Category: Politics, Religion & Money

Post-Washington Post

Ann Telnaes quit The Washington Post after a cartoon idea she submitted was rejected by the Editorial Page Editor. The cartoon is on Ann’s Substack post about her resignation.

https://anntelnaes.substack.com/p/why-im-quitting-the-washington-post

The rejection served only to widen the cartoon’s exposure, of course. The paper seems to be on a downward slide since Marty Baron retired.

At this point, Bezos may as well sell the Post for whatever he can get for it. If he hangs into it, and the editorial content starts turning in Trump’s favor, that will be the end.

Oh, look! Someone else is wearing Audio-Technica ATH-M20X headphones.

My take on the cartoon is that it’s far from the best work by Telnaes. The idea behind it is more obvious than it is clever. I would have rejected it for relying on the old “bags of money” symbolism.

Drug Money

Under Medicare Part D, there is now a $2000 out-of-pocket limit for prescription drugs.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/medicare-2000-prescription-drug-cap-january-1-2025-how-it-works/

In preparation for my afib ablation, I have to start taking Eliquis twice daily on the 15th. With my insurance, a 90-day supply costs just under $500.

Will I be on Eliquis forever? Probably, but it depends on the outcome of the ablation. Assuming I need to continue taking the medication, that will be $2000 this year.

Next year, the price of Eliquis will be negotiated by the government. Two years after that, generic versions should be available.

https://www.medicare.gov/about-us/prescription-drug-law

Americans Loves Scoundrels

There is no better contrast between presidents than Jimmy Carter and Donald Trump. A decent, honest man and an indecent, dishonest man, respectively. When Carter was president, I didn’t see him as being “holier than thou,” but I suppose others did. Trump is down and dirty, and the half of the country that has always resented “political correctness” loves him for it.

Political Operative Opportunity

This photo of my ’65 Chevelle brings to mind another true factoid from my past. I bought the car for $100, a week’s pay, while working in radio. It was twelve years old, when that was ancient for a car, and it failed inspection because part of the floor was rusted out. I took it to an auto body shop in town and paid another hundred bucks to have a floorboard welded onto the frame. See how happy I was that it passed inspection?

The owner of the auto body shop was very involved in local politics. After I switched from being a DJ to doing news full-time, I encountered him regularly and we’d discuss politics, local and otherwise. He told me he was going to run for mayor, and he wanted me to be his campaign manager! I was both flattered and dumbfounded, but between the conflict of interest and not (yet) wanting to quit my job, I had to decline. As I recall, he won a later mayoral election.

Jimmy Carter has died. I should tell about the time I asked Ted Kennedy if he intended to challenge Carter at the 1980 Democratic National Convention.