Health Care That's Always A Scare

The US Senate is no land for heroes.

Comments

[jimmyk]

Won't click on the link to the failing NYT. Just won't.

[henry]

jimmyk, the bill sucks sewage pumping trucks.

[henry]

also. The NYT sucks sewage pumping trucks. so there is that.

[daddy]

Last Page

[James D.]

Could they be any stupider at NBC?

There is no bottom to their stupidity. I think they've demonstrated that beyond any possible doubt.

[James D.]

The article TBT linked in the previous thread about the latest bright idea from the Feds is horrifying.

I wish I could say I find it surprising.

[henry]

The insatiable greed of the deep state James. Not possible to overestimate how greedy those bastards are.

[DNC ROI]

"Kyle Wingfield AJC‏Verified account
@kwingfieldajc

Nov. 2016: Rodney Stooksbury (D) spends $0, wins 124,917 votes in #GA6

June 2017: Jon Ossoff (D) spends $23M+, wins 124,893."

https://twitter.com/kwingfieldajc/status/877614953695330304

[Miss Marple]

https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2017/06/21/president-donald-j-trump-announces-intent-nominate-personnel-key

[maryrose]

I always enjoyed the comments of Rick Ballard and his wit.
President's Trump's tweet about any cyber hacking and why Obama didn't do anything at the time is an issue I have raised on this blog.

[Miss Marple]

Jim Acosta‏Verified account @Acosta

I'm off today but it must be said that YOUR White House is taking away YOUR right to see and hear YOUR government answer questions today

David Martosko‏Verified account @dmartosko 32m32 minutes ago

Interesting supposition. Do Americans have a "right" to see daily video footage from the White House, or is that just CNN's preference?

David Martosko‏Verified account @dmartosko 33m33 minutes ago

White House has changed the terms of today's briefing (again): No video, but audio is usable AFTER the conclusion of the briefing. #chaos
=====================================

David Martosko is the Daily Mai political reporter, who was considered for Press Secretary but declined because he loves what he's doing.

Personally, I think they need to make the reporters take notes on steno pads and then call the stories into editors over land lines, like in "Front Page."

[Buckeye]

Nov. 2016: Rodney Stooksbury (D) spends $0, wins 124,917 votes in #GA6

June 2017: Jon Ossoff (D) spends $23M+, wins 124,893."

Only a $ million per lost vote.

[henry]

Time mag found some voter manipulation by hacking.

In Illinois, more than 90% of the nearly 90,000 records stolen by Russian state actors

voter records with SSN, drivers lic # etc. they don't know who took them, Time just likes to say "Russians" a lot.

I'm sure if Hilligula could have held onto the IL electoral college votes...

[Miss Marple]

http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2017/06/22/iowa-gop-chairman-rips-arrogant-academic-ben-sasse-215293

“We had Sen. Ben Sasse from Nebraska, he crosses the Missouri River, and in that sanctimonious tone talks about what he doesn’t like about Donald Trump,” Kaufmann said. “You know what, Sen. Sasse? I really don’t care what you like. We love Donald Trump. And if you don’t love him, I suggest you stay on your side of the Missouri River.”

Go, go, go!! I like this Kaufman guy a LOT! (As you know, I cannot stand Ben Sasse.)

[daddy]

Last night we did the return leg from England to Indy. It was Summer Solstice, and since they routed us way north due to avoiding the Jet Stream we passed just a few miles south of the southern tip of Greenland.

Because we were so far north the sun never set. It sat on the horizon off our right wing and that was cool because there was plenty of light to see Greenland crystal clear. Always before it has been too dark to see the landmass or it has been totally cloud covered, but yesterday it was clear as a bell and we could see hundreds of miles of the southern portion of Greenland. Absolutely beautiful! Tons of beautiful inlets formed the eastern side, and my terrain radar told me some of the peaks we were looking at were 8,600 feet high. Lots of snow on the mountaintops and the terrain to the north, plus a few scattered icebergs easily seen off the coast. The fiords looked magnificent and uninhabited and I took a number of pics that came out great. I can't post them but it looked very much like this:

What a treat.

[Captain Hate]

Stay off forever, Acosta; It's MY right to not watch YOUR terrible network making up fake news about OUR President.

[henry]

Bloomberg reporting Trump has no Comey tapes.

