Howard’s Dean’s assessment of the Senate’s health care bill is so negative, if he were a U.S. Senator, Dean says, he would vote against the bill. If Howard Dean were actually a U.S. senator, it’s hard to think that he would really stand against Sanders and Feingold, and other senators of integrity, and actually cause the Senate health bill to fail. A person with no actual power can make easy boasts.

But what Dean is accusing is disturbing, because Dean is an expert about health care and, I believe, has good motives.  Dean is obviously upset by what he sees as

…continue reading the article Senator Paul Kirk Disputes Howard Dean’s “Health Bill Does More Harm Than Good” Condemnation

Today’s DDN editorial, “Ohio’s GOP Senate to blame if cuts come” describes the needed postponement of the 4.2% income tax cut as “significant and painful.” According to the Chillicothe Gazette, Republicans in the Ohio Senate have agreed to a deal to postpone the 4.2% tax. The immediate budget crisis will be temporarily solved — by this two year delay.  Calling this temporary solution “significant and painful” seems an exaggeration — compared to the hard budget decisions that within two years will need to be accomplished.

Ohio is at the point where it must deal with the whole question of taxation.

…continue reading the article Ohio’s Budget Crisis: Ohio Must Find A Way To Make Its Total Tax System More Fair, More Progressive

Last night, I attended the December meeting Christmas Party of the Montgomery County Central Committee at Democratic HQ on Wilknson Street.

During the business meeting, the Central Committee voted to implement a provision of Ohio Revised Code that allows the party to simplify the requirements for Central Committee candidacy.  Previously, in order to qualify as a candidate for the Central Committee, prospective candidates were required to file a petition with the signature of five registered Democrats living in the candidates precinct.  Because of last night’s vote, this signature requirement has been nullified.

For the May, 2010 Democratic Primary, Central Committee candidates will

…continue reading the article Montgomery County Democrats Vote To Eliminate Petition Requirement For Central Committee Candidates

Robert Reich in his blog expresses disappointment over the Senate’s emerging health care legislation.  Reich says the legislation, if enacted, would create monopolies and would mean a continuing escalation of health care costs: “We end up with a system that’s based on private insurers that have no incentive whatsoever to control their costs or the costs of pharmaceutical companies and medical providers.”

Reich says, “Without some mechanism forcing private insurers to compete, we’re going to end up with a national health care system that’s controlled by a handful of very large corporations accountable neither to American voters nor to the market.” 

…continue reading the article Robert Reich: Senate Health Care Bill Creates Monopoly For Health Insurers With No Incentive To Control Costs

The Peace Museum is planning a special public meeting tomorrow, December 10, that will include listening as a group to President Obama’s acceptance speech for the Nobel Peace Prize.  (See text of Obama’s acceptance speech  here.) The fact that President Obama is expanding the war in Afghanistan by over 30,000 soldiers makes a strange counter-point to his acceptance of a “Peace Prize.”

I received an e-mail from Gary Steiger with a copy of the letter below.  Gary made these comments:

For a “peace museum” that never declared its opposition to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan I hope this is a turning

…continue reading the article President Obama To Receive Nobel “Peace Prize” — While Simultaneously Advancing War In Afghanistan

David Brooks in his NYT article, “An Innovation Agenda,” is recommending an agenda that would help government “steer and spark innovation without controlling it.”  He outlines nine actions he would like to see the government take in order to stimulate the economy:

Push hard to fulfill the Obama administration’s education reforms. Those reforms, embraced by Republicans and Democrats, encourage charter school innovation, improve teacher quality, support community colleges and simplify finances for college students and war veterans. That’s the surest way to improve human capital.
Pay for basic research. Federal research money has been astonishingly productive, leading to DNA sequencing, semiconductors, lasers

…continue reading the article David Brooks: Nine Actions Government Should Take To Stimulate The Economy By Stimulating Innovation