Two of the young men in the crash were Georgians. Their grieving families had to watch that news conference where 47 blamed Biden, Obama and DEI practices (ie Black and Brown people) for the crash. Now in charge of 47’s military is an ex-Fox News host with documented cases of blacking out drunk at public functions on his resume (who notably characterized the deadliest U.S. air crash since 2001 as “a mistake”) and a former MTV reality star as Transportation Secretary. Buckle up, America. Literally.
Something that gives me hope? Jamie, on a daily basis, posted about people involved in the January 6th insurrection. Funny, even though they were all pardoned or their sentences communed, they still make the news - being shot, arrested again, ending up in jail for other crimes. No exactly the best and brightest bunch. After getting a new lease in life, they just go back to their old ways. MAGA, right?
Today's history note is a sad reminder of America's record of medical care. Ike was not the first person to advance the notion as this little summary cites in a web search...
~ The idea of national health insurance for the elderly was first proposed in 1916.
~ During the New Deal era (1933-1939), President Franklin D. Roosevelt considered including health insurance in the Social Security program, but it was not approved.
~ After World War II, President Harry S. Truman proposed a national health insurance program, but it was also rejected by Congress.
Of course Medicare and Medicaid finally came along with LBJ but to this day America still has an embarrassing health care status compared with other so-called "developed' countries.
Yes it’s a dismal history— our nation loves business, we hate people. And it’s an appropriate reminder in light of the nominated HHS secretary who denies the value of vaccines, derides advances in medications, and has a record of litigating against our federal healthcare agencies…
Not to mention how the for-profit sector puts profits ahead of health by way of Medicare Advantage as well as an elaborate prescription control system with actual "benefits managers" to insure that prescription drugs always yield maximum profits for vendors.
Look what just popped up when I did a search:
~> "Research suggests that PBMs profit by artificially inflating drug prices, capturing portions of the discounts they negotiate for insurers and pocketing the difference between what insurers pay and pharmacies receive."
Don't get me started on benefit thieves... there was a message sent in Manhattan recently, and they need to wake up as I can see a day that will happen more often.
From my days as a hospital board member: America spends more money that any other nation on earth per capita ($12,500 pp vs. 2nd place: $4,000), yet we are in the top 10 ranking of outcomes in only one healthcare category (think cardio, gastro, neuro, hemo, etc...). Only one do we score in the TOP TEN accomplishment of outcomes (Cancer).
That's the GD free market for you -- talk about choosing winners and losers, they all seem to be winning (benefit mgrs., hospitals, insurers, pharma) while we losing. And who can save the day? Damn sure isn't RFK Jr.
Does anyone know if the tariffs U.S importers will be paying will end up reducing tax revenue that would otherwise be paid by such importers? Are tariffs a tax deductible expense, for example? If it would affect tax revenue, by how much?
They will never cut back on flights, because everyone wants their non-stop to DCA. That airport is too small. I'm amazed this hasn't happened before. The amount of military helicopter traffic along the Potomac is nuts.
Agree on all points. My point is with the encouragement to resign and stunning disrespect shown by saying that hiring unqualified people caused the crash, I hope every single air traffic controller resigns and shows what could happen if the President keeps bashing civil servants
Whether or not you agree with what Edward Snowden did, he did not "flee to Russia" and is not a Russian citizen. He is an American citizen who was trapped in the Moscow airport en route to South America after meeting with two journalists in Hong Kong to give them documents proving that the NSA spies on Americans without warrants, which is a 4th Amendment violation. He gave them very specific instructions on publishing only what was needed to demonstrate this without risking lives. The Obama Admin. invalidated his passport in flight to Moscow where he was supposed to catch another flight to Cuba who had also agreed to allow him passage through to Ecuador (or perhaps Bolivia). Russia refused to hand him over to the US so he has stayed there awaiting a pardon in order to hopefully return to the US, which he has repeatedly said he would like to do.
I'm torn on whether this amounts to treason. He committed a crime, yes. But he was trying to blow the whistle on massive infringements of the Constitutional rights of Americans. So he was protecting the Constitution.
I refuse to take seriously any talk of merit and competence from a trust fund baby who has bankrupted multiple businesses.
Two of the young men in the crash were Georgians. Their grieving families had to watch that news conference where 47 blamed Biden, Obama and DEI practices (ie Black and Brown people) for the crash. Now in charge of 47’s military is an ex-Fox News host with documented cases of blacking out drunk at public functions on his resume (who notably characterized the deadliest U.S. air crash since 2001 as “a mistake”) and a former MTV reality star as Transportation Secretary. Buckle up, America. Literally.
Something that gives me hope? Jamie, on a daily basis, posted about people involved in the January 6th insurrection. Funny, even though they were all pardoned or their sentences communed, they still make the news - being shot, arrested again, ending up in jail for other crimes. No exactly the best and brightest bunch. After getting a new lease in life, they just go back to their old ways. MAGA, right?
NPR did an article about the legal troubles for some of the J6 people and, wow, it was quite the round-up of offenses!
