The Trump Presidency – 2016

[Edward64]

If true on #1, solid progress on price transparency (e.g. what other product or service do you buy in the US that you don't at least have an approx cost/range before making a decision?). One large piece of a very large problem but at least something is being done here. More obviously needs to be done.

Bottom-line I'm all for single payer or public option, just as long as a baseline healthcare is affordable to all and premium services are available (e.g. you pay for your own cosmetic surgery, or brand prescriptions vs generic) without putting us trillions more into the debt (e.g. okay with increased taxes).

Five big changes coming to health care in 2020 - MarketWatch

Trend 1: Political push for price transparency
Trend 2: Health care, a consumer product
Trend 3: Emergence of new disruptors, big and small
Trend 4: Robotics transformation
Trend 5: Recognizing the unintended consequences of convenience

Until now, price transparency has been a largely scattershot, state-by-state affair, helpful to neither provider nor patient. Take Pennsylvania, which requires hospitals to post pricing online for every procedure and medication offered. At one large academic medical center, this translates to a spreadsheet 14,000 items long, arranged by an eight-digit accounting code and often accompanied by abbreviated descriptions of the services at hand.

How this helps patients calculate the tab on their gall bladder operation is anyone’s guess.

But in November, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued new rules that would bring aggressive uniformity nationwide. It’s mandating that hospitals make public all charges, from negotiated fees to what they’ll accept in cash, and in an easily searchable format with “plain language” descriptions.

That plain language is especially important given the changing reality in healthcare. The past decade has seen an explosion in enrollment in high-deductible health plans and medical expenses now account for half of all American consumer debt.

TBH, I assume this will be successful at the major employers. Another way of attacking the very large problem. However, I'm not sure if it'll trickle down sufficiently to the small-mid sized ones.

Nowhere is that more evident than at Walmart WMT, +0.42%, the country’s largest retailer and the biggest private employer in many states, which recently opened its next-generation health center to provide basic services, “all at low, transparent pricing, regardless of customers’ insurance status.”

Not to be outdone is Amazon AMZN, +0.50%, which, along with J.P. Morgan Chase JPM, +0.37% and Berkshire Hathaway BRK.B, +0.43%, has just begun to offer employees its own health-insurance plans through the triumvirate’s new service, Haven. The idea that Amazon might check its ambitions in health care there, at merely offering insurance, is to deny the history of Amazon’s growth up to this point.

[albionmoonlight]

Caught the video of the Chief being sworn in, and his hands were slightly shaking. He REALLY does not want to be there.

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by Galaril

We as citizens pledged allegiance to the flag everyday in school and at every sports event we attend.

This was quite a reasonable response, and I thank you for it. With regards to stuff like this -- I mean, I no longer recite the pledge ever, for any reason. It's the kind of thing that I'd expect from an authoritarian regime, not a free society. If this is what the bar is for being a traitor, then sure we have a lot of them. I'd be proud to count myself among them, rather than nullify my responsibilities to the rest of humanity.

Originally Posted by Atocep

They've penetrating our voting machines and possibly (likely?) dabbled in vote manipulation. They've stoked racial tensions and driven us to a historical level of partisanship. They've successfully organized both a protest and a counter protest of that same protest on American soil. You can also make a strong argument that they hand selected our current President.

This is a mix of truth (protest organizing, voting machines), stretches, and unknowables. There's no way to demonstrate how much, for example, of current tensions and partisanship is due to what causal factors. What's weird to me here is how this sort of approach though just totally absolves the American electorate from the responsibilities of their decisions. Don't like their choices? It's Russia's fault. We're constantly bombarded by mass media in all aspects of life. If we're powerless to resist it and make decisions , then we've got a far bigger problem than Russian interference. Meanwhile there are way too many examples of elections where the side that spent the most money lost badly for me to buy into this. I'm usually the most cynical person in any discussion on the caliber of the average US voter, but apparently there are those even more so.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

This is a mix of truth (protest organizing, voting machines), stretches, and unknowables. There's no way to demonstrate how much, for example, of current tensions and partisanship is due to what causal factors. What's weird to me here is how this sort of approach though just totally absolves the American electorate from the responsibilities of their decisions. Don't like their choices? It's Russia's fault. We're constantly bombarded by mass media in all aspects of life. If we're powerless to resist it and make decisions , then we've got a far bigger problem than Russian interference. Meanwhile there are way too many examples of elections where the side that spent the most money lost badly for me to buy into this. I'm usually the most cynical person in any discussion on the caliber of the average US voter, but apparently there are those even more so.

