Is the Confederate battle flag OK for a state-issued license plate?

The Supreme Court heard arguments yesterday about whether the state of Texas should be required to issue special license plates with the Confederate battle flag, though observers say the justices seemed reluctant to push the state of Texas to sell license plates emblazoned with the divisive symbol that is that flag. The plates were presented …

More brackets!

And thanks, Cynical, for the photo.

Many families would have difficulty paying insurance premiums

A new Kaiser Family Foundation study says that one of the things that is credited with keeping healthcare costs low — higher cost sharing with consumers — is crippling for families struggling to make ends meet. Which raises the question, what means the “affordable” in “Affordable Care Act?” You can read the report here. And …

The death of Obamacare? I didn’t even know it was sick.

Arguments are ongoing at the Supreme Court in King v. Burwell, the third Obamacare (Affordable Care Act to precise historians) case to reach that august body. Add to that some 56 attempts to repeal the thing by elected officials who oughta know better. And because they don’t, I will helpfully post this. A tinge more …

When Congress looks at SNAP this year:

Every last one of them should go to this map, at Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The map shows how much communities took advantage of the low-to-no-cost breakfast and lunch programs at schools. The Community Eligibility Provision allows schools that serve predominantly poor students the opportunity to offer free breakfasts and lunches to all …

What IS it about the Iraq war that makes people lie?

“Conflating” one’s war record has a fine tradition in American culture, but it certainly does cheapen the experiences of people who actually do go into harm’s way. An internal investigation has been started at NBC, and Williams will step down from his job temporarily. Funny thing is, NBC’s Brian Williams is not the first to …

Did you see the State of the Union address last night?

You can read the text here. He only went off script a couple of times, once when there was applause when he said he had no more campaigns to run. He responded to the light applause by saying “I know because I won both of them,” or something like that. Touche, Mr. President. Feel free …

The President gives his State of the Union address tonight.

We already know some of what he’s going to say. What else should he say? Insert your answers in the comments, and we’ll pull some strings here at DJ Central and…nah. I’m lying. He won’t ever see them, but have at it, anyway. The speech starts at 9 p.m. tonight. And check out how interactive …

The demise of single payer started a long time ago — a guest blog by Leftover

For frequent readers of this blog, Leftover needs no introduction. He’s been a vigorous and thought-provoking commenter for years. This is his first Dating Jesus blog post: Single Payer is dead. After a long struggle against the neoliberal commodification of healthcare, Single Payer has succumbed to the demands of our Hayekian market society that dictate …

Protestants rule the 114th U.S. Congress

Check out the religions professed by members of the 114th Congress, which convened today. Boiled down, there’s a boatload of Protestants and scarce any unaffiliateds, though that’s a growing demographic worldwide. You can read more here. For a little more information on the new Congress, go here. For a somewhat opposing view, go here.