Political Roundtable Part XIII

[Induveca]

Well, that's just it. They shouldn't repeal the ACA unless they have something better.

Logically opening up competition across state lines is a no-brainer for small business travelers who literally can't get treatment outside of their home state, and to reduce prices quickly.

[DCZards]

In their effort to repeal Obamacare, VP Pence and other Repubs have called the healthcare law a “nightmare.” I wonder how they explain the fact that approval of Obamacare has been growing in recent weeks and is now reportedly at or near its highest point ever.

[Induveca]

In their effort to repeal Obamacare, VP Pence and other Repubs have called the healthcare law a “nightmare.” I wonder how they explain the fact that approval of Obamacare has been growing in recent weeks and is now reportedly at or near its highest point ever.

It will soon be gone. Thank god, I don't see how any replacement focused on driving down premiums and deductibles could be worse.

I'm 100% on board with making individuals responsible for procuring their own insurance. I've been doing it for decades, even when I was flat broke and paid 30 bucks a month for a catastrophic plan in the 90s.

[FAH1223]

Well, that's just it. They shouldn't repeal the ACA unless they have something better.

Logically opening up competition across state lines is a no-brainer for small business travelers who literally can't get treatment outside of their home state, and to reduce prices quickly.

Breaking state lines and a public option would have dramatically reduced costs.

The Democrats really are a spineless bunch. 60 votes and a really popular President in 2009 and can't even sell your plan in simple terms or stick by your guns to make your party fall in line.

[DCZards]

In their effort to repeal Obamacare, VP Pence and other Repubs have called the healthcare law a “nightmare.” I wonder how they explain the fact that approval of Obamacare has been growing in recent weeks and is now reportedly at or near its highest point ever.

It will soon be gone. Thank god, I don't see how any replacement focused on driving down premiums and deductibles could be worse.

I'm 100% on board with making individuals responsible for procuring their own insurance. I've been doing it for decades, even when I was flat broke and paid 30 bucks a month for a catastrophic plan in the 90s.

Were you ever flat broke with a family (maybe 2-3 kids) to care for and provide health insurance for as well as yourself?

[FAH1223]

Watch on YouTube

[sfam]

This is why Trump is way smarter than most of you believe him to be.

When Trump alleged that he was being "wiretapped", it completely changed the dynamics of the issue. Until then, Trump was constantly on the defensive. Obama sympathizers in the Deep State provided vague "leaks" to sympathetic members of the media, who then exaggerated claims to make it look like Trump and Putin worked together to "hack the election". The media fed on this until it built into a narrative, one that was completely unsupported by any facts.

But then Trump turned the tables.

By accusing the Deep State of wiretapping, all the leakers and their media sympathizers were suddenly put on the defensive. This type of surveillance of a candidate is a really big deal if it took place. All of a sudden, all those Deep State leakers clammed up, or privately let the media know that they don't actually have any real evidence. In a few short days, the whole narrative collapsed. Now all that there is left to investigate is whether or not members of the intelligence community performed illegal surveillance. Trump is going to come out as the winner... again.

Smart? I’m sure there are many people who consider Trump--or at least some of what he does--smart. But I’m also sure there are many more who consider him dishonest, insecure and childish. Later this week, after Trump and his administration have failed to prove there’s any truth whatsoever to DT’s scurrilous claim that Obama ordered the Trump Tower wiretapped, #45 will look even more foolish.

Probably worse...I'm guessing that the Liar-in-Chief's credibility with the international community has been in a free fall.

There's nothing smart about sacrificing credibility to win a few news cycles. Credibility is actually necessary to get things passed. Nobody believes a word Trump says now. Smart??

When in your experience has someone told you the way to get ahead was to continually lie to the people you will be working with for the next 4 years?

[dckingsfan]

Watch on YouTube

This... both sides just talk over each other. One side doesn't address the need for healthcare. The other side that even though we have set up an unaffordable system - we are the richest country in the world, "we can afford anything".

Sigh...

[FAH1223]

Watch on YouTube

This... both sides just talk over each other. One side doesn't address the need for healthcare. The other side that even though we have set up an unaffordable system - we are the richest country in the world, "we can afford anything".

Sigh...

When we have a market collapse in healthcare, single payer will be the way to go. Grassroots will keep yelling about it and organizing for it.

All the bureaucracy and paperwork for insurance companies is a pain. Plus, if sold right, most people would rather pay a tax for healthcare rather than premiums, paying deductibles, and insane medical bills. Government having the power to negotiate prices.

Single payer isn't perfect but it's a hell of a lot better than the crap we have now. Sucks we didn't get a National Health Service in the 1940s.

[FAH1223]

Read on Twitter

Read on Twitter

[TGW]

Even that blowhard d-bag Tucker Carlson is calling out Ryan's plan...

[AFM]

Even that blowhard d-bag Tucker Carlson is calling out Ryan's plan...

Does anyone like it? Even Breitbart is clearly against it.

