So I started reading this book, Simplexity by Jeffery Kluger a few weeks ago.  It is not a novel, it is easy reading but it is the hard thinking one does in between pages that takes so long. 

So this morning on the news the first story was about the state of our healthcare and how we are treated those that are mentally and physically disabled.  The second story is New Hampshire delaying jury trials for a month in order to save money.  Do these two social ills have anything in common?  The book Simplexity, why simple things become complex (and how complex things can be made simple) may have the solution for both and I would ask the Santa Fe Institute to take up the challenge of thinking about these two major social issues. 

The healthcare and justice systems are core institutions of modern society and they appear to be breaking down under the weight of massively complex systems.  While both services are simple at their core, providing it to millions of people at a price the public is willing to pay is a challenge.  The news story this morning were about whom is not receiving the basic healthcare and legal services. 

America faces some tough choices ~ life and death choices regarding healthcare.  Given this much money, who does America save, a five year old child with Leukeimia or an 80 year old smoker with lung and prostate cancer?  How does a system become so complex that it values Viagra more than basic pediatric care?  The legal system is another case entirely, completely self inflicted expansion of complexity for the simple pursuit of profit, power and presitege. 

Good luck President-elect Obama, to rebuild the institutions of health and Justice are monumental and the institutions will fight you and the American public tooth and nail to preserve the status quo.