Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.
Showing posts with label Obamacare. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Obamacare. Show all posts
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Tuesday, October 6, 2020
Wednesday, September 30, 2020
The Democrats Are Asking Some Great, Even Important Questions Today
Yes sir and ma'am, the Democrats and their Democratic Party are asking some great and important questions today over at their website. Without further adieu, they are:
Three key questions for Senate Republicans to answer today — and they didn’t even have to watch President Trump’s spectacle last night to answer:
- If the Supreme Court rules to invalidate the Affordable Care Act, why do you still not have a plan to replace the health care law and maintain current protections for pre-existing conditions? (Reminder: all of the GOP’s deceptive pre-existing conditions bills would still gut those protections.)
- Will you commit to accepting the results of the November election and pledge not to undermine public confidence in the outcome with unfounded claims about voting?
- Why are you comfortable supporting a president who refuses to condemn white supremacy?
Senators?
Senator Blunt? Senator Hawley?
Your answers, gentlemen?
Monday, July 20, 2020
The Sad Truth of This President and Presidency
Republicans, you were played.
Unfortunately, we all have to suffer right along with the rest of you.
Fortunately, you can't fool people, Americans, forever.
Thanks, Republicans.
Sunday, July 5, 2020
Note to Trump Supporters
All true. Facts.
But wait. There's more. Much more.
Mexico just closed their border with us, the US, in a case of deep, deep irony and the EU is opening its borders to many nations but THE US ISN'T ONE OF THEM. Also, we, the US, have the largest number of coronavirus cases--and deaths--in the entire world, China and India included. Etc.
Thanks, Republicans.
It's bad enough you were and are suckers. You didn't have to bring us, the nation, along with you all.
Monday, November 13, 2017
The Unkept Promises of Donald J. Trump
Observations from Robert Reich, American political commentator, professor, and author. He served in the administrations of Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter and was Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997
So what promises HAS Trump kept?
One year after the election. An update for Trump voters on his election promises:
1. He told you he’d repeal Obamacare and replace it with something “beautiful.” You bought it. But he didn’t repeal and he didn’t replace. (Just as well: His plan would have knocked at least 23 million off health insurance, including many of you. Instead he's sabotaging the ACA causing premiums to increase even more)
2. He told you he’d cut your taxes. You bought it. But the tax “reform” bill he and House Republicans have produced won’t cut your taxes. Half of the middle class would see their taxes increase. The bill would cut corporate taxes and give millionaires a huge is tax break, and explode the national debt by at least $1.5 trillion.
3. He told you he’d invest $1 trillion in our nation’ crumbling infrastructure. You bought it. But after his giant tax cut for corporations and millionaires, there’s no money left for infrastructure.
4. He said he’d clean the Washington swamp. You bought it. But he’s brought into his administration more billionaires, CEOs, and Wall Street moguls than in any administration in history, to make laws that will enrich their businesses, and he’s filled departments and agencies with former lobbyists, lawyers and consultants who are crafting new policies for the same industries they recently worked for.
5. He said he’d use his business experience to whip the White House into shape. You bought it. But he created the most chaotic, dysfunctional, back-stabbing White House in modern history, and has already fired and replaced so many assistants (one of them hired and fired in a little more than a week) that no one knows who’s in charge of what.
6. He said he’d close “special interest loopholes that have been so good for Wall Street investors but unfair to American workers.” You bought it. But he picked Wall Street financiers to head every economic policy job, and his tax bill still retains the “carried interest” loophole that benefits Wall Street private-equity and hedge fund partners.
7. He told you he’d “bring down drug prices” by making deals with drug companies. You bought it. But now the White House says that promise is “inoperative.”
8. He said that on Day One he’d label China a “currency manipulator.” You bought it. But then he met with China’s president Xi Jinping and declared "China is not a currency manipulator.” Ever since then, Trump has been cozying up to Xi.
9. He said he wouldn’t bomb Syria. You bought it. But then he bombed Syria.
10. He said he’d build a “wall” across the southern border. You believed him. But there’s no money for that, either. Chief of staff John Kelly says it is “unlikely that we will build a wall, a physical barrier, from sea to shining sea.”
