Craig Gurian

In most of New York State, it doesn’t matter what “metal level” you choose: you can’t get an individual or family health insurance plan on the state’s exchange that provides coverage for out-of-network physician care. How did the exchange come to be designed without a requirement of such coverage? That’s what the insurers chose. And some advocates for better health care are concerned.

How did the Times run a story suggesting, without basis, that voter bias may have played a material role in Chris Quinn’s dismal third place showing in New York City’s Democratic mayoral primary? Missing: a willingness to confront the substantive reasons why voters rejected Quinn. Ever hear of the dictatorial way in which she ran the City Council?

In the Barack Obama and Bill Clinton version of the Democratic Party, the goal is to have “conversations about race.” Or, at least, these two presidents have wanted to have intermittent conversations to the extent convenient. Once upon a time, those in favor of civil rights (as Obama and Clinton surely are) were more direct: they demanded action, not talk.

Court settlement directs NYPD to provide Remapping Debate with copies of protest permit records previously withheld from us, and to pay our attorney's fees. But data provided so far is incomplete and fight will continue over Department's claim of having no records for key periods (including 1967 to 1969, a time of extensive protest).

"Colonoscopies Explain Why U.S. Leads the World in Health Expenditures" is important reading and met some of its ambitions. But the article overplayed over-treatement and underplayed under-treatment, failed to appreciate the importance of searching for the best treatment, and needlessly overdramatized price variability.

"Colonoscopies Explain Why U.S. Leads the World in Health Expenditures" is important reading and met some of its ambitions. But the article overplayed over-treatement and underplayed under-treatment, failed to appreciate the importance of searching for the best treatment, and needlessly overdramatized price variability.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg was ecstatic last week, announcing that the city’s population had swollen to an all-time high. Unfortunately, the mayor remains completely dissociated from the many negative consequences already arising from the city’s population “boom.”

In an address that otherwise reprised many of the noblest principles from this country's history, President Obama's remarks on education offered only a bleak vision of schools as training grounds for employers. Neither the principle that a good education is an essential requisite for developing active citizens nor the idea that education has intrinsic value independent of its utility in the job market made it into the speech.

Former Senator George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic candidate for president who issued a clarion call to “Come home, America,” died earlier this week. His New York Times obituary reflected all too well the problem of image over substance in our politics, and failed — 40 years on — to appreciate the consequences of the 1972 election.

Former Senator George McGovern, the 1972 Democratic candidate for president who issued a clarion call to “Come home, America,” died earlier this week. His New York Times obituary reflected all too well the problem of image over substance in our politics, and failed — 40 years on — to appreciate the consequences of the 1972 election.