U.S. Politics

[Kenr6583]

So Stantheman, I take it you retired under CSRS?

[Stantheman]

So Stantheman, I take it you retired under CSRS?

No under FERS, started in 1988 and retired in 2008 at 20 yrs service and 60 years old.

[GT93]

I want nothing.

What a circus.

[Kenr6583]

So Stantheman, I take it you retired under CSRS?

No under FERS, started in 1988 and retired in 2008 at 20 yrs service and 60 years old.

Cool. I'll have 31 plus 4 years military at 57. I'm ready to go. Just hoping they don't do away with the supplement or I'll have to hold off until I'm 62.

[jackspratt]

Credit where credit is due...... and this will probably be the only time Trump ever gets a thumbs-up from me:

President Trump tries to cut health-care costs

Tackling America’s giant hospital bill

.......Unfortunately, since that success (Obamacare) the second problem—exorbitant costs—has spiralled even further out of control. Health spending has risen from 17.3% of GDP before Obamacare was passed to 17.9% today. The average figure for rich countries is 9%.

Now President Donald Trump is aiming to slay the monster. On November 15th he announced plans to require hospitals and insurance firms to disclose the true prices they charge. More transparency is a vital step in ending the health-care racket. But the plan will not work unless there is also a drive to boost competition in rigged local hospital markets......

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/ ... p/346869/n

[stattointhailand]

Credit where credit is due...... and this will probably be the only time Trump ever gets a thumbs-up from me:

President Trump tries to cut health-care costs

Tackling America’s giant hospital bill

.......Unfortunately, since that success (Obamacare) the second problem—exorbitant costs—has spiralled even further out of control. Health spending has risen from 17.3% of GDP before Obamacare was passed to 17.9% today. The average figure for rich countries is 9%.

Now President Donald Trump is aiming to slay the monster. On November 15th he announced plans to require hospitals and insurance firms to disclose the true prices they charge. More transparency is a vital step in ending the health-care racket. But the plan will not work unless there is also a drive to boost competition in rigged local hospital markets......

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/ ... p/346869/n

Can we assume then that Trumps Hotel/golf course etc empire does not include hospitals

As there is no doubt a problem with attracting tourists to US, and therefore the country benefiting from their spending, can I suggest that Trump forces hotels to reduce their prices to below $50 a night to boost the tourism industry and help the economy

[Kenr6583]

Credit where credit is due...... and this will probably be the only time Trump ever gets a thumbs-up from me:

President Trump tries to cut health-care costs

Tackling America’s giant hospital bill

.......Unfortunately, since that success (Obamacare) the second problem—exorbitant costs—has spiralled even further out of control. Health spending has risen from 17.3% of GDP before Obamacare was passed to 17.9% today. The average figure for rich countries is 9%.

Now President Donald Trump is aiming to slay the monster. On November 15th he announced plans to require hospitals and insurance firms to disclose the true prices they charge. More transparency is a vital step in ending the health-care racket. But the plan will not work unless there is also a drive to boost competition in rigged local hospital markets......

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/ ... p/346869/n

Unfortunately I think this is nothing more than telling the people what they want to hear. Full disclosure of pricing isn't going to change the price. A few months back he was talking about opening the boarders and allow Canada, who's drug pricing is much cheaper, to import their pharmaceuticals into the States. But Canada had an issue with that because they were worried it would leave their country short on supply for themselves. He is not going to go after Big Pharma in the States so he comes up with some ridiculous idea that he knows will never materialize to make it look like he cares.

[tamada]

Credit where credit is due...... and this will probably be the only time Trump ever gets a thumbs-up from me:

President Trump tries to cut health-care costs

Tackling America’s giant hospital bill

.......Unfortunately, since that success (Obamacare) the second problem—exorbitant costs—has spiralled even further out of control. Health spending has risen from 17.3% of GDP before Obamacare was passed to 17.9% today. The average figure for rich countries is 9%.

Now President Donald Trump is aiming to slay the monster. On November 15th he announced plans to require hospitals and insurance firms to disclose the true prices they charge. More transparency is a vital step in ending the health-care racket. But the plan will not work unless there is also a drive to boost competition in rigged local hospital markets......

https://www.economist.com/leaders/2019/ ... p/346869/n

Unfortunately I think this is nothing more than telling the people what they want to hear. Full disclosure of pricing isn't going to change the price. A few months back he was talking about opening the boarders and allow Canada, who's drug pricing is much cheaper, to import their pharmaceuticals into the States. But Canada had an issue with that because they were worried it would leave their country short on supply for themselves. He is not going to go after Big Pharma in the States so he comes up with some ridiculous idea that he knows will never materialize to make it look like he cares.

