John Nordin

John Nordin is a Mint Press columnist who divides his time as a professor and a researcher between the Twin Cities and Greece, where he specializes in Greek politics, international relations and the economy. John holds a Ph.D. from MIT, and has worked as a Lutheran pastor, a computer science teacher in Kenya and a writer.

Social Security: Not A Crisis

Sign at Occupy St Pete: “Hands Off Social Security, Medicaid Medicare” “www.SayNoCuts.org” (Photo by Robert Neff) (MINNEAPOLIS) – Social Security is not about to collapse, it will not go bankrupt and disappear, and it will be around for decades – unless it is intentionally destroyed.  That’s very different than what you regularly hear, and might be […]

John Nordin
بواسطة John Nordin
Sign at Occupy St Pete: "Hands Off Social Security, Medicaid Medicare" "www.SayNoCuts.org" (Photo by Robert Neff)

(MINNEAPOLIS) - Social Security is not about to collapse, it will not go bankrupt and disappear, and it will be around for decades – unless it is intentionally destroyed.  That’s very different than what you regularly hear, and might be different than what you think will happen.  A closer look at this signature U.S. government program will show it

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Deciphering the ‘Obamacare’ Debate

Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., right, accompanied by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, March 28, 2012, as the court concluded three days of hearing arguments on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster) (MINNEAPOLIS) – A vivid drama played out in the […]

John Nordin
بواسطة John Nordin
Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., right, accompanied by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi, speaks in front of the Supreme Court in Washington, Wednesday, March 28, 2012, as the court concluded three days of hearing arguments on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

(MINNEAPOLIS) - A vivid drama played out in the dignified chambers of the Supreme Court this week.  Over three days – an unusual length of time – the court heard lawyers on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, popularly known as “Obamacare”.   A serious, complex issue The vast length of the law itself has become well known.

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Dollars and sense: The relationship between Federal spending and the deficit

(MINNEAPOLIS) – Last week, we looked at the long term trendof federal spending compared to the economy.  But the so-called Great Recession of 2008 caused significant departures from that trend.  President Obama is regularly blamed for the “trillion dollar deficits” of current years.  But the full picture is more complex.   The budget during the recession […]

John Nordin
بواسطة John Nordin
A recent study published last month by the Society of Actuaries predicts higher costs for health care because sicker patients are expected to join the coverage pool under the Affordable Care Act. (Photo/via 401kcalculator.org)

(MINNEAPOLIS) - Last week, we looked at the long term trendof federal spending compared to the economy.  But the so-called Great Recession of 2008 caused significant departures from that trend.  President Obama is regularly blamed for the “trillion dollar deficits” of current years.  But the full picture is more complex.   The budget

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Can we really provide health care for everyone?

A counter protest for single payer health care at a Tea Party rally at the Minnesota capitol on April 15, 2010. (Photo by Fibonacci Blue) (MINNEAPOLIS) – This is Part II of an indepth look at the debate over how to provide health care as part of a series discussing the issue of universal health insurance in the […]

John Nordin
بواسطة John Nordin
A counter protest for single payer health care at a Tea Party rally at the Minnesota capitol on April 15, 2010. (Photo by Fibonacci Blue)

(MINNEAPOLIS) - This is Part II of an indepth look at the debate over how to provide health care as part of a series discussing the issue of universal health insurance in the United States. The Red Herring of Socialized Medicine   Most any effort to expand the coverage of insurance to more Americans will be attacked as “socialized medicine.”  We

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Opinion: A look into the ‘Constitutional Right’ to Health Care debate

A pro public option health care protester (Photo by Sage Ross) (MINNEAPOLIS) – Should the United States join with most other industrialized countries and have universal health insurance, spreading the cost of health care across the population?  Should we remain as we are, with a complex system that seems to make no one happy?  Or are […]

John Nordin
بواسطة John Nordin
A pro public option health care protester (Photo by Sage Ross)

(MINNEAPOLIS) - Should the United States join with most other industrialized countries and have universal health insurance, spreading the cost of health care across the population?  Should we remain as we are, with a complex system that seems to make no one happy?  Or are there other alternatives? Often this debate moves immediately into a

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Opinion: Rare Earth elements in Afghanistan – a link to US prolonged presence there?

Dysprosium is used in computer hard drives and magnets for the type of motors needed for electric vehicles. (MINNEAPOLIS) – Could a group of elements, largely unknown to the general public, be a factor in prolonging American involvement in Afghanistan?  The answer to that is not clear, but the question deserves a closer look. Scientific American, […]

John Nordin
بواسطة John Nordin
Dysprosium is used in computer hard drives and magnets for the type of motors needed for electric vehicles.

(MINNEAPOLIS) - Could a group of elements, largely unknown to the general public, be a factor in prolonging American involvement in Afghanistan?  The answer to that is not clear, but the question deserves a closer look. Scientific American, a well-respected magazine for science enthusiasts, reported in October of last year, that teams of US

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