Although North Carolina Municipal elections are not held until November, candidates seeking to be on the ballot for municipal elections must file in July. Candidates must file no sooner than noon on the first Friday in July (July 5 this year) and no later than noon on July 9.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Seventy Years Ago: Wartime Rationing
I have written before about rationing. It pervaded our lives during World War II and it involved an enormous organization to plan and control the economy to insure a successful war effort. The "magic of the marketplace" wasn't up to the task.
Economist Brad DeLong provides a link to a detailed explanation of how it worked. World War II truly mobilized all of our national assets.
Was this trip necessary? Yes it was.
On a personal note, I was ten years old before I learned to ride a bicycle. They weren't available during the war. When bicycles came back on the market in 1947, my grandfather bought one and drove 125 miles from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to deliver it on my tenth birthday.
Economist Brad DeLong provides a link to a detailed explanation of how it worked. World War II truly mobilized all of our national assets.
Was this trip necessary? Yes it was.
On a personal note, I was ten years old before I learned to ride a bicycle. They weren't available during the war. When bicycles came back on the market in 1947, my grandfather bought one and drove 125 miles from Tulsa to Oklahoma City to deliver it on my tenth birthday.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
No, The Judge's Ruling in Cox v. Town of Oriental Hasn't Been Entered
Those of you who checked today to see what the Town's agenda is for next week may be wondering. Has the Judge in the case of Cox v. Town of Oriental entered his order? Not yet.
After he enters the order, the plaintiff has a window of 30 days to file a notice of appeal. That sets in motion a process that could last 10 months or more.
What about the "exchange" the Town plans?
Who knows? That might cause a second suit.
After he enters the order, the plaintiff has a window of 30 days to file a notice of appeal. That sets in motion a process that could last 10 months or more.
What about the "exchange" the Town plans?
Who knows? That might cause a second suit.
Seventy Years Ago: Battle Of Komandorski Islands
Did you ever hear about the Battle of Komandorski Islands? In brief, March 26 1943, RADM "Sock" McMorris took his task group out west of the Aleutian Islands to intercept a Japanese force enroute to reinforce the Japanese garrison on the island of Attu. It turned out the Japanese force was about twice as strong as McMorris' force.
The Americans got their noses bloodied, but they held off the Japanese force, who returned home without reinforcing Attu.
Here's a more complete account.
Just imagine fighting a battle that close to the Arctic.
The Americans got their noses bloodied, but they held off the Japanese force, who returned home without reinforcing Attu.
Here's a more complete account.
Just imagine fighting a battle that close to the Arctic.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Senate Bill 58 - Boat Registration Fees
A few days ago I posted an item on Senate Bill 58, cosponsored by State Senator Norm Sanderson. The bill will vastly increase boat registration fees in North Carolina.
The bill raises questions about just what is meant by representation in a democracy. In a different context, Senator Sanderson has explained that he "represents all of the people of North Carolina." I think that constitutes a misunderstanding of "representation." It may be true that Sanderson is paid by the people of North Carolina. In that sense, he works for them. But he represents the voters of his senate district, who elected him to this office, whether they voted for him or against him.
Oriental resident Jim Barton has published an eloquent letter to Senator Sanderson raising a number of good questions about Senate Bill 58. Captain Barton, who has also spoken in opposition to ferry tolls for our commuter ferries, is a Republican who voted for Sanderson. But his comment is pointed: "We want a State Senator who, in fact, represents our interests and communicates with his constituency." He urges the Senator to communicate more clearly with his constituents.
The bill raises questions about just what is meant by representation in a democracy. In a different context, Senator Sanderson has explained that he "represents all of the people of North Carolina." I think that constitutes a misunderstanding of "representation." It may be true that Sanderson is paid by the people of North Carolina. In that sense, he works for them. But he represents the voters of his senate district, who elected him to this office, whether they voted for him or against him.
Oriental resident Jim Barton has published an eloquent letter to Senator Sanderson raising a number of good questions about Senate Bill 58. Captain Barton, who has also spoken in opposition to ferry tolls for our commuter ferries, is a Republican who voted for Sanderson. But his comment is pointed: "We want a State Senator who, in fact, represents our interests and communicates with his constituency." He urges the Senator to communicate more clearly with his constituents.
What's Happening In The States?
A good article in today's New York Times by columnist Bill Keller examines how it comes about that there is such a wide variation in laws passed recently by state legislatures. Equally puzzling is the national gridlock in the Congress.
Keller describes a number of alternate explanations offered by political scientists. I find one explanation is probably the most accurate: political outcomes are determined by an activist elite of about 15 percent of the populace, combined with a largely indifferent public. Or maybe it isn't that the public is indifferent. Maybe it is that they are confused and ill-informed.
How to address that may be the greatest challenge to democracy in today's world.
Keller describes a number of alternate explanations offered by political scientists. I find one explanation is probably the most accurate: political outcomes are determined by an activist elite of about 15 percent of the populace, combined with a largely indifferent public. Or maybe it isn't that the public is indifferent. Maybe it is that they are confused and ill-informed.
How to address that may be the greatest challenge to democracy in today's world.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Affordable Care Act: How Is It Doing So Far?
Good summary in today's New York Times of the accomplishments to date of the Affordable Care Act. Even though the complete law doesn't go into effect until January 1, 2014, many elements have already taken effect.
