trip to visit his ailing grandmother in Hawaii is actually a cover story that will allow him to personally destroy the evidence, and hopes that the media will tail him. Again, I kid you not.

The fixation of the right with Obama's ancestry fascinates. It echoes, resoundingly, the slaveholding and  southern and colonialist system of defining "black" according to the fraction of African ancestry. The French colonialists of Sainte-Domingue constructed a system of classification that identified 64 different types of black person, from full-blooded African to one-sixty-fourth African. (No link; my source is an appendix of the complete nomenclature in All Soul's Rising, Madison Smartt Bell's novel about Toussaint Louverture and the Haitian slave revolution.) It was an obsession aimed at preserving white status and, no doubt, at assuaging doubts about the legitimacy of slavery. Psychologically, it springs from the same poisoned well as the frenzied right-wing attempts to project Obama as not one of us...

Readers from Seattle are will appreciate this bit of comedy from one of the blog comments: 

"Have you ever read the Wikipedia bio of Obama? Barry' mother came of age not in Kansas (another fantasy) but in liberal Seattle in one of the most liberal schools, Mercer Island High School. Many of her teachers were socialists or maxists. It makes sense that she would be infatuated with one."

(The "one" being the family friend who allegedly impregnated her with the next President of the United States.) Now, when Ann Dunham attended high school in the late Fifties, you would no more likely spot a Marxist on Mercer Island than you would see an African-American in a noncustodial job. Until a few years ago, it was as rock-ribbed, country club Republican as it gets...

Parts 2 and 3 of the LA Times series about the health care system are here and here. Part 2 shows how insurers, using Healthcare Savings Accounts as a spearhead, are "moving away from their traditional role of pooling health risks and are reinventing themselves as money managers -- providers of financial vehicles through which consumers pay for their own healthcare." Part 3 explores the extent to which insurers have dedicated resources to not paying hospital and doctor bills that they had already agreed to cover, and the stress that puts on the system's capacity for providing health care...

Moderation breaks out at a McCain rally...

Apparently, the McCain campaign did not permit the Muslim state campaign chair from the video to appear on CNN. I suppose that at this point they are looking at such an electoral rout that they are unwilling to ruffle the feathers of the right-wing base even to publicize something that might appeal to independents...

Meanwhile, Chris Matthews obliterates McCain spokesperson Nancy Pfotenhauer on the topic of Palin's weird contention that the vice-president is "in charge" of the Senate: