News Blog

The Marketplace Illusion: Coverage Without Care – Health Affairs

“The Affordable Care Act (ACA) established health insurance Marketplaces to expand coverage, improve affordability, and enhance consumer choice. However, coverage alone does not guarantee care—especially in states such as New Mexico, where plan design fails to reflect the geographic realities of care delivery…

“In New Mexico, the state’s Marketplace offers only health maintenance organization (HMO) plans, which rely on narrow, in-network providers and exclude out-of-network protections—an approach ill-suited to a region where many residents live hours from the nearest in-network provider. Much of New Mexico is rural or frontier, with small towns and isolated communities spread across vast desert, mountain, and plateau landscapes. Many residents live hours from urban centers such as Albuquerque, Las Cruces, or Santa Fe, and provider shortages are widespread…”

New Yorkers describe horrid apartments at Mamdani’s rental rip-off event – msn/WaPost

“…The Real Estate Board of New York (REBNY) published a report Monday that found that 89 percent of residential buildings in the city had no major housing code violations over the past two years…”

Another instance where reporting an average distorts what’s happening at the bottom. It’s more than likely that buildings housing the lowest-income residents experience the most code violations. So, what’s the percentage of those buildings with major code violations? 20%? 30%? 40%?

Sunday, March 1, 2026

…He shall judge between the nations, and shall arbitrate for many peoples; they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more…”

Isaiah 2:4

Opinion: Corporate America’s new slogan is ‘make more, pay less’ – Kathryn Anne Edwards/Midland Daily News

“As corporate profits soar, the labor share of income in the U.S. has cratered. The last two years saw wages and compensation fall to the lowest levels since 1941.

“These two developments — workers get less money, corporations get more — are absolutely related.

“Meanwhile, CEO compensation has skyrocketed over the past six decades, rising from 21 times that of the average worker to 281 times…”

State-by-State Estimates of the First Year of Trump’s Tax Policies: All But the Richest Americans Face Higher Taxes – ITEP

“Taking all the policies of President Trump and the Republican majority in Congress into account, all but the richest Americans are paying higher taxes on average in 2026 than they did last year. These policies include:

  • Dramatically increased tariffs on goods from abroad, a tax that economists widely agree is mostly borne by American consumers.
  • The termination of the Enhanced Premium Tax Credit (EPTC), which had made health care more affordable for millions of people.
  • The so-called One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), which overwhelmingly benefits the rich and corporations.”

The Trump administration’s macroeconomic agenda harms affordability and raises inequality – Josh Bivens/EPI

Health care execs make a killing. Nurses sweat for every dollar:

HCA details 2026 exec bonus plan – Becker’s Hospital Review

“Target award opportunities for 2026 are as follows:

  • CEO Sam Hazen: 175% of base salary
  • Executive Vice President and CFO Mike Marks: 125% of base salary
  • Executive Vice President and COO Jon Foster: 125% of base salary
  • Executive Vice President-Chief Legal and Administrative Officer Mike McAlevey: 100% of base salary
  • Executive Vice President and Chief Clinical Officer Mike Cuffe, MD: 100% of base salary”

Striking Nurses From Coast to Coast Stood Up to Corporate Forces and Won – Truthout

“Nurses in New York, California, and Hawaii claimed big contract victories after showing their power on the picket line.”

“…Union activity has surged in the United States in recent years. In 2025, nearly half a million people who weren’t unionized, joined unions, bringing the total number of unionized people to 16.5 million. While this is not a large percentage of the population, according to the Economic Policy Institute, more than 50 million workers wanted to join a union but couldn’t. At a time of ongoing economic insecurity, there is a strong desire among workers to join forces and take on corporate employers.”

How We Organized a Union at Whole Foods – Labor Notes

Eastern Shore farm workers receive funds from settlement involving alleged labor abuses – yahoo!/Virginian-Pilot

War!

US and Israel attack Iran as Trump says US begins ‘major combat operations’ – SF Gate/AP (Feb 28, 2026 2:28 am)

Constitutional crisis?

Trump orders attack on Iran – but is he even allowed to? – blue News (Switz.)

“On Saturday morning, the United States under President Donald Trump launched a major military offensive against targets in Iran. At the same time, the debate is growing in Washington about whether a president alone can order a war.”

“…The constitution itself is clearly formulated: Congress declares war, the president is commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In practice, however, the balance of power has increasingly shifted in favor of the White House. The War Powers Act of 1973 was intended to curb this development by limiting the duration of deployments if no approval is given. Politically, however, the law has been interpreted broadly time and again.

