[late]

Yes, I am certain that one of the reasons why Obamacare failed to provide public health care is because of the fact that insurance companies have bought that party as well.

And so I also agree that lobbyists et cetera need to go.

A lot of that had to do with Republicans fighting against every inch.

[Pants-of-dog]

For sure, and insurance lobbying was one of the reasons why Republicans fought so hard. They were paid to do a job and they did it.

[Drlee]

What do you think about the system where in order to get decent insurance at a relatively decent price is to be employed. America is the only country in the world with this arrangement

Speaking candidly I think this is just plain stupid. It is arguing against our enlightened self interest not to mention drives up the cost of health care for all. Here is why:

Under our current system the most expensive patients are already covered by government health care. Those over 65 are at least partially covered by medicare and many of the poor and most of those with very expensive illnesses are covered by Medicaid. The insurance companies like this very much. They get to select to cover those who need coverage least and charge them very much more. While it is true that insurance companies pay somewhat more than the government does for the same services they are free to negotiate prices. And rarely are the on the hook for the whole charge.

Further. Adding the employer to the mix adds unnecessary administrative costs. For that matter, adding insurance companies does too. Here is an excellent article on the subject:

https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/reports/2019/04/08/468302/excess-administrative-costs-burden-u-s-health-care-system/

One study puts the number at over 1/3 of the cost of health care in the US. And this with administrative costs for Medicare at 2 to 5%.

So the deal is @Rancid is that as you clearly see, we are simply getting gouged at every turn. The naysayers want us to imagine an entire parade of horribles if we go to government insurance. Empirical evidence shows that they are simply wrong. Whether their claim is that the patient will not get to choose their doctor or that services will be dangerously rationed they are just wrong. Looking at the other OECD nations which have universal care of one kind of another none of this is true.

There are stories about waiting for a hip replacement for 6 months in Canada. It is true that some patients might. And why not? How long did they wait with their sore hip before they finally went to the doctor? But the real question is whether or not Canadians wait for essential emergency care. And the answer is that they do not. I would insert here that a considerable number of Americans wait way to long because their lack of insurance or under-insurance makes immediate care unattractive in the extreme.

Then to the discussion about whether it is doable in the face of the insurance lobby. The answer is that we shall see. Certainly a death by a thousand cuts strategy is a possibility. A charismatic leader and a big recession might just put us over the top. Clearly should the democrats take all three houses of government it is reasonable to expect substantial improvement even if those improvements are within the framework of what we have now.

[Hindsite]

Clearly should the democrats take all three houses of government it is reasonable to expect substantial improvement even if those improvements are within the framework of what we have now.

It is not clear to me. It seems to me that would be getting rid of all checks and balances that we now have.

[Rancid]

It is not clear to me. It seems to me that would be getting rid of all checks and balances that we now have.

That's only if you assume people that vote for a particular party are some monolithic hive mind. Which isn't true for democrats or republicans.

When a single party dominates all parts of the government, it's very possible you would see the party fracture enough to create a new party. Basically, a situation like this is critically stable. I'm using the control theory definition of critically stable. Meaning, dominance by a single party is ephemeral.

[Finfinder]

Sorry to barge in here but you are forgetting to include 20 million illegal immigrants into your calculations.
They too should get free and complete health care at no cost to them according to some democrat hopefuls.

@Drlee 3 trillion a year Drlee show us the math. What do we take in income taxes every year 4 trillion ?

At the end of the day only a small portion of Americans are on Medicare, I have a little understanding as I hold a Florida 215 life health and variable annuity license.

The cost is pervasive enough that the government came up with Medicare Advantage both Medicare and Medicare Advantage are when you turn 65 and you have paid taxes into it your entire life. Liz Warren and Bernie Sanders want Medicare for all, Warren refuses to answer how we are going to pay for it and Bernie admits taxes are going to go way up. I think his 10 year estimate was about $100 trillion. .

I agree with you I'd would love to have free healthcare but its not that easy btw lets throw in 30 million undocumented people who may or may not have been contributing taxes towards healthcare.

As far as Doctors, Medicare doesn't pay the entire bill the doctor charges, it pays only a fraction (80%) and they do not cover perscription drugs. Many doctors do not even accept Medicare Advantage. That's why you have to buy gap insurance to cover what Medicare does not. A medical event is the single biggest financial threat to retired people.

