Issues Now!

Is Medicare the right model for a public health insurance option, or is the Veteran's Administration hospital system better? Both sides of that argument make good points. But before we wade into the details that will be hashed out in the coming weeks, don't lose sight of the goal of the public health insurance option.

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Recently, some policy experts have called for a “compromise” approach on universal health care that would involve state-based public plans designed to mimic state self-insured health plans or a government contract with one or more private insurers to administer claims. Neither approach would achieve the cost savings nor delivery system changes that a truly national public plan could.

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More than 7.2 million U.S. jobs are dependent on a healthy U.S. auto parts supply chain. What’s needed to strengthen the automotive supply chain and revitalize American manufacturing are policies that get America back to work.

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For years Larry Summers and I had a running argument over industrial policy. He argued that governments can't pick winners and losers. My view was that as an industrial nation we would inevitably make decisions that involved picking winners and losers. Well, now that the U.S. government owns the banks, insurance, and auto companies with Larry as the chief winner and loser picker, that whole discussion has become moot.

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Please America, let's take a rehab from fossil fuels. By reviewing the 12-step program developed in 1935 by Alcoholics Anonymous, I have created 12 steps the United States and the American people must take to alleviate this addiction and truly reach eco-freedom and environmental justice.

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David Roberts argues that it appears right now a small step on climate change is all we can take. But did it have to be so? And will it always, especially when we don't have time for only small steps if we are to avert a climate crisis?

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In response to Dean Baker: I would like to see the White House and the Congress working toward a comprehensive regulatory overhaul this very minute. What I don’t think we should do is rush the reform process through as an explicit response to this crisis.

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If we didn't live in the world we actually live in, putting Wall Street reform on hold until we fix the immediate problems with the banks might make sense. But in the world we do live in, it is precisely because the banks have an immediate problem that there is some hope of reining them in. Here's why putting that off would lead to failure.

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Dean Baker has expertly provided the economic case for ending taxpayer-funded bailouts for Wall Street. But, as we all know, just because something makes sound economic sense does not mean Congress or the White House will change course.

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Let's take Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner at his word. If the banks are strong enough to get through the downturn, then can we end the taxpayer bailouts that were supposedly necessary to keep them afloat?

(This is the first in a series of guest posts on issues that will be addressed at the America's Future Now! conference June 1-3 in Washington.)

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