It has become obvious to all that the "free market" is not free for people who need health care. It is free for insurance companies to gouge, control and manipulate the users so that the companies don't have to pay and are assured a profit. This system is not working for the American people. I could list problems such as: ...more

October 25, 2009

The greenback is as synonymous with the United States as apple pie and Chevrolet. ...more

October 24, 2009

Regarding "Where's world market?" (Letters, July 21): ...more

July 24, 2009

The furnishing of health care as a collateral benefit of one's employment is largely a matter of historical accident rather than logical choice. Early in the development of the organized labor movement in the U.S. medical insurance was advanced as a benefit for employees. Initially, management found this a less expensive alternative than an outright wage increase since it was a contingent rather than absolute expense and could be covered by an insurance plan. Over the years this concept became generally accepted in U.S. employment contracts. Our current economic difficulties, with large numbers of the work force losing their jobs and as a consequence their health insurance demonstrates the illogic of this arrangement. Also, the cost of the insurance makes U.S. companies less competitive in the world market and is a factor in moving business offshore. ...more

March 22, 2009

It's very encouraging to see the Obama administration moving so quickly to address the health care crisis in this nation. That said, I know there are many who fear health care reform and think that it means socialism, limits to care and long waits. The truth is there are many examples of successful universal health care systems in the world, some probably more appealing to conservative Americans than others. And in a country like ours where a person goes bankrupt from health care costs every 30 seconds, it's time to start taking a look at them. In England (what we typically think of as "socialized medicine"), they pay for services through taxes and use a primary physician as a "gatekeeper" to keep costs down, similar to our HMOs. There may be wait times for elective services, but they are a leader in preventative medicine. ...more

March 8, 2009

A British national who started out trying to sell a radioactive isotope from Russia pleaded guilty today to a federal drug charge. ...more

January 20, 2009

The case, a federal appeals court said, "began like something out of a James Bond novel." ...more

August 21, 2008

The case, a federal appeals court said, "began like something out of a James Bond novel." The U.S. investigation of a British national that started with a proposal to sell a component for dirty bombs "morphed into an international drug conspiracy sting," the appeals court said. This week, the court overturned the drug conspiracy conviction of Christopher Benbow, 64, who was sentenced last year in Tampa to life in prison. ...more

August 20, 2008

With the price at the pump rising past four dollars a gallon and no end in sight, everyone's favorite "Gee I wish" is for cheaper gas prices. This is surely to be desired. Regretfully, relief is more of an illusion than an achievable reality, especially in the short run. Since it is about to be dragged into the presidential campaign, it might be useful to examine a few unpleasant aspects of the reality. To the man on the street, the dream of energy independence has been equated to gasoline cheap enough for him to continue to operate his gas hog, 12-miles-to-the-gallon SUV into the future. ...more

June 12, 2008