[Michael (fpa Patriot4Freedom)]

Great news re lyle's surgery and imminent recovery.

Prayers going out for little Will and for 'Mama di James D.'

. . . and prayers going out for America, and our damaged health*care* and health *insurance* systems - since our esteemed senators apparently are unaware how one "repeals Obamacare (oBOzocare)."

Had the current Republicans been in charge of "repealing Prohibition" back in the day, everything made of alcohol except for certain mulled wines and rubbing alcohol would still be illegal.

[Miss Marple]

daddy,

Just beautiful! One of these days we will have to get your pictures posted here.

Stay inside while you're in Indy. It's hotter than heck here!

[Miss Marple]

Just spoke to granddaughter. She was in good spirits and getting ready to leave the hospital. She is to start on pain meds before the numbness wears off.

That's a relief! Thanks to all of you for your concern.

[Winning]

"Bloomberg reporting Trump has no Comey tapes."

Of course never said he did have any. Trump tweeted "James Comey better hope that there are no "tapes" of our conversations before he starts leaking to the press!"

The good news is Comey could not be sure so he was forced to revealed some of the truth during his testimony...he told Pres he was not under investigation 3 times and no obstruction, just hope. Comey played for the fool he is.

I bet when Trump specifically said Comey told him THREE times no investigation, Comey figured there might actually be tapes.

Of course the Dems will now say there are tapes and an investigation is required. HA! Dopes.

[Captain Hate]

Mollie Hemingway on the FIB numbnuts:

http://thefederalist.com/2017/06/22/the-fbis-briefing-on-the-gop-baseball-shooting-couldnt-be-more-bizarre/

[henry]

Right, a special prosecutor to look into the missing tape machines at the White House.

[Miss Marple]

http://cbs4indy.com/2017/06/22/man-accused-of-choking-goodwill-employee-breaking-muncie-officers-hand-deported-to-saudi-arabia/

How bad do you have to be to threaten Goodwill customers with forcible Islamic conversion? This is not what Muncie police are used to dealing with. Glad he got deported.

[Barbara]

Rush Limbaugh has been on a roll this morning.

Gutting Obama care is gutting the Obama legacy.

If you get rid of Obama care you essentially erase the Obama presidency.

David Rodham Gergan is afraid that not only are they (the Democrats) not going to get rid of President Trump, he's going to be re-elected!

WRT democrats concerns about Nancy Pelosi:
The Democrats are now turning on themselves.

[jimmyk]

we could see hundreds of miles of the southern portion of Greenland

Did you know there was a tsunami in Greenland a few days ago?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4617426/Locals-flee-tsunami-Greenland-left-four-missing.html

I think I flew over Greenland once on a return trip from somewhere, maybe Stockholm, and it was, well, greener (in the summer) than that photo. But maybe it was actually Iceland or Newfoundland. The pilot wasn't one of those talkative ones that tells you what you're seeing.

[jimmyk]

Mollie Hemingway on the FIB numbnuts

The Comeyfication of the FBI.

[henry]

What's Rush off about. The Senate is nowhere near gutting Obamacare... they spackle it some is all.

[Porchlight]

The good news is Comey could not be sure so he was forced to revealed some of the truth during his testimony...he told Pres he was not under investigation 3 times and no obstruction, just hope. Comey played for the fool he is.

Comey also admitted he leaked to NYT.

[rse]

anyone seen this?

https://pjmedia.com/trending/2017/06/22/trump-supporter-stabbed-nine-times-following-political-rally/

[Another Bob]

From the last thread re. Ballard...

I was a fan. I enjoyed his commentary, his pithy way of putting it, and he seemed knowledgeable in many areas. That changed for me when his obvious anti-Trumpism turned into anti-Trump-supporterism.

Henry, don't joke about that. I think the dems may just do that. Anything to pile on and keep the focus off of dem failures and Trump successes.

[Miss Marple]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump

With all of the recently reported electronic surveillance, intercepts, unmasking and illegal leaking of information, I have no idea...

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 12m12 minutes ago

Replying to @realDonaldTrump

...whether there are "tapes" or recordings of my conversations with James Comey, but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings.

5,256 replies 2,888 retweets 8,753 likes

[henry]

Where is Binghampton NY? wweapons bust there, "Ramadan Abdullah" is the perp. .50 Cal Armor Piercing Incendiary Rounds.