11. He called Barack Obama “the vacationer-in-Chief” and accused him of playing more rounds of golf than Tiger Woods. He promised to never be the kind of president who took cushy vacations on the taxpayer’s dime, not when there was so much important work to be done. You bought it. But in his first 9 months he has spent nearly 25 percent of his days at one of his golf properties for some portion of the day, according to Golf News Network, at a cost to taxpayers of an estimated $77 million. That’s already more taxpayer money on vacations than Obama cost in the first 3 years of his presidency. Not to mention all the money taxpayers are spending protecting his family, including his two sons who travel all over the world on Trump business.
12. He said he’d keep Muslim immigrants out of America. But his executive orders to prevent citizens from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the United States have been stopped by the federal courts, on grounds they violate the Constitution.
13. He said he’d force companies to keep jobs in America, and that there would be “consequences” for companies that shipped jobs abroad. You believed him. But despite their promises, Carrier, Ford, GM, and the rest have continued to ship jobs to Mexico and China. Carrier (a division of United Technologies) moved ahead with plans to send 1,000 jobs at its Indiana plant to Mexico.
Notwithstanding, the federal government has rewarded United Technologies with 15 new contracts since Trump's inauguration. Last year, Microsoft opened a new factory in Wilsonville, Oregon, that was supposed to herald a new era in domestic tech manufacturing. But in July, the company announced it was closing the plant. More than 100 workers and contractors will lose their jobs when production shifts to China. GE is sending jobs to Canada. IBM is sending them to Costa Rica, Egypt, Argentina, and Brazil. There have been no “consequences” for sending all these jobs overseas.
14. He said he’d create coal jobs. You believed him. He hasn’t. But here’s what he has done: Since 1965 a federal program called the Appalachian Regional Commission has spent $23 billion helping communities in coal states fund job retraining, reclaim land, and provide desperately needed social services. A.R.C. helped cut poverty rates almost in half, double the percentage of high-school graduates, and reduce infant mortality by two-thirds. Trump’s proposed budget eliminated A.R.C.
15. He said he’d make America safer. You believed him. But according to Mass Shooting Tracker, there have been 377 mass shootings so far this year, including 58 people killed and hundreds injured at a concert in Las Vegas, and 26 churchgoers killed and 20 injured at a church in Texas. Trump refuses to consider any gun controls.
16. In referring to his opponent in the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton, he said he’d “lock her up.” But he has not locked her up. In the United States, unlike dictatorships, presidents do not prosecute and punish their political opponents. Trump has expressed frustration that he cannot order the FBI and Justice Department to do whatever he wants them to do."
Links:
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Update For Trump Voters
You bought it.
But he didn’t repeal and he didn’t replace. Just as well, too, thank goodness. His plan would have knocked 32 million off health insurance, including and maybe especially many of you.
2. He told you he’d cut your taxes.
2. He told you he’d cut your taxes.
You bought it.
But tax “reform” is stalled. And if it ever moves, the only ones whose taxes will be cut are the wealthy. That "Trumpcare" the Republicans came up with was little more than yet further tax cuts for corporations and the already-wealthy.
3. He told you he’d invest $1 billion in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
3. He told you he’d invest $1 billion in our nation’s crumbling infrastructure.
You bought it.
But his infrastructure plan, which was really a giveaway to rich investors, is also stalled. And a lot of his fellow Republicans want no such spending on infrastructure.
4. He said he’d clean the Washington swamp.
4. He said he’d clean the Washington swamp.
You bought it.
But he's brought into his administration more billionaires, CEOs, and Wall Street moguls than in any administration in history, to make laws that will enrich their businesses, along with former lobbyists, lawyers and consultants who are crafting new policies for the same industries they recently worked for.
All The President's Billionaires:
A Guide To Trump's Gilded Inner Circle
5. He said he’d use his business experience to whip the White House into shape. You bought it. But he created the most chaotic, dysfunctional, back-stabbing White House in modern history, in which no one is in charge.
6. He said he’d close “special interest loopholes that have been so good for Wall Street investors but unfair to American workers."
