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20 posts found
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Mar 06, 2026
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SEIU Delenda Est

15 min • 2,251 words • 673 comments • 639 likes • podcast (14 min)
Scott argues that California's proposed billionaire tax is actually an extortion scheme by SEIU, which has a history of proposing destructive ballot initiatives and withdrawing them in exchange for concessions. Longer summary
Scott argues that California's 2026 Billionaire Tax Act is not a genuine progressive wealth tax proposal, but rather an extortion scheme by the Service Employees International Union (SEIU). He explains the tax's various problems (including taxing unrealized gains and being retroactive), then reveals SEIU's history of proposing deliberately destructive ballot initiatives targeting healthcare industries, only to withdraw them in exchange for money and union expansion rights. The union has done this repeatedly with hospitals and dialysis clinics, spending millions on initiatives they never intended to pass. Scott suggests the billionaire tax follows the same pattern: SEIU is leveraging Governor Newsom's presidential ambitions and desire to keep tech billionaires happy, hoping he'll offer concessions to make the initiative disappear. Shorter summary
Feb 05, 2026
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Links For February 2026

48 min • 7,419 words • 660 comments • 255 likes • podcast (49 min)
A monthly collection of diverse links covering AI developments and regulation, COVID origins debates, healthcare policy, cultural phenomena, scientific research, and internet curiosities, maintaining Scott's characteristic blend of serious analysis and entertaining observations. Longer summary
Scott Alexander's February 2026 links collection covers a wide range of topics including AI developments, politics, science, culture, and internet phenomena. Major themes include updates on AI capabilities and regulation (with discussions of OpenAI, Anthropic, and various political machinations around AI policy), the ongoing COVID lab leak debate and related prediction markets, healthcare and drug development issues, cultural observations from around the world, and various scientific and academic findings. The post maintains Scott's characteristic style of jumping between serious policy discussions, academic research, internet curiosities, and cultural commentary, with particular attention to AI safety concerns, rationalist community topics, and interesting historical or linguistic oddities. Shorter summary
Feb 07, 2025
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1DaySooner's Trump II Health Policy Proposals

13 min • 1,950 words • 269 comments • 234 likes • podcast (12 min)
Scott Alexander and 1DaySooner outline potential positive health policy initiatives that could emerge under three key Trump administration health appointees: Jim O'Neill, Marty Makary, and Jay Bhattacharya. Longer summary
This post discusses potential health policy proposals under a hypothetical second Trump administration, focusing on three key appointees and their possible initiatives. The piece examines Jim O'Neill as Deputy Secretary of HHS, highlighting his potential work on organ donation compensation and longevity research; Marty Makary as FDA Commissioner, discussing FDA transparency and regulatory improvements; and Jay Bhattacharya as NIH Director, exploring research funding reforms and challenge trials. Written in collaboration with 1DaySooner, the post specifically focuses on optimistic scenarios that could emerge from these appointments. Shorter summary
Dec 06, 2023
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Beyond "Abolish The FDA"

16 min • 2,337 words • 454 comments • 202 likes • podcast (14 min)
Scott Alexander examines the complexities of abolishing the FDA and proposes more practical alternatives to increase medical innovation while maintaining safeguards. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses the challenges of abolishing the FDA, a popular libertarian idea. He explores various issues that would arise, such as the fate of prescription medications, drug contamination inspections, and the potential for exploitation by unethical companies. The post then proposes two more practical alternatives to complete FDA abolition: legalizing artificial supplements and creating an 'experimental drug' category. These suggestions aim to increase medical innovation and access while maintaining some safeguards. Shorter summary
Nov 07, 2023
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Highlights From The Comments On Kidney Donation

71 min • 10,916 words • 489 comments • 106 likes • podcast (56 min)
Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to various comments on his kidney donation post, covering a wide range of related topics and perspectives. Longer summary
Scott Alexander provides highlights from comments on his kidney donation post, covering various perspectives and topics. These include comments from other kidney donors and recipients, discussions on opt-out organ donation systems, debates on radiation risk from screening tests, issues with rejection during the donation process, polls about willingness to donate, and developments in artificial organ technology. Scott also responds to many comments, offering additional insights and reflections on the donation process and related ethical considerations. Shorter summary
Oct 27, 2023
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My Left Kidney

48 min • 7,380 words • 915 comments • 583 likes • podcast (39 min)
Scott Alexander recounts his experience donating a kidney, from initial motivation to post-surgery recovery, while discussing the broader context of organ donation. Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes his journey to donate a kidney, including his motivations, the medical process, and the challenges he faced. He discusses the effectiveness of kidney donation compared to other forms of altruism, the stigma around mental health in the donation process, and the need for systemic changes to address the kidney shortage. Scott also reflects on the experience of the surgery and recovery, and encourages others to consider donation. Shorter summary
Apr 03, 2023
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Highlights From The Comments On Telemedicine Regulations

