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A slight correction. Above you reference the cost of a bypass being much higher in the USA than in Canada. That isn't quite true: the PRICE is much higher, not the COST.
Ditto for meds: the PRICE is higher, not the COST.
The reason the price is higher is our system of insurance as a mechanism for funding health care products and services.
In the context of a discussion about economics or business, cost and price have a different meaning, but in normal conversation it is acceptable to the terms interchangeably, i.e. "how much will it cost to get my oil changed" I'm pretty sure that the person on the receiving end of those questions would not be confused about my question.
Thank goodness for this informative haven of rational thinking in this time of anguish and confusion. I'm reading and trying to learn.
What I'm picturing lately--is this how it will look?
If someone is gay they will go and live in one of the blue states.
If a woman wants to get birth control or an abortion, she goes to a blue state.
If a person is poor, disabled, or elderly, they go and live in a blue state.
If a person belongs to a minority group, they go and live in a blue state.
If a person wants to be almost required to go to church and have their life influenced by religion, the go and live in a red state.
If a person wants to carry guns, they go and live in a red state
They don't necessarily live where they want to live; they go where they have to live and where they will fit in and be able to live. It's because the federal government will take away the laws and it will be up to each state how to spends its money and how to treat its people.
Since we are controlled by the extremists in both parties, the vast majority of us who are in the middle are getting pushed around and we don't have much say in the matter. The major of NYC has already stated that his city will welcome those who are no longer welcome or safe where they live now.
Has it come to this? The result would mean even more division because like minded people are almost being forced to cluster together for protection and support.
Back in the days of the John Birch Society and Segregation and McCarthyism it took a while, didn't it, for people to finally stand up and say that they'd have enough? That's why I don't see improvement coming for quite some time. The extreme right will have to push really hard and hurt a lot of people before the other side revolts and overturns them.
I hope I'm wrong.
It's close to that now, at least if it doesn't involve income. "Economics is a major factor. If a person is poor, disabled or elderly, they go and live in a blue state" is not necessarily true. Red states tend to cost less, have less expensive housing and your money goes a little further. I moved to Oklahoma for several reasons, the air quality a major one as I lived in the worse smog in the country. But its also MUCH cheaper. I own my little house. In California it would have been long ago torn down. And costs overall are less. I don't get as much on rerirement, but then it still comes out ahead. I could barely meet the cost of the bare minimun in California.
I moved away from the crush of population, too. That I love. Yes, there are places in blue areas where the population isn't as high, but they also cost dearly.
And sometimes you can't move. Maybe you have a job and don't dare walk away from it without another one lined up.
All that said, the tone of hate being acceptable is rising, especially among those who don't care, and eventually those who wish not to hate will be pushed nearer. Look at Viet Nam. It didn't start as a full on us and them. But as the words got harder, and the listened stopped, we did become and us and them. Ask some sixtyish people in a group today about the sixties, and you'll find that what they didn't agree upon aside, they took a long time before the instant 'enemy' flag popped up with the wrong words.
This is a tragedy which is happening. I'm tryong to figure out how to move. It's not just this, but I feel my vote was dismissed before I made it in a state where the Red side was going to take the only votes which count, with this electorate vote.
And the retoric sounds more like the 30's than the teens of a new century. People who are not spewing hatred about some other 'group' should worry since if it doesn't fade, its going to be a very ugly tomorrow for everyone.
The increases are not surprising when you see the loses incurred by insurance companies aslisted in this article. Now that more insurance companies are pulling out, the costs will only continue to increase.
Last edited by janster100; 11-20-2016 at 06:34 PM..
The election was no landslide. Hillary won the popular vote, by what appears will be a decent amount - currently a margin of 630,000 votes. She lost the 3 swing states - MI, WI, and PA - that cost her the election by a margin of about 120,000 votes total. Out of about 121 million cast.
The protestors are standing against bigotry, racism, and disrespect towards women. Count me as one that stands with them.