You can hunt and BBQ with one trigger pull.

[Porchlight]

but I did not make, and do not have, any such recordings.

Does not exclude the possibility that someone else made, and has, such recordings.

Either way, it's hilarious.

Trump = laser pointer
MSM = cats

[Dave (in MA)]

http://www.wicz.com/story/35663142/arrested-jc-man-arrested-in-major-weapons-bust

[Barbara]

henry,

He prefaced his comments by reading McConnel's explanation of the highlights of the proposal on the Senate floor. Without reiterating what he said, the Senate proposal removes the primary enforcement elements of O-Care. If this happens, that's a major blow to the Obama presidency.

Trump President is also dismantling Obama's "accomplishments" in foreign affairs (e.g., the Iranian deal, the Paris Climate Changes Accord, TPP, North Korea running amok, renegotiating NAFTA, and unraveling the mess bozo made of the Middle East.

I believe this is what he was referring to.

[DebinGA]

In Dec. 2016, after Trump won but weeks before he was inaugurated, BOzo appointed Anthony Vale, seen on the right behind the FBI spokesman in CH's link, assistant director at the FBI's DC field office. There's no telling how many similar self-serving machinations devious BOzo put in place to hide his malfeasance.

[jimmyk]

"Ramadan Abdullah" is the perp

We may never know the motive. Right-wing Christian militia?

[Miss Marple]

Porchlight,

The number of butt hurt libs on Twitter about Trump not having tapes is phenomenal. They are really mad. HAHAHA!

My bet is that there ARE tapes but Trump didn't make them.

[henry]

barbara, any mechanisms removed (I couldn't find much beyond subsidy extensions except a change of mandate tax penalty / tax rates to $0... but the mandates remain) don't happen until late 2020... ie after the next Presidential election. There is less to that bill than it seems.

[RattlerGator]

Regarding Rick Ballard:

After it dawned on me that I was just about to step on my own "joke," I replied, "half Kenyan black and half hippie white."

Posted by: lyle | June 22, 2017 at 10:06 AM

Boom !!!

While in my lurking days years ago, I remember the guy. I was quite impressed. I'm glad I missed all of the back and forth over Trump.

Beginning this summer and leading into Spring of the new year, I suspect most remaining Republican / Conservative holdouts will come back home. If this applies to him, I presume he would be welcomed back here -- right?

As long as he is merely Trump-skeptical, but not #NeverTrump and antagonistic to Trump supporters -- correct?

[daddy]

Stay inside while you're in Indy. It's hotter than heck here!

Hi Miss M. Haven't got out of bed yet! Leaving tonite just after midnight so I'm being useless.

Best of luck to the granddaughter. I recall as a kid having worts on the bottoms of my feet but back then they just froze 'em off with some scary, smelly concoction on the tip of some rod, and then I'd have to limp around for a week. Hope her case is no worse than that.

[Barbara]

henry I believe I heard him say that the taxes were removed, the Individual Mandate was removed, and the Employer Mandate was removed.

[henry]

Individual and employer mandates reset to $0 dollars, but still in the law. (removed without bothering to actually remove them).

Some taxes go away, medical devices, and taxes on insurance plans... after 2020.

They are pulling a fast one until they can get rid of Trump.

[henry]

I read the stupid pdf. (Have payroll software, must know how much reprogramming to budget).

[narciso]

Ray shielded link

http://althouse.blogspot.com/2017/06/the-nyt-acknowledges-that-trumps-rally.html

[rse]

daddy-it was liquid nitrogen.

i had them too as a kid and then overnight they vanished.

[Ralph L]

terror in the hearts of potential Dem invaders, who might be beguiled by the beautiful North GA mts/rivers
Thanks to Last of the Mohicans, they all came to western NC instead, so now we have Asheville--Chapel Hill with hills. Too bad we don't still have savage Indians up there.
My town had literally (not Biden literally) 3 Catholics until NJ came here to build (unused) planes in WWII. The priest across the street would pass the time with my Scots Irish Presby. ggrandfather.

[Barbara]

henry,

He also added that Health Savings Accounts would be improved, pre-existing conditions would be covered, and "children" up to the age of 25 would be covered.