“The renewed attack is now likely to intensify the question: Who ultimately decides on war and peace?”

Meanwhile, back at the ethnic cleansing:

Journalists slain at record level in 2025, majority by Israel, watchdog says – msn/WaPost

Israel’s top court allows aid groups to keep working in Gaza – LA Times

US citizens’ support for Israel at historic low over Gaza genocide: Poll – Al Jazeera

Seniors should be walking. These regulations discourage it. – DNYUZ/WaPost

“As a physical therapist and rehabilitation director who oversees Medicare-funded nursing home care for patients recovering from serious illness or injury, I know what happens when an older adult enters a nursing home after a stroke or a hip fracture. The family expects recovery. The facility promises rehabilitation. Medicare pays for skilled care.

“And far too often, the patient leaves weaker than when they arrived.

“This is not an anecdote. It is a consistent pattern. Across thousands of facilities, countless seniors who walk in with assistance leave in wheelchairs. Patients who could previously stand up from a chair, move to a bed or walk short distances with help now require mechanical lifts and two staff members. The decline happens quietly, without alarm, in a system that measures almost everything but fails to make mobility measures consequential. The U.S. health care industry is failing at the most fundamental measure of recovery, and federal oversight has built a regulatory apparatus that makes this failure invisible…”

One WA CEO makes 1,794 times his average employee. Here’s why – Seattle Times

“…Starbucks, like most of Seattle’s corporate titans, has taken fire from workers and observers for the yawning pay gap between executives and rank-and-file employees. An upswing in executive compensation has largely been driven by a rising stock market — even struggling Starbucks saw a boost in its share price in late 2024 through early 2025 — as CEO pay gets more closely tied to stock awards.”

Shock poll shows Maine oysterman leading Schumer’s handpicked Dem Senate candidate – CNN

“Oyster farmer Graham Platner is trouncing sitting Maine Gov. Janet Mills in the Democratic primary race for Senate in Maine, according to a new poll that has him up by 38 points in the primary. He also leads Republican Sen. Susan Collins by 11 points in a hypothetical general election match up. Taking Maine is key to Democrats’ hopes to retake the Senate, but they will also need upsets in states that have leaned red in recent years, like Alaska and Ohio.”

‘Trump has said one thing so far that is true’ – Alternet

“During a dramatic moment in his speech, Trump declared that Congress should ‘ensure that members of Congress cannot corruptly profit from using insider information,’ adding they should ‘pass the Stop Insider Trading act without delay.’ Even though Democrats joined Republicans in applauding and delivering standing ovations, Trump then tried to make the issue into a partisan one by singling out a prominent Democrat…

“Trump referenced the former House Speaker, Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), who has been accused of insider trading. In response, Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) shouted in response, ‘You do it yourself. What about you?'”

Health Savings Accounts Can Be a Bad Deal for Low-Income Marketplace Enrollees – CBPP

“HSAs are a convenient savings and investment vehicle for people with enough disposable income to save, but half of adults in the United States report being unable to afford an unexpected $500 medical bill and 41 percent have debt related to medical or dental bills. Setting aside enough money to cover anticipated medical expenses is not realistic for most households, particularly those with the lowest incomes who struggle to meet basic needs, and HSAs could cost people more than they save.”

related CCSE article:

Beware of Rs bearing cash! Substituting Cash for Health Insurance
Can Drive Up Costs, Medical Bankruptcy

Trump floats new retirement benefit for 54 million workers – msn/Detroit News/WaPost

“…The most obvious challenge is that it’s not clear how much Trump can do on his own. Under existing authorities, the administration can create portable retirement accounts – modeled on the Thrift Savings Plan used by federal employees – and make them available to workers who currently lack a workplace plan. But the government cannot compel employers or workers to automatically enroll, nor can it unilaterally appropriate funds to provide a universal $1,000 match to all eligible workers.”

Trump pledges new retirement account plans for workers without 401(k)s – WashExaminer

Trump announces 401(k) plans with $1,000 match for workers whose employers don’t offer them – msn/MarketWatch

In his state of the union address yesterday, President Trump proposed expanding access to 401(k) plans to help the half of the US workforce that now has no retirement savings. If actualized, his plan could take a giant step towards creating a universal retirement savings system that the Center on Capital & Social Equity proposed in 2018.

