Encouraging signs

We all know -- and if we didn't, we had "Sicko" to tell us -- that health care in Cuba is more caring and useful than health care in the US.  It's heartening to see an American president tip his hat to Cuba's medical community.

The president stressed the importance of acting in a collaborative fashion, rejecting the more unilateral approach taken by his Republican predecessor.

He noted that Latin American leaders had mentioned to him that "thousands" of Cuban doctors are deployed throughout the region treating patients, the type of humanitarian aid that spreads goodwill.

That, he said, is "a reminder for us in the United States that if our only interaction with many of these countries is drug interdiction, if our only interaction is military, then we may not be developing the connections that can, over time, increase our influence and have — have a beneficial effect when we need to try to move policies that are of concern to us forward in the region."

The sensible thing to do, if a major bank is on the edge of complete break down, is to nationalize or partially nationalize that bank.  But this is America where a huge misunderstanding about the use of nationalization prevails and is nurtured by people who would like to believe the sun revolves around the earth.  Not much we can do about that:  a change in the culture -- dominated by this and other beliefs as entrenched as the one which Galileo challenged -- would be needed.  Given that, the administration's proposed solution is probably a good one.  Smooth move.  Let's hope it works.

In a significant shift, White House and Treasury Department officials now say they can stretch what is left of the $700 billion financial bailout fund further than they had expected a few months ago, simply by converting the government’s existing loans to the nation’s 19 biggest banks into common stock.

Converting those loans to common shares would turn the federal aid into available capital for a bank — and give the government a large ownership stake in return.

While the option appears to be a quick and easy way to avoid a confrontation with Congressional leaders wary of putting more money into the banks, some critics would consider it a back door to nationalization, since the government could become the largest shareholder in several banks.

Along the same lines, the White House must have been watching the movie "Dave" over the weekend.  Maybe several platoons of private contractors are about to join the unemployment numbers.

President Obama plans to convene his Cabinet for the first time today, and he will order its members to identify a combined $100 million in budget cuts over the next 90 days, according to a senior administration official.

Although the budget cuts would amount to a minuscule portion of federal spending, they are intended to signal the president's determination to cut spending and reform government, the official said.

Today is April 20 and that's pot day.  Never a big fan of that headacher, this American is nonetheless horrified that the nanny culture has allowed pot to be outlawed for so long.  Please everybody! 

April 20 has long been an unofficial day of celebration for marijuana fans, an occasion for campus smoke-outs, concerts and cannabis festivals. But some advocates of legal marijuana say this year’s “high holiday” carries extra significance as they sense increasing momentum toward acceptance of the drug, either as medicine or entertainment. “It is the biggest moment yet,” said Ethan Nadelmann, the founder and executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance in Washington, who cited several national polls showing growing support for legalization. “There’s a sense that the notion of legalizing marijuana is starting to cross the fringes into mainstream debate.”

Apparently Obama really does read his mail.