News & Comment
Blogs and Opinion
The Fight for Health Care Reform Isn't Over Yet by Rahul Rekhi, nextnewdeal.net | November 14, 2012
While the principle focus of this year’s presidential campaign was clearly the economy, the election carried more profound implications for the future of American health care then any other area of policy. The choice was clear: would we see the reaffirmation of the Affordable Care Act and with that, an opportunity for its provisions to be phased in at last? Or would we see a rapid repeal and systemic overhaul under the ascendant Romney administration? With the reelection of President Obama, the signature health care legislation of his first term is secure. But to truly reform our health care system, he still has much more work to do in his second term. read more »Hey, Obama, Hands Off Their Medicare by Robert Kuttner, prospect.org | November 8, 2012
President Obama and House Speaker John Boehner are on track to cut a deal that Wall Street has been slavering over for a decade—a small dollop of revenue increases, mainly through loophole closings, coupled with massive spending cuts including in Social Security in Medicare, adding up to 4 to 5 trillion dollars of budget cuts over a decade. Obama is convinced that this sort of grand bargain is necessary because financial markets expect it. Yet the same financial markets are happy to lend the government money for 30 years at less than 3 percent interest. If Obama and the Republicans do make such a deal, growth will slow to a trickle. Ironically, the president, having humiliated the Republicans on Election Day, holds most of the cards. read more »The People Who Elected Obama Don't Want Cuts to Social Security and Medicare by Lynn Stuart Parramore, alternet.org | November 8, 2012
Voting patterns told a story yesterday. And here is the story they told: working people want a president who works for them. What does it mean? For starters, it means that struggling people have seen right through the faux populism of the GOP, and they know that between the two parties, the Democrats are slightly more likely to stand up against the dangerous income inequality, wage depression and shredding of social safety nets the Republican Party has embraced. And it means that the Occupy Wall Street movement has enhanced awareness of a system that redistributes income toward the top -- the 99 percent know it, and so do the rich. The president should heed the message voters sent as negotiations for a so-called “Grand Bargain” (what white-collar criminologist Bill Black has more properly called a “Grand Betrayal”) heat up in the face of another phony crisis meant to give the fat cats a new shot at redistributing income upward. read more »Obamacare Gets Its Vindication by Matt Miller, The Washington Post | November 7, 2012
George Shultz once offered advice to Cabinet secretaries seeking to make a difference, advice that applies equally well to presidents. It’s easy to be consumed by your in box in these big jobs, Shultz explained. The flow of “incoming” could keep anyone fully occupied from the moment they were sworn in to the day they left office. The key to leaving your mark is to be sure you work on priorities you select and put into other people’s in-boxes. Don’t just work off your own. This sound counsel captures why Barack Obama’s devotion to major health reform was so important — and why the risks he took to pursue that course must make his vindication Tuesday night especially sweet. read more »Top Ten Coming Disasters: Romney’s America 2016 by Juan Cole, juancole.com | November 5, 2012
What will the United States look like in 2016 if Mitt Romney wins? While predicting the future is of course impossible, actually my experience is that if you play out known possible scenarios in your mind, you can often get a fair idea of the likely course of events. read more »Before You Vote: Fact vs. Fiction on Obamacare by Wendell Potter, Huffington Post | November 5, 2012
Wouldn't it be great if our candidates had to take a dose of truth serum every morning before hitting the campaign trail? If they did, those of us who will be voting tomorrow wouldn't be nearly as confused about what Obamacare is and what it isn't, what it will do and what it won't. Since there is no such truth serum requirement, I believe that many of us will actually be voting against our own best interests. Many Americans will vote for candidates who have scared them into believing that Obamacare is a government takeover of health care that it will bankrupt the country while slashing Medicare benefits. In the event that you or someone you know might benefit from some truth-telling, here are a few things you ought to know before pulling that lever tomorrow. read more »Obama's Closing Argument: A Winning Message by Terrance Heath, OurFuture.org | November 5, 2012
When it comes to politics, it ain’t over ’til its’ over. And even then it may not be over. With the presidential election just days away, the contest remains close enough to ensure some jangled nerves and nail-biting among Republicans and Democrats. Still, the latest news and numbers should give President President Barack Obama a boost as he delivers his closing argument to voters. Should Obama emerge the victor when the dust settles after Tuesday, his closing argument will become the winning message. And voters convinced to reward Obama with a second term on the strength of that message will — and should — expect him to live up to its vision and promise. read more »The Blackmail Caucus by Paul Krugman, The New York Times | November 2, 2012