As we laid out then and continue advocating, the president’s proposal must meet two fundamental requirements in order to succeed: “A retirement savings system that includes all workers – particularly those with limited income — requires two basic elements: 1) funds to put in a long-term savings and investment account, and 2) an account overseen by a fiduciary in which to put the funds.”

In short, workers with no money left over after covering the cost of living would need more than access to a retirement account. They also need a bit of money to put in that plan every year.

From what he said, Trump’s plan would only match funds put in accounts by employees. That would still leave millions of workers out. But it would be a good start and could easily be modified to put at least few hundred dollars in accounts for all workers. Employee contributions to retirement accounts are massively subsidized by the federal government with the lion’s share of benefit going to higher-income workers. Most low-wage workers get no or very little of this tax expenditure.

Here’s a blueprint for what Congress and the Administration should do:

Washington Examiner op-ed

Including all workers in our retirement savings system requires two things: a universal tax credit and a secure place to invest it. Congress should be working on both. (2018) – Karl Polzer/CCSE

Note: A universal system could be financed in many other ways than listed in the diagram. For example, it could be financed by re-allocating a small fraction the tax breaks that retirement accounts now enjoy. One approach: How-Narrowing-Health-and-Retirement-Savings-Tax-Exclusions-Could-Produce-Major-Improvements

Also, see pp. 16-19 of this paper for how a universal retirement savings system can include the entire workforce in owning working assets in the American capitalist economy:

Mixing Capitalism and Socialism in the U.S. Political Economy – Copyright: Karl Polzer/ResearchGate

“This essay explores two basic questions. The first is the extent to which capitalism, which emphasizes the rights of individuals to pursue their interests, and socialism, which focuses on group needs, tend to function in tandem as much as they do in conflict. As many agree that the political pendulum in recent decades has swung in favor of capitalism, the paper also discusses a range of public policies that can be used to reduce its imbalances and risks, with particular emphasis on moderating capitalism’s tendency toward systemic inequality. Policy options range from programs to help the poorest, social insurance, higher taxation of income and wealth, and re-channeling to all citizens a portion of profits from private exploitation of public assets and business activities enabled by public laws and infrastructure.”

Morning again in America?

State of the Union address highlights: Trump clashes with Democrats in speech declaring a ‘golden age’ of America – NBC

Read the complete transcript of Trump’s 2026 State of the Union – AP

In Democratic rebuttal, Spanberger accuses Trump of driving up costs and chaos – Virginia Mercury

“Speaking from Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area, Spanberger in her 12-minute speech posed three questions to viewers across the nation. ‘Is the president working to make life more affordable for you and your family? Is the president working to keep Americans safe — both at home and abroad? Is the president working for you? We all know the answer is no,’ she said.”

Amazon BUSTED for Widespread Scheme to Inflate Prices Across the Economy – Matt Stoller/BIG

“California Attorney General Rob Bonta alleged Amazon led a price-fixing conspiracy of online retailers to inflate prices across the entire economy. And he’s demanding an immediate halt.”

Wondering whether the Washington Post, which is owned by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, covered this major story. Found a short Reuters article on it tucked in the Post’s business digest.

Lawmakers reshape Youngkin’s final budget with focus on affordability, no new taxes – Virginia Mercury

“Health and Human Resources Subcommittee Chair Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, said the Senate confronted rising Medicaid costs projected at $3.2 billion in general fund spending through fiscal 2028. Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program cover 1.8 million Virginians, he said. The subcommittee adopted $591.2 million in savings strategies and set aside a $90 million reserve while restoring the prenatal care program.
“With enhanced federal Affordable Care Act tax credits having expired Dec. 31, Deeds warned that up to 100,000 Virginians could lose coverage. The Senate includes $200 million in the first year to subsidize premiums. The House proposal similarly emphasizes backfilling federal reductions.
“Health and Human Resources Subcommittee Chair Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, said the House recommends $79.1 million to reduce premium spikes, $45 million to restore federal reductions for core public health services and more than $211 million to cover new state cost shares for SNAP benefits…”

related CCSE articles:

“Congress still has time to stabilize health exchange costs and affordability“

“New governor prioritizing ‘affordability’ should push reforming Va.’s regressive tax code” – Richmond TD


“Want ‘affordability?’ Start by retooling your state’s regressive tax system.” – The Hill

As ICE scales up hiring, whistleblower documents reveal deep cuts to training program – LA Times

“…Schwank said he was shown the secret memo authorizing forceful home entry on his first day as a training instructor. He was told to teach its contents but not to take notes on it or discuss its existence. ‘Never in my career had I ever received such a blatant unlawful order, nor one conveyed in such a troubling manner,’ he said. ‘Incredibly, I was being shown this memo in secret by my supervisor, who made sure that I understood that disobedience would cost me my job.’

