President Biden and US politics catchall

[Kiwias]

Bad decision, beyond the optics for Biden himself, a vindicative Trump will likely see something utterly false concocted and charged through Kangaroo court.

Needed to be better here, even if Trump already abused it

The biggest obstacle facing the Democrats is their self proclaimed need to 'be better'. It's bullshit and it loses them support. They need to learn how to get down and dirty because that is where the fight is being fought. Trump lowers the bar every day and now he has First Lady Elon in there with him. Being nice ain't gonna cut it.

I know it's a bad look but what the hell does it matter? Biden himself is almost out of the picture now and the next election is a whole shitphase of abuse down the track. There will be other battles.

Those are the thoughts that I was trying to put into words.

Look where the "when they go low, we go high" pretentious bullshit got them. The Democrats need to stop bringing a knife to a gunfight, cause a gunfight is what Trump is proposing. Or perhaps a flamethrower-fight. Don't forget Bannon, he is as dirty a fucker as you can get and you know he has Trump's ear, right there along with Space Karen/First Buddy Elon.

[Uncle fester]

It's pouring acid on the foundations of the state but that's nothing new at this stage.

[Guy Smiley]

It's pouring acid on the foundations of the state but that's nothing new at this stage.

I could be indulging and melodramatic here, but I've got to ask... the noble concept of 'state' with regard to the US looks to be under serious threat. Do you think it's salvagable?

I think the US is already deeply divided (nothing new in that) and another Trump presidency is only going to make that worse. Noble aspirations about democracy and the sanctity of their constitution have already had holes shot through them... I don't share the sort of optimism some express regarding the ability of the state to heal itself.

[inactionman]

I'd mainly question why the President should even have the ability to grant pardons.

It's just asking for trouble.

[Slick]

It's pouring acid on the foundations of the state but that's nothing new at this stage.

I could be indulging and melodramatic here, but I've got to ask... the noble concept of 'state' with regard to the US looks to be under serious threat. Do you think it's salvagable?

I think the US is already deeply divided (nothing new in that) and another Trump presidency is only going to make that worse. Noble aspirations about democracy and the sanctity of their constitution have already had holes shot through them... I don't share the sort of optimism some express regarding the ability of the state to heal itself.

There was a decent article in The Guardian about failing empires and the US, but can't find it now

[Biffer]

It's pouring acid on the foundations of the state but that's nothing new at this stage.

I could be indulging and melodramatic here, but I've got to ask... the noble concept of 'state' with regard to the US looks to be under serious threat. Do you think it's salvagable?

I think the US is already deeply divided (nothing new in that) and another Trump presidency is only going to make that worse. Noble aspirations about democracy and the sanctity of their constitution have already had holes shot through them... I don't share the sort of optimism some express regarding the ability of the state to heal itself.

The thing we don't get over here is how powerful the individual states can be. Power isn't centralised in the same way as it is in the UK, and there are a lot of things that the States can just tell Trump to go to hell on. That'll be the big fight of the next four years, State vs Federal government.

[Kiwias]

It's pouring acid on the foundations of the state but that's nothing new at this stage.

I could be indulging and melodramatic here, but I've got to ask... the noble concept of 'state' with regard to the US looks to be under serious threat. Do you think it's salvagable?

I think the US is already deeply divided (nothing new in that) and another Trump presidency is only going to make that worse. Noble aspirations about democracy and the sanctity of their constitution have already had holes shot through them... I don't share the sort of optimism some express regarding the ability of the state to heal itself.

The thing we don't get over here is how powerful the individual states can be. Power isn't centralised in the same way as it is in the UK, and there are a lot of things that the States can just tell Trump to go to hell on. That'll be the big fight of the next four years, State vs Federal government.

That has already started judging by comments by some of the more vocal Democrat governors. Trump likes to weasel out of responsibility for the removal of women’s rights particularly related to abortion, by saying it is a state level decision and he has no control over that. I am going to enjoy seeing his total hypocrisy when states do things he vehemently opposes.