This is a must read, IMO:
http://www.europac.com/commentaries/trumpcare_different_plan_same_problems

[dckingsfan]

Watch on YouTube

This... both sides just talk over each other. One side doesn't address the need for healthcare. The other side that even though we have set up an unaffordable system - we are the richest country in the world, "we can afford anything".

Sigh...

When we have a market collapse in healthcare, single payer will be the way to go. Grassroots will keep yelling about it and organizing for it.

All the bureaucracy and paperwork for insurance companies is a pain. Plus, if sold right, most people would rather pay a tax for healthcare rather than premiums, paying deductibles, and insane medical bills. Government having the power to negotiate prices.

Single payer isn't perfect but it's a hell of a lot better than the crap we have now. Sucks we didn't get a National Health Service in the 1940s.

When we have a market collapse in healthcare it very well may take the last recession look like the good times. It may very well be a time when the federal government needs to start rolling back programs. And the system could very well look like the VA.

Just saying... not really rooting for that collapse.

[dckingsfan]

Read on Twitter

This from the guy that wants to expand SS/Medicaid/Medicare/ACA and who knows he has no way to pay for it.

This guy lies even better than Trump in many respects.

[Wizardspride]

Read on Twitter

[FAH1223]

Read on Twitter

This from the guy that wants to expand SS/Medicaid/Medicare/ACA and who knows he has no way to pay for it.

This guy lies even better than Trump in many respects.

Lifting the cap on taxable income (after $117,000) helps Social Security.

And as far as Medicare for All. He points to previous legislation he’s introduced, namely a 2013 bill for a single-payer Medicare-for-all system, as his general gameplan.

To pay for it, Sanders would impose broad-based taxes: a 6.7 percent payroll tax on employers and a 2.2 percent tax on individual incomes under $200,000 or joint incomes under $250,000. (Progressively higher rates for higher-income earners are described in his 2013 bill.)

His Medicare-for-all plan would save the average American family $3,855 to $5,173 in annual health care costs.

Instead of an insurance premium, a family making $50,000 — roughly the median family income — would only pay $1,100 in health care income taxes. That’s $3,855 less than what it would pay out-of-pocket for the average premium ($4,955, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation) and $5,173 less if a deductible ($1,318, for individual coverage) is factored in.

That's way better than the crap we have right now. As a young guy who is making $50k, I'd much rather pay a 2.2 percent tax rather than the premium I pay through work which is crappy insurance with a $5,000 deductible.

Trump and Sanders are really not the same. Trump went out of his way to praise Sanders all summer to try and get his voters. Trump lies and lies and has no specifics. Sanders is a US Senator who lays out his plans in legislation he's introduced and amendments he tries to get passed in the Senate.

Sure, we'd pay a tax but if sold correctly, most Americans would pay for that rather than not having access to healthcare cause they can't afford it.

The issue of cost savings is also a big deal. It it isn't a silver bullet right away. At the very least, the Dems should have had a public option to compete in the insurance market place especially in areas with only one insurance provider.

[sfam]

Even that blowhard d-bag Tucker Carlson is calling out Ryan's plan...

That's pretty bad when Fox is calling you out for giving a tax cut for the rich.

[sfam]

Read on Twitter

Steve King tells us clearly what the problem is. He means this is OUR country - white people country. Yes, we have some brown skinned people here, but we don't want any more. This somewhat at odds with the notion of America as the melting pot. If you don't have native American indians in your blood, you're an immigrant. The culture that exists here is fueled by assimilating immigrants. It has never been a static culture - it has always been vibrant and changing.

[dckingsfan]

Read on Twitter

This from the guy that wants to expand SS/Medicaid/Medicare/ACA and who knows he has no way to pay for it.

This guy lies even better than Trump in many respects.

Lifting the cap on taxable income (after $117,000) helps Social Security.

And as far as Medicare for All. He points to previous legislation he’s introduced, namely a 2013 bill for a single-payer Medicare-for-all system, as his general gameplan.

To pay for it, Sanders would impose broad-based taxes: a 6.7 percent payroll tax on employers and a 2.2 percent tax on individual incomes under $200,000 or joint incomes under $250,000. (Progressively higher rates for higher-income earners are described in his 2013 bill.)

But that's the thing. It still wouldn't come close to paying for it... he knows it. And his campaign of making the 1% pay for it is also off - he would need to tax the 1% over 100% of their income.

I guess you could say he is better than Trump. But really, he isn't a model to hold up. We really didn't have many good choices in this election cycle.

[dckingsfan]

Sure, we'd pay a tax but if sold correctly, most Americans would pay for that rather than not having access to healthcare cause they can't afford it.

Actually, we can't afford what we have now. What we have now is unsustainable and Sanders' wants to expand what we have - where is the honesty in that? Trump doubled down on this and lied too. I don't trust either of them as far as I could throw them.

But to your question - yes, I would rather pay $1000 in taxes than $2000 in premiums. Who wouldn't - especially if someone else will pick up the bill.