I just read an hysterical off topic poll that Dailykos sent me. It seems that 73% of Democrats polled would give up all alcohol for the rest of their lives, and 17% of GOP would, if Congress would start impeachment proceedings against Trump.
2 Likes
Graham is a closet-case and gets ridiculed for itāquite properly, seeing as how heās vehemently anti-gay in public and gay as a goose in private.
2 Likes
Senator Chafeeās plan:
- Established a program under which persons with low incomes (and who are not eligible for Medicaid) would receive vouchers to buy insurance through purchasing groups.
- Required each employer to make available enrollment in a qualified health plan to each eligible employee.
- Required large employers to offer to employees at least a standard package and a catastrophic package.
- Required each citizen or lawful permanent resident to be covered under a qualified health plan or equivalent health care program.
- Required each qualified health plan to provide a standard package and a catastrophic package. Specified items and services to be covered.
- Required the National Association of Insurance Commissioners to develop specific standards to implement requirements concerning: (1) guaranteed eligibility, availability, and renewability of health insurance coverage; (2) nondiscrimination based on health status; (3) benefits offered; (4) insurer financial solvency; (5) enrollment process; (6) premium rating limitations; (7) risk adjustment; and (8) consumer protection.
Summary Of A 1993 Republican Health Reform Plan
The GOP was not always under the complete control of sociopaths and Ayn Rand devotees.
2 Likes
Agreed. A patently gay man supporting homophobic legislation for the sake of political expediency is fair game for mockery.
2 Likes
1 Like
Yeah.
Great way to start the day. Iāve been depressed for two days at least over the news but today is ever so much brighter.
2 Likes
I know there were other plans proposed over the years, but I was comparing ACA to the Heritage Foundation plan, which I thought the poster was referring to.
I think your analysis of the GOP is absolutely spot-on; but what may (though still very much TBD) be making the difference here is that health care is an issue that affects peopleās lives directly, visibly, and with a comparative immediacy that isnāt the case with most other issues. (And even tax-cut fanaticism is something that can be taken only so far before people feel the damage, cf. Kansas.)
Itās hardly an indication that GOP āmoderatesā are actually moderate as weāve understood the term for nearly a century; or that Dems will suddenly be able to overcome the hateful, fearful, mindless tribalism the modern right has fomented for decades to get us to this point. But on this issue, I think thereās real hope that the good guys ā if they donāt let up on the calls and protests and office visits! ā will prevail. And then, if weāre really, really good (not virtuous, but smart, resourceful, and a little lucky), we can use this episode to create an opening for more. Though again, TBDā¦
4 Likes
āWe could also see a repeat of what happened as the health care bill foundered in the House of Representatives just a few weeks ago.ā
Yet, these carve outs could move the bill in a direction that is unpalatable to the freedumb caucus losing their vote.
Says the person unable to craft a civil reply. When you decide snarling quips are the best you can do you cede the argument.
Right you are. I had hoped the demise of Ailes would end the rabidity of Fox but Murdock is still driving it. Notice it was the US and Britain that have taken right hand turns off the cliff over the last couple decades and then note which countries have allowed Murdock to spread his propaganda.
4 Likes
So true and what the fuck can you do when you are governed by a guarantee of freedom of the press and free speech? It either is or isnāt and I donāt know how you become selective about that and still maintain the same freedom. I wish I knew.
3 Likes
What deep divide? These guys are Republicans. None of them have your best interests at heart . Some are sneaky and others are brutally up front, but they all share the same goal. They all want to rob the American people of their future. .
3 Likes
Deep divide, my derriĆØre. Moderate Rumpublicans want to cut rich menās taxes, take away poor womenās and childrenās health care, lie about their intent, and defer the world of hurt until beyond their next reelection.
Real conservatives want to cut rich menās taxes more, take away womenās and childrenās health care faster, and be loud and proud about doing it today, because freedom!
1 Like
Excellent point. Iād wondered if thatās what Paul was up to ā opposing a political liability while magically upping his conservacred. Itās not un-clever. To his credit, heās seemed legitimately frustrated with how the party has been handling the bill, so much so that I came close to sympathy. That said heās frustrated with almost everything.
Paul has always liked to be somewhat beside the establishment conservatives, but this is real treason. I wonder if ā I hope that ā some of these breakaways are a prelude to a Great Distancing, both from the WH and party leadership. Five Senators so far. Thatās substantial, by recent standards.
We could also see a repeat of what happened as the health care bill foundered in the House of Representatives just a few weeks ago: the bill was amended to allow states to waive even more protections and regulations in their insurance markets, a few billion dollars was thrown at the individual market, and several moderates fell in line after being promised side deals on unrelated issues.
This is the scenario thatās going to keep me up at night for the next few months. I put nothing past McConnellās ability to lie, cheat and steal a āvictory.ā Itās a tough needle to thread, but the Turtle might just be one who can do it. Letās wait and seeā¦I suspect the hardliners will be more adamant in their opposition, and just two of them can prevent passage.
I donāt think that Democrats are going to step in to help the Republicans blow ACA up. Theyāve been firmly against the Republican Repeal & Replace efforts and Iām proud of them for it. Not even Manchin is making any noises about it. I think that theyāre (rightly) willing to help work to fix some of the issues with ACA and to help improve it but they arenāt going to give the Republicans any cover on Trumpcare. And yes, itās quite a relief that Lieberman isnāt currently in the Senate to potentially cross over to help them. :-/
1 Like
Aside from the deplorable nature of the bill itself (which IMHO needs to be buried in a landfill somewhere like so many E.T. Atari cartridges), the most despicable aspect of this whole endeavor is that Trump/Republicans seem to ONLY be interested in āwinningā a vote on this bill and getting it to Trumpās desk to sign than they are with what the American public will be āwinningā with this bill. 
2 Likes
Duh.
Widespread health care is NOT the GOPās agenda here. If thereās any possible way to remove government involvement in health care, it will free up multi-billion dollar tax breaks for billionaire investors in the GOP.
Donāt think for a moment that GOP ādonorsā arenāt āinvestors.ā
1 Like
Trump is just fine with whatever. He still has has suckers. Heāll still make money, whatever.
But heās somewhat concerned with the fact that heās failed to accomplish something/anything through Congress.
Heās reversed as many Obama regulations as he can, but Congress hasnāt killed Obamacare, fixed the deficit, made a functioning budget, revised tax codes, or funded his wall, his infrastructure improvements, or his Defense Dept. yet.
Not to mention the Fed debt limit coming up even before his budget, which can expect MAJOR pain within his own party before passing.
Hereās the deal: first, remove US health care for losers. Next, with the money that frees up, revise the tax code. Next, deal with the deficit cap and move on to defense spending.
Ahem. Go back to step one. 90% of American voters have a little problem with that.
2 Likes