Speaker Pelosi's Drug Plan Misses the Mark
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi just proposed one of the most ambitious healthcare reforms since the Affordable Care Act. She hopes her plan, The Lower Drug Costs Now Act, will reduce the "out of control" prices that are "crushing Americans at the pharmacy counter."
The Soviet-Afghan War at Forty:
In the early morning hours of Christmas Day 1979, Soviet forces began invading Afghanistan. The international community was shocked by the intervention; even though Afghanistan had been unstable for some time, most assumed that the Soviet Union would stick to its usual policy of indirect aid. Soviet policymakers, however, had several reasons for taking action when they did, including the deterioration of détente with the United States, alarm at the Afghan regime's behavior, the desire to replace President Hafizullah Amin with a more pliable ruler, fears of foreign interference in Afghanistan, and national security concerns.
Brexit: What Is at Stake?
I feel badly for the people of the United Kingdom. Brexit — the move to withdraw the UK from the European Union — has left the United Kingdom anything but united. Even families are being ripped apart. The most notable involves Prime Minister Boris Johnson's own family. His brother Jo (a fine fellow whom I met several years ago) resigned his seat in Parliament and his place in his brother's cabinet because he wanted to remain and Boris wants to leave.
Klein v. Oregon: Religious Liberty and Freedom of Speech vs. Gay Rights
Among recent actions by the U.S. Supreme Court, a four-sentence order may set the stage for the court to eventually address the collision between free speech and religious freedom on one hand and gay rights on the other. The order voided a judgment by the state of Oregon that had imposed a $135,000 fine on Portland-area bakery owners—the Kleins—for refusing to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. Oregon maintained that its anti-discrimination law condemned such a rebuff even when the bakery owners' religious convictions run counter to participating in a same-sex wedding.
Holidays and Politics: Rebuilding Civility
With the chill in the air and the leaves already falling, the holidays are just around the corner. Whether you're hosting or being hosted, the old rule of not discussing religion, money, or politics serves as a reminder of the issues which can divide even those who love each other the most. But in an era where everything, from ice cream to music, is politicized, avoiding political topics in conversation with those of differing views becomes almost impossible. Is this overly divisive and ever-present political tension healthy for society?
Addressing Out-of-Pocket Costs Key to Health Improvement & Cost Savings
More than 190 million Americans suffer from chronic diseases. For them, healthcare reform isn't a political football -- it's a matter of life and death.
Pipeline Hate Is Misplaced
Sixteen-year-old Swedish student Greta Thunberg admonished global leaders at last year's United Nations: "We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!"
Trump's New Drug Pricing Plan Isn't "The Best Deal" For Patients
President Trump will soon unveil a new plan to reduce drug prices.
With Coronavirus, Trump White House Should Revive Drug Rebate Reform
High out of pocket costs likely won't be an issue when a treatment for the coronavirus becomes available. Based on past epidemics, it's probable the government will direct patients to receive a vaccine without having to hand over a copay to an insurance company.
Thank This Obscure Law for a Potential Coronavirus Vaccine
According to the Milken Institute, over 70 treatments for COVID-19 are already in clinical trials or progressing toward clinical trials. Several of the inventions behind this flurry of activity resulted from government funded research in U.S. universities.
America Needs Non-Profits Now More Than Ever
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the country to a crawl. Lawmakers and consumers alike are rightly worried about the economic security of shuttered bars, restaurants, and retail locations. But many have largely ignored the nation's charities.
Washington Wants to Forfeit Our Best Weapon Against Coronavirus
Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) and several senior House lawmakers recently announced a plan to impose price controls and seize patents on any COVID-19 vaccines and treatments in development. They vowed to strike down any emergency stimulus packages excluding such measures.
Crack Down on China—But Do It Wisely
The Chinese Communist Party poses a dire threat to America and the rest of the free world. Party leadership actively covered up the initial coronavirus outbreak -- and even persecuted doctors who tried to warn the public. China's leaders hoarded masks and other medical supplies, which resulted in shortages of personal protective equipment in the United States.
Helping Unemployed Americans
Unemployed Americans need cash. We go to work in return for a paycheck. With unemployment we lose the paycheck. It's a simple but very painful formula for millions of Americans.
The Problem with Inheritance Taxes
A recent opinion piece in The New York Times, "Tax the Rich and Their Heirs — more fairly," was both reassuring and refreshing. It was reassuring to know that policy debates about relatively prosaic public policy issues continue to be debated, even though the country is convulsed with violent unrest and pandemic-related stresses. It is refreshing that the tone of the writer, New York University law professor Lily Batchelder, was measured and civil at a time when so much writing is shrill and strident.
