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First thing to remember here is that the Teapublic Party members of the legislative branch gave Obama the go ahead on TPP, not the vast majority of the Democratic Party members.
I have several theories on Obama's support for TPP, the most recent one being that he has adopted a right wing talking point regarding relative economic well being of global citizens vs United States workers. The piggish Fascists will tell you that what the American worker considers poverty, the third world worker would regard as a comfortable living. This talking point is simply to justify the economic race to the bottom while concentration of wealth goes on steroids. Could it be Obama truly believes he is helping the impoverished by exporting to them the chance to work for next to nothing while enriching multi nationalist /fascists who are already too rich to care? .....or is he looking ahead to retirement and wanting acceptance from a very exclusive country club class who stand to benefit the most from this economic madness? He must realize he's hurting the American worker....so what else could it be?
At least the Teapublic Party is open about their reason for TPP support....they simply want to make good on the investment the Fascists have made in their re-elections.
Salazar is a giant mistake!
I disagree in there being (only) 2 bad choices for President. This is the year I draw a line in the sand...and start voting my conscience instead of 'the lesser of two evils' (so to speak).
So; I'm looking into the platforms of the 2nd tier parties...e.g. Constitution, Green, Libertarian. I may even look further down the list to see 'who's doing what'...however, my vote will likely be 2nd tier.
Unless I write in Bernie Sanders...hmmm
I would really like to hear someone in favor of TPP/TIPP/TISA explain to an American working stiff how one or all of these agreements benefit him/her. Do they really just hand unlimited power over to corporations and that's why nobody involved will even discuss them? If that's the case, why is Obama for these deals in the last months of his presidency with nothing left to lose in the way of a reelection bid?
Something doesn't make sense.
And now we have to choose between two reckless and power hungry nominies for POTUS! Either way we get screwed badly. Who will protect our nation from Global Financial Terror? I hate that I am forced into a position of choosing my values and principals over two choices that are basically opposames and will bring the same results to the USA. Right now I cannot in good conscious vote for either major party offerings. This is the product of the extreme LEFT and the extreme RIGHT. Both seek the same end results. Our best hope is the POTUS being stalemated by a House and Senate of the opposite party. The best outcome is 4 years of NOTHING getting done and making sure that the POTUS does not try to become another Obama and use the power of the pen. Also four years of an 8 member Supreme Court would also help. A good revolt and stalemate on any and all proposals from any of the three branches for 48 months.
Could be a lot of fun to watch.....In the end, no matter who wins, the goal for us citizens to keep the three branches paralyzed for the next 4 years. Then hopefully we can fire all three branches and start all over with an intellengent caring citizen government.
If not, we are destined to become the largest Bannana Republic the world has ever seen or George Soros' dream comes to reality.
Not good choices......Pray, Get Involved, Make The Lawmakers Squirm!!!
"Eagle Eye" seems right-on. ... ... What's an appropriate adjective to describe TPP-TTIP-TiSA? - or a descriptor for the proponents? Maybe a thesaurus's synonym for "unconscionable"?
My guess is that Clinton is hoping the deal will get done while Obama is still President. That way she can posture and pretend that she's against TPP.
We'll fight the deniers
And all paid-for liars
And high frequent fliers
To cut forest fires.
Those shills we will beat
And their masters who cheat
And eat much less meat
To cut down Earth's heat.
More carbon for gain
Is simply insane
'Gainst greed we'll campaign
To cut down on rain.
Their lies we'll drown out
Their fuels phase out
No nonsense WE'll spout
To cut down on drought.
Alright Thom, I'm going to start looking for one of those "moments"! However, watching those "news" outlets for anything is going to be painful!