[Thor Sedan]

And once again - a Democrat does something that a Republican/Magat would have no qualms in doing - and yet the Democrat is held to such a different level of expectation and moral decency that the news cycle will be 'outraged' muppets showering spittle of rage that Biden would DARE do such an immoral thing.

But hey - trump is a convicted sexual assaulter and tried to overthrow their precious democracy.....but hey......he's soo funny right?

[Uncle fester]

It's pouring acid on the foundations of the state but that's nothing new at this stage.

I could be indulging and melodramatic here, but I've got to ask... the noble concept of 'state' with regard to the US looks to be under serious threat. Do you think it's salvagable?

I think the US is already deeply divided (nothing new in that) and another Trump presidency is only going to make that worse. Noble aspirations about democracy and the sanctity of their constitution have already had holes shot through them... I don't share the sort of optimism some express regarding the ability of the state to heal itself.

The thing we don't get over here is how powerful the individual states can be. Power isn't centralised in the same way as it is in the UK, and there are a lot of things that the States can just tell Trump to go to hell on. That'll be the big fight of the next four years, State vs Federal government.

They are quite happy to impose things at a federal level when it suits them. There was a guns one not too long ago where the supreme Court slapped down the ability of states to deviate from their notion of the norm.

[Hal Jordan]

And once again - a Democrat does something that a Republican/Magat would have no qualms in doing - and yet the Democrat is held to such a different level of expectation and moral decency that the news cycle will be 'outraged' muppets showering spittle of rage that Biden would DARE do such an immoral thing.

But hey - trump is a convicted sexual assaulter and tried to overthrow their precious democracy.....but hey......he's soo funny right?

Whatever geta eyeballs on screens and clicks on sites, then on to the next OUTRAGE!

[Uncle fester]

And once again - a Democrat does something that a Republican/Magat would have no qualms in doing - and yet the Democrat is held to such a different level of expectation and moral decency that the news cycle will be 'outraged' muppets showering spittle of rage that Biden would DARE do such an immoral thing.

But hey - trump is a convicted sexual assaulter and tried to overthrow their precious democracy.....but hey......he's soo funny right?

Whatever geta eyeballs on screens and clicks on sites, then on to the next OUTRAGE!

Said it way back in the thread but the "they go low, we go high" approach has seen them get absolutely kerb stomped.

[Flockwitt]

And once again - a Democrat does something that a Republican/Magat would have no qualms in doing - and yet the Democrat is held to such a different level of expectation and moral decency that the news cycle will be 'outraged' muppets showering spittle of rage that Biden would DARE do such an immoral thing.

But hey - trump is a convicted sexual assaulter and tried to overthrow their precious democracy.....but hey......he's soo funny right?

Whatever geta eyeballs on screens and clicks on sites, then on to the next OUTRAGE!

This unfortunately. It has become a disease in all western societies.

[Uncle fester]

He was going to pardon the Jan 6th rioters anyway but now he has an "excuse".

[Niegs]

Spot-on, this takedown of 'DEI criticisms' coming from the people who are lining up a group of unqualified loyalists to take top jobs.

[sockwithaticket]

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

[epwc]

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

But you'd need to be a commie to want a fairer system wouldn't you?

[sockwithaticket]

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

But you'd need to be a commie to want a fairer system wouldn't you?

I've seen a fair few pieces down the years that estimate a socialised system would be both cheaper and more effective than their current one. But, yeah, socialism = the jackboot of oppression, it's far better to have the freedom to be under the weight of crushing medical debt or handed a literal death sentence due to an inability to pay out of pocket.

One the most exasperating things I've caught wind of since the election is the glee with which Republicans talk about repealing Obamacare when so many of them, tens of millions, benefit from it. They just have no idea that the Affordable Care Act is Obamacare.

Expect a lot more desperate people if the Republican representatives make good on their promise.

[fishfoodie]

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

Yeah, when it's cheaper, easier, & involves less bureaucracy to go out & buy a gun, than it does to get the insulin to keep you alive, you can't exactly be shocked that people paint bullseyes on the people getting fat off the misery of millions of others.

