Current Events Write-Up: Yemen, Obamacare and Netflix, Bernie vs. Debs

Time for this week’s Current Events Write-Up.

TomDispatch: “The American War in Yemen,” by Rajan Menon.

The saddening story about the U.S.-supported war in Yemen, which has resulted in numerous civilian casualties.

The Federalist: “How Obamacare Is Making the U.S. Health-Care System Run Like Netflix,” by Adam Barsouk.

According to Barsouk, Netflix makes its own movies, and it skimps on quality for the sake of profit: the company wants to make money from subscribers, without spending a lot on production.  Similarly, Obamacare, in an attempt to contain costs, limits people to a particular network.  They cannot go outside of that network for care that may have more quality.  Barsouk also criticizes insurance company-run health care providers, as they seek to skimp on care in order to make more profits for the insurance companies.  Interesting analogy.  I read an article a while back that said that combining health insurance companies and health care providers into one is the way to go because, that way, both would not be waging war with each other, with the providers wanting to allow more treatments and thus make money, and the insurance companies wanting to deny treatments for the sake of their own bottom line.  But there are disadvantages to combining them into one.  Progressives, of course, would say that this is why we need to get profits out of the U.S. health care system.  On Netflix, I like some of its original programming, especially the Marvel series (i.e., Jessica Jones, Luke Cage, Iron Fist).  And, of course, there is Stranger Things!

Counterpunch: “When Bernie Sold Out His Hero, Anti-Authoritarians Paid,” by Bruce E. Levine.

Levine argues that Bernie is too much of a warmonger and has become a shrill for the Democrats.  His old hero, Eugene Debs, by contrast, started out as a Democrat and came to see the system as corrupt.  There were people during the 2016 election who were saying that Bernie is not as progressive as people think.  Maybe.  Still, I am glad that he gave Hillary a run for her money!  And I will not apologize for feeling that way.  On his becoming a shrill for the Democrats, he may think that is the best option for the country: for him to work within the system and to move the Democratic Party further left.