While this keeps some aspects of O-Care, it removes the penalizing portions. They are going to have to do something about lowering costs via greater competition, too, although I haven't heard that yet. Mind you, I haven't read any of this. It's only based on what he reported.

[Ralph L]

If they reduce the penalties to zero, won't the system collapse even faster and more expensively?

[DebinGA]

The Normandy landing plans were less secret than the names of Republican House and Senate peeps writing these alternate Bozocare plans.

[henry]

Ralph, as far as I could tell, they upped the subsidies to the exchange insurers (and backdated as legal the ones Obama illegally paid). This bill lowers taxes (after the end of the period for which it gets scored) and increases subsidies, but the exchanges and medicare expansions are saved somehow. The CBO score should be hysterically funny.

[henry]

Barbara, some nibbling on the HSA and Flex spending plans... mostly restoring them to pretax status for payroll deductions, but other tweaks as well. If they broke that piece out and trashed the rest, it would be a mild, but helpful thing.

[narciso]

Just for kicks session should reopen the inquiry into that incident with the staffer:

http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/06/mika-hard-not-to-think-trump-might-be-in-on-a-russia-scheme

[henry]

Given all of that, more than half the pages were rewiring IRS code with word swaps (but no ready link to what was changed)... so nobody has any idea what most of this does unless they've memorized the entire tax code.

[Barbara]

Could you post a link, henry? I'd like to go over the parts that deal with the mandates and the taxes.

[JimNorCal]

RG, those behaviors/attitudes would work for me.

[Buckeye]

So the wizards of smart in the GOPe cut the Obamacare shit sandwich in half and have gift wrapped it thinking we won't be so likely to conclude it tastes like crap when it gets shoved down our throats.

FEMALL

[Suck on it]

Single Payer Harbingers

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Timothy McVeigh was not exactly Einstein, so it remains amazing to me just how pathetic and amateurish the muslim goons are.
Even 9/11 could have been far worse had they hijacked later flights and aimed the planes at the 15 or 20th floors instead.

How do they not have guys under the radar slowly accumulating enough stuff to make OK City size truck bombs?
Sooner or later it seems like they have to make some "improvements" to "guy runs over three people with van, jumps out with scimitar, shouts slogan, get's shot".

[Ralph L]

They must be hung up on using a reconciliation vote. Using the nuclear option--killing the filibuster entirely--is still not a good idea when the Senate is so often in play.

[Suck on it]

I’m just curious, what this is reminiscent of, what this could be reminiscent of if you had to make a parallel. A president telling networks to turn off their cameras, a president telling untruths, lies to an audience of supporters that basically treat those lies as applause lines. I’m —

JON MEACHAM: Yeah the best example is President Nixon and even that is a little tricky, no dork pun intended. There was a sense during, really starting in the spring of ’73 forward into the summer of ’74, when President Nixon, it was unclear at some point whether he was lying to us as, lying to himself as well as to us.

MIKA: Right. But can I broaden the question? What is this reminiscent to, even outside of the United States?

MEACHAM: Well, you’re alluding to fabled and terrible totalitarian regimes in Europe in the 1930s, I think . . . and also, even now, regimes like North Korea, where the Dear Leader speaks, and we’re all supposed to —

MIKA: What are the parallels?

MEACHAM: That what the Dear Leader says has to be followed, whether it’s associated with reality or not..

Or NUT

[henry]

barbara: the pdf is here: https://t.co/WCKEu5TYWR

[narciso]

I think they calculated that it would be difficult at striking targets at that level, remember they had the blue prints at least since 1993.

[McCain]

I think the 3 votes are in. But the SHOW must go on.

[Captain Hate]

I recall as a kid having worts on the bottoms of my feet

Did your family figure out that beer isn't made by stomping grain in water?

[Barbara]

Thanks, henry.

[Ralph L]

It always amazes me how lucky we were it was only 3,000 killed (and they haven't pulled off anything comparable since). It could easily have been 30,000.

[henry]

Rand plus 3 .

[henry]

against bill as written.

[Captain Hate]

If this applies to him, I presume he would be welcomed back here -- right?

Absolutely. I liked Rick a lot. He once chided me so effectively to curb my profanity that I immediately complied.

[henry]

The Zh take on the Senate bill.

