DL Open Thread: Monday, December 30, 2024

Why Jimmy Carter Lost In 1980:

For Jimmy Carter, the 12 months that culminated in the 1980 general election were marked by economic turmoil, international humiliation and a political challenge from the most recognizable family name in the Democratic Party. Together, they would drive Carter from office, leaving a punctuation mark on his one-term presidency that only the passage of time, and his remarkable post-presidency, have helped to change.

What happened in those months — November 1979 to November 1980 — reverberated long after Carter left office. Ronald Reagan’s victory in the presidential race ushered in a conservative era that reshaped American politics for a generation. The primary challenge to Carter from Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-Massachusetts) left the Democratic Party divided and contributed to wilderness years that lasted a decade.

Internationally, the year-long Iranian hostage crisis defined a hostile relationship between the two countries that continues to the present day, despite the 2015 diplomatic agreement designed to block Iran’s nuclear ambitions, a pact from which the United States withdrew under President Donald Trump.

Insurers Use Biased (And Paid-For) Doctors To Deny Mental Health Claims:

Many Americans have faced the denial of mental health treatment by their insurance companies — at times despite vivid evidence of the risk such decisions pose. In most cases, patients don’t appeal. But in a tiny percentage, patients and their families decide to fight the denials in federal court, setting up a David-versus-Goliath battle where insurers frequently have the upper hand.

The cases, ProPublica found, expose in blunt terms how insurance companies can put their clients’ health in jeopardy, in ways that some judges have ruled “arbitrary and capricious.” To do so, court records reveal, the insurers have turned to a coterie of psychiatrists and have continued relying on them even after one or more of their decisions have been criticized or overturned in court.

In their rulings, judges have found that insurers, in part through their psychiatrists, have acted in ways that are “puzzling,” “disingenuous” and even “dishonest.” The companies have engaged in “selective readings” of the medical evidence, “shut their eyes” to medical opinions that opposed their conclusions and made “baseless arguments” in court. Doctors reviewing the same cases have even repeated nearly identical language in denial letters, casting “significant doubt” on whether they’re independent.

There’s no doubt. They’re bought and paid for by the insurance companies.

A Solution To NCC’s Housing Shortage?  Sounds promising.  I’ve been told by three different NCC Council members that the ordinance that Matt Meyer vetoed would not have impacted this project at all:

But a new county ordinance in Delaware’s most populous, northernmost county aims to change that. By embracing the concept of “pocket housing,” the county has introduced a bold approach creating smaller, community-centered homes that prioritize affordability and sustainability.

The ordinance, passed in mid-December, stems from the county’s comprehensive development plan, a 500-page document shaped by years of community outreach and participation.

“The comp plan itself had recommendations for creating more by-right housing, affordable housing projects and that’s really the genesis of where this came from,” said Charuni Patibanda, the general manager of New Castle County’s Department of Land Use. “We were all so inspired by other projects that were proposed in New Castle County that would essentially incentivize starter homes to be built and just more affordable housing by essentially lowering the cost of the related infrastructure.”

Pocket housing stands apart from traditional developments by clustering compact homes around shared open spaces such as courtyards or gardens. These neighborhoods eliminate the need for sprawling roads and driveways, reducing costs while fostering a stronger sense of community.

What do you want to talk about?