It's hard to see Russia as anything other than an antagonist for the free world. They've waged a steady brand of electronic war across the globe for well over 5 years now. From unrelenting attacks on the Ukraine's computers and power grid, to US manipulation via social attacks, to actual assassinations of dissidents around the globe, to the doping scandals in sports, to the hacking of the Olympics, the list is quite long that there's never really any reason to give them the benefit of the doubt.

That's also my perspective on the current WH leadership. He's stoked enough fires, and attacked enough people that when I hear the defense "well, he's being attacked from all sides, what do you expect him to do?" I'm expected to think of it as a chicken and egg, scenario. Again, looking at who he surrounds himself with, and who he is allied with, or his past work of behavior, it's impossible to give him any sort of benefit of the doubt.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

That's also my perspective on the current WH leadership. He's stoked enough fires, and attacked enough people that when I hear the defense "well, he's being attacked from all sides, what do you expect him to do?" I'm expected to think of it as a chicken and egg, scenario. Again, looking at who he surrounds himself with, and who he is allied with, or his past work of behavior, it's impossible to give him any sort of benefit of the doubt.

You know, I had a funny thought reading your post here, which I tend to agree with. As a restaurant manager with a number of people working under me, I of course have an employee or two to whom things just happen. And I'm talking about seemingly random things, getting sick, car gets stolen, family issues, etc. I used to feel like these people were just unfortunate in a recent stretch. I no longer give them the benefit of that doubt. I feel like people who happen to have chaotic lives have them for reasons of their own making. Stuff "happens' to people who don't have their shit together.

[Galaril]

Well so much for no us soldier injuries in the Iran missile attack. 11 injured and medical evacuated to Germany which is common from ME for the military. The injuries sound serious enough traumatic brain injuries. 11 U.S. troops were wounded in Iran missile attack on Iraqi bases, reports say - MarketWatch

[Brian Swartz]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

It's hard to see Russia as anything other than an antagonist for the free world.

I'm not really sure who you are arguing with here. You quoted me though, so for the record, I totally agree with this statement, I think they're lying about what they've done/are doing in all likelihood, and I don't give them any benefit of the doubt.

I also think they are very likely in the broader conversation happening in this thread being conveniently blamed for things they simply don't have the power to do more than have a marginal effect on. There's a whole lot of Occam's razor stuff going on with the USA's modern sociopolitical dysfunctions. My opinion, supported by I think the great preponderance of the available evidence, is that we keep doing stupid things because we, the people, keep doing stupid things. Not, primarily, because Russia made us or the various other theories that preceded that are explanations.

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Galaril

Well so much for no us soldier injuries in the Iran missile attack. 11 injured and medical evacuated to Germany which is common from ME for the military. The injuries sound serious enough traumatic brain injuries. 11 U.S. troops were wounded in Iran missile attack on Iraqi bases, reports say - MarketWatch

Now the question is whether the WH lied or whether the military kept the info from the WH in order to keep things from escalating.

[spleen1015]

Is there any doubt the White House lied?

[JPhillips]

I don't know. I think there could be a person or group in the military that kept the info from the WH in order to void a larger war.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't know. I think there could be a person or group in the military that kept the info from the WH in order to void a larger war.

Not buying it. This WH lies about everything.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I don't know. I think there could be a person or group in the military that kept the info from the WH in order to void a larger war.

That's very likely be a career ending decision for an officer. I don't see it.