I'll bet that if we calculated the crime rate for MAGA people, it would be a lot higher than the crime rate for immigrants.
Today's history note is a sad reminder of America's record of medical care. Ike was not the first person to advance the notion as this little summary cites in a web search...
~ The idea of national health insurance for the elderly was first proposed in 1916.
~ During the New Deal era (1933-1939), President Franklin D. Roosevelt considered including health insurance in the Social Security program, but it was not approved.
~ After World War II, President Harry S. Truman proposed a national health insurance program, but it was also rejected by Congress.
Of course Medicare and Medicaid finally came along with LBJ but to this day America still has an embarrassing health care status compared with other so-called "developed' countries.
Yes it’s a dismal history— our nation loves business, we hate people. And it’s an appropriate reminder in light of the nominated HHS secretary who denies the value of vaccines, derides advances in medications, and has a record of litigating against our federal healthcare agencies…
Not to mention how the for-profit sector puts profits ahead of health by way of Medicare Advantage as well as an elaborate prescription control system with actual "benefits managers" to insure that prescription drugs always yield maximum profits for vendors.
Look what just popped up when I did a search:
~> "Research suggests that PBMs profit by artificially inflating drug prices, capturing portions of the discounts they negotiate for insurers and pocketing the difference between what insurers pay and pharmacies receive."
https://www.c-span.org/clip/campaign-2020/user-clip-beto-orourke-on-healthcare/4790267
Don't get me started on benefit thieves... there was a message sent in Manhattan recently, and they need to wake up as I can see a day that will happen more often.
From my days as a hospital board member: America spends more money that any other nation on earth per capita ($12,500 pp vs. 2nd place: $4,000), yet we are in the top 10 ranking of outcomes in only one healthcare category (think cardio, gastro, neuro, hemo, etc...). Only one do we score in the TOP TEN accomplishment of outcomes (Cancer).
That's the GD free market for you -- talk about choosing winners and losers, they all seem to be winning (benefit mgrs., hospitals, insurers, pharma) while we losing. And who can save the day? Damn sure isn't RFK Jr.
This is my sweet spot, too. We better stop here before we hijack Jamie's comments thread. I could bitch about US healthcare all afternoon.
Does anyone know if the tariffs U.S importers will be paying will end up reducing tax revenue that would otherwise be paid by such importers? Are tariffs a tax deductible expense, for example? If it would affect tax revenue, by how much?
The estimate is that the Trump plan will raise revenues by $111 billion. Just think of it as a tax increase.
I'm probably missing something simple, but isn't the 111 billion based on the export country paying all of the tariff?
No. American companies pay the tariff, not the export country.
Hasn’t the FAA been against adding flights out of Reagan, but Congress disregarded those objections?
I’m curious to see if there is recommended lower air traffic level for Reagan airspace.
They will never cut back on flights, because everyone wants their non-stop to DCA. That airport is too small. I'm amazed this hasn't happened before. The amount of military helicopter traffic along the Potomac is nuts.
Typical right wing hero/dictator thinking… nothing was fixed that didn’t have to be broken, but now that it’s fixed, isn’t it wonderful?
“ Rep. Jeff Hurd (R-CO) did the same in a meeting with the Ute Mountain Tribe. "It was great to share the news that the freeze has been lifted “
“ Farmers bore the brunt of Trump’s trade and tariff policies in his first term in office - as they were given a $28 billion bailout. “
Not the small farmers. Many of them lost everything and sold their family land to big agriculture.
And most were magats, so we’ll be forced to hear their tale of woe about how they never thought their leopard would eat THEIR faces.
I hope every single air traffic controller accepts the offer to resign with paid leave and walks off the job this week.
There’s absolutely zero chance any federal employee will get “paid leave” until September if they resign by Feb 6.
There’s no budget for it, there’s no incentive for the rapist to pay them, and they will have zero recourse when they get screwed.
Agree on all points. My point is with the encouragement to resign and stunning disrespect shown by saying that hiring unqualified people caused the crash, I hope every single air traffic controller resigns and shows what could happen if the President keeps bashing civil servants
Whether or not you agree with what Edward Snowden did, he did not "flee to Russia" and is not a Russian citizen. He is an American citizen who was trapped in the Moscow airport en route to South America after meeting with two journalists in Hong Kong to give them documents proving that the NSA spies on Americans without warrants, which is a 4th Amendment violation. He gave them very specific instructions on publishing only what was needed to demonstrate this without risking lives. The Obama Admin. invalidated his passport in flight to Moscow where he was supposed to catch another flight to Cuba who had also agreed to allow him passage through to Ecuador (or perhaps Bolivia). Russia refused to hand him over to the US so he has stayed there awaiting a pardon in order to hopefully return to the US, which he has repeatedly said he would like to do.
I'm torn on whether this amounts to treason. He committed a crime, yes. But he was trying to blow the whistle on massive infringements of the Constitutional rights of Americans. So he was protecting the Constitution.
When you end up protected by the Kremlin, I think that answers the question of your allegiance