Gives subsidies illegal immigrants if they are working in the United States
Subsidies based on 350% Federal Poverty Level, not 400%.
Gets rid of business and consumer mandates with no penalty
Qualified plans don't need to provide abortion coverage unless it's to save the life of the mother
Each state gets 15-10 Billion for uninsurables
Cadillac tax is gone
OTC med tax is gone
HSA penalty tax is 10%
Prescription tax is gone
Medical device tax is gone
Business owners can deduct part d expense again
Deductible medical expenses are back to 7.5% instead of 10% AGI
Tanning tax is gone (ironic)
Net investment tax is gone
HSA deductibility will be adjusted every year for COLA
Both spouses can now make catch-up contributions to a family HSA
60 day limitation to setting up an HSA account when first getting the plan for purposes of a current claim
No coverage for abortion clinics
Repeal of cost-sharing subsidy
MLR set by states
Grants for states battling opiod addiction (like mine)
CHIP is reauthorized
$5,000 app fee to create small business association health pool
Psychiatric coverage is limited to institutionalized individuals only, and for stays up to 30 days but not to exceed 90 days
The Senate draft health-care bill doesn’t currently include a provision penalizing people who don’t maintain continuous coverage

[jimmyk]

how lucky we were it was only 3,000 killed

I remember that morning speculation that it would be 10,000. But almost everyone below where the planes hit got out. Iggy, 15th-20th floor would have been tough given the surrounding buildings, but even 50th-60th would probably have doubled the death toll.

[henry]

The expensive bits like pre-existing conditions and coverage mandates appear to be unchanged. I have seen no mention of these (except abortion).

[Ralph L]

MLR?

[Captain Hate]

Does "uninsurables" mean Medicaid? If so to hell with that.

[Miss Marple]

Well, the thing is, Ignatz, that some Muslims showing up wanting to buy fertilizer at the Co-op might run into a little bit of trouble, being as how people are a lot more alert about stuff like that than they were 15 years ago.

[henry]

CH, not sure, but the medicaid expansions definitely get funded through 2020. Note the guy claims mandates are gone, but the text says mandate tax penalty rates go to $0... so he is a bit loose with language.

[Ralph L]

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurance issuers to submit data on the proportion of premium revenues spent on clinical services and quality improvement, also known as the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR). It also requires them to issue rebates to enrollees if this percentage does not meet minimum standards.
I forget I have google again.

[Ralph L]

I think uninsur. means high risk pools--pre-existing condition people.

[Lies and bluffs]

"I think he was, in his way, instinctively trying to rattle Comey," Gingrich told The Associated Press.

"He's not a professional politician. He doesn't come back and think about Nixon and Watergate. His instinct is: 'I'll outbluff you.' "

[narciso]

Ibthink they mean this with preexisting conditions but its hard to tell there wasnt such a thing till Erisa in 1974, it was a way to try to bend the cost curve down

[henry]

Thanks Ralph!

[jimmyk]

Avik Roy just loves, loves, loves the Senate bill. Not a good sign.

[Ralph L]

MM, my old employer would bring in about 75 tons of bulk ammonium nitrate in the spring. Could have made a big bomb. Now he'd have to have a guard 24/7.

[narciso]

I know fish in a barrel:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2017/06/cotton-does-the-times-in-10-tweets.php

[Ralph L]

NC had state subsidized high risk insurance when I couldn't get ins that covered my melanoma risk in the mid 90's. I considered it but just risked it myself for a few years.

[Ralph L]

thank you, Henry

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Iggy, 15th-20th floor would have been tough given the surrounding buildings...--

That's why they put elevators on planes.

[JimNorCal]

Dinesh D'Souza compares Dem run inner cities with slave plantations, finds key similarities.
About three min.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ytSZ851hLRc

[narciso]

Since thuc is in the news tiday

https://sententiaeantiquae.com/2017/06/22/he-does-not-prefer-thucydides-out-of-love-romans-on-the-greek-historian/

[Curious lurker]

I haven't seen a conservative biopsy yet. It is scary to contemplate.

"The bill asks low- and middle-income Americans to spend significantly more for less coverage.

The bill would roll back the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of the Medicaid program, which currently covers millions of low-income Americans, and include additional cuts to Medicaid. It would rework the individual market so that enrollees get less financial help to purchase less generous health insurance with higher deductibles.

