Sunday, January 05, 2003

Also from the NY Times, another big shift in the US, this time in health care. I predict this proposal is the beginning of universal health care coverage in the US. There's no doubt that our system is a mess. There's also no doubt that as the wealthiest nation on Earth, it's a crime to let anyone go without proper health care. Senator Breaux's proposal to require purchased health insurance for everyone is a good starting point. The trick is to get the maximum number of middlemen out of the delivery process, which IMHO is the major reason our system is so screwed up today - the dollars get siphoned off between my payment and the MDs and nurses who actually deliver the goods. I believe this will be a major legacy of the baby boom generation - institution of some form of universal coverage. About time, but as always, the devil is in the details. 8:39:06 AM

Today's NY Times article about water in Socal is a big deal. Population pressure in Socal is immense, and if you constrain the water here, well...let's just say that one of the most expensive places to live just got more expensive. As a realist, it's about time. How can we possibly rationalize 17 million people living in a place with no fresh water? Plus, we waste water here as if it were free and plentiful. I have no doubt that things will change here, possibly quickly. The politicians will waste no time raising the price consumers pay for water. 8:19:35 AM

© Copyright 2003 Jeff Nichols.