This would have come from the WH

[JPhillips]

I'm not defending the WH here. I'm saying it's possible that DoD folks thought, those guys are crazy and this will lead to a regional war or worse. Nobody is dead, so let's keep this quiet and see if we can't stop the train before it goes out of control. Basically it's like what the Soviet Colonel did in the eighties.

That may not be what happened, because, yes, the WH lies all the time. But I think it's a possibility.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I'm not defending the WH here. I'm saying it's possible that DoD folks thought, those guys are crazy and this will lead to a regional war or worse. Nobody is dead, so let's keep this quiet and see if we can't stop the train before it goes out of control. Basically it's like what the Soviet Colonel did in the eighties.

That may not be what happened, because, yes, the WH lies all the time. But I think it's a possibility.

I'm just looking at it from the angle of the officer that would have to make that decision. I don't see an officer willingly ending his career advancement and looking at forced retirement over something like this.

The WH had every reason to downplay the attack and I could see Trump's advisors not telling him about casualties as long as there were no deaths.

[spleen1015]

Every bit of news I heard always talked about casualties. So, it is possible they knew about the injuries and only reported no casualties.

[NobodyHere]

An injury is a casualty.

Anyone who reported no casualties is lying or misinformed.

[spleen1015]

Hell, Trump likely doesn't know that.

[NobodyHere]

But he knows more than the generals!

[JPhillips]

Originally Posted by Atocep

I'm just looking at it from the angle of the officer that would have to make that decision. I don't see an officer willingly ending his career advancement and looking at forced retirement over something like this.

The WH had every reason to downplay the attack and I could see Trump's advisors not telling him about casualties as long as there were no deaths.

I think we're closer than it may appear. I'm not limiting the possibility to an officer in Iraq. It could have been Esper or someone else at the Pentagon.. Pompeo, Pence, and O'Brien seem unlikely as they have all been hawks towards Iran.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

I think the great preponderance of the available evidence, is that we keep doing stupid things because we, the people, keep doing stupid things. Not, primarily, because Russia made us or the various other theories that preceded that are explanations.

You know, I was reading this, and my immediate thought were all the studies that I read back on college on the ways that people are influenced. It's a very libertarian viewpoint to say that everything that happens is the fault of the person who let it happen to them. I heard this when I was in 4th grade too. I was picked on by the son of one of the pastors in the church that my divorced mom and I went to. I didn't handle that sort of thing very well and it ended up with me losing it multiple times. I remember sitting in the office and explaining why I had done what I had done. I was told that it was my fault, that they would talk to him. They also said that I was one foot out the door to being expelled (not the first or second incident with me and after I punched another kid in the nose and sent him crying). But the bottom line, from my perspective, is that there's a lot more going on than people who just made bad decisions.

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

You know, I was reading this, and my immediate thought were all the studies that I read back on college on the ways that people are influenced. It's a very libertarian viewpoint to say that everything that happens is the fault of the person who let it happen to them. I heard this when I was in 4th grade too. I was picked on by the son of one of the pastors in the church that my divorced mom and I went to. I didn't handle that sort of thing very well and it ended up with me losing it multiple times. I remember sitting in the office and explaining why I had done what I had done. I was told that it was my fault, that they would talk to him. They also said that I was one foot out the door to being expelled (not the first or second incident with me and after I punched another kid in the nose and sent him crying). But the bottom line, from my perspective, is that there's a lot more going on than people who just made bad decisions.

There's a big difference between a 4th grader at 9 or 10 who is learning how to cope with things and the adult voting populace. There's a reason why we have a minimum age for voting, so hopefully, the voter has had enough life experience to make educated decisions.

[Brian Swartz]

I definitely don't want to be callous enough to make any comment on the personal story you've relayed other than to say I'm truly sorry that's something you had to go through as a child.

As it regards the larger society, I think I addressed this perspective:

Originally Posted by me

We're constantly bombarded by mass media in all aspects of life. If we're powerless to resist it and make decisions , then we've got a far bigger problem than Russian interference. Meanwhile there are way too many examples of elections where the side that spent the most money lost badly for me to buy into this.