Here is how the Senate bill works:

The Senate bill begins to phase out the Medicaid expansion in 2021 — and cuts the rest of the program’s budget too. The Senate bill would end the Affordable Care Act’s expansion of Medicaid to millions of low-income Americans. This program has provided coverage to more Americans than the private marketplaces
It would also cut the rest of the public insurance program. Better Care would also limit government spending on the rest of the Medicaid program, giving states a set amount to spend per person rather than the insurance program’s currently open-ended funding commitment.
The Senate bill provides smaller subsidies for less generous health insurance plans with higher deductibles. The Affordable Care Act provides government help to anyone who earns less than 400 percent of the federal poverty line ($47,550 for an individual or $97,200 for a family of four). The people who earn the least get the most help. The Senate bill would make those subsidies much smaller for many people, and only provide the money to those earning less than 350 percent of the poverty line ($41,580 for individuals and $85,050 for a family of four). The Senate bill will tether the size of its tax credits to what it takes to purchase a skimpier health insurance plan than the type of plans Affordable Care Act subsidies were meant to buy. Essentially, these tax credits buy less health insurance.
The Senate bill seems to allow states to opt out of Obamacare’s marketplaces and essential health benefits requirement. A new waiver process would allow states to overhaul their insurance markets, including ending the essential health benefit requirement and specific subsidies that benefit low income Americans, so long as those changes do not increase the deficit.
The Senate bill repeals the individual mandate — and replaces it with nothing. The bill gets rid of the Affordable Care Act’s unpopular requirement that nearly all Americans carry health coverage or pay a fine. This could cause significant disruption in the individual market because it takes away a key incentive healthy people have to buy coverage, meaning only sick people may sign up.
The bill would cut taxes for the wealthy. Obamacare included tax increases that hit wealthy Americans hardest in order to pay for its coverage expansion. The AHCA would get rid of those taxes. Obamacare was one of the biggest redistributions of wealth from the rich to the poor; the AHCA would reverse that.
The Senate bill defunds Planned Parenthood for one year. This would mean Medicaid patients could no longer seek treatment at Planned Parenthood clinics. Experts expect this would result in low-income Americans getting less medical care and having more unintended pregnancies, as access to contraceptives would decline.
All in all, the replacement plan benefits people who are healthy and high-income, and disadvantages those who are sicker and lower-income. The replacement plan would make several changes to what health insurers can charge enrollees who purchase insurance on the individual market, as well as changing what benefits their plans must cover. In aggregate, these changes could be advantageous to younger and healthier enrollees who want skimpier (and cheaper) benefit packages. But they could be costly for older and sicker Obamacare enrollees who rely on the law’s current requirements, and would be asked to pay more for less generous coverage.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Well, the thing is, Ignatz, that some Muslims showing up wanting to buy fertilizer at the Co-op might run into a little bit of trouble, being as how people are a lot more alert about stuff like that than they were 15 years ago.--

Partly my point. White Americans radicalize and go to Afghanistan to fight.
Iran can't train up a couple of Caucasians to come over here and get busy?
A nation sitting on an ocean of oil can't set one nutjob up with a nursery ownership in Oakland, Detroit or Queens?

So far we have been fortunate our enemies lack imagination or intitiative or intelligence or something.

[Momto2]

This is a true story. When I was about 6 or 7 I had 2 warts on my right hand. My grandmother noticed them while I was spending several weeks with her that summer. She took me to this old woman who lived on a dirt road. All I remember is I was afraid of her and she looked and smelled like a witch. She took a silk thread, touched each wart, said some words, tied a knot in the thread where it touched the wart. She took me outside and made me bury it under a rock. She said when the knots rotted on the thread, the warts would fall off.

About a month later, they did! OH, and I was warned not to tell anyone and that I must "believe" or they wouldn't fall off!

My grandmother was a committed Christian so I'm not sure how she rationalized all of that.

I'm glad you sent your granddaughter to a doctor, MM!

[Threadkiller]

I presume he would be welcomed back here -- right?

Not by me. But I will gladly ignore him up until he trys to sneak a clever bit of derogatory wordsmithery in my general direction.

[Stumped]

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/6/22/1674125/-Advocates-fight-to-stop-deportation-of-high-school-student-arrested-on-day-of-prom

Progs keep doing these stories to prick your conscience. Heh.

Don't they know empathy is a key ingredient?