I brought it up but I was dismissed by a communist from Canada who can't do the math and say's we will save billions and a supposed conservative Republican who relished the day for complete Democrat domination and power. They don't want us to talk about it.

[Hindsite]

Trump defends Gabbard after Clinton claims she's a Russian asset

President Donald Trump on Monday defended Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard against Hillary Clinton’s accusation that the Democratic congresswoman’s presidential campaign is being bolstered by the Russian government.

“She’s accusing everyone of being a Russian agent,” Trump told reporters of his 2016 general election opponent.

“These people are sick. There’s something wrong with them,” he said, arguing that Clinton’s controversial comments would aid Gabbard’s White House bid.

Clinton claimed that Russian operatives have “got their eye on somebody who’s currently in the Democratic primary, and they’re grooming her to be the third-party candidate.” Nick Merrill, a Clinton spokesman, later confirmed that she was referring to Gabbard.

“She’s the favorite of the Russians. They have a bunch of sites and bots and other ways of supporting her so far, and that’s assuming Jill Stein will give it up because she’s also a Russian asset,” Clinton told Plouffe, referring to the 2016 Green Party presidential nominee whose candidacy some Democrats complain contributed to Trump’s victory.

Gabbard has denounced Clinton’s charges in a series of tweets and a video statement, blasting her as “the queen of warmongers, embodiment of corruption, and personification of the rot that has sickened the Democratic Party for so long.”

Trump had previously weighed in on the feud between Clinton and Gabbard over the weekend, referencing allegations of his own allegiance to Moscow and his genial relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

“So now Crooked Hillary is at it again! She is calling Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard ‘a Russian favorite,’ and Jill Stein ‘a Russian asset,’” he tweeted Saturday. “As you may have heard, I was called a big Russia lover also (actually, I do like Russian people. I like all people!). Hillary’s gone Crazy!”

https://www.politico.com/news/2019/10/2 ... ent-053294

[Finfinder]

she wants to run again, I said it a long time ago.

[maz]

They are bringing the kooky Russian hacking conspiracy theory back again

Facebook: Russian trolls are back. And they're here to meddle with 2020

People linked to the Internet Research Agency, the Kremlin-backed troll group indicted by the United States for its alleged interference in the 2016 US presidential election, are laying the groundwork to do the same in 2020, new information released by Facebook on Monday suggests.

Profiles originating in Russia had since the beginning of this year been building a network of accounts on Instagram designed to look like groups in swing states, the company said. Instagram is owned by Facebook (FB).

Although the accounts posed as Americans from all sides of the political spectrum, many were united in their opposition to the candidacy of former Vice President Joe Biden, according to Graphika, a social media investigations company that Facebook asked to analyze the accounts. The Russian trolls who used social media to interfere in the 2016 election employed a similar tactic, going after Hillary Clinton from the right and also trying to spread a perception on the left that Clinton was not liberal enough and that liberals and African Americans especially shouldn't bother voting for her.

The accounts Facebook revealed Monday, 50 of which were on Instagram and one of which was on Facebook, were designed to look like they were advocating on a broad range of issues across American life.

Accounts with usernames like @black.queen.chloe and @michigan_black_community_ looked like they were run by black activists. There were also pro and anti-Trump accounts, and accounts posing as feminists, LGBTQ rights advocates, and environmentalists. Other account names included @stop.trump2020, @bernie.2020__, @iowa.patriot, and @feminist_agenda_, according to Graphika.

Pretending to be a black activist on Facebook is equivalent to election meddling

[blackjack21]

Well, Beto O'Rourke is done. Nobody seems to be losing too much sleep over him. It was hard to see Eric Swalwell go. Kristen Gillibrand was awesome too. So was Bill de Blasio. What will happen now without Beto, our hero?

[Drlee]

Well, Beto O'Rourke is done. Nobody seems to be losing too much sleep over him. It was hard to see Eric Swalwell go. Kristen Gillibrand was awesome too. So was Bill de Blasio. What will happen now without Beto, our hero?