This is not on subject, but I like being able to voice my question without facebook - I was a "member" for a short time then had to work for many weeks to GET OUT -- not a fan. Anyway - here's my question - someone pointed out to me that the term ISIS - and other related terms - DID NOT exist prior to GW telling us about those "weapons of mass destruction" that lead us on the path to Iraq. Is this valid? My feelings about what that administration - many included here - did and GOT AWAY WITH - makes me very angry! They should all be in prison for MASS MURDER! Sure like how so much blame gets dumped on President Obama!
Americans should also know that Canadians do pay a health care premium in most areas of Canada as well. it isn't free. This only covers basic care. Most Canadians or the companies they work for also buy additional insurance for eye care, dental, meds, ambulance etc. that are not covered by the province, this costs around $200 a month per person. We also pay much more personal taxes up her for our socialist system to operate. What our system and the ACA should be called is "tax the people who work more and reduce the level of care for them so that everyone, whether they work or not, can have the same level health care", care. That is the reality of a single payer system. Be careful what you wish for it might come true.
Let Trump be Trump
{… a rhyme …}
“Let Trump be Trump”{?!?!!!?}
Egad.
In my throat chokes a lump.
He’s bad
in the way of a boor, …
… and he’s so cocksure
that “I don’t need a tutor.” …
… And he’d add:
“I’m a ring-tailed-tooter,
a mean motor-scooter,
a no-forethought shooter.”
=====================
Health insurance is a misnomer. Underwriting is prohibited by the Affordable Care Act and without underwriting it is not insurance. Insurance has risk-based individual premiums. Health plans are more accurately referred to as entitlements or social welfare programs. Further, why would we want insurance? Insurance is always for uncontrollable events. Do we want to promote the idea that we have no control over our own health? Insurance is always for a loss. Health is goal oriented. Insurance presumes retrospective payment. Why not have prospective payment to join a health delivery system and skip all payers, including the single payer idea? That is what we do with education. The individual annual cost/subsidy could be calculated by the current health plan companies taking into account history, health risk, moral hazard in managing health, individual assets and income, etc. Aetna is well aware that not only the ACA law is flawed, but the idea of health insurance is flawed. The CEO anticipates moving out of medical insurance.
Rogerian Spins
{… a limerick & an image …}
Ailes is The Donald’s new frien’,
wording his wordings ag’in
which twist and spin
through Trump’s double chin.
Truthfulness writhes in chagrin.
... Image: Four chins negotiate a Truce -
https://reclaimourrepublic.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/ailes-trump-truce.jpg
========================
Trump-caused Anxiety
{… a limerick …}
Yuge is our anxiety,
our tummies queasy disquietly
over Trump’s notoriety,
his impropriety,
his damage to our society.
=======================
Thank You Kend for your honest apprisal of the health care program in Canada. Most people south of the 49th parallel don't realize each provience has its' own health care program. In effect, each provience is like a separate HMO here in the states. I lived in Canada for 6 years, I lived primarly in Ontario and did not qualify for OHIP (for those in the USA, that's the Ontario health insurance program). I had many friends in the north who went without a family doctor, and if they wanted medical care were required to visit a clinic. The clinic was free, but you may be seen by a PA, not a MD. Chances are you would never see the same person twice.
Single Payer will never ever happen in the USA. The next generation will see to that. Most of these washed up lefties are on death's door step. The next generation is not interested in pursuing those washed up ideas. I have a lot of faith in the younger generation. They will straighten out the mess created by the Baby Boomers.
Being the very last industrialized country to still have for profit health insurance points out how far away we are from a government that "derives its just powers from the consent of the governed." Instead we have a government that derives its unjust power almost entirely from the consent of elite/fascists.
A Teapublic is obviously not what our founders intended.
The Canadian province was Saskatchewan . Americans should learn from them and get rid of a national program and do what Canada does. Each province has its own individual health care. It pushes them all to have a better system. Like the US, Canada has very different regions that require different needs. One size doesn't fit all. But for the record our system is horrible. If you don't mind waiting 14 to 16 hours in emergency. Or going without a family doctor because they are all full because their isn't enough of them. Let your government run it. But then again if you are happy with your education system you will love it. It will be run the same. Extremely top heavy. Not enough nurses and doctors but plenty of admination.
