Issues
Have You Received the Letter? Medicare Trying To Nudge Seniors Out Of Plans With Low Ratings
Susan Jaffe writes: Medicare officials are trying a novel approach during this open enrollment season to gently nudge a half million beneficiaries out of 26 private drug and medical plans that have performed poorly over the past three years. The effort marks the first time that Medicare officials have tried to steer beneficiaries away from some private drug and medical plans. more »
Voting Lessons from Kindergarten: When candidates are Big Bird, The Cat in the Hat, Winnie the Pooh and Olivia
Julia Sneden writes: The class came to the realization that if your candidate didn’t win, it didn’t mean that you were “dumb” or “a loser.” It just meant that many of us have different opinions, and that election was simply a reflection of those differences. And that our class, like America itself, was special because we accept — and even celebrate — differences, an idea eagerly seized on by the kids. more »
National Weather Service Alerts By State; Just What is a Post-Tropical Cyclone?
Hurricanes can create storm surges along the coast and cause extensive damage from heavy rainfall. Floods and flying debris from the excessive winds are often the deadly and destructive results of these weather events. Slow moving hurricanes traveling into mountainous regions tend to produce especially heavy rain. Excessive rain can trigger landslides or mud slides. Flash flooding can occur due to intense rainfall. more »
Culture and Political Watch, The Spirit of Compromise: Why Governing Demands It and Campaigning Undermines It
Jill Norgren writes: "The authors explain this failure of representatives to work together as fallout from the permanence of campaigning in modern American politics. Successful campaigning selects for men and women who present themselves as tenaciously principled agents. These candidates appeal to voters with take-no-prisoner policy positions (refined for local predilections)." more »