The question I would ask here is not to contradict the POV that people who make bad decisions are to a significant degree doing so because of outside influences. Rather, it's to ask what form of government we should adopt given the assumption that this is true. Because one thing's for sure; if that's the case, democratic systems are doomed. Their foundation rests on the assumption that people can and will be responsible enough to handle their civic duties.

[QuikSand]

Good read on the Bulwark by JVL.

Donald Trump, Impeachment, and the Houston Astros - The Bulwark

You need to sign up for the Bulwark's emails to read it all, but both are worth it.

[PilotMan]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

I definitely don't want to be callous enough to make any comment on the personal story you've relayed other than to say I'm truly sorry that's something you had to go through as a child.

As it regards the larger society, I think I addressed this perspective:



The question I would ask here is not to contradict the POV that people who make bad decisions are to a significant degree doing so because of outside influences. Rather, it's to ask what form of government we should adopt given the assumption that this is true. Because one thing's for sure; if that's the case, democratic systems are doomed. Their foundation rests on the assumption that people can and will be responsible enough to handle their civic duties.

Well, the founding fathers certainly believed this to be true. Our form of accepted government has evolved over time, but having the general populace in charge of government was sort of laughed at, wasn't it?

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by PilotMan

Well, the founding fathers certainly believed this to be true. Our form of accepted government has evolved over time, but having the general populace in charge of government was sort of laughed at, wasn't it?

That was part of the reason for having the Senators appointed by the states. They were removed from the wrath of the electorate while also not having to pander to them. They had to be respected (in theory) to be appointed.

[Brian Swartz]

I wouldn't say it was laughed at. Counterbalances considered necessary within the system, absolutely. But even in the original Constitution for example, financial bills were required to start in the House where the people had control. . Democracy still held by far the majority of the power, and the people could change the wielders of said reins in the 'less democratic' aspects over time if they chose. It was only temporary, impulsive fluctuations in the mood of the public that were disenfranchised.

Of course, this rabbit trail doesn't actually answer the question posed.

[thesloppy]

Weren't a lot of the founding fathers' oppposition to the popular vote based around the inability to come to an agreement on the slave math?

[Thomkal]

Former Rep Chris Collins the first to endorse Trump gets a 26 month jail sentence for conspiracy to commit securities fraud:


Chris Collins, First U.S. Lawmaker To Endorse Trump, Gets 26-Month Prison Sentence | HuffPost

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

Former Rep Chris Collins the first to endorse Trump gets a 26 month jail sentence for conspiracy to commit securities fraud:


Chris Collins, First U.S. Lawmaker To Endorse Trump, Gets 26-Month Prison Sentence | HuffPost

That's a very poorly chosen headline.

[tarcone]

Originally Posted by Chief Rum

That's a very poorly chosen headline.

Is it?

[Chief Rum]

Well, it suggests Collins is getting 26 months of jail time for endorsing Trump lol.

Seems fair to me though.

[RainMaker]

Some weird old school Soviet Union type stuff here.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/local...1a4_story.html

[Atocep]

Going down the never ending rabbit hole that is the current administration's corruption:

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/tru...ments-n1118226

So Hyde was texting Yovanovitch's location to Parnas and people were wondering where he was getting the location data from. It turns out, based on the documents released the House today, that he was just copy and pasting texts he was getting from someone named Anthony de Caluwe who turns out to be a Mar-A-Lago member and huge Trump supporter.

When initially contacted he was denying everything, but when provided evidence of the texts he dropped all contact with NBC. NBC was then contacted by one Karyn Turk who claimed she was now representing Mr. de Caluwe to the media.

Who is Karyn Turk? It just so happens she's a close friend of Roger Stone and she set up fundraisers to help with his legal bills. Oh, she was also sentenced to a month in prison earlier this month for stealing her mom's social security checks.

https://hillreporter.com/die-hard-ma...y-checks-55609

[QuikSand]

It's grifters all the way down

[Edward64]

Farmers still going strong with Trump.

Farmers still love Trump as president hits highest approval rate ever in ag poll - MarketWatch

America’s farmers remain solidly in President Trump’s corner, a new poll from the Farm Journal shows, with 83% of those in the agriculture business expressing approval of his job performance. That is the highest the president’s approval has reached in that poll.

