It's a common knock that many political "solutions" to problems are merely cosmetic changes designed to make the policitians look good and to make the electorate feel better about themselves. But I've never seen it put in such damning terms before - and the point about it violating our ideas of fairness and responsibility are 100% dead on. I found myself wondering about who decides who gets the apartments, and just why they should be the ones deciding. But on the flip side, mswae is constantly telling me about just how much emergency room visits end up costing hospitals (and thus everyone indirectly through taxes and health insurance premiums).

I've been tempted to subscribe to The New Yorker for a while now. The only catch is, I'm not sure I'd have time to read it.