Sunday Open Thread [6.2.13]

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This Sunday's NYT provides a must-read for those of us interested in resolving the long-term problem of reducing health care costs. This piece take a look at how colonoscopies are performed and charged to demonstrate the scope of the problem. And basically the scope of the problem comes down to Profit incentives, rather than health incentives. It also shows how hard it is to even get cost data for procedures -- even by a physician doing the procedure. Certainly our health care system pays dearly for heroic end-of-life care, but it certainly looks as though basic procedures done by our physicians in their offices or their physician centers are ripe for cost review.

When Delaware Democrats Vote to Cut Food Stamps

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The Farm Bill (S. 954) was being worked by the Senate the last few weeks, in an effort to get a bill done and voted on before the recess. This bill looks much like last year's bill (but adding some additional support for Southern crops such as rice, cotton and peanuts). As this bill came out of the Agricultural Committee, it had cut $4.5 BILLION from the food stamp program over the next 10 years. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand offered an amendment (#931) to restore those cuts:

Friday Open Thread [5.31.13]

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Yesterday, there was a protest at the Sallie May HQ down in Newark:
They carried signs, chanted and sang as they marched to Sallie Mae's offices before the company's annual shareholder meeting. They came demanding to meet with company leaders in hopes of airing their concerns with rocketing student loan debt. "We were sold degrees that aren’t worth what they were worth," said Sara Fitouri, a first year law school student at the University of Denver who is $145,000 in debt. "We don’t believe students should have to pay those debts." The students were successful in getting company officials to agree to a sit down meeting with leaders. Sallie Mae Board Chairman Anthony Terracciano told the students they would get their meeting, but not today because company leaders were all busy in board meetings.

Thursday Open Thread [5.30.13]

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If you haven't been following the saga of Toronto's alleged crack-smoking and murdering mayor, you should start here with Josh Marshall, who has been following the story in depth. Sometimes our enemies reveal why they are our enemies. Exxon's CEO on his opposition to alternative energy and cutting our dependence on oil:
"What good is it to save the planet if humanity suffers?"
So you may have heard yesterday that President Obama has tapped a former Bush official to lead the FBI and you may have screamed a little bit to yourself. But there is a good reason why....