nradov

Is there some structural reason that they can't reduce rent by developing a lot more housing? Is it purely artificial government rules preventing the construction of new housing — or are there actual constraints in terms of capital, labor, or materials?

Is the quality and accessibility of healthcare in those countries equal? There are very few countries in which all healthcare is paid by the government and private insurance is banned. Most developed countries have a two-tier system where poor people with only the government health plan get reasonable access to essential healthcare services but often can't obtain more advanced treatments, or have to wait in long queues. Affluent people then pay for supplemental private insurance to obtain faster and higher quality services. Healthcare providers typically prioritize patients who have private insurance that pays higher rates.

Which side of the Laffer Curve are they on?

California has some fiscal problems but if any state hits a crisis point it will probably be Illinois first. US states don't issue their own currency and have limited ability to take on debt so even if California is forced to raise taxes and default on obligations that probably won't trigger a broader systemic collapse.

That's true today, but what will it look like in 20 years? Over time, algorithms and hardware always gets faster and more efficient. Like if I wanted to run a fluid dynamics simulation, what would have required a supercomputer 20 years ago can now run on a single desktop computer.

Yes, what's your point? A CAC test doesn't require the most expensive CT scanner.

Until the attacker bypasses your perimeter firewall by convincing an employee to download and install malware.

There are probably other imaging centers in your region.

Value-based care is a good idea in general in terms of better aligning provider incentives with patient best interests and controlling costs. But it doesn't necessarily equate with Medicare Advantage. Many MA health plans still operate largely on a fee-for-service basis with perhaps some minor VBC aspects.

You're really missing the point. There are no regulations preventing anyone from ordering a CAC screening study if they want it. You can pay out of pocket and get it at any imaging center.

Obviously the regulations regarding ionizing radiation exposure still have to be followed as with any x-ray procedure. No one has seriously proposed deregulation on that.

Are you claiming that some people are exempt from the laws of thermodynamics?

Things have changed a lot since Kurt Vonnegut wrote Slaughterhouse Five in 1969. Now even people in the poorest US state have higher incomes than the UK. America is the wealthiest nation on Earth, and its people are mainly rich (relative to global standards).

We should do more to help the underclass and remaining desperately poor citizens to lift themselves up. But it's amazing what we've accomplished since 1969. Let's celebrate that.

The primary purpose of prison is neither punishment nor rehabilitation, but rather to protect the general public. Whether incarceration is the best approach to accomplish that goal is a separate issue, but the reality is there are a lot of dangerous and antisocial people who can't be running around loose.