Here’s my Wednesday news blog post, and it ends with some music as usual – some perfect guitar playing today. Today, I discuss the US controversy over M4A and clear up some misunderstandings. Many believe that Medicare for All is no more in America because the ruling party, the Democrats, has largely rejected lobbying attempts. Some who associate themselves with MMT seem to have been advocating a state-based movement to install a single-payer scheme at that level. Does this violate the MMT principles? Some people think so. I do not. This may reflect ignorance of the nature of the industry, but it does not amount to rejecting MMT. Anyway, I’m a federalist and I’ll explain why. I also follow some of the anti-colonial struggles in the Caribbean.
Medicare for All – USA
I’ve received several emails about disputes between activists in the United States who advocate for Medicare for All (M4A) and those who want to install a single-payer health care system.
It appears that the two pursuits are differentiated in that the former puts the struggle at the federal level, correctly observes that the federal government issues dollars, and if sufficient production resources are available or likely to be available, there are sufficient Financial resources to provide such a system are diverted from other less-than-ideal activities.
The latter seem to think that securing the M4A system in the U.S. is hopeless given the large privatized healthcare lobbies and interest groups, Big Pharma, and whatever else is robbing U.S. consumers in the field, so they are promoting them at the state level. activism, looking to pick a few governors and build a limited system at that level.
Reflecting their lack of confidence in M4A’s prospects, they believe that a state with a single-payer system is better than none.
Modern Monetary Theory (MMT) appears to be involved in this debate.
State government sources quoted MMT supporters as saying the fight had to be a state-based one.
Federalists then argued that the statement violated MMT consistency, and the dispute between the two camps was fierce.
This is my idea.
First, this debate has little to do with MMT. It is not a “test case” for MMT. One can understand MMT and still advocate a national single-payer system.
Second, to address these progressive radicals eating each other and getting nothing in the process (why does the left always do this?), there needs to be a study of health economics.
Why?
Because this problem can really only be solved by understanding where the most efficient scale to provide broad-based single-payer health care is.
A cursory look at what would be found if such a study were conducted, which would point in the direction of a federally funded, built and organized system or a federally funded and built system where all States signed up to a single standard code of practice.
I doubt effective scale can be achieved by having 50 different state-based single-payer health systems. Given that federal tax code links all citizens at this level, an administrative shift to a single-payer system is best performed at this level.
Furthermore, states are unlikely to have the strength to resist lobbying by private vested interests for a single-payer system. At that level I suspect, the chances of corruption and captivity are higher.
In addition, progressives should also focus on fairness. If all citizens in California or Washington get a single payment system, but those in Nevada or Idaho don’t, the idea that all Americans are equal before the law becomes irrelevant.
I know that in a divided, corrupt America, the idea of fairness is a dream. But progressives should at least come up with solutions that don’t violate the principle.
Third, the matter can only be resolved through political means. The MMT tells us that the federal government can choose to purchase all available medical resources, while the state governments cannot. Small states will receive worse care than large states.
But it seems the current Democratic administration has absolved itself of interests and responsibilities at the federal level (that damned Pelosi woman told activists to forget about any federal action).
That means activists believe they have more opportunities to let at least one state overstep its power.
Is it a better outcome than nothing when activists have largely given up on fulfilling their aspirations at the (right) federal level?
I do not think so.
The battle is lost once the progressive side of politics bows to conservatives, neoliberals (including Democrats in America) and abandons their ambitions to the point that they go after something inferior but possible.
We’ve seen capitulation time and time again, which is why the left hasn’t made much progress.
Australian Labor Party – more of its own goals
The news today is that Labor, which won a box-office seat in the upcoming Australian federal election (May), is once again scoffing at the citizens they are voting for.
I recently wrote this blog post – The last thing we need is a return to fiscal surpluses and rising household debt (21 February 2022).
I discussed an op-ed by a former senior adviser to a former Labour prime minister who asked Labour to adopt the macroeconomic policies the Conservatives deployed between 1996 and 2007.
