Impacts of Health Care Bill on Washington State

By Roger Stark, MD
Health Care Policy Analyst
January 2010

U.S. House and Senate Democrats have passed two sweeping 2,000 page bills that would fundamentally and dramatically change our health care. There are significant differences between the two bills, but the more moderate Senate bill has the best chance of passing through the conference committee and being signed by the President. Both bills passed on a strict party-line vote, with essentially no support from minority Republicans.

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Baird Equates Town Hall Protesters to Tim McVeigh

Yesterday it was “lynch mobs” and “Brown Shirts” who wanted to “ambush” him. Today, it’s domestic terrorists:

Baird speaking with Rachel Maddow on MSNBC.

Please Give me my Money Back, Bruno

By Brendan Woodward

As a mid-twenties single white male, I represent the target demographic for Sacha Baron Cohen’s new movie “Bruno.” The mockumentary about an Austrian fashion designer was promoted as a follow up to the irreverent character chicanery in Cohen’s hit film “Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan.” However, after viewing the film and conferring with other theatre goers I want my money back.

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Gipson: The “Public Option” and Small Businesses

By Carl Gipson

For years, the number one policy issue for small businesses has been how to afford health care for their employees. In today’s economy, if you want high-quality workers, as a business owner you must offer health insurance benefits. But years of skyrocketing premiums have made this option difficult, particularly for small businesses.

Unfortunately, some small business owners are falling for the latest health care reform bait and switch – the “public option” plan. There is no doubt that the status quo is not good enough for employers, employees or the health care industry in general. Health care costs continue to jump year after year towards an unsustainable future. Not only are employers, especially in Washington state, handcuffed because they are limited in the choice of health benefits they can offer their employees, but employees suffer from the same lack of choice and control over their own health care.

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Finne: How to Make Education Outrageously Better

By Liv Finne

The troubles of the nation’s schools have caught the attention of software innovator and philanthropist Scott Oki.  In his thoughtful new book, Outrageous Learning:  An Education Manifesto, Foundational Thoughts on Reforming our Public Schools, published by Washington Policy Center, Scott describes the ills facing public schools and coolly applies the same frank, no-nonsense analysis which made him one of the most successful executives at Microsoft and a recognized leader in the technology world.

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