The Politics Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

No surprise at all, Sub-Saharan African migrants are subject to the most abuse and exploitation due to their skin color.

 

Sub-Saharan African Migrants Face Old Enemy in Libya: Bigotry

[DramatistDreamer]

In the midst of chaos and enmity, humanity still reigns. Here's one such (sweet) story.

 

A Stranger in Maryland, Touched by a Hurricane Story, Sends 3 Cups to Houston

[DramatistDreamer]

[cct]

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[JaneAusten]

I don't know how people here feel about this but today Sanders and 13 democrats announced support of  "Medicare for All". I had mixed feelings at one time, but after reading about California's recent attempts on Single Payer and a wonderful article and detailed layout of the plan in the LA Times,  I think I am on board. I think the plan they are proposing is too aggressive a timeline, and I think the approach Chris Murphy is talking about, in transitioning to it by first giving age brackets a public option on the health exchanges might be a better managed transition over time. The questions on paying for it came up in California of course, but the consensus was ultimately a single payer model will save money for the insured and businesses. Immediately no, over time yes. Even my republican buddy in Indiana believes it's the way to go as well as our financial advisor, who has been adamant that the free market is it, is now an advocate.

 

The new GOP plan which allegedly has some GOP Governor support(no clue who since I believe Kasich is a no) seems to have zero traction and McConnell has no interest in investing what little capital he has left to try and rally votes for it. Plus it hasn't been scored yet and the CBO will take about 10 days to do it. It's ironic that it has McCain's support who allegedly voted no the last time because he felt they should go back to standard process and practice. This new version does none of that.

 

 

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/13/us/politics/health-care-obamacare-single-payer-graham-cassidy.html

Edited September 13, 2017 by JaneAusten

[marceline]

I'm not excited about this bill because 1.) it's Sanders and folks here know how I feel about him and 2.) it's just a symbolic gesture that's DOA and I hate that. I hate show votes and garbage legislation. But the truth is a big part (the majority?) of the electorate wants government to be run like a reality show, and 3.) IMO the focus SHOULD be on saving and fixing the ACA instead of some pipe dream that can't happen as long as the GOP controls any part of government.

 

I really wish we could have a substantive discussion about healthcare in this country and what would be the right model. Single payer? Medicare for All? (Which apparently aren't the same thing) The public option? (personally I think that's the logical next step.) Instead we're held hostage by simple thinkers on both sides who can't get past slogans like "Government takeover of healthcare!!" and "SinglePayer!!SinglePayer!!SinglePayer!!"

[DramatistDreamer]

This would come as no surprise to many of us that Susan Rice had legitimate reasons for unmasking members of Trump's advisory and transition team but this thread lays it out pretty succinctly. I'm reading that after today's meeting even most Republicans believe that not only did she do nothing wrong but her reasons were justified.  

Team Trump had two secret meetings with foreign officials, that definitely warrants investigation, don't you think?

 

 

[Juliajms]

I'm for some version of this as well, but as Marceline said it's not happening with the Republicans in charge.

[DramatistDreamer]

Someone had it right when they said, "Say what you want about Nancy Pelosi but she gets -ish done!"

 

[Juliajms]

Thank God. They never could have deported even a significant fraction of these kids, but the fear the end of DACA created was so unjust and dangerous.  I can hardly believe that Trump did the right thing for once. I'm not giving him credit though. He created this evil, so he gets zero points for righting it unless there is amnesty.

 

On another note,  can it really be true that we haven't made any progress in hiring practices for black people in 25 years? If not for Trump I would truly not believe it, even now I wonder if there is some flaw in the data.

http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2017/09/11/1706255114.full

[DramatistDreamer]

Trump has tried to deny making a deal with Pelosi and Schumer in a tweet, then proceeded to tweet the details of the non-deal that he is denying he made.

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 There is something seriously wrong with this man.

 

[JaneAusten]

Yes and IMO it's dementia and he's deteriorating before our eyes. There was once a time where he could cover some of this. He's no longer capable. It's the real reason IMO that Ivanka and Jared are there.

[JaneAusten]

There may be some flaws, but frankly I don't think it's that inaccurate. We had the Supreme Court for example gut the VRA and we see what's happened since,  And there are other factors that support this to some extent. First the wage gap between women and men is still anywhere from 30% when holding exactly the same position. So if women are still being disciminated in terms of wages it's not hard to believe it's impacting African Americans also,

 

Next the young black men aspect is in some sense supported by the fact that statistically, unemployment in the young black male community exceed the young white male community by double digits. Gentification in urban communities could be partially responsible for this combined with the lack of large businesses unwilling to move into those communities.

 

The study also indicated that the data tracked has primarily been at point of hire and there is very little tracking after the fact. So it's possible there is a large bias in terms of upward mobility, There certainly still is for women.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

You and I are not the only ones to notice, it appears.

Donald Trump Has Changed His Mind — a Heck of a Lot

 

 

The GOP, though has other worries beside the fact that their leader is all over the place.

GOP worries as state Dems outperform in special elections

 

 

People call Trump a 'flip-flopper' but I think his administration tends to flop just a bit more than it flips.

Trump FEMA Nominee Withdraws After NBC Questions on Falsified Records

 

 

[GMac]

 

Trump is coming down here to "show his support" for FL after Irma.  He need to sit his ass down.  I'm going on Day 4 with no power and don't feel like bein messed with.