washparkhorn

Eliminating the debt ceiling and removing it a suicide pill for nihilistic politicos is prudent. We have the dominant reserve currency—and the immense benefits of that status—because we do not default on our debts.

If you say so. . .

Agree. I don't wish anyone harm, but there is no economic argument for United Healthcare to exist and propagate their negative externalities on Americans. Private health insurance serves no productive economic function, and merely acts as a rent-seeking middleman that reduces efficiency and raises costs in the healthcare system. 1. Cost containment: private insurance does not contain healthcare costs, but rather makes them worse due to the overhead and profit-taking by insurance companies, as well as their ability to negotiate higher prices from providers. 2. Coverage expansion: private insurance does not expand healthcare coverage, but may actually restrict it due to insurers' incentives to enroll lower-risk, more profitable customers while avoiding higher-risk, costlier ones. 3. Access to care: private insurance does not expedite care, but rather slows it down as a result of the administrative burden and approval processes required by insurers, as well as their ability to restrict access to certain providers or treatments. From an economic perspective, private health insurance fails to provide the kind of market-based efficiencies and benefits that could justify its existence. Instead, it suggests the insurance industry acts as a parasitic rent-seeker, extracting profits without adding commersurate value.

And the effort to remove “birthright citizenship” will flow from Amy Comey Barrett’s belief that the 14th Amendment is “illegitimate.” She argues the Court would not raise the issue, but Congress has the right to declare the 14th Amendment illegitimate. The decision would come down to Kavanagh deciding whether the 14th was properly ratified.

Nothing to fear — Senator Judas Fetterman will save Medicare. . . . or maybe not

Watch as the Republicans pass awful legislation—without the 60 senators Democrats insist are necessary to pass any legislation.

Austerity is a losing message for Dems, as it was in November 2022 and November 2024 during a period when economic pain worsened for many Americans White House messaging: Economic pain: Courting Repubs rather than traditional Dem economic populists (FDR Dems) is political malpractice.

End this 53 year old doom spiral:

The candidate that communicates most effectively with a majority of Americans—wins. One must understand one’s audience. Right wing populists understand the audience

The US economy is in good shape overall. But austerity dramatically impacted those less well off. Trump capitalized on those impacted by Biden/Harris austerity.

The shift from FDR economic policies to austerity under Biden/Harris:

The shift from progressive (FDR) economic messaging to Thatcher/Reagan austerity helped usher in a Republican House in 2022 and a dismal Red Tide in 2024. Courting Republicans doesn’t work. Punching down does not work. FDR economic policy may be distasteful for Establishment Dems to embrace. But austerity is a losing hand for Democrats. Time is a flat circle.