Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Income Inequality
The Wall Street Journal ran a story today on the Democrats' plans to slow the growing income inequality in this country, and it reads like a prequel to the 2% Solution.
All the problems - healthcare, education, minimum wage - are becoming more pronounced for both sides of the isle but solutions seem unreachable. Hum, many suggested in the book seem ripe for this envinronment. How can we make it happen?
I was particularly struck by this line about health care:
"Finding a politically palatable and affordable way to make health insurance universally available has been impossible, so far. Mr. Bush has pushed tax credits to help more people buy insurance on their own, and dangled rule changes and low-premium, high-deductible policies to encourage small firms to offer coverage. Although some Democrats still drool over proposals for government health insurance for all, others prefer piecemeal approaches."
Is that really the only solutions being floated out there? How about Mitt Romney's plan in Mass.? Is no one proposing anything else from either party?
All the problems - healthcare, education, minimum wage - are becoming more pronounced for both sides of the isle but solutions seem unreachable. Hum, many suggested in the book seem ripe for this envinronment. How can we make it happen?
I was particularly struck by this line about health care:
"Finding a politically palatable and affordable way to make health insurance universally available has been impossible, so far. Mr. Bush has pushed tax credits to help more people buy insurance on their own, and dangled rule changes and low-premium, high-deductible policies to encourage small firms to offer coverage. Although some Democrats still drool over proposals for government health insurance for all, others prefer piecemeal approaches."
Is that really the only solutions being floated out there? How about Mitt Romney's plan in Mass.? Is no one proposing anything else from either party?
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Health Care Crisis Gets Some Press
The health care crisis got some national publicity Wednesday as it was the issue that got the most play when the Big Three auto makers met with President Bush. The Big Three pay more in health care costs per car than for steel. GM says its health-care cost for each GM vehicle built is $1,525, compared with $400 for Toyota, the Kansas City Star reports.
Now I haven't seen health care mentioned at all during the analysis of the recent mid-term elections nor is it among objectives mentioned by either party. It looks like another two years of no solutions. But the auto execs talk about the issue shows it's probably the one issue those of us in the center may rally around to get some stuff done. Want proof this is a bubbling under issue? In a poll conducted by Pace University this week, 48 per cent of respondents favoured a single-payer national health-care plan, essentially an endorsement of the Canadian system. Just 35 per cent endorsed a Massachusetts-style system, the Globe and Mail reports. Wow, that's much higher than I would have thought. Single payer is portrayed as the boogyman in the health care debate. But people may be so fed up with rising costs they may want any change.
The only hope to move this issue forward may be if Mitt Romney's healthcare plan in Mass. rises to the level of the national debate in the presidential primaries next year.
Now I haven't seen health care mentioned at all during the analysis of the recent mid-term elections nor is it among objectives mentioned by either party. It looks like another two years of no solutions. But the auto execs talk about the issue shows it's probably the one issue those of us in the center may rally around to get some stuff done. Want proof this is a bubbling under issue? In a poll conducted by Pace University this week, 48 per cent of respondents favoured a single-payer national health-care plan, essentially an endorsement of the Canadian system. Just 35 per cent endorsed a Massachusetts-style system, the Globe and Mail reports. Wow, that's much higher than I would have thought. Single payer is portrayed as the boogyman in the health care debate. But people may be so fed up with rising costs they may want any change.
The only hope to move this issue forward may be if Mitt Romney's healthcare plan in Mass. rises to the level of the national debate in the presidential primaries next year.
Thursday, November 09, 2006
2008 Has Begun
The 2008 presidential election is off. Iowa Gov. Vilsack has announced he'll run for president. The Wall Street Journal estimates candidates need to raise $100 million by the end of 2007 to be considered a serious candidate. Will we see the same thing happen in 2008 that happened in 2000, when George Bush won the money-raising game by such a wide margin almost all of his opponents dropped out of the race? Will a small group of people on the left or right get behind a candidate early, donate money and make the primaries less meaningful? Or will a Howard Dean, internet-type funding begin a new trend and era? Food for thought as the long campaign begins.
