tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post2260661972377759793..comments2024-03-02T02:26:00.928-05:00Comments on bleakonomy: I suppose "drop dead" is too strong?tetracontadigonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04604381739383227553noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-2479790618445761992010-12-13T08:29:17.358-05:002010-12-13T08:29:17.358-05:00GJ, I agree that obligations must be appropriately...GJ, I agree that obligations must be appropriately prioritized. I would posit that paying for the health care of 9/11 first responders is a relatively inexpensive obligation, and one that deserves our commitment as a nation.Danhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11213051268392108382noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-72382950445346690212010-12-10T17:12:39.665-05:002010-12-10T17:12:39.665-05:00For existential threats, we must find a way. If we...For existential threats, we must find a way. If we were to discover a large asteriod headed for impact in 2020, by Jove, we'd find the money. And yes, existential threats come mostly in the "we gotta break it before it breaks us" category.<br /><br />To your point, we have discovered that both Iran and NoKo are in the midst of building nukes, and we aren't doing all that much about it. I hope we were part of Stuxnet, but if we aren't, we need to be part of Son of Stuxnet (success be upon it).Gadfly Johnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-47797048809229352952010-12-10T13:28:16.164-05:002010-12-10T13:28:16.164-05:00Out of curiosity, Jon, if we were to discover that...Out of curiosity, Jon, if we were to discover that N.Korea or Iran were in the mist of building nuclear armaments would you also claim we have no money to try and stop them? <br /><br />There always seems to be enough money to kill and destroy, but never quite enough to heal and help.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5393996338560944889.post-45906189269189142982010-12-10T12:16:24.504-05:002010-12-10T12:16:24.504-05:00First, I'm glad people like you were there whe...First, I'm glad people like you were there when it counted. I am grateful you were overstaffed.<br /><br />Second, I too am aghast at the abandonment of our obligation to care for these first responders and others injured in the 9-11 attacks.<br /><br />The problem, of course, is that we no longer have any money to pay for these moral obligations. It has been spent by the present and earlier Congressi. At the moment, the Doc Fix is being extended for one year (2011) by reducing money committed to funding HCR insurance reimbursements in 2014. The technical term for this is "kicking the can down the road." The backlog of moral obligations awaiting funding is apparently growing rapidly. I gently suggest that some of them will need to be rethought.Gadfly Johnnoreply@blogger.com