OUR DAILY FOCUS on Donald Trump’s narcissistic behavior diverts attention from something much more significant: the likelihood that his presidency may constitute an important historical transition for the United States. It is obvious that the election of Trump represented a departure from the norm. It is not obvious that his departure from the presidency will represent […]
Edward M Murphy
Edward M. Murphy worked in state government from 1979-1995, serving as the commissioner of the Department of Youth Services, commissioner of the Department of Mental Health, and executive director of the Health and Educational Facilities Authority. He recently retired as CEO and chairman of one of the country’s largest providers of services to people with disabilities.
Posted inOpinion
Millionaire tax wrong way to play Robin Hood
THE MILLIONAIRE TAX is a brilliantly marketed bad idea. It’s hard not to find appeal in the concept of higher taxes on top earners when income disparity has grown dramatically in recent years. An additional boost to that feeling comes from the new federal tax bill calculated to benefit plutocrats and further aggravate disparity. Federal […]
Posted inOpinion
Humira, a money-making machine, rolls on
IT IS WELL ESTABLISHED that US healthcare expenditures are dramatically higher than any other developed country by all measures. The total amount spent, the per capita cost, and the percentage of GDP consumed by healthcare are the highest here even though health outcomes are average and access is far from universal. The reasons for this […]
Posted inOpinion
Drugs are best treatment for opioid abuse
THE OPIOID ADDICTION crisis in the United States has prompted leaders at the state and federal level to promise more money, new laws, and greater focus on the problem. That focus is needed but so far the policy goals lack clear definition. Even as attention on the problem has ramped up, we have continued to […]
Posted inEnvironment
Health insurers, despite anxiety, are doing well
Daily newspaper headlines report that the nation’s health insurance companies are anxious about the future and may seek rate increases to protect themselves. Rate increases would seem logical, given uncertainty arising from paralysis in Congress and President Trump’s repeated threats to withhold Obamacare subsidies. But a look at the recent financial filings of publicly traded health insurers shows that the high level of insurer anxiety is not arising from their […]
Posted inHealth Care
Deregulated health care not the answer
THE UNITED STATES has by far the most expensive health care system in the world. We spent $3.35 trillion, almost 18 percent of GDP and more than $10,000 per person, on health costs last year. The next highest country, Switzerland, spends approximately $7,000 per capita. France, Canada, Australia, and the UK spend about half of […]
Posted inHealth Care
Red states dodge a Medicaid bullet
REPUBLICANS IN WASHINGTON couldn’t cobble together enough votes in March from their own party to repeal and replace Obamacare. President Trump learned that health care is more complicated than he thought and quickly put the Affordable Care Act in his rearview mirror. House Republicans, who had symbolically voted dozens of times to repeal the ACA, […]
Posted inMicrophilanthropy
Running away from homelessness
Microphilanthropy is an occasional feature that calls attention to small acts of generosity that people do for the benefit of others and highlights little-known needs that could benefit from generosity, even on a small scale. GOVERNMENT POLICY MAKERS, community activists, and social workers have designed many different programs with the goal of avoiding or remedying […]
Posted inEconomy, Opinion, Politics
Dump the millionaire tax
FORTY-THREE STATES IN this country tax the income of their citizens in some form. Of the states that tax wages, only eight, including Massachusetts, use a single rate rather than a graduated rate. That century-old policy is the main reason why in 2018 the Commonwealth’s voters will likely face a ballot question seeking to impose a […]
Posted inEducation, Microphilanthropy
Contributing to debate
Microphilanthropy is an occasional feature that calls attention to small acts of generosity that people do for the benefit of others and highlights little-known needs that could benefit from generosity, even on a small scale. IF YOU WENT to a high school with reasonable resources, there was almost certainly a debate team. It’s possible the […]