2:00PM Water Cooler 7/17/2024
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, pandemics; Crooks remains an enigma; unelecting Biden: irresistable force, immovable object; Republican National Convention and J.D. Vance; how to sing ~
Read more...Readers, I have had a correspondent characterize my views as realistic cynical. Let me briefly explain them. I believe in universal programs that provide concrete material benefits, especially to the working class. Medicare for All is the prime example, but tuition-free college and a Post Office Bank also fall under this heading. So do a Jobs Guarantee and a Debt Jubilee. Clearly, neither liberal Democrats nor conservative Republicans can deliver on such programs, because the two are different flavors of neoliberalism (“Because markets”). I don’t much care about the “ism” that delivers the benefits, although whichever one does have to put common humanity first, as opposed to markets. Could be a second FDR saving capitalism, democratic socialism leashing and collaring it, or communism razing it. I don’t much care, as long as the benefits are delivered. To me, the key issue — and this is why Medicare for All is always first with me — is the tens of thousands of excess “deaths from despair,” as described by the Case-Deaton study, and other recent studies. That enormous body count makes Medicare for All, at the very least, a moral and strategic imperative. And that level of suffering and organic damage makes the concerns of identity politics — even the worthy fight to help the refugees Bush, Obama, and Clinton’s wars created — bright shiny objects by comparison. Hence my frustration with the news flow — currently in my view the swirling intersection of two, separate Shock Doctrine campaigns, one by the Administration, and the other by out-of-power liberals and their allies in the State and in the press — a news flow that constantly forces me to focus on matters that I regard as of secondary importance to the excess deaths. What kind of political economy is it that halts or even reverses the increases in life expectancy that civilized societies have achieved? I am also very hopeful that the continuing destruction of both party establishments will open the space for voices supporting programs similar to those I have listed; let’s call such voices “the left.” Volatility creates opportunity, especially if the Democrat establishment, which puts markets first and opposes all such programs, isn’t allowed to get back into the saddle. Eyes on the prize! I love the tactical level, and secretly love even the horse race, since I’ve been blogging about it daily for fourteen years, but everything I write has this perspective at the back of it.
~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, pandemics; Crooks remains an enigma; unelecting Biden: irresistable force, immovable object; Republican National Convention and J.D. Vance; how to sing ~
Read more...~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; Keystone Cops at Trump’s assassination attempt; unelecting Biden effort continues privately; the Republican National Convention and J.D. Vance ~
Read more...~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; Judge Cannon throws out Smith’s case; Trump’s would-be assassin appeared in a Blackrock ad; unelecting Biden: how’s that going? Bird flu~
Read more...The cost-effective investments in healthcare infrastructure disproportionately benefited historically marginalised groups, had long-run benefits, and complemented, rather than substituted, medical innovation.
Read more...The iconic photo, the shooter, the venue, the thooting, cui bono, and some of the more humane responses to Trump’s attempted assassination
Read more...The Department of Health and Human Services’ resilience policy undermines efforts to prevent climate disaster.
Read more...~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; Flexians at “the Committee to Unelect the President”; festival of Biden ~
Read more...~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics; syndemics; festival of Biden! ~
Read more...~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, Syndemics; Trump VP picks; Biden’s wall of Black support; Pelosi: “Not so fast!” ~
Read more...~ Today’s Water Cooler: Politics, syndemics; New Covid charts (no good news at all); Biden on Morning Joe; open processes to replacing Biden; the Enneagram ~
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