Miscellaneous And Off Topic Subjects

[Wild Hoss]

What did we expect? He's broke; his real estate "empire" is a shell-game. Politics was his last ditch effort to re-energize his brand and stave off a final, permanent bankruptcy. Now he's got the keys to the vault. Of course he's going to cash in.

Cripes, I heard that Ivanka is hocking knockoff versions of the dress she wore to the inauguration...probably made in Vietnam and sold at Target. We're turning over all kinds of new stones looking for loose change. Its The Trump Way.

[hack]

Failure of imagination. I expected every banana-republic dictator trick, but this is really something. What a horrible human being he is.

[Wild Hoss]

Its not your fault; you weren't raised to be a con artist, so you don't view the world through that prism.

In fact, we should make a game of it...predict what tawdry, psuedo-legal gambit he and his staff will come up with next. Maybe he'll have JF35s do skywriting over the Super Bowl- for training purposes of course- that happens to look like the Pepsi logo. Or pass out drink tickets to his hotels when greeting foreign dignitaries. Maybe rent out ad space on his forehead during pressers.

[CGVT]

I think that worse than what a terrible human being he is, people have either bought into his bullshit lock stock and barrel or they just don't care.

[iam416]

To briefly interrupt the echo chamber: healthcare rationing in the UK (from the Guardian) https://www.theguardian.com/society/...lacements-ccgs

I told this story before, I'm sure, but two years ago my mother had a hip replacement. She is an ardent D and pure Obama-worshipper. Anyway, her hip got fairly bad. She tried physical therapy to no avail and within 4 total weeks had a new hip. I mentioned to her that in Canada the average wait time for a hip replacement is at least 3 months and probably closer to 7 or 8 depending on how you calculate it. Now I can mention to her that in the UK you can only get on the list if you're such bad pain that you can't sleep through the night. Such is the ultimate result of healthcare rationing and such.

Anyway, she's still all that jazz about the Ds, as is my entire family, but she's thought on healthcare issues a bit more and has, I think, back off, slightly her desire for single payer.

[hack]

People coming to a consensus on clearly awful behavior, oh my! It must be so hard for you. I apologize on behalf of the group.

Srsly, there's no doubt that single-payer comes with those challenges. And for Canada specifically, the fact that 85% of people live within a few hours drive of the border is a significant release valve for the system, because the provinces -- all or some -- will pay to send you over there if need be. My grandfather had his bypass in Detroit as a result of that, without having to wait. Obviously the NHS can't do that.

In Canada the big ideological debate is whether those who can afford to pay should be allowed to turn to the private sector. I'm superstale on that debate -- ultimately there's no perfect health-care option and everyone bitches about the ones they have -- but I can support that. I don't think people willing to pay for faster service should be barred from doing so.

[iam416]

Correct.

The question, IMO, ought to be how to improve overall outcomes. I don't think the question ought to be equality. If you're asking the former correctly then an acceptable threshold is established.

In any event, it's certainly not an easy question with a silver bullet answer.

[Wild Hoss]

My uncle said that Trump is going to provide him the best healthcare for $19/mo.

:::drags healthcare discussion into the echo chamber:::

[iam416]

Your uncle, and you, should be deported.

[Wild Hoss]

I cannot disagree.

[AlabamAlum]

Healthcare issues aren't going away anytime soon. Americans are spoiled, we don't like being told we have to wait for elective procedures, we want hotel suite-like patient rooms and common areas, we want cutting edge treatments, 95-year-olds having heroic life-saving measures, and we want every community hospital to offer a full range of services and a brand new MRI and CT machine.

We want all that for Hoss' uncle's $19/month.

Successful compromise is everyone leaving the table pissed off.

[iam416]

I'd be happy if you just left the table. And were deported.

[AlabamAlum]

You're deporting everyone today.

Very Trumpian.

[entropy]

Correct.

The question, IMO, ought to be how to improve overall outcomes.............................

In any event, it's certainly not an easy question with a silver bullet answer.

damn... you're starting to sound like me.

[entropy]

I'd be happy if you just left the table. And were deported.

another agreement... I'm getting scared