If President Obama is re-elected, health care coverage will expand dramatically, taxes on the wealthy will go up and Wall Street will face tougher regulation. If Mitt Romney wins instead, health coverage will shrink substantially, taxes on the wealthy will fall to levels not seen in 80 years and financial regulation will be rolled back. Given the starkness of this difference, you might have expected to see people from both sides of the political divide urging voters to cast their ballots based on the issues. Lately, however, I’ve seen a growing number of Romney supporters making a quite different argument. Vote for Mr. Romney, they say, because if he loses, Republicans will destroy the economy. O.K., they don’t quite put it that way. The argument is phrased in terms of “partisan gridlock,” as if both parties were equally extreme. But they aren’t. This is, in reality, all about appeasing the hard men of the Republican Party. read more »Shame the haters: Why I back Obama by Van Jones, jackandjillpolitics.com | November 2, 2012
Have you ever worked at a job where somebody was actively trying to sabotage you? Do you remember what that feels like? Well, that has been President Obama’s experience from Day One. As African Americans, we have a special sensitivity to situations where folks are unfairly set up to fail. We shouldn’t allow such tactics to determine the outcome of a national election. This is especially true in the president’s case. Obama’s performance has been extraordinary in both foreign and domestic policy, but he has gotten almost zero credit for truly historic achievements. read more »Hurricane Sandy's Silver Lining: A Reaffirmation of Progressive Principles by Daniel Marans, OurFuture.org | November 1, 2012
At a time when the country is still reeling from the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, the storm has reaffirmed progressive principles that have been under attack in recent years. Sandy has, in fact, brought together a trifecta of progressive policy vindications: the dangers of climate silence, the importance of a strong and responsive federal government, and the necessity of collective bargaining rights for workers. read more »
The Latest
Ruling on Health Law Is Due by End of Year, The New York Times | October 19, 2010
Select Democrats Embrace Health Care Law, Politico | October 19, 2010
After weeks of avoiding the health care overhaul on the campaign trail, some Democrats are out bragging about the law in the final run-up to the mid-term elections. more »
Yet Again, Health Insurers Seeking Ways to Defy Health Care Law, consumerwatchdog.org | August 13, 2010
Consumer Watchdog and the Center for Media and Democracy have sent a letter to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius calling on her and the administration to investigate the recent dramatic decreases in medical loss ratios by major health care insurers in anticipation of health care reform implementation. The insurers, led by Cigna and its 2nd quarter 6.4% drop, seek to benefit in two primary ways:
Insurers Lobbying To Weaken Regulations, Despite Record Profits , wonkroom.thinkprogress.org | August 13, 2010
Over the last several months, I’ve noted that even while the economy is in recession and a growing number of Americans are going without health insurance coverage, the big health insurers are posting higher profits. Americans are actually using less care — filing fewer claims — but still paying more in premiums.
CEOs From 10 Health Insurers Took Nearly $1 Billion in Compensation, Stock Options in Last Decade, yubanet.com | August 13, 2010
Health Care for America Now (HCAN), the 1,000-member coalition that led the successful fight for health reform, released a report today showing that in 2009, while America's families struggled with skyrocketing health insurance costs and the worst economy since the Great Depression, chief executives of the 10 largest for-profit health insurance companies collected total pay of $228.1 million, up f more »
Medicare Funds to Last 12 Years Longer Than Earlier Forecast, Report Says, The Washington Post | August 6, 2010
Medicare Stronger, Social Security Worse in Short Run, Report Finds, The New York Times | August 6, 2010
Medicare will remain financially solvent for 12 additional years, until 2029, because of the cost-cutting measures in President Obama’s recently enacted health care legislation, the program’s trustees projected on Thursday. more »
Medicare Gets New Lease On Life; Social Security Remains Healthy , Huffington Post | August 6, 2010
Social Security and Medicare Still Face Serious Financial Challenges, Annual Review Says, articles.latimes.com | August 6, 2010
Social Security and Medicare continue to face grave financial challenges even though the new healthcare law may provide added stability to the two massive programs, according to the government's annual review. This year, for the first time since 1983, Social Security is projected to pay out more in benefits than it collects in taxes.
Senate Vote on Medicaid, Education Funds Delayed, thehill.com | August 3, 2010
The Senate tabled a jobs measure Monday because Democrats underestimated the package’s cost. Democrats had scheduled a vote to end debate on their proposal to send $10 billion in funding to states and local governments to prevent public teacher layoffs. The package contains another $16.1 billion to help states with Medicaid obligations.