You bought it.
But he picked a Wall Street financier Stephen Schwarzman to run his strategic and policy forum, who compares closing those loopholes to Hitler’s invasion of Poland.
7. He told you he’d “bring down drug prices” by making deals with drug companies.
7. He told you he’d “bring down drug prices” by making deals with drug companies.
You bought it.
Now the White House says that promise is “inoperative.”
8. He said that on Day One he’d label China a “currency manipulator.”
8. He said that on Day One he’d label China a “currency manipulator.”
You bought it.
Then he met with China’s president and declared "China is not a currency manipulator."
9. He said he wouldn’t bomb Syria.
9. He said he wouldn’t bomb Syria.
You bought it.
Then he bombed Syria.
10. He called Barack Obama “the vacationer-in-Chief” and accused him of playing more rounds of golf than Tiger Woods. He promised to never be the kind of president who took cushy vacations on the taxpayer’s dime, not when there was so much important work to be done.
11. He said he’d force companies to keep jobs in America.
10. He called Barack Obama “the vacationer-in-Chief” and accused him of playing more rounds of golf than Tiger Woods. He promised to never be the kind of president who took cushy vacations on the taxpayer’s dime, not when there was so much important work to be done.
You bought it.
But in his first 6 months he has spent more taxpayer money on vacations than Obama did in the first 3 years of his presidency. Not to mention all the money taxpayers are spending protecting his family, including his two sons who travel all over the world on Trump business.
Trump on track to spend more on travel
this year than Obama did in 8 years
11. He said he’d force companies to keep jobs in America.
You believed him.
But despite their promises, Carrier, Ford, GM, and the rest are shipping jobs to Mexico and China. Meanwhile, he and his political party have done and will do nothing to take away tax credits for those expenses incurred to offshore those jobs and that manufacturing.
12. He said he’d create coal jobs.
12. He said he’d create coal jobs.
You believe him.
He hasn’t.
But here's what he has done: Since 1965 a federal program called the Appalachian Regional Commission has spent $23 billion helping communities in coal states fund job retraining, reclaim land, and provide desperately needed social services. A.R.C. helped cut poverty rates almost in half, double the percentage of high-school graduates, and reduce infant mortality by two-thirds. Trump’s first proposed budget eliminates A.R.C.
At what point do you all realize his promises are never going to be fulfilled and that he's only in this for himself and his own gain?
Soon?
Could it be soon?
Please?
(And mind you, the above is only a partial, abbreviated list).
Source: Mostly from Professor Robert Reich on his original broadcast, June 30, 2017.
Friday, July 28, 2017
A Better Day, A Great Week
Big doings overnight, of course. The Republicans in Congress had their repeal of Obamacare shot down, finally, once and for all, it's being reported.
So, to recap the week so far:
--the Russian sanctions are solidifying
--a crude, fowl, sycophant is discrediting the entire White House (in this case I mean the new Communications Director, Anthony Scaramucci, not President Trump himself)
--And Kansas will soon, very soon, be rid of the scourge that was and is Sam Brownback
It's enough to give a person hope.
Links:
Wednesday, June 21, 2017
Senator Roy Blunt Is Lying To Missourians and America About Health Care Today
Obamacare is imploding. In Missouri, premiums on the Obamacare exchanges have increased by 145 percent, on average, since 2013, and 25 counties may have no provider offering health insurance on the Obamacare exchanges next year.
That's what he says and what Republicans in that political party want us to believe but here are the facts.
First, Obamacare is anything but "imploding."
More Americans have health insurance
than ever
Even doctors support it.
Even doctors who voted Trump support Obamacare.
Their plan, the Republicans' plan, the AHCA, "Trumpcare", would hurt the disabled, for starters.
Their plan would also hurt the poor.
It would hurt the elderly.
it would hurt Veterans, for God's sake.
Heck, even their supposed leader, President Trump calls it out for what it is.
And why wouldn't he call it mean?
So just who would or does their ultra-secret plan help? Take a guess. It's Republicans, after all.
