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PBC News & Comment: Obamacare Flaws, Rate Hikes Deal GOP and Opportunity

Obamacare flaws, highlighted by big rate increases and fleeing insurers, deal political opening for Republicans, but Trump promotes his hotels…--most Americans get their health insurance from their employers, and that market has been pretty stable in last 5 years

--Public Citizen shows that, overall, health insurance giants are very profitable

--in The Guardian, Celine Gounder says it’s “time to be bold” in fixing health care system

--Podesta email leaks show damage control effort after Obama talked about Clinton’s email system, “we need to clean this up”

--Clinton’s plan for no-fly zone in Syria leaves top spook James Clapper concerned that Russia would shoot down American planes

--in historic step, US abstains from Security Council vote condemning US embargo of Cuba

--Pentagon halts efforts to collect bonuses from Iraq war vets, as we learn that Congress refused to fix the problem

--secret electronic surveillance in Beltway region has increased 500%, reports Washington Post

--at Standing Rock, details emerge of excessive force used on protesters in weekend confrontation and arrests

--US telegraphs its plans to use rebels in Syria for new assault on IS in Raqqa

--Shadowproof offers excellent roundup on the war in Syria

--Vatican opens its archives on Argentina’s “dirty war”

--Vatican issues new orders on cremation, just in time for Halloween