Yes, it is the thin, watery, slippery precum of the pre-election and not much else. Don't get that stuff near your eyes!

Maybe the Washington lobbyists for the hospitals, insurers and pharma area getting a huge erection as they wet dream about being offered lucrative posts in the next DJT administration. Oh, wait...

[jackspratt]

I recommend you read the full article.

The Economist (like me) is no admirer of Trump, but they recognise in the article that something good can come from his actions in this instance.

[stattointhailand]

They needn't worry about any shortfall ......... BOJO will soon bail them out

[tamada]

I recommend you read the full article.

The Economist (like me) is no admirer of Trump, but they recognise in the article that something good can come from his actions in this instance.

I did. I'm a subscriber. I subscribe because I like the Economist. However, I don't agree with every opinion they have and certainly not with this one.

[newtovillagelife]

What happened to Lone Star, did he pass away?

[GT93]

He's probably excessively cutting and pasting about US politics on another unlucky forum somewhere else in cyber-space.

[Kenr6583]

What happened to Lone Star, did he pass away?

I started on this thread many years ago but had not been active on here for probably the last 7 years except reading posts and keeping up what was going on in Udon Thani. After reading his rhetoric and about his deep love for the current POTUS I had to get active on here again.

[GT93]

Yes, he goes out of his way to support those he fancies. He doesn't do things in half measures.

[Kenr6583]

Yes, he goes out of his way to support those he fancies. He doesn't do things in half measures.

The funny part is my ideology leans towards Conservative, but two things keep me hovering around the middle. First I am 100% pro-choice, and second I believe in Unions. These are two things the hard right attempt to destroy every cycle. On one hand the current POTUS talks about how he loves Unions, but on the other hand he stacks the DOL with individuals who are making policies against workers rights. Then he has OPM issue laws that Federal Employees have no right to the grievance procedure for discipline, including removals. This I cannot handle. But the individual we were discussing here was sooooooooo over the top I really didn't believe he could be real.

[GT93]

Yes, I used to wonder if he was a smart arse Never Trumper trying to make people hate Trump. People do odd things on the internet.

[tamada]

...like talking in almost mournful tones about some sort of long lost keyboard nemesis who has given up the joust?

There's nowt queerer than fowk as granny would say.

[Kenr6583]

...like talking in almost mournful tones about some sort of long lost keyboard nemesis who has given up the joust?

There's nowt queerer than fowk as granny would say.

I wouldn't say that was the case. I like to consider myself impartial when it comes issues such as this, and political affiliation, in my opinion, does not mean worshiping a dictator. Trust me, no matter how much you respect someone, in this case a POTUS, it is impossible to agree and defend every single one of someone's else's agendas, unless of course you cannot think for yourself and have no other thoughts. I am glad that this individual is not promoting far right propaganda on here now, just like I am glad there is no one on here promoting a far left propaganda. I believe everyone has a right to express their opinion and I respect that, but all the cut and pasting that was going on was too much in my opinion and it seemed that he didn't/couldn't come up with an original opinion of his own. But no, LOL, I don't miss that.

[tamada]

Not disagreeing. The memes plastered on just about every vaguely contentious or popular, political thread just accelerated my 'whatever' attitude and ultimate, total loss of interest in even looking at some threads.

It's just a bit strange that some of his most persistently underachieving keyboard challengers, the ones that he repeatedly hooked like wide-mouthed bass, are wandering about asking where did he go?

Back ON TOPIC.

The 5 days of hearings have finished and depending on what channel you tune to, it was a resounding win/loss for DJT/Dems. I was going to catch DJT's phone in with that horribly early-morning subversive 'Fox & Friends' but I had a souffle in the oven so missed it. Apparently, DJT chose to go off like a bottle rocket against Marie Yovanovitch again with much, much more serious stuff (to him).

"This ambassador that, you know, everybody says is so wonderful, she wouldn't hang my picture in the embassy,” Trump said in a phone interview on “Fox & Friends," without offering any evidence of his claim. “She is in charge of the embassy. She wouldn't hang it. It took like a year and a half, two years to get the picture up.”

So, this cult of personality POTUS who buys his own portraits at fundraisers reckons she didn't hang up his portrait quick enough. This POTUS who CANNOT separate President from Self and whose State Department employed, personal equerry Gordon Sondland entreated Yovanovitch to 'tweet nice things' about DJT, is upset because she didn't lick his ass. And she's a WOMAN!!!