“‘So in effect, you were told, as an instructor on the law, that you were to train ICE agents how to break the law,’ Blumenthal told Schwank. Schwank told Blumenthal that the reason he received the training position was because the lawyer in the position before him had been forced to resign on their refusal to teach the contents of the memo…”

The US Health Spending Problem Is Still About Prices – Health Affairs

“Reframing spending growth away from prices may be appealing, but it does little to change the underlying economics of U.S. health care. While utilization is undeniably part of the equation, prices—whether labeled explicitly or embedded in measures of intensity—remain central to understanding why US health spending levels are high and why spending continues to grow.”

Sunday, February 22, 2026

Cross with Red Sky – Georgia O’Keeffe (1929)

JD Vance humiliated as Pope snubs Fourth of July 250 celebrations to stand with immigrants – Irish Star

“Pope Leo XIV’s decision not to participate in President Trump’s 250th anniversary celebration or his Board of Peace ‘is not a snub for snub’s sake. It is a conscious moral stance. The 70-year-old pontiff has made clear that true greatness is measured by our treatment of the least among us, not the size of our parades,’ reports Hale. ‘He has repeatedly condemned what he calls the “inhuman” persecution of immigrant families, aligning the Church firmly against the mass deportations and border cruelty of the Trump era.'”

Labor Share of Income

US economy: jobs and AI – Michael Roberts

“…In 2025, retail prices rose faster than average consumer incomes. So stagflation is still in place. That meant that in 2025 Americans only sustained their consumption needs by running down savings and increasing debt. The personal savings rate fell to 3.6% of income in December, down 1.9pp since April 2025.Labor

“No wonder most American households, apart from the very rich, feel depressed about their lot. It’s what is called a K-shaped economy. But what about jobs? Does the current relatively low unemployment rate lend the lie to stagnation? The official rate may creeping up, but it is still way below where it was at the end of the pandemic slump….

“The US AI tech giants are increasingly banking on achieving super-intelligent models that would transform capitalism – they are searching for this ‘holy grail’ (which remember, was a fiction). The aim is the removal of human labour altogether. Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei said that AI could wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs in one to five years.”

Nobel economist warns a dearth of blue-collar jobs is among the biggest threats to the US economy—and they fell by more than 100,000 last year – Fortune

Supreme Court strikes down tariffs – SCOTUS blog

“In a major ruling on presidential power, the Supreme Court on Friday struck down the sweeping tariffs that President Donald Trump imposed in a series of executive orders. By a vote of 6-3, the justices ruled that the tariffs exceed the powers given to the president by Congress under a 1977 law providing him the authority to regulate commerce during national emergencies created by foreign threats. The court did not weigh in, however, on whether or how the federal government should provide refunds to the importers who have paid the tariffs, estimated in 2025 at more than $200 billion…”

Comment: Initial reporting of this landmark ruling naturally stresses the Supreme Court’s sharp rebuke of the Trump Administration’s unconstitutional expansion of executive power along with the president’s various petulant reactions. However, the decision also exposes a growing vacuum created by a Republican-led Congress that has failed to assert its constitutional authority over how the government is funded. Who covers the cost of government operations is particularly salient today as the country faces historically high deficits and debt.

As we have pointed out, Trump’s broad-based tariffs have functioned as a jagged, regressive national sales tax impacting poor and middle-income people the most. If illegally collected tariffs now are to be refunded (not addressed by the Court), importers may get something. It’s unlikely that American consumers will get a cent while still facing higher prices.

As the Administration vows to find new ways to raise tariffs, now is the time for Congress to fulfill its constitutional responsibility to levy taxes sufficient to cover the cost of the spending it authorizes. And to decide how the burden of taxation will be distributed across the population in an increasingly unequal economy. Failure to legislate will result in further encroachment by the executive branch and distort the balance of government powers laid down by the Constitution.

CCSE work on this issue:

Analysis: By blocking Trump’s tariffs, courts provide offramp for regressive tax policy hurting his base

Trump went too far on tariffs — the Supreme Court can give him a political out – The Hill