politics
Politics does not dictate our collective cultural mindset as much as it simply reflects it; We've got to look in the mirror sometimes, and we've got one.
Do We Need General Philosophy to Argue for Anarchism?
Generally arguments for anarchy rely on philosophy of rights and ethics. Proudhon's discussion on property is a good example. Similarly Ayn Rand argued for limited government, due to the consequence of large government violating our fundamental rights. The problem with using such general philosophical arguments is that it can be very difficult to build a common foundation. As far as I see it, government violates the basic rights of bodily autonomy and selective inaction, but justifying that vision to others requires that they understand rights in the same way that I do.
By Daniel Goldman6 years ago in The Swamp
EXTROVERTED CAPITALISM: DRUG PRICE REGULATIONS AND KARL MARX
One of the biggest topics in the media around the world is something that affects everyone across age, class and racial divides - health care. Many studies have been done on the cost of prescription drugs and the price differences between several different nations. The relative significance of this issue in the public domain has varied. This issue surfaced in the United States during the debates over the creation of Medicare. In those debates, many people wanted to add prescription drugs to the program. The program only covers drugs administered in hospitals, and is most often used for elderly American citizens. This debate is often between those forces advocating a complete laissez-faire approach to drug pricing, pitted against individuals who desire strict federal price controls. Even though there is no consensus on how to measure the prices of drugs, there has been a few studies done by a variety of different companies and government organizations. And the results differ from study to study for example, the 1992 GAO report also showed that during the 1980s, average drug price increases were triple the inflation rate. Another study found that median price increases between 1985 and 1991 of a basket of 29 drugs increased 124.8% while the CPI increased only 26.2%. These studies just encouraged the citizens of the United States to push harder for prescription drugs to be put into the medicare program. There are a lot of factors in these studies, such as inflation rates, drug usage, what year(s) its held, and how often the drug is purchased. The general inflation rate from 1980 to 1990 was 58%; the rate for drugs was 152%, and a study determined that the fifty drugs most frequently used by seniors increased at more than twice the rate of inflation. For instance the drug Lorazepam, used in the treatment of Parkinson’s Disease and some convulsive illnesses, the price of the drug increased 179 times the inflation rate during the period of the study. A handful of studies compared the prices between a few different nations. A GAO study indicated that Americans pay 32% more for a basket of 121 drugs than Canadians do, and when it comes to the price of antidepressants Americans pay between 1.7 , and 2.9 times more for these drugs than Europeans. Americans pay much more than citizens of other nations, and prices rise substantially faster than inflation. Americans use fewer drugs in response to the higher list prices, the cheaper European prices mean that those citizens are using more drugs, often unnecessarily, simply because they are cheaper. The one thing these studies do not take into account is improvements in drug quality. Using all of the evidence above I believe that drug price regulation in the United States is necessary.
By Danika Parsons6 years ago in The Swamp
Letter From the Democratic Plantation
I argue on the Internet with what I'll lump together and call Republicans. Most of them are indeed registered Republicans although some prefer only to be called Conservative or Libertarian. As far as I know, I'm the only black regular among the group but being the Internet, you can't say for sure.
By William Spivey6 years ago in The Swamp
It's Time to Tell Trump and His Supporters They're Full of Shit
Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden caused a bit of an uproar when he told an auto worker he was "full of shit" during a campaign stop in Detroit on March 10th. While many on the right (and some on the left) thought he should have restrained himself, I -- not being the biggest Biden fan in the country -- felt immense relief that someone was finally saying what needed to be said.
By Cecil Adkins6 years ago in The Swamp
A Storm in a Yorkshire Teacup
This week, one of my all-time favourite brands, Yorkshire Tea, were the innnocent victims of the twitter mob. This arose when the newly-appointed Conservative party chancellor, Rishi Sunak, tweeted a photo of himself making a cup of Yorkshire Tea in celebration of his promotion.
By Matty Long6 years ago in The Swamp
The Ultimate Battle Royale: Biden vs Trump
Now that Mini Super Tuesday is done and it looks like former VP Joe Biden will be the Democrat who will go up against Trump in November for the ultimate prize: The presidency of the United States. This is much to the chagrin of many Bernie Sanders supporters who thought that their guy was a shoe in. Turns out he wasn't.
By Chris Hearn6 years ago in The Swamp
Connecticut Proves That Science Can Win Legal Battles
A bill that was aimed at banning the keeping of cetaceans in zoological facilities in Connecticut failed to make it onto the state’s Environmental Committee’s Agenda and will likely remain dead for the rest of the year. The bill, dubbed “CT-5341”, would have banned Connecticut-based zoos and aquariums from keeping cetacean species such as beluga whales, dolphins, and orcas for any given purpose in favor of more “ethical” practices.
By Jenna Deedy6 years ago in The Swamp
Jesse Jackson Disses 'Moderate' Joe Biden, Endorses Bernie Sanders
On Sunday, March 8, 2020, the Rev. Jesse Jackson gave a full-throated endorsement of Democratic Party presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT). This defining imprimatur comes just before both Tuesday’s pivotal primary in Michigan and the Illinois primary on March 17. Both states feature significant numbers of African American voters, who may be crucial, if not definitive, in determining both the Democratic Party’s nominee and the direction of the party itself for the foreseeable future.
By HERBERT DYER6 years ago in The Swamp
A True Presidential Landslide Is Impossible to Win
Pundits from both sides are predicting a Trump landslide in 2020 if the Democrats nominate a socialist and communist sympathizer with Bernie Sanders. The Left is so dug in with their hate of President Trump that it won’t matter. Politicians on the Left support his radical ideas but don’t have the guts to say it. That’s why Sanders is so popular and the Left will vote for anyone but Trump.
By Gregory Alan6 years ago in The Swamp
