December 2008 Archives

For better or worse, we all know Joe the Plumber. But have you heard of Troy the Turbine Builder? That would be Troy Galloway of Hollsopple, Pennsylvania, who works at the Gamesa wind turbine plant in the nearby town of Ebensburg. Unlike Joe, Mr. Galloway is an actual turbine builder, goes by his first name, has never owed back taxes, and voted for Barack Obama for president. Galloway, married with ...
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A bad hospital is hard to find -- and harder to close.  Although America is losing hospital beds, too many subpar institutions remain in operation, partly because it remains difficult for patients to identify them despite a spate of new rating services. These issues, both of which should be focal points of any upcoming health reform debate, are summarized in a New York Times article about a Syracuse hospital that's ...
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Part I:  A Crisis of Confidence Americans tend to be a very inward-looking people, with little curiosity about the internal affairs of other nations, despite the great interest around the world in U.S. politics.  Most of us know very little about our neighbor to the north, Canada, or it's surprisingly complex political dynamics.  The political crisis gripping Canada is not a fleeting scenario; it reflects deep and growing schisms in ...
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After three weeks of explaining to disheartened Republicans exactly what happened on Nov. 4, I'm beginning to feel more like a grief counselor than a political analyst. In the days leading up to the presidential election, with poll numbers trending the wrong way, most Republicans were in a state of group denial -- "This can't be happening." By the morning after the election, anger quickly replaced denial and the blame ...
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