Khan

For the past several days, I have found myself imagining how I would feel if I were Barack Obama, preparing to leave office after eight of the most tumultuous years in any young leader's life. I would feel proud, of course, knowing that, if nothing else, I helped open a door that my brothers and sisters in the Black community believed never would be opened. Even if I had discovered that there was just so much I could do as president, and even if it seemed for the moment that we, as a nation, had taken a step backward, my intellectual side would believe, as Obama told us, that history does not always progress in a straight line; that it zigs and zags and often retreats before moving onto the next step. And yet... I keep returning to those images of Obama and Trump meeting for the first time after the election, and I can't help but wonder what must have run through his mind in those moments. I think that if I were in Obama's position, part of me would feel almost as if I had been sucker-punched by the very people I did my damnedest to help. I mean, you could have had Obama stand in the middle of Washington, D.C. as every dissatisfied citizen lined up and, one by one, kicked him in the nards; and I'll bet you that it wouldn't have hurt even half as much as Fat Orange Bastard being elected his successor. I know that I would leave the presidency knowing, as Obama must, that I did my utmost to uphold the Constitution and protect the people whose lives and livelihoods had been placed in my care. At the same time, however, I'd be lying if I said no part of me felt as if I had failed, somehow, to deliver the hope and change I had promised and bring this country closer together. I mean, I'd have to have my doubts. Otherwise, I'm Donald Trump. Yeah, I criticized Obama's leadership skills in the past, starting with the Wall Street bailouts. Even when I praised Obama for his character, I still held reservations about his ability to govern. A couple of bestselling books, a few appearances with Oprah and one term as a U.S. Senator was not enough experience, I said, for someone charged with the task of leading a nation of millions. I said that and much more over the past eight years. But I'm here to tell you now, and for the record, that I was wrong. Not because we've had our glimpse of the future and it's terrifying, but because I finally realize that I was so caught up in all the petty b.s. that both sides and the media threw at us and I failed to realize one very important fact: He tried. Did Obama expect to accomplish everything he wanted to as president even if he had had a more agreeable Congress to work with? Probably not. But I believe now that he genuinely wanted to lead us toward something better; and despite whatever flaws he actually possessed (and not that most projected onto him), he was still willing to roll up his sleeves and do the work. In the end, that, more than even the results, is what counts. I'll miss his leadership, too. In fact, I think I'll miss it more, simply because I didn't appreciate it soon enough.

Miss M...being divine as always. I get that feeling, too, dragonflies. Primarily because, the GOP has offered nothing concrete in the way of alternatives. Congress will switch around some of the language, shave off a little here-and-there from the provisions in order to put their own stink on it. But, as I said, either on here or on FB, if and when they DO premiere Trump's Insurance for Everybody (tm), take a good, hard look at the bill and then tell me it isn't Obamacare or the ACA under a different name. It's been my contention that their long-term goal is to eradicate Obama as much as possible from our history. Think about all the actual history (often involving minorities) that gets whitewashed (pun intended) or left out entirely in elementary, middle and high school history books; or all the misinformation that is passed down from one generation to the next (like Abraham Lincoln freeing the slaves) until it becomes fact in the court of public opinion. IMO, that's what we're seeing the GOP do now to the outgoing president. They will make it seem as if Obama did absolutely little while in office except be the first African-American president -- and even then, I suspect, history books will come to say that 1) his birth certificate was suspect, and 2) he wasn't REALLY Black since, after all, his mother was Scots-Irish, thus taking away even the significance of his election in the first place. In the end, and if the GOP has their way, Obama's will be regarded by future generations either as an illegitimate presidency or one as ineffectual as, say, Franklin Pierce's, or Martin Van Buren's. We don't THINK this kind of historical revision can happen, especially in this day and age, but if the history of witnessing, recording, sharing and passing down, teaching and analyzing history has taught me anything (particularly where it concerns African-Americans), it's that it CAN happen. It always HAS happened, and it always WILL happen, so help us God.

I think there a lot of people -- too many people, in fact -- who want to destroy the government. But, I would ask these people, what do you intend to do once you have, indeed, torn down everything? Because, these people who you are supposed to represent will still need to be governed.

