The 19th Floor

Bug Hunt

Oct 042013

Both MNsure and the federal exchange have experienced plenty of technical glitches since they launched on Tuesday. As I’ve written many times previously, these glitches aren’t unexpected, but they certainly don’t look good. Medicare Part D had similar issues when it launched and the bugs were fixed in subsequent weeks. I’m confident that the exchanges will address their technical problems with similar haste, but they will need to remind people that they have until December 15th to sign up for January coverage.

Plenty of smart people have worked long hours to get these systems up and running. They realize that the tech isn’t perfect, but they are committed to making it better.

A Deeply Imperfect Union

Politics, Wonkery No Responses »

Oct 032013

We Americans like to think that our form of constitutional democracy is the best form of government ever invented. But what if the Constitution is actually contributing to the current government shutdown and political standoff? That’s the thesis of a fascinating Wonkbklog essay by Dylan Matthews. Matthews points out that our separate executive and legislative branches were designed to serve as checks on one another, but this strategy doesn’t work as well when the branches are controlled by opposing hyper-polarized political parties. As polarization increases, so do the odds of an irreconcilable standoff like what we’re seeing today. And the Constitution doesn’t provide a tie-breaker.

Voters also have a difficult time determining whom to hold responsible when things go wrong. Is the shutdown the fault of the House? The Senate? The President? In most other democracies, the majority party controls both the executive and legislative branches, so it’s easy for people to register their approval or disapproval of the government. Here, we punish or reward whoever happens to be up for election in that cycle.

I’m not arguing for a wholesale reinvention of American government. But it’s difficult to ignore the increasing dysfunction in Washington and perhaps it’s time to consider some tweaks to our system. Despite claims to the contrary, the Constitution is not a holy text and treating it as such may lead to our downfall.

Banana Republicans

Fucked Up, Health Care, Politics No Responses »

Oct 012013

Most people don’t have the time or patience to understand the political dynamics that led to today’s government shutdown. But let’s be clear about the root cause: the federal government is closed because Republicans do not want people to have access to affordable health insurance. It’s that simple. Republicans love to frame their zealotry as a defense of freedom; namely, the freedom to be bankrupted by a heart attack or car accident. It is this distorted, nihilistic, utterly fucked-up notion of “freedom” that has transformed the GOP into a party that is incapable of governing responsibly.

Republicans promised to unveil an alternative to the Affordable Care Act back in 2011. Two years later, they have still offered nothing because Republicans are fundamentally uninterested in health care reform. For them, the old, dysfunctional, highly uncompetitive insurance regime worked just fine. And if you were excluded from that system, well, you just weren’t deserving in the first place.

This shutdown will eventually end (hopefully, without a cataclysmic debt default) and the exchanges will continue to enroll people in coverage. Unfortunately, we’ll have to endure an extended conservative tantrum and the pointless idling of a million workers first.

Open Enrollment

Health Care No Responses »

Sep 302013

Here are a few things to keep in mind in advance of tomorrow’s roll-out of MNsure:

No Rush–Like any tech roll-out, MNsure will probably have its share of bugs that will cause problems in the opening days. Since coverage doesn’t begin until January, there’s plenty of time to sign up. Don’t panic if the website is occasionally unavailable.
Insured through Your Employer?–You may still be able to purchase coverage through MNsure if the insurance offered by your employer is not considered affordable. Generally, coverage is not affordable if it costs you more than 9.5% of your income.
Shutdown? What Shutdown?–Even if the federal government shuts down tonight, MNsure (and the federal exchange) will be open for business tomorrow.
Have More Questions?–Sarah Kliff has you covered.

Flame On!

Disability, Tech No Responses »

Sep 262013

A young Turk in Detroit has assembled a homemade mind-controlled flamethrower.

This is pretty much the best news I’ve heard all year. I must contact this young man and persuade him to become one of my henchmen. I’ll even offer to put him in charge of the rest of the henchmen, contingent upon me actually recruiting other henchmen.

Now, someone help me steeple my fingers so that I can do a proper evil laugh.

How Aboot Those Crazy Americans, Eh?

Health Care, Wonkery No Responses »

Sep 252013

While Ted Cruz and his fellow conservatives mount yet another doomed effort to derail Obamacare, Canadians are pointing at us and snickering. Even the super-wealthy Canadians can’t understand why a relatively modest set of reforms provokes such conniptions among American Tea Party types. Compared to the single-payer systems found in Canada and much of Europe, Obamacare preserves the status quo to an almost embarrassing degree.

