“We’ve had very good conversations with the administration, and we’re proceeding well,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) said in a statement to TPM.
Just f*ck off already, Susan.
That’s gone really well in the past – see Immigration and DACA.
Don’t hold your breath Sen. Collins.
I had the opposite reaction. My mind is put at ease knowing that Collins believes things are proceeding well rather than her being stressed by her very serious concerns™.
Susan just won’t learn will she?
Totally OT, but wonderful…
BREAKING: 9th Circ. Won’t Shut Down Kids’ Climate Suit Against Feds
Law360 (March 7, 2018, 3:27 PM EST) – The Ninth Circuit on Wednesday refused to reverse a lower court ruling that gave 21 children a green light to sue the U.S. government for allegedly endangering them and future generations with policies that contribute to climate change, saying the government hadn’t sufficiently shown the case had to be shut down.
A three-judge panel rejected the government’s petition for writ of mandamus that sought to undo or put on hold U.S. District Judge Ann L. Aiken’s refusal to dismiss the suit. Mandamus relief is inappropriate at this early stage of the case, since Judge Aiken hadn’t even issued a discovery order yet, nor have the plaintiffs lodged a motion to compel discovery, the panel said.
The ruling echoed concerns the Ninth Circuit judges expressed over the government’s mandamus bid during oral arguments in December.
The plaintiffs — a group of young people and activists — claim the federal government has violated their constitutional rights and those of future generations by promoting and authorizing fossil fuel development in spite of its climate change and health consequences.
In June, Judge Aiken declined to certify her denial of the government’s motion to dismiss for an interlocutory appeal. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a petition for writ of mandamus days later, asking the Ninth Circuit to either direct the lower court to dismiss the case or to stay proceedings in the district court until it decides on the merits of the petition. The government said the petition was its last remedy to halt the allegedly improper case.
The government is represented by Eric Grant of the U.S. Department of Justice.
The plaintiffs are represented by Julia A. Olson of Wild Earth Advocates and Philip L. Gregory of Cotchett Pitre & McCarthy LLP.
The case is In re: USA, case number 17-71692, in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
I may be at the point where I prefer a blatant asshole like Trump over someone who suffers through it like Susan. if the end result is the same, spare me the dramatics and hedging.
I have a friend in Texas with pancreatic cancer. He had Oscar health insurance which turned out to have no network in his area.
He was told that his best shot at decent health insurance after the enrollment period was as a student.
He enrolled in a community college. He did get the student health insurance which he says is very good.
The only class available for him was microeconomics, a course he can take online. He says it’s very hard to study after Chemo.
What a mess.
“The White House’s own budget office says restoring the CSR payments could bring down premiums as much as 20 percent, while the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office says it would save the government more than $30 billion. The independent health care consulting firm Avalere estimated that both policies together could lower premiums 18 percent and increase insurance enrollment by 1.3 million people.”
Yeah, well what kind of reasons are those to do something for working class people? Cheaper, saves government money, insures more people. Hey, we’re talking health care here - gotta make the tough decisions.
“The White House did not respond to TPM’s questions about the document’s origin and whether it represents Trump’s current demands.”
Well, that right there is an unfair question. In the time it takes to ask it and then give an answer, his position has probably changed. Ask what his position was the last time he gave it. But these “current” and “future” questions are out.
As someone significantly impacted by the constant attacks on the ACA and the severe reductions of choices in the healthcare marketplace, I have a hard time putting into words my anger and disgust for this administration actively trying to make my life worse.
Trump should be reminded of his own words, “who knew healthcare could be this hard”. These baboons can’t even fund the government, let alone run it.
I know! Let’s completely gut what Health insurance actually covers. That should make it cost less . . . of course, it will probably also make it worthless, but since only cost seems to be the issue . . . (How much do you want to bet that all of the Republican recommendations will be exactly along those lines, such as letting policies be sold across state lines, which just breaks the ability of states to regulate insurance and will start a race to the bottom.)
When given the opportunity to make a dick move, these assholes will choose that every time. It’s the quintessence of “modern conservatism”.
As dysfunctional as this Congress is, if it can reach a bi-partisan compromise that Dems and Repubs can live with regarding any issue at all, why do they not pass this legislation, and simply challenge a Presidential veto? Let the President live with the consequences of not passing legislation. DACA, or trade, or guns, or any legislation at all cannot be held hostage by the threat of a veto. Force the President to follow through on that threat and let him die by his actions.
Last summer, at the height of the Obamacare proceedings in the Senate – I think
“skinny repeal” was on the table at the time – I had a long talk with a member of the WWC while in Central Pennsylvania. Turns out his wife has MS, the mother of all pre-existing conditions. Her medication costs $36,000 a month. They get their insurance through Obamacare. Before she got on Obamacare, his wife had to go without the medication for about four months. Attention, Dotard: your “base” needs decent health insurance at least as much as, if not more than, everyone else.
- There’s some problem, usually of the White House’s own making
- Senators spend months working on a bipartisan solution
- White House starts out by indicating support for bipartisan action
- Then, all of a sudden, when it looks like things might come together, WH throws a spanner in the works
- Rinse and repeat
They’ve done this how many times now?
And they will continue to do it, until some of the ®s develop the gumption and/or basic survival instinct to remember that the White House does not control the legislative agenda. The leaders of the House and Senate do.
Or, failing that, the (D) majority in the next Congress will remind them.
That would require Republican legislators to possess (a) spines, and (b) a willingness to vote for something simply because it’s a good idea that would benefit the public. Neither of those are in evidence.
It seems to be an emerging “Ryan Rule” - nothing goes up for a vote in the House if Trump won’t sign it.
Something like this would never happen in other modern countries like France, Norway, Sweden, Spain, etc. My disgust at the way this country is run grows daily. I hope your friend does well.