Tag: Rant
Dear Congressman Waxman…
October 2nd, 2011, No Comments
Tonight I sent an email to Congressman Henry Waxman, who was instrumental in obtaining the passage of the “No Fear Act“, promising government employees that they cannot be subjected to reprisals when reporting legal and/or ethical violations by fellow employees and superiors in their workplaces. This was important landmark legislation since reprisals are a well [...]
The Media and HealthCare
January 7th, 2011, No Comments
Several articles stood out in recent weeks as typical of the manner in which public opinion can be swayed by a press corp which is overly impressed with the dramatic license taken by news figures. In an astonishing lack of respect for the intelligence of its audience, journalists today feel compelled to allow ‘news-worthy’ individuals [...]
All I want is Czechoslovakia – Appeasement Politics in the U.S.
November 19th, 2010, 6 Comments
Ezra Klein’s article in today’s Washington Post is a prime example of how easily we can mistake the dirty pool of politics for government policy. While earmarks are being banned (in a non-binding sort of way), we are ignoring the fact that every single item on the US legislative agenda is automatically turned into an [...]
If Corporations Can Engage in Electioneering, They Ought to be Able to Vote!
January 26th, 2010, No Comments
It’s happened again. Not to be outdone by the Supreme Court judges of 1886 who first pronounced corporations as possessing the same privileges as citizens with regard to property rights, the current crop of judges have now confirmed our paper citizens can meddle in the election process. This decision is brilliantly reviewed in this excellent [...]
The Health Care Debate in the Times or “Live from New York – It’s Saturday Night!”
December 20th, 2009, No Comments
How does one debate the subject of life and death? Really, what are we pretending is happening here? Either access to medical care is a basic right of citizens in a civilized society or it’s a privilege restricted to middle and upper income level consumers (until such time as it’s withdrawn by those conferring the [...]
The Space-Worthy Question (not actually sent to the editor of the New York Times)
October 30th, 2009, No Comments
However, if I were in the mood to send an email to the NY Times about their declining standards for Op Ed columns, it would be this one: To the Editor; I wish to express my objection to your absence of supervision over your Op-Ed contributors. David Brooks’ latest column, “The Tenacity Question” cites unnamed, [...]
The Health Care Divide – The Republic versus A Democracy; Which Will We Choose?
August 30th, 2009, No Comments
The Senate appears to be considering the ramifications of pretending we live in a democracy instead of a republic. Tired of the health care battle, in which there will assuredly be no survivors of that old, ‘wheel and deal’ process, there may actually be an old-fashioned vote in which the majority rules. Fancy that. The [...]
Health Care Reform: People Already Have the Right to See a Doctor Without Charge
August 17th, 2009, No Comments
but some of us feel it ought to be a primary care physician first, instead of a coroner.
Wrong Title, Inaccurate Conclusions
March 10th, 2004, No Comments
To the Editor, Your title for this article indicates you missed the boat on the strong differences between fund raising goals of the Democrats which appear, on surface, to mimic Republican strategies. Bush’s contributors have every expectation that their contributions will be returned ten-fold in cash with – government contracts awarded without competitive bidding (hey, [...]
