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Kepler62 
Forum Senior Member 
Joined: February 09 2017 Location: Fort Erie Status: Offline Points: 501 |
 Posted: March 09 2017 at 04:02 |
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I don't get it. You giuy write more about politics here than you do about progressive rock.
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npjnpj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 05 2007 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 2720 |
Posted: March 09 2017 at 03:13 |
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This is getting annoying: everone and everything nowadays is being hacked and leaked, so why the bloody hell don't Trump's tax returns get leaked? I don't understand it, it should be a doddle.
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer 
Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 23:12 |
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Here's a fun one. We've oft discussed the increasing polarization of America, and I've said I feel it's more driven by the right.
Well, 538 to the rescue! They say: Yes, purple America really is vanishing. Since 92 we've been progressively growing polarized. Both sides are doubling down while fewer areas are within a single digit gap now. However, I noticed if you follow the maps, ALOT more red is popping up. In fact you see mostly red creeping in and creeping in, and only bits of blue. So while both sides and digging their feet in, and the middle IS vanishing...seems to me the middle is vanishing largely as more people tilt red. It really is conservatism driving much of it. Or so that's what I take from it. Which syncs up with reality, since the 90s economic conservatism has been growing, as has been the resurgence of moral warfare and nativism. So, we're both correct.
Edited by JJLehto - March 08 2017 at 23:12 |
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 22:59 |
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Because fun lil fact, when I did my taxes earlier I noticed I paid 16% of my income in 2016 to my insurance plan (more than all my taxes combined btw). So if you think about it...even a 10% tax hike, if it could eliminate most of the private costs, would still break even if not be a saving to me.
Especially since Medicare is FAR less wasteful than most private companies. Their savings on overhead is ridiculous. It'd be a fairer, cheaper, more straightforward way to do healthcare. Agreed Micky, I sincerely don't know how people (especially working and poorer people!) still believe the Republicans are for them. I mean, if you are swayed/believe more in other issues OK, but people truly believe the Reps are better for them then the Dems. It's insanity. And not that they'd care (ya know facts and stuff) but here's the analysis of how people would fare under the GOP plan vs Obamacare. Shocker: Poorer people and the elderly will be worse off. At the 75k limit though everyone is better off. I know, stop the presses  http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/08/upshot/who-wins-and-who-loses-under-republicans-health-care-plan.html?_r=1Indeed, those hardest hit would be lower earning, older people in high cost areas. Ya know, the very people who need help most? While younger more well off people in cheaper areas will be quite fine. Typical GOP planning!
Edited by JJLehto - March 08 2017 at 23:03 |
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 22:53 |
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Well first of all, if you expect a Republican led Congress and President Trump to force the big health companies to lower prices...you are kidding yourself. Also while you're correct they're artificially high, the right will never dare tell a private business, (powerful ones too) to do something like that. "Free markets" and what not. They have generally opposed these ideas of course because they are corporate sell outs, not really free marketers. And many of the players involved don't want competition either. That said I do agree, we need more competition, across state lines and allowing foreign drug companies to sell here. We have a very monopolistic health market. However, more competition while good, will only go so far. Something must be done about drug companies that can behave like straight up robbers. In addition to all that, we need a public option. I believe its the only true way to contain costs.
Edited by JJLehto - March 08 2017 at 22:55 |
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 22:43 |
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They're to the right of the mainstream. They also hate compromise and reject "some progress is better than nothing" solutions. They want a strict laissez-faire plan. Funny since tax rebates have been the corner stone for GOP policy for years, now that is not enough It's quite dumb though, if they really DO put up a fight...well, they will get nowhere, (I cant see how an even more conservative bill will be passed) and thus: Obamacare will remain as is. If only they could accept moderation. Then again, the normal GOP can't do that. They created this problem back in 09. They could've accepted ACA. It's a moderate bill very much like ideas they supported in the past (Romney was praised for a near similar bill). They could've argued, changed some things etc etc but accepted it in the end and say "Look! We saved the US from the public option and gov takeover of health. We got coverage to everyone while preserving a private system". But no they chose war, total obstruction. Thus they put themselves in this situation. In all fairness, political views aside the plan really IS bad. It will do nothing of what they claim, and supposedly doctors, hospitals and some insurers are now lining up to oppose the plan. It's a truly terrible plan. I hope it fails to even pass the House (with the Freedom Caucus, its possible) and the whole thing becomes a debacle. As a Democrat its the only joy I can get right now
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HackettFan
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 20 2012 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 7951 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 22:36 |
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A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)
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omphaloskepsis
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 19 2011 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 6341 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 18:06 |
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Rand Paul introduced Senate Bill 222 today I copied and pasted. For a cleaner copy then my awkward copy and paste, without crossed out zeros. https://www.paul.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/ObamacareReplacementActSections.pdf The Obamacare Replacement Act (S. 222) Senator Rand Paul, MD Repealing Obamacare Effective as of the date of enactment of this bill, the following provisions of Obamacare are repealed: o Individual and employer mandates, community rating restrictions, rate review, essential health benefits requirement, medical loss ratio, and other insurance mandates.
