608. Is McConnell really as great a procedural tactician as the conventional wisdom holds? Or is this just an easy descriptor, used by the media, to try to enliven a politician who does not seem all that engaging?
609. What are the chances of the Senate passing a bill? I'd say there is a 75% chance of eventual passage, primarily because of the (really) negative optics of the Republicans going an entire year -- while controlling both houses of Congress and the Presidency -- without any major legislative success.
610. One point of contention is the 3.8% surtax (imposed under Obamacare) on income above $200,000.00. How was the 3.8% rate chosen? Why wasn't a round number (3.5% or 4.0% used)? Was this a compromise among the politicians, or was it the percentage that was chosen by the economist-advisors as maximally efficient?
611. Will there ever be a time, during my life, when a person can ask his/her doctor the cost of a procedure, ahead of time, and find out the answer? Or does an insurance-driven system (even if it's a single payer system) mandate that the price is unknown until after the procedure is "coded" for the insurer?
612. Which US Representative or Senator is the most interested in the details of health care? Is it one of the people with a medical background, or it is someone who is fascinated with economics and institutional change?
