Comments on: Death Panels Reconsidered

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 05:30:13 +0000

Mommybrain, I only now saw that you were hosting Thom. I have read the book and think it’s great. I was unable to be in front of the computer then, and I apologize for missing it. Keep me posted on your future hosting.

By: AngelsAwake

AngelsAwake — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 03:24:28 +0000

This is the most hysterical piece on the site. I applaud it!

And, of course, the Secretary of Death would have to be kept secret, to prevent anyone from killing the guy in revenge over a loved one. The Sec. of DP. would simply be called Mr. or Ms. Black.

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:01:56 +0000

For years, then the Houston Post hired me to be their Austin bureau chief, then, well then I went on into politics where I discovered life could be even harder than a newsroom.

By: PeorgieTirebiter

PeorgieTirebiter — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:04:46 +0000

Weird, I moved to Texas after accepting a job in Houston. My first assignment was working on a campaign for the Houston Post. Had it not been for the Chronicle and a concurrent assignment on Victoria Bank & Trust, I wouldn’t have unpacked. You just never know what things can turn on, Thanks Glen.

By: Gitcheegumee

Gitcheegumee — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:05:10 +0000

Damn Glen, I didn’t know you used to write for the Houston Chrionicle!

By: Gitcheegumee

Gitcheegumee — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:00:25 +0000

What made me wonder aboout that is that so many of the prisons are now,”for profit” entities.

It would seem to follow that the insuring of prisoners would follow the money trail,too.

I wonder if the OWNERS of the prisons have policies on the prisoner,themselves?

Anybody remember the dead janitor policies that AIG wrote some years back?
Incidentally, AIG was the underwriter for KBR contractors over in Iraq.

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:19:46 +0000

I bet prisons would be a lot less brutal places if Wall Street had a stake in keeping prisoners alive.

By: Gitcheegumee

Gitcheegumee — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:11:40 +0000

Good afternoon:

Would you happen to know if life insurance companies sell policies to prisoners?(I’m NOT talking about Death Row)

Considering the sheer number of incarcerated persons,I would think the ghouls on WallStreet could envision a “captive” market,don’t you think?

By: Mommybrain

Mommybrain — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 19:06:07 +0000

Morning, Glenn. Happy Labor Day to you.

After today’s news about Viaticals, I wonder if the Death Panels will become Death Squads! Mrs. Williams, dear, your year is up. Time to go quietly.

Can you stop by the Thom Hartmann book salon later? It’s my first host…

By: Glenn W. Smith

Glenn W. Smith — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 18:31:23 +0000

Yes, we showed them. You know, I used to cover prisons for big city papers. I did then and still do wonder at my complete inability to see into the minds of rapists or murderers. Empathy fails, with good reason. Actually, we turn empathy off, with good reason. (By the way, this tells against the arguments against empathy — that we might lose ourselves in identification with our abusers.)

Anyway, the accountant-murderers present me with the same thing. I cannot grasp how they live with themselves.