The New Republic

I try never to read The Wall Street Journal editorial page. Every now and then, I fall off the wagon, and I usually regret it. This morning I was tempted by the prospect of Ronald Dworkin's thoughts on health reform. One of the world's leading legal scholars and political philosophers, Dworkin has written brilliant books and articles about delicate constitutional and public policies in end-of-life care. READ MORE >>

This evening I was sitting in a packed church at 113th and Halsted in the Chicago southland listening to Representative Jesse Jackson, Jr. present an impassioned populist defense of the United States Post office. READ MORE >>

Some progressive doctor friends have asked me to take Ezra Klein outside and knock him around a bit for a chat comment the other day. When asked in a chat session "why is it that so many doctors are opposed to Obama's plan?" Ezra attracted my friends' gentle wrath with the response: READ MORE >>

Harold Pollack is a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Special Correspondent for The Treatment. This morning I watched This Week, where Senators Hatch and Specter were debating health reform. Senator Hatch, desperate not to be pinned down defending or criticizing Governor Palin's "death panel" thing, launched into a stream of his own talking points about nameless, faceless bureaucrats and the public plan. Here is the ABC transcript:   READ MORE >>

Harold Pollack is a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Special Correspondent for The Treatment. Given the boorishness and insanity unfolding at town halls across the country, yesterday's Montana event was a pleasant surprise. President Obama presented his vision as simply and as well as anyone can: READ MORE >>

Decades ago, my brother-in-law Vincent participated in a local Special Olympic race. He took off at the starter’s gun, only to see a panicked fellow contestant overwhelmed by the moment, standing motionless at the starting line. Over the screaming protests of his own mother, he ran back to the starting line, took the girl’s hand, and the two ran hand-in-hand, to finish the race. READ MORE >>

Governor Palin issued the following statement on her Facebook page yesterday. I quote it in its entirety so you can judge for yourself. Statement on the Current Health Care Debate As more Americans delve into the disturbing details of the nationalized health care plan that the current administration is rushing through Congress, our collective jaw is dropping, and we’re saying not just no, but hell no! ?? READ MORE >>

On Tuesday afternoon I attended a health reform rally at Chicago’s Federal Plaza.  (Readers should know that I attended in the capacity of a supporter/observer, and am not a fully detached reporter covering this one.)  The event included impressive headliners: Representative Jan Schakowsky, Governor Pat Quinn, County Board President Todd Stroger, and many others. Wendell Potter, the former Cigna publicity executive, also spoke. READ MORE >>

Republicans have a stable of bona fide health policy experts. These are recognizable, sometimes quite partisan conservatives. Yet they are handicapped as political operatives by their residence in the reality-based community. Hence the role of provocateurs such as Dick Morris and Betsy McCaughey, who are less constrained in delivering low blows in alley fights over health reform.  READ MORE >>

Harold Pollack is a professor at the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and Special Correspondent for The Treatment.     Greg Mankiw writes that the gas tax is not an issue that divides liberals and conservatives, but rather one that divides political consultants and policy wonks. I would put comparative effectiveness research (CER) in the same category. READ MORE >>