IMHO the S&P 500 or mega market cap publicly held stock companies that provide healthcare insurance do not want the ACA to succeed because their business model is flawed in an investor environment that has as its sole criteria the ever increasing demand from Wall Street to meet analyst expecations regarding margin percentages, net income as percentage of sales, debt to equity, EBITDA and other wealth creating investment metrics.
Yes, the non-profit or the co-ops have also failed to be economically viable but their success IMO was doubtful from the beginning because of their lack of depth and scope. In short, for a co-op health insurance provider to be successful what is needed is economies of scale across the U.S. or at least regionally when providing health insurance. The subscriber pool must be mult-diverse and not in just Kentucky, or Ohio, or Nevada, or California, or any individual state.
The ACA at a minimum needs to be reformed to permit cross-state insurance carriers at a regional level or preferably a national level to work. The profit motive also needs to removed and a Swiss style health insurance regulatory environment needs to be implemented at a minimum too.
I do agree with Thom that a Medicare for all would be the best solution but at this juncture in our poltical system, I doubt it would pass. HRC, for example, only wants to extend Medicare to those between 55 and 64 thanks to Senator Sanders pushing her further left so no Republican wll be for HRC's enhanced Medicare proposal. I doubt if any GOP member of Congress would endorse mine either but Blue Dog Democrats probably would if provided with enough leadership from the executive and legislative branches as well as taking back the House and the Senate in 2016.
Under these circumstances, I am voting for Mickey or Minnie Mouse as long as they have a D next to their name.
Canada at one time was against single payer health care.
One "leftist" province barely managed to vote in a single payer system,
It worked so well that another province voted it in.
And now all of Canada has the program.
Seems a good model to bring single payer to the US.
ct
Thom mentioned on air this morning how the CEO of AETNA personally earned $30 million last year - the equivalent of $15,000 per hour - complaining that the stock-motivated Wall Street company apparently cannot make it's investor's goals and thereby wants to withdraw from Obama care.
In the true spirit of conservatism, Trump made it clear that he will "get rid of Obama care and replace it with something 'great.'"
My Obama care plan provides an annual deductible is $6500 per year. That means I pay the first $6500 of care. I just underwent outpatient hernia repair surgery for a problem that I have had for over five years. They said it will cost $5997.23. That is more than I paid him my federal and state taxes last year.
Some time ago I severely twisted my ankle and was uncertain whether it may have broke it. My so-called nonprofit local provider billed me at $600 per hour for x-rays and a 15 minute doctor visit.
Or medical care is a reflection of the diminished middle-class - either I have fallen into poverty or our medical system has become the military-industrial complex of health care.
No one is more secure than a pink slip from being terminated from their job away from receiving medical care.
Rich in Folsom, CA
I would expect eco-friendly wine to taste better, because grapes grown with love of planet as well as self, would naturally taste better. I know that isn't a very scientific answer, but I truly believe it is at least part of it.
Speaking of science, though, were theses taste tests blind taste tests? I ask because I'm sure at least some testers would unconsciously "prefer" the eco-friendly wine. I suspect it would influence me to know that.
Thank you, Thom, for your informative progressive reporting.
Sue
I think you're right.
Placebo effect?
Scream-of-Consciousness
{… a limerick …}
The rhymer rhymes his rhymes
concerning the news of his times
as his consciousness streams
his nightmares’ screams,
and up the wall he climbs.
=========================
The Donald Persists, But …
{… a rhyme …}
It’s somewhat like what Mister Shakespeare meant
by “hoist with his own petard”
- {foiled by his very own ways}:
To oblivion Trump’s own ego has sent
himself off to be feathered and tarred
- {and in stocks where we hope he stays}.
Pride in the ways of his Self
has put him back on the shelf
- {in dusty rust and malaise}.
===================================