Ezra Klein

In a post attacking nationalized health care, Sebastian Holsclaw says something that’s simply wrong: It takes a lot of work to become a doctor. It takes a lot of time and effort. Few people are going to put the time in if they aren’t well compensated. It just ain’t true. In France, physicians make about […]

I don’t think Pope Ratzinger is going to be my favorite person in the world, but going after him for something he did when he was 14 is really a bit much. Ratzinger’s 78, if we can find some anti-semitism in, say, his last 20 years, a case can be made. If we could find […]

Read this article. No, don’t ask questions, just read it. I’ll tell you why later.

Next on our tour of health care systems would have to come Canada. I’ve been debating whether or not to do them because their setup is so well-known, on the other hand, it’s also something of an anomaly that’s often romanticized to a degree it shouldn’t be, so it seems worth the effort. If you’re […]

I know I should be saying more about John Bolton but I’m a bit lost for words. Yesterday was hell of a victory — though of the battle, not war, sort — and I never expected it. I admit, I thought Steve Clemons’ all-Bolton, all-the-time, work was informing, but quixotic, and I figured we’d score […]

From the LA Times: General Motors Corp. on Tuesday posted a first-quarter net loss of $1.1 billion, its worst quarter in 13 years, due to disappointing sales in the crucial North American automotive market and soaring healthcare costs. … Other analysts, though, said GM could be holding back as part of its negotiations on healthcare […]

A few days ago, CAP released their quarterly Taxpayer’s Report, assessing America’s direction on a variety of metrics. It’s really quite a stunning indictment of the administration. Check it out.

If I were the new Pope, I’d be feeling a bit weird right now. In fact, not only now; I’d be downright nervous whenever someone glanced at their watch in my presence. What’s the rush? With all the commentary focusing on Ratzinger’s status as a transitional (read: likely to die soon) Pope, he’s got to […]

Welcome to the second installment of The Health of Nations (though it’s the first one to sport a clever title). I’m your host, Ezra, and I’ll be taking you on a deadly-dull tour through England’s health care system. An uninteresting topic set in a country known for its dullness, should be a party. And speaking […]

Well ladies and gents, looks like we have a new Pope. German frontrunner Joseph Ratzinger was chosen today, taking the name Benedict XVI. So who is he? Well we’ve got this profile from the Washington Post, which says: He wrote a letter of advice to U.S. bishops on denying communion to politicians who support abortion […]