(As always, for working links go to
http://www.threeriversonline.com.)
I submitted my brilliant $100 Grand Idea over at http://www.sinceslicedbread.com. I think its the best idea because the unions could do it without any help from the state. They could use the tools to capitalism to humanize capitalism.
Here it is within the rules of 175 words or less:
Right now, almost half of the country is either uninsured or underinsured.
The groups that left the AFL-CIO should use their resources to form a not for profit insurance industry and offer nationalized health care. There have been examples of public ownership in the past and they worked. I believe Robert Hunter directed one of them. This idea was described in a book called the "Invisible Bankers" . There would be several benefits to this: you could solve the healthcare crisis, you could show an immediate positive benefit to union involvement, and you could create a several billion dollar reservoir (60 million spend 50 dollars a month for full healthcare services) that you could use to fund principled investment and to build real political power--for example, replicating America Coming Together, building your own press, etc. Did I mention that you would starve the HMOs? All positives.
One warning: write bylaws that prevent you from actually becoming an evil insurance company!