[Barbara]

henry,

A cursory reading of a portion of the bill confirms your concern about where the Senate sees the program going in the long term. I'll have to finish reading it later and am interested in Senator Paul's views as well.

On it's face, the bill seems to deliver on some of the promises made. It's interesting that the President didn't think it was "generous" enough. I'd like to know where he would like it to be stronger.

I'm not familiar with the need to amend the earlier Federal code rather than replace or delete it. I'll have to get back to that later, but the other time frames seem logical.

Apparently, the insurance companies are happy about the proposal. It always makes me nervous when people are too happy with such a series of complicated changes.

[Ralph L]

What could you do, TK? Nimble his bum?

Obamacare was one of the biggest redistributions of wealth from the rich to the poor; the AHCA would reverse that.
It would just reduce the redistribution from rich to poor slightly. No Dennis Moore.

[KOOL AID REHAB?]

But what am I supposed to do when so many of my fellow citizens guzzle snake oil by the gallon and call it champagne?

Gingrich Explains Trump's Comey 'Tapes' Bluff

The president* flew himself out to Iowa on Wednesday night to bask in the adulation of yet another rapturous crowd and to deliver yet another speech from the oratorical firm of Hokum, Bunkum, and Con. They didn't even balk when he told them, right to their eager faces, that all his campaign rhetoric about cracking down on the bankster class was the purest moonshine. From Maggie Haberman's subtly snark account in The New York Times:

He toggled back and forth between telling farm-rich Iowa that he had fought for forgotten voters and lauding the wealth of Gary D. Cohn, his top economic adviser and a former executive at Goldman Sachs, the Wall Street giant that Mr. Trump derided in commercials in 2016. "In those particular positions, I just don't want a poor person — does that make sense?" he said of Mr. Cohn's job and that of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, another immensely wealthy man whom Mr. Trump lauded as a "legendary Wall Street genius." "Brilliant business minds" are what the economy needs, he said.
Hey, rubes!

Haberman did herself proud, pushing the envelope of the Gray Lady's customary

And the president frequently embellished details during his speech, or told outright falsehoods. He tried to catch himself at one point, saying, "I have to be a little careful, because they'll say, 'He lied!'" But he nonetheless plowed ahead, including misstating whether the Paris climate agreement, from which he plans to withdraw the United States, is binding. While doing so, he also prompted the audience to name the agreement themselves. "P… p… p," he said."Like hell it's nonbinding!" thundered Mr. Trump, who in fact called the accord nonbinding in his Rose Garden speech announcing the withdrawal this month.

That's the real style there.

Then, of course, there was the now-legendary Trumpian science fiction concerning his beloved, big, beautiful wall, which he apparently now has enlisted as a weapon in the war for clean, renewable energy. From the BBC:

"We're thinking of something that's unique, we're talking about the southern border, lots of sun, lots of heat. We're thinking about building the wall as a solar wall, so it creates energy and pays for itself. And this way, Mexico will have to pay much less money, and that's good, right?... Solar wall, panels, beautiful. I mean actually think of it, the higher it goes the more valuable it is. Pretty good imagination right? Good? My idea."
Well, no. And not actually a "wall," either. Plus, if you're going to build a wall of solar panels, it might be better not to do it in one of the most remote parts of the country, thereby requiring a huge expenditure in power lines to get the electricity to actual populated areas. But he's not serious about this anyway, so what the hell?

Iowa has become a leader in wind energy, which has been a boon to its local economy so, naturally, he ridiculed the whole idea: "I don't want to just hope the wind blows to light up your house and your factory as the birds fall to the ground."

If a substantial portion of our fellow citizens are going to cheer wildly at this stuff, and even more wildly at the endless recitation of his personal grievances that always accompanies the vaporous policy proposals, then there is nothing you can do to change their minds. Circumstances will have to do that. The new Republican healthcare bill, for example. But I am not confident that the damage that bill will do can't be successfully spun out in the country as the fault of Democratic "obstructionists" and/or the alleged failure of Barack Obama. I don't mean to be critical but we can't go on like this much longer. A house divided against itself cannot stand, as Abraham Lincoln once said—and he was a Republican, you know. A lot of people don't know that.

[Threadkiller]

What would I do?

Push the same buttons that made him expose his outer child.

He is easy prey.