The Affordable Care Act has plenty of flaws and shortcomings that should be addressed. It’s too bad that Republicans can’t engage in a reasonable discussion about how to improve the law, but the Tea Party has rendered the opposition incapable of discussing policy. Their willingness to shut down the government and risk a debt default in order to deny people health insurance isn’t just conservatism run amok. It’s a deeply reactionary response to a rapidly changing world, mixed in with some not-so-subtle racism for good measure. I’m not sure how you persuade people with that mindset to accept reality. And that’s why I’m more than a bit worried about what the next few weeks will bring.

Workspace

Personal No Responses »

Sep 242013

The popular Where Bloggers Blog tumblr is a photographic journal of places where–well, you get the idea. And here’s my blogging space:

The desk has been with me for nearly 20 years, a gift from my parents when I started law school. And there’s Spock on the middle shelf, looking down on me with mild disapproval (particularly when I procrastinate my blogging because I’m looking at…well, never mind).

Head-On with iOS 7

Disability, Tech 1 Response »

Sep 232013

Over the weekend, I experimented with the switch control function on my iPad using the built-in camera. iOS 7 allows users to activate the switch function by turning the head to the left or right. I was able to operate the iPad intermittently, but not on a consistent basis. The iPad had to be positioned in just the right spot to read my head movement and, even then, the interface could be fussy. My limited head movement probably didn’t help matters. Someone with more range of motion might have better luck using the camera. Perhaps future versions of iOS might be able to recognize more subtle gestures like eye blinks.

I just ordered the Tecla Shield, which will allow me to use an adaptive switch with the iPad. I’m expecting much better results using that method. Even though I have only been able to use the switch interface on a limited basis, I’ve been impressed with what I’ve seen so far. Apple’s accessibility team did an excellent job creating a comprehensive interface that can access all of the iPad’s functions with just a single switch. I’ll post more detailed impressions and possibly a few videos once I have the Shield up and running.

Obsessive Behavior

Health Care, Wonkery No Responses »

Sep 182013

Even after a Supreme Court ruling and a presidential election, Republicans remain fixated on dismantling Obamacare. Their latest strategy is to defund Obamacare by holding the federal budget or the debt ceiling hostage. Jonathan Chait’s recent piece on the ongoing plot to destroy Obamacare provides keen insight into the fears driving this last, desperate rearguard action by conservatives. Despite making nonstop proclamations that Obamacare is already a failure, conservatives rightly worry that Obamacare will successfully provide affordable health coverage to millions at affordable prices. It could redefine the role of government in a key component of both the economy and daily life, a prospect that most conservatives simply can’t abide.

These last-minute hijinks will come to nothing. The President and Congressional Democrats will never agree to anything that delays or defunds the most significant social legislation of the past forty years. It may take a government shutdown or a flirtation with financial ruin to bring Republican leaders to the realization that their Tea Party colleagues must be abandoned in the wilderness for their party to survive.

Critic At Large: Where’d You Go, Bernadette

Books No Responses »

Sep 172013

Where’d You Go, Bernadette is a comic novel skewering the modern American version of affluence and, for good measure, the tech industry, self-help culture, and the good people of Seattle. Through a series of e-mails, notes, and letters, we meet Bernadette, her husband Elgin, and their daughter Bee. Elgin is a rock star at Microsoft whose workaholic tendencies keep are slowly estranging him from his family. Bernadette is a brilliant former architect who suddenly abandoned her career and is now struggling with depression and agoraphobia. She hires a personal assistant based in India to handle the most basic household tasks and does her best to avoid interacting with anyone but her family.

Bernadette eventually disappears for reasons that aren’t clear until later in the book. Bee is the narrative voice tying together the disparate elements of the narrative and it’s impossible not to like her. She’s a precocious teen with a biting sense of humor and a generous spirit. The book is her attempt to piece together the circumstances that led to her mother’s disappearance. Author Maria Semple weaves together plot and characterization to create a deeply funny book populated with deeply flawed people. The relationship between Bernadette and Bee is beautifully revealed through the inner voices of the two characters and it elevates the book above satire to something much more nuanced.

This is probably one of the few literary novels that gives the reader with a solid introduction to Antarctica and its flora and fauna.

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