Protecting Individuals with Pre-Existing Conditions Ø Provides a two-year open-enrollment period under which individuals with pre-existing conditions can obtain coverage. Ø Restores HIPAA pre-existing conditions protections. Prior to Obamacare, HIPAA guaranteed those within the group market could obtain continuous health coverage regardless of preexisting conditions. Equalize the Tax Treatment of Health Insurance Ø Individuals who receive health insurance through an employer are able to exclude the premium amount from their taxable income. However, this subsidy is unavailable for those that do not receive their insurance through an employer but instead shop for insurance on the individual market. Ø Equalizes the tax treatment of the purchase of health insurance for individuals and employers. By providing a universal deduction on both income and payroll taxes regardless of how an individual obtains their health insurance, Americans will be empowered to purchase insurance independent of employment. Furthermore, this provision does not interfere with employerprovided coverage for Americans who prefer those plans. Expansion of Health Savings Accounts Ø Tax Credit for HSA Contributions o Provides individuals the option of a tax credit of up to $5,000 per taxpayer for contributions to an HSA. If an individual chooses not to accept the tax credit or contributes in excess of $5,000, those contributions are still tax-preferred. Ø Maximum Contribution Limit to HSA o Removes the maximum allowable annual contribution, so that individuals may make unlimited contributions to an HSA. Ø Eliminates the requirement that a participant in an HSA be enrolled in a high deductible health care plan o Currently, in order to be eligible to establish and use an HSA, an individual must be enrolled in a high-deductible health plan. This section removes the HSA plan type requirement to allow individuals with all types of insurance to establish and use an HSA. o This would also enable individuals who are eligible for Medicare, VA benefits, TRICARE, IHS, and members of health care sharing ministries to be eligible to establish an HSA. Ø Allowance of Distributions for Prescription and OTC Drugs o Allows prescription and OTC drug costs to be treated as allowable expenses of HSAs. Ø Purchase of Health Insurance from HSA Account o Currently, HSA funds may not be used to purchase insurance or cover the cost of premiums. Allowing the use of HSA funds for insurance premiums will help make health coverage more affordable for American families. Ø Medical Expenses Incurred Prior to Account Establishment o Allows qualified expenses incurred prior to HSA establishment to be reimbursed from an HSA as long as the account is established prior to tax filing. Ø Administrative Error Correction Before Due Date of Return o Amends current law by allowing for administrative or clerical error corrections on filings. Ø Allowing HSA Rollover to Child or Parent of Account Holder o Allows an account holder’s HSA to rollover to a child, parent, or grandparent, in addition to a spouse. Ø Equivalent Bankruptcy Protections for HSAs as Retirement Funds o Most tax-exempt retirement accounts are also fully exempt from bankruptcy by federal law. While some states have passed laws that exempt HSA funds from being seized in bankruptcy, there is no federal protection for HSA funds in bankruptcy. Ø Certain Exercise Equipment and Physical Fitness Programs to be Treated as Medical Care o Expands allowable HSA expenses to include equipment for physical exercise or health coaching, including weight loss programs. Ø Nutritional and Dietary Supplements to be Treated as Medical Care o Amends the definition of “medical care” to include dietary and nutritional supplements for the purposes of HSA expenditures. Ø Certain Providers Fees to be Treated as Medical Care o Allows HSA funds to be used for periodic fees paid to medical practitioners for access to medical care. Ø Capitated Primary Care Payments o HSAs can be used for pre-paid physician fees, which includes payments associated with “concierge” or “direct practice” medicine. Ø Provisions Relating to Medicare o Allows Medicare enrollees to contribute their own money to the Medicare Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs). Charity Care and Bad Debt Deduction for Physicians Ø Amends the Internal Revenue Code to allow a physician a tax deduction equal to the amount such physician would otherwise charge for charity medical care or uncompensated care due to bad debt. This deduction is limited to 10% of a physician’s gross income for the taxable year. Pool Reform for the Individual Market Ø Establishes Independent Health Pools (IHPs) in order to allow individuals to pool together for the purposes of purchasing insurance. Ø Amends the Public Health Service Act (PHSA) to allow individuals to pool together to provide for health benefits coverage through Individual Health Pools (IHPs). These can include nonprofit organizations (including churches, alumni