You know how Trump supporters don't like to be accused of guilt by association with the KKK, because they also support Trump? Well don't accuse me of guilt by association with anarchists and vandals. There have been tens of thousands of protestors, and about 200-250? arrests nationwide, the majority of those in Portland, OR which seems to have featured the most unruly activity.
In my little town, we had 400 protestors. No arrests.
I am disappointed in the protestors though. I'd like to know where this activism and passion was, leading up to the election? I have a strong suspicion many of them did not vote.
I live in a deep red state because as I'm retired and don't get a lot, I can afford to live here. I personally detest the politics, although the more local things (like oil companies and earthquakes) are quite personal. But in terms of president, there is really no reason to bother voting. The Republican was going to win. But when it goes to a count they consider offically, nobody in Oklahoma voted for her. Those who did were in effect denied their vote.
Same deal in a blue state with a small red contingent.
We want to make it fair, we count the popular vote. Keep the electors but split them by one per so many votes. But don't disinfranchise all those who's vote will end up NEVER counting in this system.
I really, really, really hoped Colin Powell would run in 2008. He'd be so much more than that.
I am hoping for Condi Rice in 2020 or 2024 (if trump someone manages to get through the first 4 without mangling things up) for our first woman president. I wish she wold have run this time.
As of now, it appears that Hillary will win the popular vote by more than twice the margin that Al Gore did in 2000. The current system creates an unfair advantage for voters in small, rural states. Which is to say, for conservative candidates. That edge has made the difference now twice in 16 years. There are Constitutional barriers to eliminating the Electoral College, but there are certainly ways to prevent it from doing again what it has recently done.
I live in Oklahoma. I despise Trump, and will never ever consider him qualified for president and do fear for the future with his 'friends' like nazi fans. My one vote against him however has no effect whatsoever. It was pointless for me to vote for president.
This is wrong. Keeping the electoral college is fine, but divide up the popular vote. One elector for the candidate's so many votes. Make sure it MIRRORS the popular vote.
This just isn't an issue and discrimination placed upon the lesser voters in Red states. In Blue states, it can be the same way. Every vote should count and perhaps more would vote.
How many people in a Red state don't bother voting for the democrat since its not going to matter? How many people in a Blue state don't vote for their canditate since they won't win?
I would imagine it would be a huge surprise how many do go out and vote if they know that their vote REALLY does matter as it may or may not now..... And project that onto the local and state side and see how it effects state government if a greater majority has their say.
Read the article. They pulled the info from USA Today.
You can also read other articles such as this one from ABC news. Why Health Care Premiums Are Rising Under Obamacare - ABC News
The increases are not surprising when you see the loses incurred by insurance companies aslisted in this article. Now that more insurance companies are pulling out, the costs will only continue to increase.
But premiums are not going up in every state. It's a complex issue, it's been known for a long time that rates in many rural states are going to be higher because there aren't enough hospitals and doctors available to create a competitive environment for insurance companies, if there is one hospital the insurance companies are stuck accepting their fee schedule. Also, in some states there is strict oversight of rate increases. California reviews every rate submission and rejects those that are not competitive, as a result rates are going up at most 5%. Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Ohio rates are lower than in 2016. States with expanded medicaid generally have 7% lower rates than those without but Arizona seems to be an outlier, they have expanded medicaid but are being hit with extraordinary rate hikes and have had a number of insurance companies leave the state. I wish I could find out more about that situation but so far I haven't found anything.
I don't like the ACA but it's better than what we had before, and even in a state like Arizona 70% of the insured receive subsidies so they won't feel the full impact of rate increases. Any 'plan' that doesn't control fees charged by hospitals and doctors and pays an intermediary (insurance companies) will never be cost effective. I lived next door to a cardiac surgeon who had not had a single year in the past 20 where he made less than a million dollars, maybe that will have to change...as it has in other first world countries.
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