Hedrick Smith talks Thursday

Pulitzer Prize author and journalist Hedrick Smith speaks tomorrow, Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Hyatt. His topic is: ”The Dream at Risk, America’s Insecurity at Home and Abroad.” Find out more from the Forum Truth site - the talk begins at 7:30 pm.


Here's an interview with Smith by Doug Miles from a day ago.

Free Enterprise?

Banks set to become region's largest landholders

All in all, banks are set to become some of Southwest Florida's largest landholders.

So far in 2009, they have begun foreclosing on at least 5,500 acres in Manatee and Sarasota counties that were bought for $420 million during the boom. more...

How do banks think? See here.

Fla. faces $2.6 billion shortfall

Just months after patching together a budget by cutting spending, raising fees and gobbling up federal money, Florida lawmakers are bracing for more tough times next year.

Florida could face a budget shortfall of as much as $2.6 billion for the 2010-11 fiscal year that starts in July, as state tax collections continue sagging and costs increase for programs such as Medicaid.

As Florida goes, so goes the Nation

States across the nation pinch their pennies to save athletics USA Today Nearby Loudoun County, with 10 high schools, instituted a $100 fee to play sports. Money is for general budget shortfall not specific to athletic budget. ... Behind Florida's Exodus: Rising Taxes, Political Ineptitude TIME One thing, for instance, would be to give a dozen top aides hefty raises while urging a rise in property taxes, as the Mayor of Miami-Dade County recently ... Schools look to teacher furloughs to trim budgets The Associated Press But furloughs are happening in individual districts in states such as New Mexico,Florida and California, said Ed Muir, deputy director of research and ... License and registration, PLEASE! Ocala Higher tag fees, raised by the Florida Legislature to address a budget deficit, take effect today. The Associated Press TALLAHASSEE - Driver license, ...

Real Healthcare Systems

In this blogger's opinion, T.R. Reid's The Healing of America is the single most useful description of healthcare models available today -- the book describes four systems in use around the world, and how they compare.

Hear an interview with Reid here.

Full transcript of interview here.

Don't bother joining in the healthcare discussion without the information here.

See also: 5 Myths About Health Care Around the World

If you're a Native American or a veteran you live in Britain. They get government health care and government hospitals from government doctors and they never get a bill.

If you're an employed person sharing your health insurance premium with your employer, you live in Germany. That's the Bismarck model that was invented in Germany and used in many countries.

If you're a senior and you buy Medicare insurance from the government and go to private doctors, you live in Canada. That's the Canadian model. As a matter of fact, the Canadian health care system is called Medicare, and when Lyndon Johnson provided it for our seniors in 1965 he borrowed both the model and the name from Canada.

And if you're one of the tens of millions of Americans who can't get health insurance, well, you live in Malawi or Madagascar or Mali or something...

Another interview with Reid here.

Rising tide sinks homeowners

Survey: 'Underwater' Mortgages To Hit 48 Percent

A new study indicates that by 2011 nearly half of American homeowners will have a house worth less than what they owe on the mortgage. When more is owed, than what the house is worth, it's called being under water. One-fourth of U.S. homeowners are estimated to be under water on their mortgages already. NPR