A few posts ago I wrote about Andy Kessler, one of the really interesting observers that I've come across lately. I first learned about Kessler by reading his book The End of Medicine, which argues that advances in technology will radically change our healthcare system. Not right away, but eventually.
Shortly after reading the book I learned that Kessler has a blog (who doesn't?) where he continues to write about our healthcare system. Just the other day he posted a wonderful email exchange that he had with Milton Friedman about the U.S. healthcare system. Friedman was not so optimistic about the possibility of change, although he did acknowledge some novel insights by Kessler.
I highly recommend both Kessler's book, as well as the email exchange between he and Friedman.
Every year, Sanders holds single-issue town hall meetings in some of the smallest communities in the state, where he brings in experts on poverty, healthcare reform and other issues for discussions that can run deep into the evening. The crowds are big, often packing the halls. People get to complain. But they also get something else--an alternative view on how the economy of the country and the world might be organized to favor their interests. This long-term, intensive education process is the closest thing to the "secret" of Sanders's success. Vermonters associate their Congressman with serious discussions about complicated issues, and they understand where he's coming from--and that allows Sanders to go places most politicians fear to tread.
Posted by: how Sanders does it | December 03, 2006 at 08:43 PM