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Health Care Spending Skyrockets and Shows No Signs of Tapering
Domestic
Monday, 08 February 2010 20:14
Health care spending grew by 5.7 percent in 2009, and has now reached $2.5 trillion a year. A report from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has found this is the largest increase since the federal government began tracking these figures in 1960. The CMS projects health expenditures will continue to grow at an annual rate of 6.1 percent and climb to $4.5 trillion in 10 years. Per capita health care spending was just over $8,046 in 2009, and is expected to increase to $13,300 by 2019. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, the US spent $7,200 per person in 2007, by far the highest amount for any developed country. The UK, which spent the average amount for developed countries, spent just under $3,000. Barack Obama said Thursday "Nobody can dispute the fact that if we don't tackle surging health care costs, we can't control our budget."
Iran detains 7 ’spies’ tied to US-funded radio station
International
Monday, 08 February 2010 19:59
Iran has arrested seven people linked to a Farsi-language radio station funded in part by the US, accusing them of fomenting unrest.The Iranian Intelligence Ministry claims the seven were trained outside Iran in sabotage, spreading rumors and overthrowing a government by soft means. Opposition protests are expected to swell throughout the streets on Feb. 11 as Iran marks the 31st anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. Anti-government demonstrations in Tehran on Dec. 27 turned bloody. At least eight people were killed and hundreds arrested during violent clashes. Iran has accused Western powers of fueling the rage directed at the country's clerical regime, purportedly to bring about regime change without military action. The US-sponsored Radio Farda is the Farsi-language service of Radio Free Europe, based in Prague and Washington. The Broadcast Board of Governors oversees all US government non-military international broadcasting outlets, including Voice of America.
Chevron hires twelve PR firms to discredit indigenous Ecuadorians
International
Monday, 08 February 2010 19:51
US oil giant Chevron has responded to an environmental lawsuit brought by indigenous people in Ecuador by hiring twelve PR firms to debunk their claims. According to the lawsuit, Chevron dumped billions of gallons of toxic waste in the Amazon between 1964 and 1990, causing damages assessed at $27 billion. Originally filed in U.S. federal district court in 1993, the lawsuit was moved to courts in Ecuador at Chevron's behest. Having initially lauded Ecuador's legal system in an effort to have the case moved there, Chevron later began attacking the system after it found the company liable. Chevron shareholders are also upset with the company for its gross mismanagement for sidestepping the rule of law and employing guerilla-style tactics in an effort to fend off an unfavorable ruling. Evidence at Chevron's trial included over 50,000 chemical samples taken by the company which proved all its former oil drilling sites were contaminated with carcinogenic byproducts.
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