Nader on Physicians for a National Health Program & Cable De-regulation

[The Sushi Bandit]

http://www.ralphnader.com/interest/081503.html

Dr. Marcia Angell of the Harvard Medical School said "In the current economic climate, we can no longer afford to waste the vast resources we do on the administrative costs, executive salaries and profiteering of the private insurance system." A factual predicate for her statement was given by Dr. Steffie Woolhandler, also of Harvard, who stated that "we are already spending enough to provide every American with superb medical care - $5,775 per person this year. That's 42% higher than in Switzerland, which has the world's second most expensive health care system, and 83% higher than in Canada."

and...................

Remember the promises of the cable industry? In the Fifties and Sixties, a small cable industry promised no advertisements and vibrant local programming in return for a modest monthly fee. Then, it was composed of many small firms which were indeed locally rooted -- community cable, it was called. Now three giant cable conglomerates control 56% of the entire national marketplace. De-regulation was a set-up for a spate of mergers slouching toward wider monopolization.