33 min • 4,965 words • 135 comments • 101 likes • podcast (27 min)
Scott Alexander responds to comments on his post about new telemedicine regulations, addressing various concerns and criticisms raised by readers. Longer summary
Scott Alexander summarizes and responds to various comments on his original post about new telemedicine regulations. He addresses concerns about drug addiction, debates the effectiveness of telemedicine compared to in-person care, discusses the issue of 'pill mills', clarifies his analogy about blind people accessing Braille, responds to criticism of his characterization of Christian doctors, examines which part of the government is responsible for the regulations, and looks at how other countries handle telemedicine prescriptions. Shorter summary
Mar 29, 2023
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The Government Is Making Telemedicine Hard And Inconvenient Again

12 min • 1,817 words • 398 comments • 255 likes • podcast (11 min)
Scott Alexander criticizes new DEA regulations that restrict telemedicine prescriptions for controlled substances, arguing they will harm patients and legitimate practices while failing to prevent abuse. Longer summary
Scott Alexander criticizes new DEA regulations that make it harder for telemedicine doctors to prescribe controlled substances. As a telepsychiatrist, he explains how these rules will negatively impact his practice and patients, especially those who rely on controlled substances for conditions like ADHD or anxiety. He argues that the new regulations, while intended to prevent overprescribing, will mainly create inconvenience for legitimate practitioners and patients while doing little to stop actual abusers. Scott outlines the loopholes in the law and how they highlight its absurdity, predicting that these rules will make telemedicine less accessible and effective in the long run. Shorter summary
Jan 27, 2022
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Highlights From The Comments On Health Care Systems

59 min • 9,034 words • 205 comments • 52 likes • podcast (60 min)
Scott Alexander compiles reader comments on healthcare systems in various countries, discussing economics, drug pricing, and personal experiences. Longer summary
This post is a collection of reader comments on healthcare systems in various countries, focusing on the US, Germany, Netherlands, UK, Australia, Switzerland, and several others. It covers topics like drug pricing, healthcare economics, and personal experiences with different systems. The post is structured into four main sections: comments on US healthcare, discussions on drug pricing and subsidies, explanations of why healthcare economics are unique, and detailed accounts of healthcare systems in specific countries. Shorter summary
Aug 08, 2021
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Contra Drum On The Fish Oil Story

24 min • 3,628 words • 276 comments • 114 likes • podcast (24 min)
Scott Alexander defends his criticism of the FDA's approval process in the infant fish oil case, arguing that systemic issues cause harmful delays even when the FDA follows its mandate. Longer summary
Scott Alexander responds to Kevin Drum's criticism of his interpretation of the infant fish oil story. He maintains that his account was substantially correct, despite some minor errors. Scott argues that the FDA's approval process, while following its mandate, causes unnecessary delays in life-saving treatments. He uses analogies to illustrate how the FDA's structure can be problematic even when individual employees perform well. Scott emphasizes that his criticism is not about the FDA failing its mandate, but about the design of the system itself causing delays in implementing known beneficial treatments. He concludes by addressing Drum's skepticism of FDA critics, arguing that anger towards the FDA often comes from personal experiences with its shortcomings. Shorter summary
Apr 24, 2020
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Employer Provided Health Insurance Delenda Est

9 min • 1,387 words • 465 comments • podcast (9 min)
Scott Alexander presents numerous examples of how the U.S. employer-provided health insurance system fails even insured, well-off individuals, arguing that almost any alternative system would be better. Longer summary
Scott Alexander critiques the employer-provided health insurance system in the United States, presenting numerous real-life examples of how it fails even well-off, insured individuals. He argues that the system creates unnecessary barriers to care, disrupts continuity of treatment, and traps people in undesirable life situations. The post illustrates how the current system fails not just the poor and uninsured, but also those who seemingly should benefit from it. Scott concludes that virtually any other healthcare system would resolve these issues. Shorter summary
Apr 25, 2018
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Mental Health On A Budget

15 min • 2,286 words • 105 comments • podcast (17 min)
Scott Alexander offers various strategies for obtaining affordable mental health care and medication in the US, including discount programs, therapy alternatives, and supplement options. Longer summary
This post provides detailed advice on how to access mental health care and medication on a budget in the US. Scott outlines various strategies for obtaining prescription medications at lower costs, including using discount websites, pill splitting, and patient assistance programs. He also discusses affordable therapy options and supplement alternatives to prescription drugs. The post is aimed at those who don't qualify for government assistance and includes both legal and potentially legal methods. Scott emphasizes that this is not medical advice and should be used at one's own risk. Shorter summary
Aug 07, 2017
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Links 8/17: On The Site Of The Angels

15 min • 2,291 words • 790 comments
A collection of interesting links covering medical research, sociology, politics, and technology, with brief commentary on each item. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting articles, studies and news items. Topics range from medical research (drug expiration dates, depression treatments) to sociology (class in China, runner demographics) to politics (neoliberalism, Israel boycott laws) to technology (AI language models, genetic engineering). The post maintains a somewhat informal tone while discussing academic papers and news items, often adding brief commentary or context to help understand the significance of each link. Shorter summary
Jan 23, 2017
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Links 1/17: Inaugurl Address

