Wednesday Links

• Not surprisingly, Americans get the poorest health care and yet pay the most compared to five other rich countries, according to a new report by the Commonwealth Fund. Yet another reason this country's healthcare system needs to be overhauled, and the fact that nearly every Democratic presidential candidate supports universal healthcare is a good start.

• The U.S. has the highest incarceration rate in the world, and 95% of those incarcerated will return to society. However, that reentry is incredibly difficult. Democratic Congressman Danny Davis (IL) has introduced the Second Chance Act of 2007 in the House, which would provide demonstration and mentoring grants to states and nonprofits, create a National Offender Reentry Resource Center, establish a federal reentry Task Force, and enhance many currents reentry programs.

• In the first major investigation of Medicare marketing, the Oklahoma insurance commissioner has documented widespread misconduct by agents working for Humana and has ordered the company to take corrective action to protect consumers against high-pressure sales tactics.

• Potential for at least moderate progress in the rollback of the War on Drugs. The U.S. Sentencing Commission has advised Congress to repeal a law that puts first-time offenders behind bars for at least five years for possessing tiny amounts of crack cocaine.

• And finally, we mourn the loss of Yolanda King, the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.'s eldest child. She was 51.