Re: Taxes

There is some truth to Democrats being the "Tax and Spend" party. They tax to pay for the programs, highways, etc. they approve. The Republicans are the "Spend on the Credit Card" party. It is ironic, but the Republicans who preach "There is no such thing as a free lunch" don't live that way. To paraphrase FDR, Republicans promise to do everything, for everybody and it won't cost anyone anything.

The hypocrisy, claiming reverance for life with regards to abortion yet eagerly willing to threaten all life on the planet (plant, animal, and human) for the almighty dollar. I grieve, deeply.

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THEY’LL LEGISLATE IT AG’IN {a rhyme}

Much of Obamacare they’ll legislate ag’in,

after they realize {to embarrassed chagrin}

that Obamacare was full of their Own party’s stuff.

They should leave it alone. - It’s good enuff

from Repugnantans’ own point of view. …

… Yet Obamacare up they would screw.

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DOUBLE-TAWKING {a rhyme}

How explain The Donald’s shtick?

How can his minions pull off this trick?

- By DOUBLE-tawking

to interpret Trump’s squawking? -

- while The Donald parades with his swagger stick.

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99 degrees F in SW Oklahoma on February 15th. 14 degrees above the record.

Can we assume, then, that Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota are in bed with the rest of the republicants and the fossil fuel industry?

Why are people acting like election of 2018 is going to happen?
It is so rigged already, why bother.
All 50 states have been gerrymandered to a point a proven corrupt republican could shoot a policeman in front of the police station, sign a full confession, and go free. The proof is in Virginia. The Virginia Governor was convicted of corruption, so the virginia congress changed the wording of the virginia laws so the supreme court could not find him guilty of anything, ever!
Why continue to delude ourselves? Time for all good people to move south of the equator, leaving the corrupt republicans to go unburied and decaying from eating their poisoned food, contaminated fluids, toxic air, without any servants to wait on them. Maybe they would start a show where we could root for the next one to die!

I sent a message but it went to general comments and not back to you -- it was the "HUH?" one by historywriter.

Thank you for what you do Thom, I very much enjoy reading your blog. In my "never to be humble" opinion ( thank you dr. Laura), I believe the great democratic experiment begun on May 29, 1790 has come to an abrupt end. With the current occupants of the White House and the entrenched GOP led congress, I believe we now have "the most corrupt government money can buy!" I also believe that this past January 20, 2017 saw the last peaceful transition of power in the United States.

2/20/2017

Thom,

As others frequently comment, thank you for your wonderful radio show! Been listening since a school bus driver in Portland, Oregon in the 00's, now live in New Mexico.

Per your comments about Medicare Advantage plans -- not so fast. Some state Advantage plans are great, like our Presbyterian Medicare Advantage plan here. No premiums, very low copays. Presbyterian receives funding from various private and government sources.

Per your back surgery: Happy it was mostly paid for. I had spine surgery in 2014, just qualified for Medicare two months prior, was volunteering as a feral cat kennel cleaner assistant and also fostered feral kittens that summer.

Former spinal traumatic injury from MVA in 1969 in Oregon while in college. Parents tried to sue driver's insurance after spinal fracture for future back problems. Case lost.

Fortunately ran entire life, seven marathons and multiple shorter races, plus just neighborhood jogging, kept back strong until arthritis set in, weakening L4 disk, which made it susceptable to infection (also greiving significant other at the time).

University of New Mexico neurosurgeon cut out some spinal bone and spent next two months in hospital/rehab on a PICC line (permanent IV) for antibiotics for spinal bacterial infection from feral cats (they receive antibiotics and rabies shots as well as sterilization before being released to their turf; however, I was volunteering with field cats PRIOR to these immunizations and received multiple scratches from handling them).

It required three (3) trips by ambulance (at $200 per trip on Medicare) to ERs, one trip to a primary care (who did no diagnoses) to be FINALLY be given a blood test by a very smart ER nurse (instead of sent home on muscle relaxants), which diagnosed the infection, then an immediate CT scan and MRI after white blood cells detected from blood test, was sent to emergency surgery eight hours later. I was starting to fall down prior to being finally admitted to the hospital from lack of electrolytes. Was too nauseated from infection to eat. After surgery was given a blood transfusion and two bags of potassium.

Total cost of entire hospitalization: $102,000. Was on Blue Cross Advantage Care PPO at the time because could not discern the best Medicare plan when I first qualified and figured "Try this, will work for cough and cold, change plans later." Oops! Life is full of surprises!

Paid about $10,000 out of pocket for that little hospital journey plus an additional $3,500 for a Tempur Pedic motorized bed because could not lie flat after hospital discharge and Medicare does not pay for medical equipment if the patient is considered "ambulatory," (i.e. is not in a wheel chair).

Good thing I was a) on Medicare and b) have a good inheritance to make the copays and still pay for food, utilities, mortgage and five indoor cats and five street cats! (Father was an electrical engineer, made a good living.)

Switched from Blue Cross Advantage Care to Presbyterian (local) Advantage Care upon hospital discharge. Cannot qualify for Medigap supplemental insurance because Medicare patients must apply for supplemental insurance when they first qualify for Medicare. If they do not, they are screened for pre-existing conditions just like individual insurance has always been prior to the ACA.

In fact, living in Oregon most of my adult life, I was without healthcare due to job instability and pre-existing conditions. New Mexico covers a lot more low-income residents with Medicaid (prior to the ACA University of New Mexico healthcare covered low-income residents) than Oregon ever did. Oregon believes they are blue but no, Oregon is NOT blue. There is also a lot of violent crime and racism (and police shootings dating way way back) in Oregon. I was almost murdered there.

We need to stop stereotyping everything. Beliefs become habit and this is dangerous.

Diane Kahl

Democratic Activist for past 20 years in Oregon and NM (former Rainbow Coalition activist in Oregon) and current precinct chair, Bernalillo County Dems, Obama Neighborhood Organizer, 2008/2012, volunteer for three local campaigns in 2016 (Cynthia Hall, Ane Romero, Natalie Figueroa)--$7,000 donations for past three Presidental cycles

Been there, done that!

Sorry!

America and its approach to the health of its citizens is no better than that found in countries where people die because they can not find IDR 5.000.000 to treat a person after going around many members of the family to help

Utter inhumanity that aught to create shame within the heart and upon people that occupy an economic leader on this planet

Abominable!