If you already have money, here's yet one more plan--and a great one--for you. If you're sick or get sick or you're elderly or disabled or a Veteran?
It sucks to be you.
So while the rich get even richer, more Americans would be dropped from heath care insurance, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office or CBO.
That isn't even touching exactly how they're writing their horrible health care bill for nation.
The fact is, right now, Americans very much support the current plan, the ACA, "Obamacare. This is from February of this year.
And this is from April of this year.
And if Obamacare is "imploding", how do Americans feel about the Republicans' upcoming plan?
Check out exactly how few Americans support the Republicans' new plan for us.
So, it seems clear here, given all the above, that Senator Blunt and any and all like him who would say or are saying that Obamacare is collapsing in on itself and/or that Americans don't want or don't like Obamacare clearly don't know the facts or, especially, the wishes of the American people.
Don't tell us it's raining, Senator Blunt. We know better.
Saturday, June 17, 2017
Quote of the Week
From Facebook.
There's a lot of irony here. (and hypocrisy).
Is it too much to ask and hope that Republicans see it?"
---Julie E. Marine
Is it too much to ask and hope that Republicans see it?"
---Julie E. Marine
Friday, March 17, 2017
To Trump Voters, Supporters
Remember when the so-called President said he was going to donate his salary?
He just accepted his second paycheck. Says he'll pay it back later.
Remember when he said Mexico was going to pay for the wall?
He has asked Congress to appropriate the $25 billion of taxpayer money to cover costs.
Remember when he said he was going to divest from his businesses?
He changed his mind.
Remember when he said he was going to release his tax returns?
Again, changed his mind.
Remember when he said he wasn't going to go on vacation or play golf?
5 of the last 7 weekends he went on vacation and played golf, costing taxpayers $11.1 million.
And he's going again this weekend.
Remember when he said he was going to use American steel to build these dangerous pipelines?
Russian steel arrived last week for the Keystone Pipeline XL.
Remember when he said would defeat ISIS in 30 days?
He still has no plan whatever.
Remember when he said he was going to appropriate money to historic Black colleges?
He lied to get a photo-op.
Remember when he said he was going to drain the swamp of Washington insiders?
His cabinet is filled with lobbyists, oil and Wall Street executives.
Remember when he said he wasn't going to cut social security and Medicare?
The Republican bill does just that.
Remember when he said that nobody on his campaign has any communications with Russian govt?
7 in his administration--so far--have now admitted they spoke and/or met with Russian officials, after they lied and got caught.
Remember when he said that the Obamacare replacement would cover more people at lower cost?
The AHCA that the GOP and he are now pushing; they now admit will cover fewer people at a higher cost.
So here's to you, Trump voters, Trump supporters.
Unless you regret that vote and now, that support, the rest of us out here in America have no idea what you're thinking. You got duped but we have to pay the costs for your mistakes, too. And the poor and elderly have to pay a "higher price" than just about any of us.
Remember when he said he was going to use American steel to build these dangerous pipelines?
Russian steel arrived last week for the Keystone Pipeline XL.
Remember when he said would defeat ISIS in 30 days?
He still has no plan whatever.
Remember when he said he was going to appropriate money to historic Black colleges?
He lied to get a photo-op.
Remember when he said he was going to drain the swamp of Washington insiders?
His cabinet is filled with lobbyists, oil and Wall Street executives.
Remember when he said he wasn't going to cut social security and Medicare?
The Republican bill does just that.
Remember when he said that nobody on his campaign has any communications with Russian govt?
7 in his administration--so far--have now admitted they spoke and/or met with Russian officials, after they lied and got caught.
Remember when he said that the Obamacare replacement would cover more people at lower cost?
The AHCA that the GOP and he are now pushing; they now admit will cover fewer people at a higher cost.
So here's to you, Trump voters, Trump supporters.
Unless you regret that vote and now, that support, the rest of us out here in America have no idea what you're thinking. You got duped but we have to pay the costs for your mistakes, too. And the poor and elderly have to pay a "higher price" than just about any of us.
Kudos.
