In 1947, Dylan Thomas composed his most famous poem, “Do not go gentle into that good night,” exhorting the reader to resist the end of life. “Rage, rage against the dying of the light,” Thomas wrote. Seventy years later, this sentiment infuses much of America’s investments in medicine. The US spends far more on health than any economically comparable country, with much of that money going towards healthcare for older Americans. In 2012, those over 65 years old spent an average of $18,988, which is more than five times the expenditure per child, and about three times the expenditure per working-age individual. This investment feeds into the broader trend of US health spending, which, in 2015, grew 5.8%, amounting to $3.2 trillion total.

On April 22, scientists will march on Washington, D.C. in support of empiricism, data and fact-based policy making. The young Trump administration has already shown itself to be at best skeptical, and at worse hostile, to these principles. From its flirtation with climate change denial to its dim view of the proven effectiveness of vaccines, this presidency has worried the scientific community, galvanizing political action.

The Trump administration's recently released "skinny budget" delivers on its name, save for one key area. Described as a "hard power budget," it cuts many social programs while allocating an additional $54 billion for defense spending. The central idea behind this budget seems to be that we can create a safer country by heavily investing in defense, while ignoring spending on all else. But can we?

The Trump administration’s plan to cut funding for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has drawn criticism from both Republicans and Democrats. In the days since the administration released its proposed budget, which would also cut funding for the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), 24 senators from both parties signed a letter asking the president to reconsider eliminating these agencies. The letter cites the power of the arts to forge cultural bonds, stimulate the economy, and enrich our education system. The senators might have included another reason for keeping these programs alive: By influencing the cultural context in which we live, the arts also help to promote health.

The healthcare debate unfolded rapidly last week, with the story changing at a dizzying pace, until it ended with the defeat of the American Health Care Act (AHCA). Ultimately, Congress chose not to vote on “Trumpcare,” due to Republican division over the substance of the widely unpopular bill. As we watched these events play out, traditional forms of commentary often felt a step or two behind the moment. We are, after all, used to seeing situations unfold linearly, with one event leading to another, following the standard pattern of cause and effect. Yet, in the blur of last week, developments emerged almost simultaneously. We saw President Trump lobby for the AHCA, even as Republicans worked to amend the bill to make it more palatable for their caucus prior to a scheduled vote on the legislation. Republicans then delayed the vote, before, ultimately, rescheduling it for Friday, then calling it off. For those of us who are invested in navigating the complex subject of healthcare, these events begged the question: how do we make sense of such wild times?

Today is Saint Patricks’ Day, a celebration of Irish heritage. Saint Patrick’s Day began, of course, as a religious holiday. But time and customs have transformed it over the years into a pageant of culture; a chance to acknowledge the contributions that Irish-Americans have made to the US. Yet Irish heritage was not always so widely embraced. During the Potato Famine of the 19th century, nearly 1 million Irish immigrated to America — the first large wave of refugees the country had ever encountered. Many faced virulent prejudice, and were denied employment and basic dignity upon arrival to this country. Despite these obstacles, doors were opened for the Irish, and generations hence, the Irish have made an indelible mark on the country.