Health Care Reform Around the World

When Taiwan sought to reform their healthcare system a few years ago, they commissioned a study of six major countries which were achieving superior public health results, at relatively low cost. Experts from each of these countries conducted independent rigorous studies of their systems, analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of their systems, as well as potential opportunities and threats. Then these experts came together in a major symposium, where the various systems were discussed, debated, weighed against one another and evaluated. From the results of this symposium, the leaders of Taiwan designed a modern integrated system, which was a hybrid of the best ideas from around the World, with elements chosen to fit the particular needs of the Taiwanese culture, economy and existing infrastructure. Theirs is now respected as among the most modern, efficient healthcare delivery and financing systems anywhere. 

The United States took a somewhat different approach to reform. Those companies and industry consortia which profit most from the status quo accumulated a war chest to resist and/or shape any possible changes in order to protect their power position and profit margins. They coordinated with right-wing radio commentators and Fox News, launching a disinformation campaign of fear, distortion, slander, and character assassination, which drowned out any meaningful substantive discussion. Their most dim-witted followers—once adequately roused to anger and fear—were unleashed upon elected representatives at town hall meetings around the country. Many of them dressed up in Indian garb, like colonial ‘tea party’ participants; many brought weapons; none brought any meaningful insight. In the end, the law that passed was a very expensive face-saving program for the Democrats, which would have the appearance of reform, without risking profits to the corporate players. 

I’m not saying that either the Taiwanese or the US approach is necessarily better than the other in terms of developing and implementing effective public policy … just contrasting the different approaches.

Free Trade and Standards

To believe that we can maintain our standard of living, environmental protections, and decent labor standards—while laying open our borders to unrestricted imports from nations where no such standards exist—is delusional.

The inevitable result of unregulated free trade is the emergence of an international plutocracy, the destruction of middle classes where they exist, crashing of income levels in the developed world, and widespread environmental degradation. 

These are not accidental byproducts of the emerging free-trade regime – they are its raison d'être. 

Hawaii 'Birther' Law

Hawaii just enacted a law that allows state workers to ignore those troglodytes who keep bugging them to produce Obama’s birth certificate - again. One out of five Americans doesn’t see this as a settled issue. One out of five! 

I know what you’re thinking … ‘What are they hiding?’ {;-)

Arizona

Welcome to Arizona – home of the unregulated, half-inebriated, heavily armed, self-deputizing, all-volunteer barfly border patrol; Local post HQ at Shorty’s Tap Room. 
‘Heads up!  Suspicious Hispanic spotted at the day-labor stop at 4th and Main.  Suck ‘em up, Boys!  Let’s ride!’

Cult Indoctrination

One of the key first steps in cult indoctrination is the severing of ties to outside influences – family, friends, newspapers, television, etc. The novice is taught to distrust all non-members, and is force-fed an alternate reality, which is dissonant with the outside World. 
Ultimately, members become dependent on the cult leader, and come to believe that the only truth is that spoken by Rush himself.

Louisiana Oil Spil

There are a lot of legitimate responses to the ongoing oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico; Anger, outrage, frustration, resolve … curiosity, guilt, shame. The one response only a fool can have though – is surprise.

Political Correctness

Much of what many people deride as ‘political correctness’ is really nothing more than good manners—the same type of courtesy we in the mainstream accept as a matter of course—applied toward a person or group they don’t think of as worthy of such consideration. 

Fear that one might be accused of political correctness is a tool to silence those who might otherwise speak out against targeted rudeness.