BlogHide Resteemsdigitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoAll demand and no supply in American health care policy debateAs I worked on my forms for open enrollment, I took note of the differences in costs for each health care insurance plan. Yes, I have a day job. And there were only two plans offered by my employer…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoIt's hard to be United States as a nation of winners and losersTrounced. Defeated. Beat back. Captured control. A partisan air war. Winners and losers. That is a quick summary of the election headlines. Abuse, war and winners and losers. Punishment and reward.…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoAn emotional guide to the midterm electionsI have been paying close attention to the emotional vitriol of the election news and the social media. It's a huge sales job that deflects from a systemic problem with American politics. The problem…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoProportional representation and the end of political dominanceAfter watching the antics of both dominant political parties in America for the last 3 years, I've arrived at something that seems like an obvious conclusion: Dominance is mutually exclusive from…digitalfirehose (58)in life • 6 years agoWaiting for sleep to find meI can fall asleep nearly anywhere, if I must. I've let myself catch a wink in an airport, on the plane, in class, at my desk, and in a noisy room. I have found that there are a few simple rules for…digitalfirehose (58)in life • 6 years agoScarier than Halloween: the loss of 60% of animal life on the planetLike millions of other parents, I took my kids out Trick or Treating last night. I saw some great costumes, tricked out houses and mobs of kids going door to door in a neighborhood that I have…digitalfirehose (58)in humanity • 6 years agoA simple case for universal health careUniversal health care is inevitable. The General Welfare clause of the Constitution permits it, so it will only be a matter of time and political will. If universal health care were not permitted by…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoThere's more to the race between Beto O'Rourke and Ted Cruz in TexasDemocrat Beto O'Rourke is in a tight race with Senator Ted Cruz, for a seat in the United States Senate. Some polling shows that Beto is or has been within 4 points of Ted Cruz, and that represents…digitalfirehose (58)in food • 6 years agoDiscomfort FoodThis is a long post due to my enthusiasm for what I've discovered. You might have already figured this stuff out by now. TL;DNR: Removing flour from your diet and replacing it with whole, fresh…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoRetaliation is not a political argument in favor of your causeI have been surveying the headlines of the latest mailbomber, a man who has been caught mailing bombs to critics of President Donald Trump. Once again, we are treated to a display of violence in…digitalfirehose (58)in life • 6 years agoOn the discomfort of looking outside for happinessFor the last year or so, I've been watching problems in my life solve themselves. I can't explain how it happens, but it happens. I've seen difficult people suddenly become easier to deal with. I've…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoWhat does a Charmin lovin' bear have to do with politics?So last night, I was watching a speech by Bernie Sanders, you know, that disheveled Senator from Vermont. God, how I love him. Every time he speaks, I am reminded of big money in politics. I am…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoAmerican aristocracy is diametrically opposed to accountabilityIn the past month, I read a few very interesting articles on what appears to be an aristocracy in America. First, there is "The 9.9 Percent Is the New American Aristocracy", a long, thorough…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoHow pop culture perpetuates the myth of change at the topI just finished watching Luke Cage on Netflix. There is some great writing and some not so great writing in it. There are moments where I had a hard time suspending disbelief in the plot and the…digitalfirehose (58)in life • 6 years agoHow I learned to stop keeping score and let goI don't keep score anymore. I've tried and it really doesn't work. I don't worry about getting back at people who have done me wrong. I keep my side of the street clean. I err on the side of peace…digitalfirehose (58)in anarchy • 6 years agoThe correlation between child abuse and corruptionChildren are the greatest imitators on earth. Whatever I do, my kids will do. We're built to learn that way. Everything a child knows how to do, all of that was learned from someone else. Walking…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoA thought experiment: a sleight of hand to confirm KavanaughAs many of you may be painfully or happily aware as the case may be, Brett Kavanaugh has been confirmed and sworn in as an associate justice to the Supreme Court. I don't feel pain or happiness with…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoTrump's culture of punishment and rewardAs I watch the men in the US Senate revel in the spoils of the victory they handed to Brett Kavanaugh, I have to wonder exactly what it is that they are celebrating. Did they celebrate victory over…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoBig money in politics is really an exchange of rights for privilegeThe same men who claim to believe in God also believe that God loves them even if they have to lie, cheat and steal to nab a 5th seat on the Supreme Court. 92% of Congress is Christian. Most of…digitalfirehose (58)in politics • 6 years agoHow we've all been played: Kavanaugh was just one part of Trump's negative campaignWith Brett Kavanaugh confirmed and sworn in as a new Supreme Court Justice, Bernie Sanders must be rolling his eyes right about now. He knows that Trump is the master of the negative campaign, and…