The Hinge of Fate

The Supreme Court is hearing arguments over the Healthcare Reform Law. The law could have been defended by comparing it with the requirements to buy auto insurance. That this is a shared risk that everyone has to contribute. If the Court stikes down the individial mandate on the grounds that the government cannot require anybody to buy insurance then it could have dangerous repurcussions in other areas. In any case such a repeal would be a devastating blow to the Obama adminstration, and it would embolden the Right-wingers to go on the offensive.

Is the Tide Turning?

The recent victory of Democrat Kathy Hochul over Republican Jane Corwin in the New York State special election turned on the question of Medicare. Hochul's victory constitutes a public rebuke to GOP attempts to privatize Medicare. It seems that few voters are buying into the GOP scheme to replace Medicare with vouchers. Come to think of it, it sounds odd how the GOP keep coming up with voucher schemes for everything from eduction to medical care. The GOP has no solutions only gimmicks.