Yves here. It is no secret, if you have been even remotely paying attention, that poverty shortens lifespans, and in highly unequal societies like the US, by a lot. Even though this article comes from a old-school leftie organization, I am astonished by the headline, which I am carrying over as a badge of shame.It depicts the lousy health of the poor as their doing. In fact, most (and arguably the overwhelming) factors that connect low income to bad health operate at the community and societal level: often worse air (housing near big traffic arteries is cheaper), proximity to chemical waste (a big issue in the Mississippi Delta) and septic fields, food deserts, high cost medications and limited access to healthcare and the stress of managing inadequate income and the related social stigma. Thailand makes a mockery of America’s health practices. A doctor visit is 30 baht, as in one dollar. Most medications are very cheap and can be obtained directly at a pharmacy, as in no MD gatekeeping.…