[Marylandolorian]

Canada’s Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland responded to Trump’s threat to impose a 25% tariff on that country by noting that Canada would be forced to respond with an equal tariff on US products, so not only would American consumers be hurt, so would American companies and jobs: "Canada places the highest priority on border security and the integrity of our shared border. Our relationship today is balanced and mutually beneficial, particularly for American workers. Canada buys more from the US than from China, Japan, France and the UK combined."

… Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum also responded to Trump, saying that border crossings were down 75% this year and 70% of illegal guns in Mexico came from the US. She says if he starts a trade war with Mexico and Canada, everyone in all three counties with suffer

More Sheinbaum: “70% of the illegal weapons seized from criminals in Mexico come from your country. We do not produce these weapons, nor do we consume synthetic drugs. Tragically, it is in our country that lives are lost to the violence resulting from meeting the drug demand in yours.”

Looks like Mexico got the message

https://www.npr.org/2024/12/05/nx-s1-52 ... yl-sinaloa

[Slick]

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

I was going to ask about this. I presumed that an American healthcare insurance company worked on the basis of fucking people over to please shareholders, but didn't know anything about it.

[sockwithaticket]

Just read that the gunman wrote deny, defend and depose on the casings of the bullets used, which is pretty similar to the book title 'Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It'. Not that I think the motive was particularly in doubt, but this certainly seems like confirmation.

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

I was going to ask about this. I presumed that an American healthcare insurance company worked on the basis of fucking people over to please shareholders, but didn't know anything about it.

Your presumption is correct. If you ever feel like depressing yourself, dive down the American health insurance rabbit hole and read about prohibitive deductibles despite having insurance, the contortions companies go through to deny claims, how so much insurance is tied to employment and so on.

[epwc]

He earned $10.2m (£8m) working for the company last year, up from $9.8m in 2022 and $9.6m in 2021.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/crmn2ry1224t

The huge wealth inequalities and lack of social healthcare must mean ordinary people taking heartbreaking decisions every day. A terrible system bound to cause anger and resentment

[fishfoodie]

Just read that the gunman wrote deny, defend and depose on the casings of the bullets used, which is pretty similar to the book title 'Delay, Deny, Defend: Why Insurance Companies Don't Pay Claims and What You Can Do About It'. Not that I think the motive was particularly in doubt, but this certainly seems like confirmation.

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

I was going to ask about this. I presumed that an American healthcare insurance company worked on the basis of fucking people over to please shareholders, but didn't know anything about it.

Your presumption is correct. If you ever feel like depressing yourself, dive down the American health insurance rabbit hole and read about prohibitive deductibles despite having insurance, the contortions companies go through to deny claims, how so much insurance is tied to employment and so on.

Or read, or watch Runaway Jury; it's an accurate description of how insurance companies operate

[Uncle fester]

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

I was going to ask about this. I presumed that an American healthcare insurance company worked on the basis of fucking people over to please shareholders, but didn't know anything about it.

The other aspect is getting sick and your company "letting you go" so you lose your health insurance anyway.

[Uncle fester]

Preexisting bullet holes. Not paying

Video is up on Reddit already.

[Rhubarb & Custard]

CEO of a health insurance company that apparently rejects very nearly a third of claims gunned down in NYC.

Surprised it's taken this long tbh. Between saddling people with lifelong debts and refusing coverage, the American healthcare system forces many people into desperation and destitution. If people have little to lose and access to firearms, it's only a matter of time before they lash out at those creating the situation.

I was going to ask about this. I presumed that an American healthcare insurance company worked on the basis of fucking people over to please shareholders, but didn't know anything about it.

