[Christian Science Monitor | Top Stories]

The following comments on this article by D. Remer of Political News & Analysis:

The article states that less than 50% of diabetics, heart attack victims and pneumonia patients receive the appropriate care for the their condidtion according to professionals in the field. Research cited in the article also states that between 48,000 and 98,000 patients die each year in hospitals as a result of medical errors.

I do believe this is the capitalist free market health care system that sets the US apart from most other western nations. It would appear that it's self-interest profit goals are not the only fact that sets our system apart from others. We pay the highest dollar for medical care and get perhaps the worst treatment overall. That at least seems to be the implied conclusion after reading the Rand's research paper on the US Health System.

8:30:17 PM  Google It!  

It was said to be the first time that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's so-called "death penalty" on power sellers was imposed. By The Associated Press. [New York Times: NYT HomePage]

David Remer of Political News & Analysis comments:

Note the following excerpt:

California and several Western utilities have since argued that the long-term prices were closely tied to the short-term, or spot, prices that the commission has said were manipulated by Enron and other companies.

The state has renegotiated long-term contracts initially worth about $30 billion.

Wood and Commissioner Nora Brownell -- the commission's two Republicans -- voted to uphold the remaining $12 billion in contracts, saying that California was a willing partner and employed savvy negotiators.

Do the Republican commissoner's really expect people to see justice in this? There was no way California could have known at the time that the prices negotiated for long term contracts were illegally and deceptively pushed higher by conspiracy on the part of Enron and some 40 other company's involved in price fixing through illegal and secret means. Looks like these Republicans are looking for more oil company campaign contributions for 2004, I certainly would not give them a cent. 

7:30:19 PM  Google It!  

[New York Times: NYT HomePage]

D. Remer of Poliitcal News & Analysis comments: The first step to successful embezzlement is to hide some of the profits. While this article does not lay any claim or speculation in this direction, there is a bigger story here, than Freddie Mac stipulating it was just holding those billions back to pad future years when earnings would be lower. Plausible statement. But, in light of Anderson Accounting Firm's involvement, it seems greater scrutiny is required here. It must be remebered that the tax payers are vulnerable to picking up the tab for fraud and abuse at Freddie Mac, and the public should demand a more detailed investigation.

7:16:12 PM  Google It!  

The Century Foundation Senior Fellow, Ruy Teixeira is co-author of The Emerging Democratic Majority.

Editor's Note: The following is excerpted from an excellent article at TomPaine.Com.

Perhaps this unwelcome publicity is one reason why Bush's glossy approval ratings on foreign policy issues are starting to fall. According to the latest Gallup poll, his approval rating is down 7 points on the Middle East situation, down 10 points on foreign affairs, and down 13 points on the situation with Iraq.

As for further signs of deterioration of the administration's position, a Fox News poll finds an 11 point decline in those who believe going to war with Iraq has been worth it. And the same poll finds that the public is split between those who believe either that Bush, or the intelligence agencies, or both, exaggerated the dangers of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, and those who believe there were no such exaggerations.

6:18:26 PM  Google It!