House Passes Behemoth Build Back Better
The House passed the $1.7 trillion Build Back Better Act early on Friday morning, sending the bill to the Senate where it faces an uncertain future. The House passed H.R. 5376, the Build Back Better Act, which is the Democrats’ reconciliation infrastructure bill. The bill passed 220-213, with overwhelming Democrat support, and strong Republican opposition to the bill. Only one Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME), a ...
Final Presidential Debate before 2020 Presidential Election: Donald Trump vs. China Joe
President Trump trounced Joe Biden during their final debate Thursday night in Nashville, Tennessee. It wasn’t even close. Biden was looking at his watch because he couldn’t wait to get the hell out of the ring (I’m also told the debate took place in the middle of a Matlock marathon.) I was looking at my watch because I didn’t want it to end. A quick word on ...
Paper: The Oligarch Takeover of US Pharma and Healthcare – And the Resulting Human Crisis
The United States runs the by far biggest and most bloated healthcare sector in the world when measured as a share of the total economy. Its annual value was $3.7 trillion, amounting to 17.9% of GDP (2018). That is nearly double the average of developed Western countries (as a share of GDP). The enormous expense does not buy Americans any better health than the Europeans get ...
WSJ Report: Google’s ‘Project Nightingale’ Gathers Personal Health Data on Millions of Americans
Google is facing a federal investigation after a report that revealed the tech giant was working on a project to collect health data on millions of Americans. Google partnered with Ascension, the second-largest health care system in the U.S., in an effort to create software using artificial intelligence (AI) technology to analyze patient information and give people recommendations to improve their health as part of a not-so-secret project titled ...
Federal judge strikes down rule allowing clinicians to object to abortions for moral or religious reasons
A federal judge in New York on Wednesday struck down a new Trump administration rule that would have allowed health care clinicians to refuse to provide abortions for moral or religious reasons. U.S. District Judge of the Southern District of New York rejected the federal rule after women's groups, health organizations and multiple states sued the Department of Health and Human Services, arguing the exemptions were ...
Report: New drug-pricing data shows stunning hikes—one whopping 667% increase
Big Pharma’s business model is working great…for them. They are racking in billions getting people hooked on their drugs and then hiking the prices up 667% in some cases. According to ARS Technica, new drug-pricing data is showing massive and stunning hikes. One drug’s price has risen by a whopping 667%. This price hike is well over the cost of inflation. By law, drug makers are ...
A New Study Discovers Two-Thirds Of All Bankruptcies In The United States Are Primarily Caused By Medical Bills
Our health insurance system is theoretically supposed to prevent Americans from going bankrupt when they are hit by huge medical bills. But in case after case, that is simply not happening. Even though more Americans are “covered by health insurance” than ever before, a new study has found that “about 530,000 families each year are financially ruined by medical bills and sicknesses”, and most of those ...
President Trump 2019 State of the Union Speech
Madam Speaker, Mr. Vice President, Members of Congress, the First Lady of the United States, and my fellow Americans: We meet tonight at a moment of unlimited potential. As we begin a new Congress, I stand here ready to work with you to achieve historic breakthroughs for all Americans. Millions of our fellow citizens are watching us now, gathered in this great chamber, hoping that we ...
U.S. Office of Management and Budget Report: In fiscal year 2018, $137 billion was paid “improperly” by the federal government
(by Veronique de Rugy via The American Institute for Economic Research) In fiscal year 2018, $137 billion was paid “improperly” by the federal government, according to a recent report. That number sums all the improper payments by what the government calls high-priority programs. They are programs with improper-payments estimates exceeding $2 billion annually. If it makes your head spin, it should. Always the optimist, I have ...
President Trump Chooses Brett Kavanaugh for Next Supreme Court Justice
President Trump announced he’s nominating appeals court Judge Brett Kavanaugh to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, as Justice Anthony Kennedy prepares to step down. Kavanaugh, 53, who serves on the DC court of appeals, was high up on the list of possible choices for the president, and has been criticized from both sides of the aisle. Kavanaugh worked for both Bush presidents, and former Virginia attorney ...