The other aspect is getting sick and your company "letting you go" so you lose your health insurance anyway.

or everyone's favourite when the insurance company states they're in financial trouble and asks the courts to allow them to strike their sickest, or at least most expensive, customers from their coverings. and good luck to those people getting affordable insurance anywhere else

it's a poor, poor system. and one they spend more public money on than we do but because it's done in moments of severity it's more expensive and far less efficient. it's also ardently anti business because of how it makes labour inflexible and saddles business with a bucket load of costs

[epwc]

or everyone's favourite when the insurance company states they're in financial trouble and asks the courts to allow them to strike their sickest, or at least most expensive, customers from their coverings. and good luck to those people getting affordable insurance anywhere else

Wow!

[Rhubarb & Custard]

or everyone's favourite when the insurance company states they're in financial trouble and asks the courts to allow them to strike their sickest, or at least most expensive, customers from their coverings. and good luck to those people getting affordable insurance anywhere else

Wow!

that is not common, but it has happened. and it's a nuts way to run a 'care' system

[Niegs]

Related, Jon Stewart talks to Bernie Sanders about gov waste and corruption. https://www.iheart.com/podcast/867-the- ... 245242427/

[Hal Jordan]

You are all sadly mistaken. The insurance based model is the best method of ensuring universal health care!

[sockwithaticket]

Here's an idea, instead of increasing personal security for the leeches in human skin, how about no longer doing the objectionable things that cause enough suffering that people to want to kill them?

[Gumboot]

Here's an idea, instead of increasing personal security for the leeches in human skin, how about no longer doing the objectionable things that cause enough suffering that people to want to kill them?

But, but... an affordable universal health care system would be socialisssssssssssm!

[sockwithaticket]

Here's an idea, instead of increasing personal security for the leeches in human skin, how about no longer doing the objectionable things that cause enough suffering that people to want to kill them?

But, but... an affordable universal health care system would be socialisssssssssssm!

I don't think they'd even have to go as far as that, just stop doing mundanely evil stuff like forcing people and their doctors to spend time and energy fighting hard just to secure anti-nausea meds for children going through chemo or denying preventative claims like mammograms for people with a family history of breast cancer.

Tens of thousand of people die every year due to denied health coverage, many multiples of 9/11. How much synpathy was there for Osama Bin Laden when he died? A health insurance CEO might not be as directly responsible, but they are involved in massive numbers of deaths and yet some of the media seem to be presenting the fairly universal 'Fuck that guy' response as in someway unfair or callous.

[Uncle fester]

Here's an idea, instead of increasing personal security for the leeches in human skin, how about no longer doing the objectionable things that cause enough suffering that people to want to kill them?

But, but... an affordable universal health care system would be socialisssssssssssm!

I don't think they'd even have to go as far as that, just stop doing mundanely evil stuff like forcing people and their doctors to spend time and energy fighting hard just to secure anti-nausea meds for children going through chemo or denying preventative claims like mammograms for people with a family history of breast cancer.

Tens of thousand of people die every year due to denied health coverage, much is many multiples of 9/11. How much synpathy was there Osama Bin Laden when he died? A health insurance CEO might not be as directly responsible, but they are involved in massive numbers of deaths and yet some of the media seem to be presenting the fairly universal 'Fuck that guy' response as in someway unfair or callous.

They'll keep doing it as long as they are allowed to. If they were forced by regulation to provide basic bare minimum standards, then the system might actually deliver something other then maximum value for shareholders.

But I guess they are in wrong country for thinking about the little guy.

[inactionman]

I'm surprised that the opinion of doctors seems to carry such little weight - maybe there's some legislative work that could be done to strengthen that up, so that doctors are the arbiters of what a patients needs and gets.

Ultimately depends upon what you're insuring - the person and their health, or the costs of medical procedures.

I can appreciate a doctor in private practice having carte blanche would introduce risks in its own way, in terms of unnecessary procedures or exploitation of massively marked up medication, but that would seem easier to regulate.

[Slick]

Here's an idea, instead of increasing personal security for the leeches in human skin, how about no longer doing the objectionable things that cause enough suffering that people to want to kill them?

But, but... an affordable universal health care system would be socialisssssssssssm!