The Farm Journal Pulse poll, taken ahead of the president’s scheduled Sunday speech to the American Farm Bureau Federation annual convention in Austin, Texas, found 64% of the 1,286 respondents saying they strongly approve of the job Trump is doing and another 19% expressing they somewhat approve. Only 13% say they strongly disapprove of the president’s performance.

The affirmation from farmers comes after two major trade developments last week, with the U.S. and China signing a “Phase 1” trade agreement and the Senate ratifying and sending to the president for his signature the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement that replaces the 26-year old North American Free Trade Agreement that Trump had vilified on the campaign trail.

The China deal includes targets for China to buy $36 billion of U.S. agriculture exports this year and more than $43 billion in 2021. Stock indexes responded positively to the trade news last week, with the Dow, Nasdaq and S&P 500 all hitting record highs.

[larrymcg421]

It's nice to know the trains are running on time.

[Atocep]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Farmers still going strong with Trump.

Farmers still love Trump as president hits highest approval rate ever in ag poll - MarketWatch

Trump May Be Even More Unpopular Than His Approval Rating Shows | FiveThirtyEight

538 had an article on job approval that's both interesting and obvious after reading it. We've become so partisan in our politics that people are seeing job approval questions as essentially asking the question "do you support your party or the other party?".

[RainMaker]

Originally Posted by Edward64

Farmers still going strong with Trump.

Farmers still love Trump as president hits highest approval rate ever in ag poll - MarketWatch

I think the massive welfare checks he has given them help the approval ratings quite a bit.

[lungs]

Originally Posted by RainMaker

I think the massive welfare checks he has given them help the approval ratings quite a bit.

This past weekend, there were several threads on an Ag forum that I read discussing whether the MFP payments were welfare or not. Minus a few sensible posts, the general consensus was that it isn’t welfare because they work hard and deserve it.

[kingfc22]

Originally Posted by lungs

This past weekend, there were several threads on an Ag forum that I read discussing whether the MFP payments were welfare or not. Minus a few sensible posts, the general consensus was that it isn’t welfare because they work hard and deserve it.

Nobody complains about getting a free handout when it’s your hand getting the benefit.

[NobodyHere]

Trump is now an environmentalist!

Trump announces the US will join 1 trillion tree initiative | TheHill

[Lathum]

I can not fathom how anyone can watch this impeachment and think Trump is innocent. What innocent person does all they can to stonewall the process that is designed to prove they are innocent.

[Kodos]

Yep. If you're innocent, you want a lot of witnesses and documents showing that to be produced. If you're guilty, you want to suppress everything.

[Lathum]

Christ, even Fox News is saying the argument for calling witnesses is compelling.

[SackAttack]

Originally Posted by Lathum

Christ, even Fox News is saying the argument for calling witnesses is compelling.

Yes, but they're probably on the Hunter-and-whistleblower bandwagon for that.

[JPhillips]

The Guardian is running a story that claims Bezos' phone was hacked by the Saudis through a video file sent by the crown Prince's account.

Several months later the National Enquirer ran the story on Bezos that included copies of text messages.

[JPhillips]

dola

"We have all the material. They don't have the material." - DJT

Today's when Trump confessed to obstruction of Congress.

[Thomkal]

So Tulsi Gabbard, in a move sure to make Dems vote for her is suing Hillary Clinton for $50 million dollars over her calling her a "a favorite of the Russians" last fall


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...m_npd_nn_tw_ma


I just want to know if she's going to sue every journalist and every Twitter user who have said exactly the same thing?

[JediKooter]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

So Tulsi Gabbard, in a move sure to make Dems vote for her is suing Hillary Clinton for $50 million dollars over her calling her a "a favorite of the Russians" last fall


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/202...m_npd_nn_tw_ma


I just want to know if she's going to sue every journalist and every Twitter user who have said exactly the same thing?

Ah, sounds like she is employing the Devin Nunes maneuver.

[Thomkal]

And its worked so well for him...