The Jimmy Kimmel Test (And More)

HEALTH CARE:

According to Politico, Jimmy Kimmel — not Senator Cassidy — is right about his health care bill.  It is a disaster.  Read or watch.

Until we get a sensible single-payer system like the rest of the First World countries on earth, why not just make two changes to the Affordable Care Act?  (1) Add a further 2% to the tax on investment income above $1 million — which would still leave the rate lower than what we had when Ronald Reagan left office — using that additional cash to lower co-pays and deductibles.  (2) Require Medicare and Medicaid to negotiate prescription drug prices (which they are currently prohibited from doing).

HURRICANES:

According to Neil DeGrasse Tyson, in six minutes with Fareed Zakaria, we are in deep trouble.  Read or watch.

Only the Republicans don’t seem to get it.  But that matters, because at the moment they control all three branches of government.

AND, JUST TO ADD TO YOUR WEEKEND FUN:

According to this completely riveting story in the New Yorker, “An earthquake will destroy a sizable portion of the coastal Northwest . . . the worst natural disaster in the history of the continent. The question is when.”  Read (too scary to watch).

I have no prescription for this one, except to take every day as a total, miraculous gift.