I don't think they'd even have to go as far as that, just stop doing mundanely evil stuff like forcing people and their doctors to spend time and energy fighting hard just to secure anti-nausea meds for children going through chemo or denying preventative claims like mammograms for people with a family history of breast cancer.

Tens of thousand of people die every year due to denied health coverage, many multiples of 9/11. How much synpathy was there for Osama Bin Laden when he died? A health insurance CEO might not be as directly responsible, but they are involved in massive numbers of deaths and yet some of the media seem to be presenting the fairly universal 'Fuck that guy' response as in someway unfair or callous.

I'm quite surprised by the amount of coverage this is getting in the UK

[sockwithaticket]

But, but... an affordable universal health care system would be socialisssssssssssm!

I don't think they'd even have to go as far as that, just stop doing mundanely evil stuff like forcing people and their doctors to spend time and energy fighting hard just to secure anti-nausea meds for children going through chemo or denying preventative claims like mammograms for people with a family history of breast cancer.

Tens of thousand of people die every year due to denied health coverage, many multiples of 9/11. How much synpathy was there for Osama Bin Laden when he died? A health insurance CEO might not be as directly responsible, but they are involved in massive numbers of deaths and yet some of the media seem to be presenting the fairly universal 'Fuck that guy' response as in someway unfair or callous.

I'm quite surprised by the amount of coverage this is getting in the UK

America is the Western world's favourite TV show.

[dpedin]

I'm surprised that the opinion of doctors seems to carry such little weight - maybe there's some legislative work that could be done to strengthen that up, so that doctors are the arbiters of what a patients needs and gets.

Ultimately depends upon what you're insuring - the person and their health, or the costs of medical procedures.

I can appreciate a doctor in private practice having carte blanche would introduce risks in its own way, in terms of unnecessary procedures or exploitation of massively marked up medication, but that would seem easier to regulate.

I have a few mates who worked as doctors in the US. One who is an anaesthetist worked in ICU at a US hospital and was told he had to spend a few hours every afternoon writing up what he had done, medication he had used, equipment he had used, with what patient, etc that day before he was allowed to go home. Even if he had spent time with a difficult patient and was knackered he still had to write it all up and if he didn't or if he missed something out he would get fined by the hospital. This was then used for billing the patients insurance company - he reckoned he spent a couple of hours a day doing this instead of providing patient care. Feckin mad and hopefully with advances in IT this is no longer the case.

However went to hospital with a mate who had fallen over of a golf trip in the US and hurt his ribs - triage nurse, x-ray and 5mins with a consultant and a prescription - $1300 + cost of drugs. He then spent hours after the holiday trying to get an invoice out of the hospital for his insurance company to pay but none was forthcoming! Complete incompetence and ineptitude from their admin folk, bill never issued or paid.

US healthcare is the most incompetent, admin heavy, expensive and morally corrupt service in the world. OK if you are rich and can afford it but for many normal folk beyond their reach and they suffer as a consequence. c25m with no health insurance and c500k made bankrupt due to excessive healthcare bills each year. Absolute madness.

[fishfoodie]

I'm surprised that the opinion of doctors seems to carry such little weight - maybe there's some legislative work that could be done to strengthen that up, so that doctors are the arbiters of what a patients needs and gets.

Ultimately depends upon what you're insuring - the person and their health, or the costs of medical procedures.

I can appreciate a doctor in private practice having carte blanche would introduce risks in its own way, in terms of unnecessary procedures or exploitation of massively marked up medication, but that would seem easier to regulate.

Doctors are as big a problem as the Insurance companies !, they just wear white coats, & do at least have a sizable percentage that are decent human beings.

There are plenty of MDs in the US that are legal drug dealers, or who pad their bills with unnecessary surgery, or with "extras", that never actually happen, & all of this just adds to the cost of insurance.

[Uncle fester]

Analysis of the shooting by ex military types.
So don't click on the video if you don't want to see the shooting.
https://x.com/Drinkin_Bros/status/18644 ... xo52w&s=19

As an aside, it is morbidly fascinating just how into the technicalities of guns and the best way to kill people a lot of tanks are.