Dan from Madison

What Is Not Seen

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A few months ago the Senate  Democrats here in the State of Wisconsin floated a plan to provide universal health care for all residents of the state.   The first question most will ask is “who is going to pay?”   The answer is that the plan ($15bb worth) will be funded through a payroll tax.

The plan is dead in the water as the Republicans who control our State Assembly are having nothing of it, but in the next election there is the distinct possibility that the Democrats will win back the Assembly, and will then control the Governor’s chair, the Senate and the Assembly.

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Michael Lewis Article

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In the comments to this post, commenter JP left a link for an article Mr. Lewis wrote in October of 2005.   I think this article  needs a little more publicity  than to be buried in a comment thread.   The link JP left was for Times Select, but you can find  the article  for free here.

 The essay  is truly outstanding if you are interested in Katrina and the aftermath.   I recommend you print it out, take a few minutes out of your day and read it.

 Thanks to JP for leaving the original link.

The Simple Things

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I run a relatively simple business. I am a middle man, in wholesale distribution of heating, ventilation and air conditioning parts and equipment. We sell exclusively to tradesmen and facilities. It is a very competitive business (aren’t they all?) but I do pretty well all things considered. My vendors expect certain things out of me (market share, paying my bills on time) and I expect certain things out of them (good delivery, good pricing, leads, etc.). It really is a two way street. They need distribution, and I need their goods to mark up and make money on.

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You Are The First Responder

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The tragedy in Minneapolis of a few days  ago underlines something I have written about before and will no doubt have to write about again.   I never really thought about it much until Katrina hit and I saw the images that all of you saw.   Those were images of people standing in what seemed like endless lines for food  and water or to be evacuated.  

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