The new Wal-Mart is not new enough
Wal-Mart has done some good environmental work reducing the use of plastics. And it has improved store workers’ compensation a bit. But there’s something really unpleasant about how it continues to beat down the world’s workers while enriching Sam Walton’s heirs to obscene levels.
WHEN EVEN CHINESE WORKERS AREN’T CHEAP ENOUGH
Sad, sad Arbor Day in the American South
Today is Arbor Day. When I wrote my Arbor Day column at the beginning of the week, the devastation from tornadoes had not reached the horrendous level of Thursday.
Hundreds of human lives were lost and must be properly mourned. Eventually, thoughts should go to replacing the many toppled great trees that make up the South’s natural heritage.
WHEN TREES ARE GONE WITH THE WIND
Tags: Alabama, environment, Louisiana, Tennessee, trees
A better way to curb Medicare spending
Medicare is a beloved but dumb check-writing machine. It pays for most any treatment that works and rarely asks whether an older therapy would do the job just as well for less money. Comparative effectiveness research could be used to make such inquiries and save Medicare from becoming a defined benefit.
CURBING MEDICARE COSTS WITHOUT VOUCHERS
Tags: health care, Medicare, Washington
The beaten down American dream
The difference between poor and rich countries is that the latter tax those with high incomes and regulate various activities. Republicans would take away the amenities that make our rich-country way of life — all on the false claim that there are no other choices.
AMERICA IS NOT A THIRD WORLD COUNTRY…YET
Tags: economy, environment, health care, Obama, politics, Republicans, taxes
Charity promotes Bristol Palin and slutty clothes
The hoo-hah over the $262,500 a charity paid Bristol Palin to talk about the “devastating consequences” of teen pregnancy — while giving bona fide groups that really deal with problems only $35,000 — doesn’t touch the most appalling aspect of the story. The charity, the Candie’s Foundation, is run by the people who produce slutty clothes for young teens. What a culture!
AS AMERICA’S CULTURE HURTLES INTO DECLINE
GOP Medicare plan a no-go
The House Republican plan for Medicare is a political document intended to mollify those Tea Partiers who understand that Medicare is a government welfare program. Paul Ryan’s blueprint is fiscally honest, but not nice. And it’s going nowhere.
THE GOP PLAN FOR MEDICARE IS NOT NICE
Tags: health care, Medicare, Republicans, Washington
The ocean wins in South Florida
The beachfront condo owners on Singer Island pressed Palm Beach County to build breakwaters to stop the ocean from taking away their sand. The county said “no” in what is a victory for the environment, taxpayers and common sense.
Tags: beaches, environment, Florida, politics
The consistently unwholesome Newt Gingrich
You’ve got to give Newt credit for consistency. Nothing he does is wholesome.
His bankrolling by a Vegas executive under investigation by the feds — as reported by NBC’s Michael Isikoff — makes Newt’s serial wife trade-ins seem sweet by comparison
Tags: Nevada, Newt Gingrich, politics, Republicans
