Heather Digby Parton – Why Ben Carson’s Rapid Surge in the Polls Should Have You Very, Very Worried

Even as Donald Trump continues to dominate the national polls, with the latest from PPP [3] showing him holding on to a substantial national lead, another one of the Republican presidential candidates is finally starting to break away from the pack. And it’s not one of the mainstream political professionals, as everyone assumed it would be: Governor Scott Walker, Senator Marco Rubio, …

Wolf Richter – Obamacare? Wall Street Suddenly Scrambles to Buy Doctors, “Leverage” Their Patients

For PE firms, the fracking boom was nirvana. An eternal-growth industry. A big part of the money they poured into the scrappy oil & gas companies is now going up in smoke. Other industries are mired in a no-growth or shrinking environment. Chaos keeps breaking out in the international markets, most recently over Greece and China. So, healthcare, which accounts …