Thursday, January 12, 2017
Highway to Hell
Republicans, swept into power, controlling all of Congress, now about to end Obamacare and supporting Russia's Vladimir Putin; know-nothing, emotional, insecure, vindictive Donald "The Chump" Trump wins the presidency; Right Wing, Eric "Pretty Boy" Greitens wins the Missouri Governor's office, still vowing and pressing to foist "Right to work" laws on Missourians so we can all work for less for the already-wealthy and corporations and they can further bust Unions and all the rest and now this.
I tell you, the world is coming apart.
Chargers are moving to Los Angeles
after 56 years in San Diego
It's all going to Hell.
The common denominator in all of it is money. We are drowning in money. We're being bought. And sold. All over. Politically and in all other ways. I need to write a book. It would be titled "Money and Capitalism Are Smothering America."
Tuesday, January 10, 2017
As President Obama Says Goodbye Today
For us.
For the people.
Yes we can.
Yes we did.
And we must do still more.
Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you and First Lady Michelle and your children and entire family. We have a nation of thanks.
Sunday, January 8, 2017
Republicans' Plan To Repeal Obamacare---With No Replacement
The media have been reporting that Republicans in Washington have every intention of repealing, at long last, "Obamacare", the Affordable Care Act, also known as the ACA. They've wanted to for years, of course. They wrote and attempted to pass this repeal at least 60 times in Congress, literally, wasting all that time and energy and so, our American taxpayer dollars, in their efforts.
Meanwhile, more Americans have health insurance for the first time in the nation's history. There are a lot more successes of the program, too.
Obamacare: an unheralded success
- The Boston Globe
There are rumors out there that the Republicans won't wipe it all away, that they'll keep some of it. It's difficult to tell. What's clear is that, after all these years of not wanting the ACA, they did not have then, nor do they, today, a replacement for it. Likely more than 20 million Americans could, then, lose their health insurance. Who knows? They surely don't.
What we do know is this, from the Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. It was true then, when he said it and it's still patently, sadly true.
I've pointed this out before. We have, beyond measure, the most expensive, exclusive, killing health care system in the world, bar none.
Once again, US has most expensive,
least effective health care system
It's the most expensive health care system in the world. So much so, it's killing us. We also have the worst, lowest mortality rates of the top 17 industrialized nations.
So yes, we need health care solutions, Republicans.
Please stop putting your political party, your careers and the already-wealthy and corporations ahead of the needs of the American people, the nation.
Please stop putting your political party, your careers and the already-wealthy and corporations ahead of the needs of the American people, the nation.
Link:
GOP launches long-promisedrepeal of Obamacare with
no full plan to replace it
Republican Idiocy On American Health Care, Parts I and II
Idiocy, part I
I just learned, this morning, a bit ago, that the Republicans are claiming one reason they want to do away with the Affordable Care Act, the ACA, "Obamacare" is because health care is so expensive under it.
Really.
So health care costs are rising too high---actually, the percent of increased costs with this legislation is far lower than before it--so they want to do away with it.
The fact is, without Obamacare, if they do away with it, this will make it possible to go back the way we were prior to it, when corporations could and would and did raise our prices and costs to the outrageous limits they were already at. There will be no holding back the pharmaceuticals and health insurance companies and all of them, to whatever high amounts they want. The sky will be the limit, if even there. No restraints of any kind.
But they expect lower costs.
Idiocy, part II
The second thing I learned today about the new Republican push on health care, from the morning news programs, is that they want to put the power "back to the individual states." They want to give more "strength", if you can call it that, to the individual statehouses in each state.
Well, first, why wouldn't they? Since they've gerrymandered the voting districts in each state much as they could and put in more voted ID laws and everything else they've done, to disenfranchise as many Americans as possible, they now control more state capitols than the other political party.
Second, since they're the political party of the already-wealthy and corporations, this is magnificent for them and their benefactors, certainly. And it is so strongly.
We're all familiar with "divide and conquer."
Let's not let this happen, America. Let's not let them dismantle the one bit of health care help we've gotten in our nation in the last 50 or more years.