These policies created fiscal surpluses as financial markets increased credit for anything that moved, and household sector debt rose from below 100% to 180% (from below 100%).
These policies led to a decline in real wages and a massive reallocation of national income to profits.
This was a disastrous period for macroeconomic policymaking, but the need for capital was met.
We read this morning that the author of that Op Ed will now be parachuted into a Western Sydney seat by the central office to contest the next election against the wishes of members of the party’s branch.
He’s a “white millionaire” working in the corporate world who doesn’t live in an electorate, but in a multi-million dollar mansion in one of Sydney’s healthiest (and most expensive) suburbs, and at a party.
He does not resemble any of the characteristics of a ‘Labour’ candidate.
The seat he was parachuted into was a relatively low-income suburb with a lot of multiculturalism and several good candidates vying for the nomination who lived and understood the complexities of such a voter.
The incumbent Labour MP is about to retire and comes from the left wing of the party.
Surprisingly, NSW Labor (state office) thought it was a good idea.
I hope they lose seats and elections for arrogance and turning to the right.
In my opinion, the party is unelected – meaning no one should vote for them.
pay compensation
The British Royal Family is doing what they always do – wandering around this place pretending to love everyone.
Currently, Prince William and his wife are on their way to Jamaica. They don’t admit it, but they want to stem the growing distaste for Caribbean royalty, Barbados finally kicked out the Queen as head of state and ended the last official vestige of its brutal colonial past.
On November 30, 2021, the island nation became a republic and was sworn in as its first president (Sandra Mason), and the Union Jack was lowered for the last time 55 years after first gaining independence from Great Britain.
Last September, 300,000 Barbados elected a new president, ending the Queen’s term.
Several former British colonies in the region have now ousted her from the head of state and into full-fledged republics – Guyana (1970), Trinidad and Tobago (1976) and Dominica (1978).
Jamaica retains the Queen as head of state.
Clearly, the royals are concerned that they will be the next to declare Republican status.
But the proposed visit actually sparked new fires that the royal family didn’t want to deal with.
A group of prominent Jamaicans (politicians, business leaders, doctors and musicians) have sent an open letter to the British monarchy demanding that they pay slavery reparations and apologise for the impact of colonization on the Jamaican people.
Transcript – open envelope – says among other things:
We note with great concern your visit to our country, Jamaica, at a time when we are still in the throes of a global pandemic and preparing for the full impact of another global crisis related to the Russia/Ukraine war. Many Jamaicans are unaware of your visit as they grapple with the dire consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic, exacerbated by pre-existing social and economic hardships inherited from our colonial past…
We see no reason to celebrate your grandmother’s 70th anniversary on the British throne as she and her predecessor’s leadership perpetuated the greatest human rights tragedy in human history. She ascended the throne in February 1952, 14 years after the 1938 labor uprising against inhumane working/living conditions and treatment of workers; a painful legacy of plantation slavery that continues to this day. In her 70 years on the throne, your grandmother has done nothing to make up for and make amends for the pain of our ancestors that happened during her reign and/or during the African trafficking, enslavement, indentured and colonization throughout Britain.
powerful.
Read on for the rest of the despair and anger that exists in these impoverished former British colonies.
Music – Midnight Circle
Here’s what I’ve been listening to this morning at work.
This is another of my favorite records, it was released in 1959 and it always delivers.
The actual trajectory is – round midnight – Recorded and released on 1959 album – wes montgomery trio – Band of the same name.
The players are:
1. Wes Montgomery – Guitar.
2. Melvin Lane – Organs.
3. Paul Parker – drum.
The album truly marked the start of Wes Montgomery’s career, as he started playing in a bar in Indianapolis before moving to New York City.
This creature – Wes Montgomery: The Gentle Side of Genius (March 5, 2020) – Will give you an insight into the life of this great guitarist, especially his struggles with producers who think they know his sound better than he does.
Arguably, he redefined the concept of playing jazz guitar, and has had many imitators (including me at times) since.
Enough for today!
(c) Copyright 2022 William Mitchell. all rights reserved.
