For THIS Congress Might Defund Public Health?
Should we promote public health by providing extra funds for HIV prevention, cancer screening, flu vaccination, and the like? Or should we zero out these funds in order to repeal a small health reform provision that clamps down on rampant tax evasion? That’s the choice Congress is likely to face next week. Some prominent Republicans want it to choose the latter, although you likely won’t hear about it—at least, not in those terms. READ MORE >>
How Dog Bones Explain the Economy
Public Workers: Overpaid? Underfunded?
I make it a practice not to disagree with Jonathan, especially in his own house. And I don't really disagree with his recent piece on public retirement benefits. I will simply register a slightly discordant, but friendly amendment to his remarks. READ MORE >>
Progress on HIV, But Will It Last?
[Guest post by Harold Pollack] On Tuesday, the Obama administration released its National HIV/AIDS Strategy. It's imperfect, but its authors should be proud. Whatever criticisms one may have of this administration, its policy analysts are allowed to discuss serious problems as mature adults, with a minimum of the embarrassing oversimplification, euphemism, or blatant political shading. In areas such as HIV and drug policy, this is refreshing. READ MORE >>
Rehab
This week, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the "drug czar" office, unveiled its first National Drug Control Strategy. The policy's release has been repeatedly rescheduled, and last week, drug czar Gil Kerlikowske explained the delays to me with disarming candor: "It's just been hard to get it on the president's calendar because of what he has had in front of him." READ MORE >>
Speaking of Individual Responsibility...
Harold Pollack is a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Special Correspondent for The Treatment. READ MORE >>
Is There a Doctor in the House? Or Anywhere Else?
The Best-Covered News Story, Ever
The Ride of a Lifetime
Harold Pollack is a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Special Correspondent for The Treatment. READ MORE >>
I noted in a previous post that wavering House members represent districts that have the most to gain from health reform. Thanks to my colleague Louis Woynarowski, we can see this in mapped form. He mapped uninsurance rates for every district represented by a wavering House member, as listed in FiredogLake's invaluable whip count. Each district is shaded to represent the percentage of nonelderly people who lack health coverage. READ MORE >>