Links:
Obamacare: an unheralded success - The Boston Globe
Six years later, 'Obamacare' gets credit for successes
GOP launches long-promisedrepeal of Obamacare with
no full plan to replace it
no full plan to replace it
Thursday, January 5, 2017
And So It Begins
The 115th Congressional session, this very Republican Party, Right Wing, ultra-Conservative Congress has begun... And with a vengeance. See for yourself. Here was their first move, famously, infamously, just before the session began.
Fortunately, the American people rose up, thanks to social media, raised hell and this was squashed. The cowards wisely backed off.
That's not to say they're done, however. Far from it. This is what they started two days ago, God help us.
And now, this. A pièce de résistance, really.
Republicans prepare legislation to
defund United Nations
It's lead by that political and governmental rocket scientist Rep. Louie Gohmert, no surprise.
Our political world is coming apart with these chuckleheads. This is terrific. Just when nationalism is spreading around the world, nation by nation, these idiots want to tear down the one place we try to all get together, as a world, and solve international problems.
Fantastic.
These banana-brains just want to get and stay more and more parochial, more and more, "me, first!" and "Leave us alone!"
Honestly, it really does seem like we're going to Hell in a nearly non-proverbial handbasket.
And The Donald isn't even inaugurated yet.
God help us. God save us from ourselves.
Friday, November 11, 2016
Question for Republicans in 2017
A question now, for Republicans in Washington, D.C., now that you're got the President-elect (I still shudder, thinking about that one) and both the Senate and House of Representatives.
You famously, publicly declared a policy of blocking and obstructing our twice-elected President from getting anything done, from getting any of his goals achieved while he was in office.
Fortunately, through hard work and time, we still got things done for the people, not least of which was the ACA, "Obamacare" and a list of others.
Now that you will have control of virtually all of Washington, are you going to make our government work, in general?
More specifically, are you finally, at long last, going to write, propose and pass a jobs/infrastructure bill in the coming year?
Our infrastructure needs the updating and improving and modernization and sorely, as we all know.
Additionally, the nation, we Americans, need the jobs and heaven knows the economy needs the boost.
Since it will now be on "your watch" and any success on your hands, are you going to work together and get this done?
Sure, we know you want to dismantle Obamacare and the EPA and other programs. (It would be nice if you'd dismantle the Republican boondoggle called Homeland Security you all created during the George W. Bush adminstration).
But could you, would you, will you now, at long, long last give us this jobs/infrastructure bill, please?
It's the least you can do, it's positive and it would and will help the nation in at least the 3 ways I described above.
Please. We're begging you. Do this one, big, great thing.
Friday, October 28, 2016
Those Health Care Hikes Announced This Week?
You likely heard about the double-digit hikes in health care costs for people with Obamacare?
There are some things to know about it all.
First, the costs won't be passed on to the patient. They will be paid by the subsidies in and from Obamacare. So the person getting the care won't be gouged. Their health care won't get any more expensive. Sure, this is still not good because that money has to come from somewhere but at least the person on the street, that patient won't have it any worse.
Second, this---
The truth about healthcare premiums:
They'd be a lot higher without Obamacare
The fact is, the health care corporations in this country are still just gouging the hell out of all of us here in this country. They still just keep relentlessly, year after year, jacking up the prices of their drugs and treatments, etc. And what's great, at least for them, is that now they get to blame the Black guy, they get to blame Obama and his Obamacare. Worst of all, too many people will believe all that nonsense, that the price rises are the fault of Obamacare.
No one should be fooled. The fact is, the ugly fact remains, we are the only nation in the world that ties health care to profit. It is, single-handedly, clearly, the only reason our health care is, far and away, the most expensive health care and health care system in the world, on the planet. And for all that money, let me remind you, it's also the least effective for us. Check this out.
Yes, this is from 2014 but keep in mind, since this survey, our health care costs, as we know, have risen even higher, and not by just a little bit. And the higher the price goes, the less can afford it, the less get that health care.
We must untie health care in this nation from profit and profits.
That's all there is to it.
What we're doing now, what we've done up to now has gotten us this outrageously high, not just expensive but super expensive, deeply immoral system.
And it's killing us.
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