associations, trade associations, other civic groups, or entities formed strictly for establishing an IHP) so long as the organization does not condition membership on any health status-related factor. Ø Requires that the IHP will provide insurance through contracts with health insurance issuers in fully insured plans and not assume insurance risk with respect to such coverage. Allows the IHP to provide administrative services to members, including accounting, billings, and enrollment information. Interstate Market for Health Insurance Cooperative Governing of Individual Health Insurance Coverage Ø Increases access to individual health coverage by allowing insurers licensed to sell policies in one state to offer them to residents of any other state. Ø Exempts issuers from secondary state laws that would prohibit or regulate their operation in the secondary state. However, states may impose requirements such as consumer protections and applicable taxes, among others. Ø Prohibits an issuer from offering, selling, or issuing individual health insurance coverage in a secondary state: o If the state insurance commissioner does not use a risk-based capital formula for the determination of capital and surplus requirements for all issuers. o Unless both the secondary and primary states have legislation or regulations in place establishing an independent review process for individuals who have individual health insurance coverage; or o The issuer provides an acceptable mechanism under which the review is conducted by an independent medical reviewer or panel. Ø Gives sole jurisdiction to the primary state to enforce the primary state’s covered laws in the primary state and any secondary state. Ø Allows the secondary state to notify the primary state if the coverage offered in the secondary state fails to comply with the covered laws in the primary state. Association Health Plans Ø Association Health Plans (AHPs) allow small businesses to pool together across state lines through their membership in a trade or professional association to purchase health coverage for their employees and their families. AHPs increase the bargaining power, leverage discounts, and provide administrative efficiencies to small businesses while freeing them from state benefit mandates. Ø While AHPs currently exist, strict Department of Labor standards exist regarding the types of organizations that may qualify as a single large-group health plan under ERISA. The standard stipulates that the association must be a group of employers bound together by a commonality of interest (aside from providing a health plan) with vested control of the association to such an extent that they effectively operate as one employer. This is considered a difficult standard for most associations to meet. Ø Amends ERISA to define AHPs and allow for their treatment as if they were large group single employer health plans. This definition would allow a dues-collecting organization maintained in good faith for a purpose other than providing health insurance to benefit from the insurance regulation exclusions currently afforded to large-group health plans under ERISA. Ø Requires solvency standards to protect patients’ rights and ensure benefits are paid. o Requires AHPs to have an indemnified back-up plan in order to prevent unpaid claims in the event of plan termination. o AHPs must undergo independent actuarial certification for financial viability on a regular basis. o Requires AHPs to maintain surplus reserves of at least $500,000 in addition to normal claims reserves, stop loss insurance, or indemnification insurance. Anti-Trust Reform for Healthcare Ø Provides an exemption from Federal antitrust laws for health care professionals engaged in negotiations with a health plan regarding the terms of a contract under which the professionals provide health care items or services. Ø This section applies only to health care professionals excluded from the National Labor Relations Act. It would also not apply to contracts or care provided under Medicare, Medicaid, SCHIP, the FEHBP, or the IHS as well as medical and dental care provided to members of the uniformed services and veterans. Increasing State Flexibility to Conduct Medicaid Waivers Ø Provides new flexibilities to states in their Medicaid plan design, through existing waiver authority in current law. Ø For many years, including under Obamacare, States have had the option to request a waiver from HHS to allow states to test new coverage rules under Medicaid and other programs. This provision would allow states to make changes to their Medicaid plans without interference from Washington. Self-Insurance Protections Ø Amends the definition of “health insurance coverage” under the Public Health Service Act (PHSA), and parallel sections of ERISA and the Tax Code, to clarify that stop-loss insurance is not health insurance. Ø This provision is designed to prevent the federal government from using rule-making to restrict the availability of stop-loss insurance used by self-insured plans. Edited by omphaloskepsis - March 08 2017 at 18:15 |
