By Mieke Eoyang and Aki Peritz

As regular as springtime allergy season is in Washington, the “China threat” is in the newspapers again. We’ve all heard about how China’s military is saber-rattling over disputed rocks off the coast of Taiwan, building up ports across the Indian Ocean, and even testing a new(ish) aircraft carrier.

All important developments, yes, but there’s an unspoken security threat emanating from China that, unlike a new Yuan-class submarine or a fleet of semi-stealthy jets, affects millions of Americans today. The more immediate national security threat is China’s continuing failure to address its health and safety problems through effective regulation.

“Huh?” you might ask. China’s systemic, continuing failure to clean up its industries affects the air Americans breathe, the food Americans eat, the drugs Americans take, and even the toys America’s children play with. Protecting the safety and health of our citizens is a core security challenge for US policymakers. This is the concern that should be addressed—now.

Read more

• Tags
• politics
• health
• safety
• China
• clean air
• food safety
• Environment
• national security
• global health

“…we won’t have anywhere near enough doctors to care for the expanded volume of patients that Obamacare will create.”
-Marc Seigel, National Review, 03/30/2012

The new law will give more Americans coverage that will help them afford care, and in turn, there will be more demand for services such as primary care, which is already in short supply. Congress anticipated this problem, however, and increased reimbursement and funding for primary care doctors and other health professionals including physician assistants and nurses. President Obama’s administration recently announced an additional $250 million to boost the supply of primary care providers.

Read more in our new memo debunking the 12 biggest myths about the Affordable Care Act.

• Tags
• Thirdway
• affordable care act
• congress
• doctors
• health
• health care
• health care reform
• myth busters
• myths
• obama
• obamacare
• primary care providers
• supreme court
• politics