17 min • 2,587 words • 765 comments
A diverse collection of links covering current events, scientific studies, and cultural developments, with brief commentary on each story's significance or implications. Longer summary
This is a collection of links covering various topics from current events, science, and culture. It includes news about the seasteading institute's deal with French Polynesia, a meta-analysis on red meat and cardiovascular disease, a discussion of authoritarianism by Tom Pepinsky, and various studies on topics like growth mindset and the Flynn Effect. The links also cover political developments like Obama's attempts to close Guantanamo, Trump's health picks, and new research on school choice experiments. The post maintains a neutral tone while providing brief commentary and context for each link. Shorter summary
Jan 18, 2017
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Watch New Health Picks

13 min • 1,929 words • 632 comments
Scott Alexander discusses potential Trump administration health-related appointments, focusing on FDA commissioner candidates Jim O'Neill and Balaji Srinivasan, and their potential to implement beneficial reforms. Longer summary
Scott Alexander discusses potential Trump administration picks for key health-related positions, particularly the FDA commissioner and NIH chief. He expresses excitement about the possibility of Jim O'Neill or Balaji Srinivasan being chosen for FDA commissioner, viewing them as principled libertarians who could implement beneficial reforms. Alexander outlines several policies these candidates might pursue, such as medical reciprocity with other countries and streamlining generic drug approvals. He also mentions John Ioannidis as a surprising potential pick for NIH chief, praising his work in improving medical research standards. The post concludes by noting that pharmaceutical industry stocks haven't moved much in response to these potential appointments. Shorter summary
Sep 07, 2016
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Reverse Voxsplaining: Brand-Name Drugs

31 min • 4,731 words • 467 comments
Scott argues against Vox's proposal for drug price controls, citing studies that such policies would significantly reduce pharmaceutical innovation and potentially cost millions of life-years long-term. Longer summary
Scott Alexander responds to Sarah Kliff's Vox article about drug pricing, arguing that her proposal for price controls on brand-name drugs would significantly decrease pharmaceutical innovation. He cites multiple economic studies suggesting price controls reduce R&D and new drug development. Scott argues that while price controls might lower costs in the short-term, they could cost millions of life-years long-term by reducing new drug creation. He suggests focusing on increasing generic drug competition and reducing unnecessary prescriptions of expensive brand-name drugs with cheap generic alternatives as better solutions to high drug prices. Shorter summary
Jul 28, 2016
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Links 7/16: Grad, Div, and URL

8 min • 1,210 words • 933 comments
A collection of interesting links spanning drug policy, scientific studies, historical oddities, and current events, with Scott's commentary on each. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies. It covers a wide range of topics including drug policy changes around suboxone, scientific studies about intelligence and inflammation, historical oddities like Japanese WWII plans, educational research, and current events. The post includes both serious academic content (like studies on behavioral therapy and economic effects of aging) and lighter items (like Pokemon Go at Holocaust museums). Scott provides brief commentary and context for each link, often connecting them to his previous writing or ongoing themes. Shorter summary
Mar 26, 2016
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Links 3/16: Klapaucius And URL

22 min • 3,366 words • 970 comments
A Links post presenting various interesting news and studies from different fields, with brief commentary on each item. Longer summary
This is a Links post that presents a collection of interesting news, studies, and articles from various fields. The post covers topics ranging from scientific research and academic policy to economics and social issues. It includes studies on ADHD diagnosis, income inequality, neighborhood effects, and discussion of various cultural and political events. The tone is casual and informative, with Scott providing brief commentary and connecting different ideas throughout. Shorter summary
Mar 07, 2016
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Reverse Voxsplaining: Prison and Mental Illness

19 min • 2,847 words • 429 comments
Scott Alexander criticizes the idea that prisons have replaced mental hospitals, arguing for better community and forensic mental health care instead of long-term institutionalization. Longer summary
Scott Alexander critiques a Vox article that suggests America's criminal justice system has become a substitute for the gutted mental health system. He argues that this view is misguided, explaining that mental health spending hasn't decreased but shifted from long-term state hospitals to community care. Scott contends that the high number of mentally ill people in prison is due to shared risk factors with criminality, not a lack of mental health care. He emphasizes that most mentally ill people can live outside institutions and shouldn't be institutionalized preemptively. Scott advocates for better funding of community and forensic mental health systems rather than reopening state-run long-term mental hospitals, which he views as problematic. Shorter summary
Mar 08, 2015
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Links 3/15: URL Of Great Price

12 min • 1,769 words • 504 comments
A collection of interesting links covering technology, science, economics and society, with Scott's commentary and analysis on each topic. Longer summary
This is a links post collecting various interesting news and studies. Topics range from artificial lighting technology that mimics sunlight, to FDA's role in covering up clinical trial fraud, to immigration studies about assimilation. Scott also discusses economic issues like Greece's basic income proposal and inequality trends, scientific findings about processed food and attraction, and technological developments like head transplants and color blindness treatments. The post maintains a light tone while providing critical analysis of various claims and studies. Shorter summary
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