UT alum

Congress, all of ‘em, aren’t into competition when it comes to healthcare. I read a most enlightening article in the WSJ several years ago about a man in Pennsylvania who needed a hip replacement and had no insurance. The best cash deal he could get in the US was $90,000+. Of that amount, $10,000 was the cost of the actual replacement part, manufactured by a company in Ohio. The man began to look elsewhere and found out he could get the same procedure done in Belgium, including transportation, meals and lodging through the rehab period for less than $20,000. One major cost saving: the same part by the same manufacturer cost $1,000. The Belgian government bid out x number of parts estimated to be used in a year, and the cheapest bid won. In 2014 Belgium’s cost of healthcare as a percentage of GDP was 10.4%. We are over 18%. It seems the single payer system in Belgium is more competitive and less costly than our so-called private healthcare system. And don’t blame lawsuits. Most states have enacted tort reform statutes that strictly limit the liability of healthcare providers. Congress refuses to give Medicare the right to similarly bargain for the best deal. Competition in the private healthcare market? Don’t make me laugh.

So, that’s reason enough for the President of the United States to mock his service?

Yep. That’ll give a lot of insight into how the Supreme Court will rule in abortion cases. I predict it will wind up there.

No. Heroes go above and beyond. Why do you think they give medals for exemplary bravery and personal sacrifice? All members of the military deserve our thanks and respect for their service. My son did 20 years in the Navy.

She shafted Bernie using Party procedural rules that have since been changed. No more super delegates.

And, Obamacare would have had a better chance if all states had participated in exchanges and the individual mandate had been left in place. Insurance is based on the law of large numbers. The larger the pool of participants, the more broadly and cheaply the costs are spread.

Yemen vs Benghazi. Buck stops at top, so yeah, Carter gets the rap. McCain was a war hero whether you cared for him or not. I didn’t particularly care for his politics, but I respected his service.

I think my 2007 remarks were in response to comments about stuff that happened in 2005. That was in an historical context, not just “your guy lied too”.

Bash the past all you want. It’s who’s President now that’s relevant. So what about his healthcare promises? Or, “I like people who weren’t captured”. Or, not saying jack about the Kashoggi murdrer? Not a word about the botched Yemeni raid? I can keep going with more facts that’ll have you muttering, if not stuttering. You can’t see the present when you’re lost in the past.

Think the State Department will help? I sure hope so.

Trade deficit increases $100 billion since Trump took office. Highest deficit in history. Budget deficit set to hit almost $1 trillion this year. Square that with his promises.

I’m with you on this one Englebert. Once they’ve paid their debt, convicted felons should have all rights restored, unless the felony involved defrauding the election process or the crime involved use of a firearm.

My guess is they caved to some parent group that felt excluded. Not justifying, but some blame for problems in a school district is borne by the parents, not just the “liberal” public education system.

Ad hominem attacks indicate a lack of knowledge and extreme insecurity on the part of the attacker. AMF.

Nancy don’t play around.

Did you choke on those words?

No, they don’t. It will be a test of leadership.

The polling data paints a pretty convincing case. I don’t agree with all of the other premises. That said, I never assumed Trump was unelectable the first time around. I don’t drink Party kool aid. If Democrats ignore what this guy is saying, we do so at our own peril.

Thank you, Law Man. It’s folks like you and the others you mention who keep me coming back. If we cease to respect each other’s opinions, we gonna have a hard row to hoe keeping our democracy on track.

I’m glad I’m inside your head.

I don’t engage in physical violence or verbal abuse. I just know people who aren’t as reserved as me and would not take kindly to being called a schoolgirl or pathetic or childish or on the mental level of a kindergartner to their face. I’m guessing you don’t have the guts to be so sanctimoniously insulting in face to face situations. I’m glad to be a source of motivation for you. That’s a positive thing.

You must be a big ’ol boy. I know people you talk to them like that face to face would kick your ass.

Again, Sad.

I’m curious. Do you talk to everyone so crassly, or only when you are hiding behind a screen? I can’t imagine you hang out with many people in person who don’t think like you if this is how you treat people face to face. Sad.

Both, but if window shoving was that pervasive, window safety would have to be improved in addition to vigorous prosecution of the shovers.