Sunday Best: “That’s heartbreaking”

What America's health care system looks like from abroad.

View in browser|nytimes.com Continue reading the main story May 2, 2021 If his first 100 days are anything to go by, President Biden is shaping up to be a lot different from Senator Biden, or Vice President Biden for that matter. Which, columnist Ezra Klein argues, is not a bad thing: "The legislation Senate Democrats have passed and considered in their first 100 days is unusually promising precisely because it has been unusually partisan." Take the American Families Plan that was announced this week. Many have described it as an infrastructure plan, offering paid family leave, universal preschool and other support systems that would arguably help support American workers. "But that idea is foreign to Republicans who are framing their fight against the Biden infrastructure plan in terms of what some call 'real infrastructure' — roads, bridges, ports and airports," says Anne-Marie Slaughter. Still, columnist Paul Krugman has a sneaking suspicion that if the main parts of Biden's plan become law, Republicans will find them hard to repeal. "Why? Because they'll deliver huge, indeed transformational benefits to millions," he writes, and that is something voters tend to like. But does the plan go far enough? In this week's edition of Debatable, Spencer Bokat-Lindell looks at whether it could actually overhaul the American social safety net — and whether that kind of change would be for better or for worse. — Jennifer Brown Continue reading the main story ADVERTISEMENT Illustration by The New York Times; photograph by Oscar Mazzarello via Getty Images 'I Couldn't Have Survived if I Was in America' We showed eight people from around the world how the United States does health care. Their reaction? Astonishment, horror, anger and disgust. → Hélène Baum-Owoyele Why a Grandma Is a Mother's Secret Weapon "For even the boldest and most independent young mothers, the savviest path might lead back home." → Timo Lenzen This Is Probably How the End of the Pandemic Will Look You've heard all about exponential growth. Now get ready for the math of exponential decay. → MARIA-INES GUL Our Homes Have Had Enough of Us, Too "The overall message seems to be: 'Why are you still here?'" → James Gillray, via Historica Graphica Collection/Heritage Images, via Getty Images A Short History of Vaccine Hesitancy "Opposition to vaccination is as old as vaccination itself." → SUBSCRIBE TODAY New York Times Opinion highlights a range of perspectives and voices. This work is made possible with the support of subscribers. Please consider supporting The Times with this special offer. Continue reading the main story Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for Sunday Best from The New York Times. To stop receiving these emails, unsubscribe or manage your email preferences. Subscribe to The TimesGet The New York Times app Connect with us on: Change Your EmailPrivacy PolicyContact UsCalifornia Notices The New York Times Company. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018