Over the years, I have grown to despise those who are critical of our country's public school systems. Especially those who, in almost all cases, possess options that others simply do not. Instead of finding more ways (such as vouchers) to opt OUT of a public school education for your kids, I ask, why not do your part (and make your elected officials do theirs) in helping to improve the quality of education that already exists? I tell you, it's just like what I said upthread in regards to reforming the health care industry (over fixing monthly insurance premiums). This country keeps looking for the quick fix or the easy out instead of dealing with the issue head-on.

It is to me. I get sick, I get medical attention, I say I can't pay the bill, and after exhausting every available option, the hospital (or whoever) has to eat the costs. If that's not cheating the system, then what is it (besides being a schmuck)?

At this point, if I become seriously ill -- and God willing, that will not happen -- but if I become seriously ill, I will basically have to cheat the system. That means defaulting on bills and filing for bankruptcy. (Until the courts decide you can't do that anymore. Which is fine, because I'm unemployed and living at home. So, it isn't as if they could SEIZE any of my assets as payment -- because, hey, I haven't any assets! But, either way, the bills will go unpaid.) So, I just want to say right now, thank you very much for "allowing" me to pass MY costs onto you...and hey, let's make America great again!!

What was so grand about the free market before the ACA? For starters, I HAD insurance. Because of my pre-existing conditions, it probably wasn't the best -- as a matter of fact, the "crappy" coverage plans that ReddFoxx describes upthread comes pretty close to describing what I had -- but at least I had it, which I can't say now (or ever again, thanks to Repealgate). Before the ACA, my monthly premiums never rose above $200/mo. Also, I never had to re-apply every year for coverage. In fact, between the age of 25 and the first year of Obamacare, I had only one coverage plan. I can't recall offhand how many years I've had to apply through the marketplace, but I do know that I've never been able to keep either my previous plan (despite Obama's claims when they passed the ACA that I could -- my insurance company had to cancel my plan because the coverage wasn't adequate by the ACA's criteria, even though it satisfied my personal needs) or any plans acquired via the marketplace for more than one year. I'm not saying my experience mirrors the average American's. Nor do I disagree with your argument, Jane, or with anyone else's here. I agree 1000% with everything you all say and have said once I factor myself out of it. Moreover, I consider myself blessed next to the millions who, before ACA, were up the metaphorical creek and now will be again. I'm just saying that I cannot be the only one in this country who has yet to benefit from anyone on either side fooling around with something that should have been left alone. IMO, instead of trying to get everyone health insurance, the government -- and that includes the Republicans as well as the Democrats; AFAIC, neither party is off the hook in this situation -- but the government should focus (and should have focused) instead on more aggressive reforms for the entire health care industry -- physicians, hospitals and clinics, insurance companies, pharmaceutical corporations, you name it. At the risk of sounding like one of the Evanses on "Good Times," something is wrong with the system when one aspirin at the hospital costs more than the same capsule purchased at a drugstore; and because costs are high and getting higher, people who cannot afford these services to begin with have to default on bills and such -- which translates, of course, into higher premiums for those who can still afford them (until they can't anymore, which results in their dropping out, and the vicious cycle continues). Everyone in Washington -- and yes, I do mean everyone, from the president on down -- should have concentrated on reforming the health care industry FIRST, ridding us of these exorbitant costs that necessitate higher insurance premiums, before doing anything else, because -- again, IMO -- once that was under control, then they could have tackled the issue of getting everyone in the country more affordable health care. However, as things are now, this (higher costs leading to higher premiums) is an issue that's just gonna keep recurring no matter which panacea that either party offers.

Well, I'll say this much: before the ACA was enacted, it was...somewhat difficult to obtain affordable insurance thanks to my pre-existing conditions (namely, hypertension and clinical depression). But now, thanks to Trump's Insurance for Everybody(tm), I won't need to worry about finding insurance again, because with the pre-existing conditions protection out the window, it'll be virtually impossible. I won't ever again have medical insurance -- but hey, I won't be hassled looking for any either. So, yeah, silver living, lol.

The truth is, I was getting screwed with Obamacare...and I am getting screwed even more without it. I just wish we could go back to before everyone, INCLUDING Obama AND the GOP, started effing around with people's health insurance. I was unemployed then, too, but at least my parents could afford my monthly premiums; and I didn't have to play this yearly b.s. waiting game to see whether I will continue having insurance (which, for the first time in my life, I don't, and probably never will again).

NM.

