WEEKEND READER: Capitulation Now, More Pain Later

The Biden administration’s decision to purposely avoid a big fight over health care may pay short-term political dividends for the White House, but an important new report shows how it will end up strengthening the insurance and pharmaceutical industries. That is bad for millions of Americans today, and could make it even more difficult to fix the broken health care system in the future.

Also In Today’s Weekend Reader:

• A funny and biting comedy sketch spotlighting the dystopian service economy — you truly must see this.

• How opinion on Israel is changing in the United States, and among Jewish Americans in particular.

• A look at the psychology that allows so many powerful corporations to continue fueling the climate crisis.

• A review of some disturbing news in the world of journalism, and a few reasons to be cautiously optimistic that independent media can start filling the void.