Things to Know - 31 March

BillyBob and Benson

1.  In all of the discussion and arguments, the bottom line on health care is stated by this article.  Too bad that not all parties see it that way:
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/8195-all-parties-ignore-the-one-way-to-reduce-healthcare-costs

2.  If there are any Keith Olbermann fans left out there, or anyone who was and does not care any more after reading the Rolling Stone article on him a few months ago, you should know this:
http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2012/03/30/456104/current-tv-fires-keith-olbermann/

3.  Emotions are running in all directions on what the Supremes are going to do with the Affordable Care Act.  Here is an opinion that says that the system is going to change, regardless of the outcome:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-health-care-revolution-marches-on/2012/03/30/gIQAvAQ6lS_print.html

4.  In Wisconsin, not only is Scott Walker being recalled, his union-busting legislation has been largely declared unconstitutional by a federal judge:
http://2012.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/03/federal-judge-strikes-down-parts-of-walkers-anti-public-employee-union-law.php?ref=fpa

5.  Steve Lopez let us in on the end-of-life days of his father, and the health care system that attends to situations medical attention cannot really help, but prolong misery and be very costly.  Here is another story form the New York TImes:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/opinion/taking-responsibility-for-death.html?_r=1&ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

6.  Why should oil companies get tax breaks...really....why?   The breaks are really just chump change when you compare it to the profits they are making.....really....tax breaks for making profits?   All they use the money for is to put in the petty cash fund to lobby congress.   Is this country great, or what....really?:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/31/opinion/big-oils-bogus-campaign.html?ref=opinion&pagewanted=print

7.  An abrupt break.   Dick Cavett writes about his favorite topic - Groucho Marx.   I am a Marx and Cavett fan.  Too bad if you are not:
http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/30/groucho-lives-in-two-places/?pagemode=print

8.  A medical doctor speaks to the position that Romney and other Wannabees have taken, and that is that the "free market" will take care of solving the high cost of medical care.  The conversation needs to get to the basic issues, with specifics on how the free market is better than the Affordable Care Act.  Right now, the only thing I can see is that it is Constitutional to let people die, because that is one of our basic freedoms.....is that what we are as a nation?
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stone-free-market-healthcare--20120330,0,1601319,print.story

9.  Hate and racism in the public square is more evident these days.  Is it our lack of civility in politics, and all the negative ads and bomb-throwing?   Right-wing talk radio?  It's all ugly.   Here's something about it:
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-rodriguez-hate-speech-politics-20120326,0,6444124,print.column


--
Juan

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