These days? More like "...from the Quran." Which would be fun to watch on so many levels. Yeah, but first, they have to get rid of the Jeff Zuckers and Les Moonveses. Those idiots see only rating points. They'll never understand the mess they created from normalizing and legitimizing Trump's vicious campaign.

From who? Mr. I Love This Bar? You know, it figures that TK would agree to perform (and be so unapologetic about it). I've always had my suspicions about him. Then again, I've always had my suspicions about white people from Oklahoma.

Paul Anka. LOL. Trump really does want to take us back to the '50's.

Trump will be in violation of the Constitution in so many ways when he takes the oath, but good luck getting anyone in Congress to do anything about it.

Best. Party. Ever.

It IS funny. But I think that's just another lie they tell themselves in order to hide why they REALLY voted for him. In the past week or so, I've read more than one opinion columnist who believes Barack Obama did more for the brand of Barack Obama than he did for the Democratic party, particularly when it came to down-ballot races. I wish there were a way people could vote from their desktop, laptops and mobile devices.

Agree. I'm convinced Paul Ryan was raised in the same town as Beaver and Wally Cleaver.

Not only that, Skin, but most working class whites wouldn't take those jobs because they would consider those jobs Beneath Them. Leaving it to minorities to take 'em because 1) a check is a check, 2) they're used to doing [!@#$%^&*] work for [!@#$%^&*] pay and 3) they know it isn't the work you do but the dignity you bring to it. As Florida Evans once said, "When I was a maid -- forgive me, Lord -- but I was the best damn maid there ever was!" (Or something like that.)

Why? Because it was a BLACK man who (maybe could be a Muslim and maybe could be from another country) came up with the idea in the first place. If and when the Republicans and TrumpCo. offer their Something Fantastic(TM) to replace the ACA, read it very carefully and then tell me it isn't just Obamacare under another name.

And even if they were here (or here again), do you think most working class whites would sign up for them?

Thanks, skin and DD, for explaining "single-payer" to me. Sigh. I knew when Jennifer Holliday had agreed to perform at the inauguration (before backing out) that certain African-Americans would go too far in their criticisms of her decision. It's one thing to let her know how performing at that man's inauguration only serves to normalize him and his views on the African-American community. But to go to the trouble of calling her a "coon" and an "Aunt Jemima"? All THAT does is give the Right and especially the "alt-right" an opportunity to point at us, as African-Americans, and say that we, and not them, are the true racists. I'm not saying those hurtful epithets that were directed toward her represent the views of our community as a whole -- and I PRAY Ms. Holliday and others don't interpret them as such -- but there are times, quite frankly, when African-Americans are their own worst enemies. I laughed when I first heard the story of Coffman's secret getaway...and I'm still laughing. Make no mistake: I felt the ACA was flawed from the get; and I still welcome every effort to improve upon it (or even repeal it altogether if you just gotta). But to repeal the !@#$%^&*] after seven years and God knows how many votes in Congress with NO definite (and better) alternative coming in its place? As if repealing the ACA alone would be enough to tide everyone over? Frankly, the GOP's hubris in this situation tickles me.

I apologize (again) for my ignorance, but what exactly is "single-payer healthcare"? I THINK it means the government (rather than any insurance company, or companies) is responsible for the citizens' healthcare, but I'm not sure. That's why I'm sick of the "Trump vs. Obama"/"Trump vs. Clinton" comparisons. Number one, the GOP will never give the Democrats credit for anything, even when the facts speak for themselves; and number two, what good does it do to compare a Republican president to a Democrat one (or vice-versa) when their ideologies are, by definition, in opposition to each other?

IA. Especially if, as you have predicted, we experience another 9/11-esque tragedy within the first year or two of his presidency. Not that I advocate for another terrorist attack, but I feel like that might be the one thing that forces people to see Trump for who and what he is -- especially when they remember that, for all that might have been wrong with Obama, he did manage to keep us safe during a very volatile period in history.

Honestly, should I feel bad that I still love(d) KNOTS in spite of the Lechowicks? Don't get me wrong, I think all the criticisms of their work on the show is valid. For me, though, KNOTS remains the one primetime soap (and maybe primetime drama series altogether) that I can watch and enjoy from beginning to end (limp seasons 13 & 14 included).

I hope so, too. But I also think marceline is right.