What has ACA (aka Obamacare) accomplished to date:
1. Nearly 7 million children have stayed on their parents' insurance, more than 3 million previously uninsured;
2. 71 million Americans already received free preventive care (no co-pay or deductibles);
3. 34 million additional Americans on Medicare received free preventive care;
4. 17 million children with pre-existing conditions now insured;
5. 107,000 adults with pre-existing conditions now in federal plan;
6. Community health centers serving 3 million additional Americans;
7. 19 million Americans with reduced premiums or cost sharing;
8. In 2012 insurers paid $ 1.1 billion in rebates because they didn't spend enough revenue on claims or quality improvements;
9. Lower rate increases by insurers;
10. $ 6.1 billion saved on prescription drugs;
11. Sharp declines in annual growth in health care spending;
12. Medicare Advantage premiums down 10% and enrollment up by 28%.
That's just the beginning. Readmissions are down and followup care improved. More improvements are in the offing.
What has ACA (aka Obamacare) accomplished to date:
1. Nearly 7 million children have stayed on their parents' insurance, more than 3 million previously uninsured;
2. 71 million Americans already received free preventive care (no co-pay or deductibles);
3. 34 million additional Americans on Medicare received free preventive care;
4. 17 million children with pre-existing conditions now insured;
5. 107,000 adults with pre-existing conditions now in federal plan;
6. Community health centers serving 3 million additional Americans;
7. 19 million Americans with reduced premiums or cost sharing;
8. In 2012 insurers paid $ 1.1 billion in rebates because they didn't spend enough revenue on claims or quality improvements;
9. Lower rate increases by insurers;
10. $ 6.1 billion saved on prescription drugs;
11. Sharp declines in annual growth in health care spending;
12. Medicare Advantage premiums down 10% and enrollment up by 28%.
That's just the beginning. Readmissions are down and followup care improved. More improvements are in the offing.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Small Wars In US History
Current media attention is focused on the war the United States started with Iraq a decade ago.
I'm reading an interesting book I picked up a couple of weeks ago at the Marine Corps Exchange at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station: Just and Unjust Wars by Michel Walzer. The book's subtitle is "A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations."
Just war theory focuses on two aspects of warfare: 1) was there a just cause (as in, was it justified or moral to initiate military action or respond with military action) and: 2) was the war conducted in a just manner.
I would say there is another aspect of war that does not strictly fall under just war theory, but it relates: was the war wise?
In the United States we have a fourth recurring question: was the war constitutional? Specifically, critics of particular wars often claim that the war is not legitimate, because Congress did not declare war as specified in the Constitution.
On this latter point, I recommend reading a really interesting military manual: Small Wars Manual United States Marine Corps 1940. The manual is available here. It is a clearly written guide to planning and conducting small wars in all of their variety.
Just read the introduction and it will be clear that what I have written elsewhere is true. Up to the time of World War II, most of our military interventions were conducted by the Department of the Navy. That included some very substantial military undertakings, including our Quasi-War with France during John Adams' administration. In no case was there ever a declaration of war when the conflict involved only the Navy Department.
Only when the War Department was involved in the conflict did the United States ever declare war. That has happened only five times in our history.
The fine line between conflicts involving only the Navy Department and categorized as "small wars" and the more substantial conflicts involving the War Department disappeared with passage in 1947 of the Armed Forces Unification Act.
That act created a constitutional muddle that we have never resolved.
We would be better off to return to a time when the Navy/Marine Corps team did small wars. They knew how to do it. A number of our military interventions would have been more competently planned and conducted if they had followed the 1940 Small Wars Manual of the Marine Corps.
It would save a lot of money, too.
I'm reading an interesting book I picked up a couple of weeks ago at the Marine Corps Exchange at Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station: Just and Unjust Wars by Michel Walzer. The book's subtitle is "A Moral Argument With Historical Illustrations."
Just war theory focuses on two aspects of warfare: 1) was there a just cause (as in, was it justified or moral to initiate military action or respond with military action) and: 2) was the war conducted in a just manner.
I would say there is another aspect of war that does not strictly fall under just war theory, but it relates: was the war wise?
In the United States we have a fourth recurring question: was the war constitutional? Specifically, critics of particular wars often claim that the war is not legitimate, because Congress did not declare war as specified in the Constitution.
On this latter point, I recommend reading a really interesting military manual: Small Wars Manual United States Marine Corps 1940. The manual is available here. It is a clearly written guide to planning and conducting small wars in all of their variety.
Just read the introduction and it will be clear that what I have written elsewhere is true. Up to the time of World War II, most of our military interventions were conducted by the Department of the Navy. That included some very substantial military undertakings, including our Quasi-War with France during John Adams' administration. In no case was there ever a declaration of war when the conflict involved only the Navy Department.
Only when the War Department was involved in the conflict did the United States ever declare war. That has happened only five times in our history.
The fine line between conflicts involving only the Navy Department and categorized as "small wars" and the more substantial conflicts involving the War Department disappeared with passage in 1947 of the Armed Forces Unification Act.
That act created a constitutional muddle that we have never resolved.
We would be better off to return to a time when the Navy/Marine Corps team did small wars. They knew how to do it. A number of our military interventions would have been more competently planned and conducted if they had followed the 1940 Small Wars Manual of the Marine Corps.
It would save a lot of money, too.
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