Wesley J. Smith

A few days ago, I criticized a government advisory panel’s recommendation to remove PSA screening as a covered service for healthy men.  It seemed to me that the recommendation missed the trees for the forest, that is, it looked too broadly at the issue, taking false positives, . . . . Continue Reading »

Christopher Hitchens may be the best short form writer working today.  Powerful writing and pointed advocacy—much of with which I disagree—thankfully undiminished by his fight with esophageal cancer.  Indeed, the last time I wrote about Hitchens, I quoted him as wishing for the . . . . Continue Reading »

Ah, the word games Obamacarians do play.  Latest in a series of obfuscations; attempting to depict the penalty for not buying health insurance under the individual mandate as a “tax penalty.”Obamacarians employ that term because they are trying to turn a civil penalty—in . . . . Continue Reading »

California Governor Jerry Brown has signed a bill banning minors from using tanning beds.  From the Reuters story:Previously, California had banned minors under the age of 14 from using tanning beds, but allowed those between 14 and 18 years of age to use tanning beds with parental consent. . . . . Continue Reading »

I am of the belief that the drive for instant “Green!” has hurt the economy by inhibiting the development of resources, placing onerous regulatory burdens on business, increasing the price of energy—you know, the kinds of things that stifle growth, cause uncertainty, and generally . . . . Continue Reading »

(Sorry about the format. I couldn’t fix it. You will have to scroll down to see the poll answers from which to pick. If you want to pick first result, its circle is at the top, even though the text is below.)On October 13, 2013, Obamacare Will Most . . . . Continue Reading »

It’s called law enforcement, and it’s long overdue.I have long criticized recreational marijuana promoters for using people who need medical marijuana as the front for their highs.  This has led to a huge commercial industry raking in millions of dollars, which even California . . . . Continue Reading »

The march of cost containment continues, undoing decades of advice that we be screened for cancers in order to catch it earlier. First, it was a recommendation that women under 50 not be provided mammograms.  Now, it is a recommendation that insurance not cover men receiving the PSA blood test, . . . . Continue Reading »

Herman Cain got in some trouble with Politifact for making an over-the-top statement about Margaret Sanger and the early days of Planned Parenthood, causing the fact checking media site to give him its dreaded “Pants on Fire” denigration. From the Poltifact story: [Cain said,] ”When . . . . Continue Reading »

This must end.  “Experts” are advising bureaucrats to continue seizing control of the entire American health care system.  Now, the Feds are preparing to centrally dictate coverage terms for private policies across the nation. From the AP story:The federal government is taking . . . . Continue Reading »