Thank God. His comments about guns have already been worth millions in advertising to the Trump campaign. You will see them again and again in the republican ads entitled "Democrats are coming for your guns". You do recall, Blackjack21 that I said that the day he said that the election was over and Trump had won.

[Hindsite]

Thank God. His comments about guns have already been worth millions in advertising to the Trump campaign. You will see them again and again in the republican ads entitled "Democrats are coming for your guns". You do recall, Blackjack21 that I said that the day he said that the election was over and Trump had won.

For once, I hope you are correct.
Praise the Lord.

[Drlee]

Not a good night for republicans. A democrat governer in Kentucky. Virginia in ruins. Maybe 2020 is not stacking up to be a good road.

[Hindsite]

Not a good night for republicans. A democrat governer in Kentucky. Virginia in ruins. Maybe 2020 is not stacking up to be a good road.

“President Trump’s rally helped five of six Kentucky Republicans win clear statewide victories, including Attorney General-elect Daniel Cameron, who will be the first black A.G. in Kentucky history and the first Republican to hold the office since 1948. The President just about dragged Gov. Matt Bevin across the finish line, helping him run stronger than expected in what turned into a very close race at the end. A final outcome remains to be seen," Parscale said.

[Drlee]

“President Trump’s rally helped five of six Kentucky Republicans win clear statewide victories, including Attorney General-elect Daniel Cameron, who will be the first black A.G. in Kentucky history and the first Republican to hold the office since 1948. The President just about dragged Gov. Matt Bevin across the finish line, helping him run stronger than expected in what turned into a very close race at the end. A final outcome remains to be seen," Parscale said.

When you stop spinning are you dizzy for a few minutes.

No way to spin this. In a state Trump won by 30 points he got his dick beaten flat. And Mitch McConnell is in deep shit too.

Virginia lost the entire state government, the Gov, the Lt Gov and the Attorney General to the democrats.

[jimjam]

Trump distances self from Kentucky GOP loss:

Typical Donald …… lies and failure to take responsibility …………...

Donald Trump, true to form, is insisting that the devastating Republican loss in the Kentucky governor’s election had nothing to do with him.

Early this morning Trump claimed Matt Bevin, the Republican incumbent in Kentucky, “picked up at least 15 points in last days” due to Trump’s appearance at a rally with Bevin. The polls suggest otherwise, however.

According to a survey by Trafalgar Group, Bevin was actually five points ahead at the beginning of November – before Trump’s rally. Make of that what you will. (And don’t forget that Trump himself said on Monday that defeat for Bevin: “sends a really bad message”.)

[Stormsmith]

“President Trump’s rally helped five of six Kentucky Republicans win clear statewide victories, including Attorney General-elect Daniel Cameron, who will be the first black A.G. in Kentucky history and the first Republican to hold the office since 1948. The President just about dragged Gov. Matt Bevin across the finish line, helping him run stronger than expected in what turned into a very close race at the end. A final outcome remains to be seen," Parscale said.

Matt Benin was polling higher before he received President Trump's endorsement; voters handed Virginia's a complete trifecta to the Democrats last night. It was a complete rout, my dear. Are you worried this is just the beginning, that Georgia will be next to sing the blues?

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition

[late]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfAHBVMguDQ

[Stormsmith]

I found your video both sentimental and ironic in equal measue. I hadn't thought about him in years, but both my parents were fans. As for me, when I heard about last night's results, I wondered if the pundits were correct the in forecasting future flips. I wondered at the demographics of the voters, if women had fueled this anti-Trump movement. And in my head, i've been playing 'Don't it Turn My Brown Eyes Blue'.

[late]

I found your video both sentimental and ironic in equal measue. I hadn't thought about him in years, but both my parents were fans. As for me, when I heard about last night's results, I wondered if the pundits were correct the in forecasting future flips. I wondered at the demographics of the voters, if women had fueled this anti-Trump movement. And in my head, i've been playing 'Don't it Turn My Brown Eyes Blue'.

Trump getting elected pissed off millions of women. They've stayed pissed, and they've kept at it. That's why we have so many freshman women in Congress.

Years ago, I predicted that if Republicans seriously threatened abortion, or went too far in their war against civilisation, an army of women would stomp them into the dust.

Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of guys.