Yearly Archives: 2003

Health Care

This entry was posted in Health Care on by

There are many factors that drive up the cost of health care. Reuters reports today that cholesterol drugs save 6000 Britons a year. They also report that these drugs cost 91,000 UK pounds per life saved per year and about 547 UK pounds per year for each individual taking the drugs. Somebody has to pay for this.
Normally I would argue with myself that using these drugs also reduced the number of heart operations and provided substantial balancing savings. The article does not provide this supporting data. In fact, it says that over the last 3 years heart operations have increased from 40,983 to 53,000. Somebody has to pay for this.

Iraq

This entry was posted in Iraq on by

While I do not agree with Josh Marshall that there is really a case to take out Saddam I do agree with the two points he raises today:

The administration has already done massive damage to our standing in the world. And they’ve managed to create facts on the ground — intentionally and unintentionally — which make pulling back arguably more dangerous than pushing ahead. The question is no longer what the ideal thing to do is. It’s more aptly described as which of the really bad alternatives is best to choose given the jam the administration has backed us into.

Yes, there has been massive damage done. And it will take years to undo.
And, yes, there is probably an overwhelming perception in the whitehouse that they have committed too much to be able to pull back without firing a shot (of course, we should not forget that they have not stopped firing since the cease fire).