On Friday, the Nevada state legislature passed the first bill in the country that would expand Medicaid, the public health care assistance program for the nation’s poor, statewide. The news comes at a time when President Donald Trump and a Republican Congress are pushing to dismantle the Affordable Care Act (ACA) passed under President Obama, cutting Medicaid spending by $800 billion over the next 10 years.
Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval (R-NV) has not announced whether he will support the bill, and according to Vox, his office declined to comment on his plans to veto or sign the new health care package into law. (AlterNet)
47058. Ms. No - 6/7/2017 6:22:29 PM
If the current administration is so all-fired set to give states autonomy on this, then they should forgo the tax revenues for Medicaid that states with single-payer systems would ordinarily send.
Then all the good folks in Alabama can complain to their own government when they lose their health care because their state can't afford to pay for it without contributions from wealthier, generally bluer, states.
Which is, of course, a terrible idea, but I'm just angry a lot lately over the petty, meanness of the current Republican leadership. And by meanness, I include both definitions -- miserly and cruel.
47059. Ms. No - 6/7/2017 6:23:09 PM
But YAY!!!! Nevada!
47060. Trillium - 6/7/2017 10:21:57 PM
Trump is actually for universal healthcare. The problem is how to implement universal healthcare with the government and systems we have in place
Buzzfeed: Trump praises single payer health care
47061. Trillium - 6/7/2017 10:31:49 PM
VA Director Shulkin recently came out to talk about VA problems and how they plan to resolve those. Hopefully a more universal system will benefit from lessons of the VA.
I don't think this is a full transcript. I watched the whole thing a few days ago on YouTube, and Shulkin talked about a variety of problems. If he can get the VA to deliver at higher standards, then probably the system could be replicated for a wider population.
Existing problems include staff pay scales (below market rates); difficulty in getting rid of staff who have been established as corrupt or incompetent; antiquated records systems that affect appointments and treatment; lags in payment; old unused real estate and facilities dating from WWI that need to be sold off or repurposed. There were some other things but I don't recall off the top of my head.
Anyway a single government system will probably have many of the same problems as the current VA, unless the leadership figures out how to manage and deliver
CSPAN Shulkin on modernizing health records
47062. Ms. No - 6/8/2017 1:16:03 AM
Trump claimed in 2000 to favor universal coverage. In 2015 he said he stood by his beliefs that it would have been a good idea at that time and in that climate. His current support for the AHCA is not at all consistent with a believe in single-payer system. As with many things, he's changed his tune about what he believes.
47063. wabbit - 6/9/2017 10:40:14 PM
I really wish people would stop apologizing for swearing when they are talking about the Cheeto. Reza Asian loses his cool, speaks his mind, loses his job, and still needs to apologize? For calling Trump a piece of shit? NFW should he apologize for that. Trump does not deserve respect because he managed to get elected, respect is earned, not conferred. I can respect the office and still have not an iota of respect for its current holder. For a POTUS so enamored of not being PC, he sure expects it from everyone else, and too many are lined up right behind him waiting to prove their fealty. He'll throw anyone under the bus, with the possible exception of Ivanka. Folks should figure that out.
And will someone explain to him the difference between swearing loyalty to him and loyalty to the Constitution? Not sure he could wrap his head around that, regardless of how many small words and pictures are used. Jeez Louise, every day he proves how unqualified he is. He really doesn't understand his new job.
Nothing new here, I know, just venting.
47064. Ms. No - 6/11/2017 12:35:47 AM
Yeah, I've got no respect at all for all the special special snowflakes who feel perfectly justified to sling whatever shit they like and then cry foul when they get splashed.
I'm just too fucking angry and disgusted anymore. And we'll never come back from this.
Maybe I've said this before, but trying to reclaim the dignity and integrity of the Executive Branch will be like trying to scoop mushy turds out of drinking water: we might get some of it, or even a lot of it, but we'll never get all of it.
This Administration has likely caused a permanent stain.
47065. arkymalarky - 6/11/2017 10:10:31 PM
I actually haven't watched CNN since the campaign, but it really made me mad that they fired Reza Aslan. Why dont they fire some of those nutjobs on the right who say far more offensive things on a regular basis? But I'm actually more hopeful than I've been in a long time. For one thing, the effect he's had on other democracies' elections is encouraging to me. Also what I'm seeing of his popularity numbers and what I'm hearing from people who voted for him because Hillary and the fact that he's been in office less than half a year and he's so far out of his depth it's not even funny. It's also very clear to me that they have a lot on him making him very nervous. This morning tweet storm indicated that. We go from the sublime to the ridiculous to the sublime and I wonder if this might be something that would make the Democratic party stronger in the long run than if Hillary had won. They would have just dogged her as the republican majority her whole term in office. And i think they would have had more success in keeping her from getting reelected than with Obama.
We're finally on our way to Colorado, and I'll post something in the cafe later. I will say that being grandma is the coolest thing ever. Having our SK exchange student back with us two months is pretty great too.
47066. arkymalarky - 6/11/2017 10:14:11 PM
Another big indicator where I live kids that I teach. We don't talk about it in English class, but I've been hearing them using Trump as a pejorative. kids for trump now either don't talk about him at all or are critical if he comes up.
47067. Ms. No - 6/12/2017 9:07:16 PM
Arky - I was very heartened by the recent elections in France and Great Britain. Excellent signs that at least the rest of the world has woken up to see that the extremists were poised to take over. I'm sure you're right that Trump has galvanized the left world-wide, and that's a good thing.
I'm back to avoiding the news again so that I don't get so angry. :-)
47068. arkymalarky - 6/12/2017 11:28:57 PM
I fully intended to, but I'm getting real snide enjoyment out of it. Some pundit I was reading couple of days ago said it best: every problem, every bad tweet, "every time Trump struggles to get the gum of Obamacare out of his hair."he Revels in. I'd add to that every percentage Point drop in Gallup daily tracking poll and .10 % in 538's running average of his popularity. If he improves, i'll go back to crochet and Home and family focus, but that hasn't happened in a long time.
What I do have trouble watching is Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan. I don't get enjoyment out of them at all. Their popularity is in the toilet, but that's not affecting their ability to ruin the lives of Rural white people while telling them theyre after their best interest.
47069. wombat - 6/14/2017 10:37:10 PM
Re Trump and the urge to swear. My neighbor coined the following: DTTS (Donald Trump Tourette's Syndrome).
47070. arkymalarky - 6/15/2017 2:21:36 AM
Wombat!! Howyabeen?
Dtts is a real thing. Even he has it.
47071. wombat - 6/15/2017 2:48:50 AM
Been good. Good job, womblings in college (Wombette one year away from a Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Wombino starting his 3rd year at St. John's College).
47072. Ms. No - 6/15/2017 3:28:17 AM
Hiya Wombat!
I've had to be very careful of my DTTS in class. I managed not to slip up, but it was a near thing on many occasions.
47073. arkymalarky - 6/21/2017 4:23:31 PM
As usual, Josh Marshall gets it right. And he says it just like it needs to be said. Anybody who thinks they want to see a reversal of 2016 trends in 2018 needs to read this all the way to the end.
http://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/thoughts-on-the-disappointing-result-out-of-georgia-6
47074. arkymalarky - 6/21/2017 4:25:45 PM
After this much-needed vacation getaway, I'mlooking forward to being politically active at home. Mose is working on that where she lives, which is more productive than where we live...