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micky
Special Collaborator 
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46833 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 17:26 |
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forget about it.... all those fools are good for are throwing bombs and being against what others try to do.. now in power.. oh yeah.. no sh*t.. it is a big problem .. and a very complex issue. They'll try.. probably come up with something that will fail. As anything economically they have done in the last 40 years other than make the rich richer and sh*t upon the very working class people that INCREDULOUSLY still think they clowns actually care about them. I guess.. we'll add heathcare to the list of messes we'll have to clean up after Trump is gone. and hopefully the fools in control of congress too gone with him. The ACA wasn't perfect and needed to be fixed... you don't fix the problem that was health care in the first move... you indentify the problems and address them...but as usual ... common sense has no place in GOP politics. They roped themselves in the red meat they fed their meathead supporters about REPEAL REPEAL REPEAL.. yet they have NO plan.. never did.. as to either improve the first step that the ACA was.. much less come up with a better system. In fact... I fear what they do will be much worse. why... they are playing politics and ideology with this.. not reason.. not compassion.. and not economics.. always did.. and it is too late to back away from it now. Edited by micky - March 08 2017 at 17:28 |
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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omphaloskepsis
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 19 2011 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 6341 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 17:13 |
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I couldn't agree more. I don't want Obama Care Lite! We need choices across state lines. We need Congress and/or Trump to force Phamasuitical companies to lower artificially high prices. Supposedly this is a first draft. It better be. And it better get better. Senator Rand Paul suggestions are more palatable. One of Paul's unique ideas incorporates associations. For example- If you are member of a Credit Union your entire credit union can negotiate a health care plan, thus lowering costs for the individual. Much better Health Saving Accounts which allow you to claim Exercise equipment and dietary supplements. Edited by omphaloskepsis - March 08 2017 at 18:27 |
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micky
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 02 2005 Location: . Status: Offline Points: 46833 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 15:53 |
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woo hoo!!!! you rule America.... |
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The Pedro and Micky Experience - When one no longer requires psychotropics to trip
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20604 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 15:24 |
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Just wait a few days and he'll start up the Birther Movement again.
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This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State.
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npjnpj
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 05 2007 Location: Germany Status: Offline Points: 2720 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 15:21 |
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Concerning this wire-tapping /Obama accusation situation:
Everyone is waiting for Trump to disclose his information source (or proof). I think that most of us will agree that it probably doesn’t exist, so at the moment he’s not so much playing for time, but I foresee something else: The more time he lets go by, the more Trump will be able to claim later that the FBI used this time to destroy the evidence trail. I don’t think he’ll worry much about the validity, or that he himself was the one responsible for the delay just before he was about to present the evidence, which, horror of horrors, has suddenly disappeared. It wouldn’t damage his relationship with the FBI further than it already is, which is rock-bottom. All that would happen is it would trigger another wild goose chase investigation. If he does do this, I bet it will work. Edited by npjnpj - March 08 2017 at 15:23 |
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SteveG
Forum Senior Member
Joined: April 11 2014 Location: Kyiv In Spirit Status: Offline Points: 20604 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 14:53 |
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This message was brought to you by a proud supporter of the Deep State.
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 14:45 |
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So doesn't that answer your own question? I'm American and even I know our news dominates the global media. Honestly, other countries seem to care more than many Americans. I'd say many are also better informed than many Americans but that's as easy as being alive these days.... |
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JJLehto
Prog Reviewer
Joined: April 05 2006 Location: Tallahassee, FL Status: Offline Points: 34550 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 14:40 |
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So the GOP finally released their ACA replacement and it's absolutely everything we expected:
No more subsidies, cuts to medicaid/medicare, no more individual mandate. Instead a 30% surcharge can be applied for letting insurance lapse for too long. Tax credits will be the main thrust. Instead of a penalty for not having insurance, there will be a penalty for not having enough insurance! Instead of subsidies, tax credits! Wow what a radically different bill! Don't get me wrong, this is worse. It's clear coverage will decrease, there's no cost containment (and help is being pulled away). There is no way they can keep this under budget and not raise taxes somewhere (likely to fall on the middle classes). Speaking of, an obscure rule in ACA: Apparently health execs were capped at how much income they could claim as a business expense, $500,000. This will be removed, of course, generating an estimated $400 billion boon to health execs, and cost to government. One of the many breaks for the wealthy in ACA repeal. Anyway seems it's already dead in the water. Hardline conservatives are refusing to back it, for being "obamacare lite" while some mainstreamers are upset it doesnt guarantee coverage. Obviously no Democrat will back this, or any plan, and to avoid a filibuster it needs the reconciliation process, which requires the bill not to increase the deficit over 10 years which from all I gather, doesn't seem possible. I kinda wonder if they are just half assing it, so when 2018 comes around they can say "Oh we tried but the Democrats blah blah" and just blame them like always |
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omphaloskepsis
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 19 2011 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 6341 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 11:11 |
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I read several documents off the WikiLeaks site. A few CIA tidbits: The CIA can remote control citizen's cars thus giving the CIA the ability to carry out nearly untraceable assassinations. When the CIA hacks, they can frame another country by leaving the foreign country's cyber prints on the cyber espionage hack. The CIA interfered with the 2012 French Presidential election... All major French political parties were targeted for infiltration by the CIA's human ("HUMINT") and electronic ("SIGINT") spies in the seven months leading up to France's 2012 presidential election. The revelations are contained within three CIA tasking orders published today by WikiLeaks as context for its forth coming CIA Vault 7 series. Named specifically as targets are the French Socialist Party (PS), the National Front (FN) and Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) together with current President Francois Hollande, then President Nicolas Sarkozy, current round one presidential front runner Marine Le Pen, and former presidential candidates Martine Aubry and Dominique Strauss-Khan. The CIA assessed that President Sarkozy's party was not assured re-election. Specific tasking concerning his party included obtaining the "Strategic Election Plans" of the Union for a Popular Movement (UMP); schisms or alliances developing in the UMP elite; private UMP reactions to Sarkozy's campaign stratagies; discussions within the UMP on any "perceived vulnerabilities to maintaining power" after the election; efforts to change the party's ideological mission; and discussions about Sarkozy's support for the UMP and "the value he places on the continuation of the party's dominance". Specific instructions tasked CIA officers to discover Sarkozy's private deliberations "on the other candidates" as well as how he interacted with his advisors. Sarkozy's earlier self-identification as "Sarkozy the American" did not protect him from US espionage in the 2012 election or during his presidency... https://wikileaks.org/cia-france-elections-2012/ It seems the CIA is spying on the United States congress and American media too. I'm sure the CIA would never blackmail a congressman into voting to support the CIA's agenda. Or, perhaps blackmailing media outlets into under reporting a story. Maybe a story like "WikiLeaks proves CIA is spying on American Citizens". At the very least, It would appear the CIA is duplicating the NSA's efforts, thus wasting billions of tax payer dollars. Anyone who
wishes to read the actual documents or the overview WikiLeaks published, can find it here. https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/?platform=hootsuite
Edited by omphaloskepsis - March 08 2017 at 11:26 |
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The T
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator Joined: October 16 2006 Location: FL, USA Status: Offline Points: 17493 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 08:42 |
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Too much focus on Trump, so little focus on the two who really will destroy this country,. Ryan and McConnell.
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HackettFan
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 20 2012 Location: Oklahoma Status: Offline Points: 7951 |
Posted: March 08 2017 at 08:19 |
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A curse upon the heads of those who seek their fortunes in a lie. The truth is always waiting when there's nothing left to try. - Colin Henson, Jade Warrior (Now)
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omphaloskepsis
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 19 2011 Location: Texas Status: Offline Points: 6341 |
Posted: March 07 2017 at 10:34 |
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Today in America- WikiLeaks publishes 8761 CIA documents. According to official CIA document time stamps, the time period covered in the leaks is 2013-2016. https://www.yahoo.com/news/wikileaks-publishes-massive-archive-cia-170956306.html "WikiLeaks released a huge trove on Tuesday of hacking tools allegedly developed and used by the CIA, a release that — if authentic — would constitute one of the most significant breaches of classified information in the agency’s history. According to the group led by Julian Assange, the dump includes tools to penetrate popular consumer electronics such as Apple iPhones, Android mobile devices, and smart TVs. The tools purportedly allow agency hackers to penetrate the devices and use them for surveillance and to steal data." Edited by omphaloskepsis - March 07 2017 at 11:56 |
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The American Politics Thread
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omphaloskepsis wrote: