OT: What Is Happening At The White House?

[john0gaunt]

Universal Healthcare that is affordable for a country

President Trump has ALWAYS advocated for Universal Healthcare for the US his entire public life. He has never backed down from it in any public statement.

Think what you want about antidepressants and SSRI's, but they are filling your people with them just as fast as ours. And they have significant side effects. I believe the president has spoken about the issue also. It isn't part of the approved narrative.

Whatever you think you know about America, you will never take the guns.

 

[Bodizephax]

So much for the friendly political banter thread.

Who could of seen this coming?[/QUOTE]

 

[twalsh]

You are wrong. You dont understand Americans and you never will. Americans want universal health care and gun control and will eventually overcome the 1% who are currently pulling the strings.

Says the California liberal of the board, speaking for average Americans.

 

[Granite45]

Says the California liberal of the board, speaking for average Americans.

Considering the difference in popular vote, liberal-leaning voters outnumber conservative-leaning voters. Electoral College supporting less populated states saved Trump, but he certainly has no mandate for his actions and policies, but he does have the Presidential authority, but he also does not truly speak for the average American.

 

[sshulk]

Considering the difference in popular vote, liberal-leaning voters outnumber conservative-leaning voters. Electoral College supporting less populated states saved Trump, but he certainly has no mandate for his actions and policies, but he does have the Presidential authority, but he also does not truly speak for the average American.

The largest group of Americans is the group that didn't vote so all we can say for sure is that we don't know what the majority thinks.

 

[IrishInOntario]

President Trump has ALWAYS advocated for Universal Healthcare for the US his entire public life. He has never backed down from it in any public statement.

Think what you want about antidepressants and SSRI's, but they are filling your people with them just as fast as ours. And they have significant side effects. I believe the president has spoken about the issue also. It isn't part of the approved narrative.

Whatever you think you know about America, you will never take the guns.

If your read what I wrote, I said over-and over and over that nobody is ever going to take the guns. You and I are in agreement. Americans are obsessed with guns. That's the theme of my entire post.

The point I'm making is that you will always have substantial gun related violence in your country because of the obsession. You can't have one without the other. As long gone as Americans can understand that, there is no issue. A country that loves a tool for killing, is inevitably have wayyyyuu more instances in which people use guns to kill people. There should be nothing shocking about that. Like I said, I'm not judging you. That's your right (protected by your constitution) as Americans.

I just get ultra annoyed when Americans use countries like Canada, England, Germany and Sweden of examples where there is low gun violence and say "we can be like that". That's delusional. No you can't be, because in order to be like that it has nothing to do with regulation or reform. The reason those countries don't have mass guns related deaths are because the people in those countries don't have guns, nor the obsession that the U.S. has with guns...

It's simple.

And again, on Universal Healthcare... America is a sick country. Universal Healthcare is not affordable in your country until a generation of obese people (35% of Americans) extremely obese people (20% of Americans) die off and are replaced by a hopefully, healthier, less expensive, generation.

The other option is two tier Healthcare, where the poor get the most basic coverage and the the more wealthy you are, the better Healthcare you get.

The third option is to what we do here in Canada, which is to tax the crap out of people so that everyone gets the same healthcare, regardless of your health and to do that you have to raise every person in America's income tax SUBSTANTIALLY and Americans hate huge taxation. That will never pass.

Just to give you an idea of what it costs even low income Canadians for that Universal Healthcare... When I was in University, I worked in a restaurant, where I was paid $15.60 an hour. I worked 44 hours every week. After my vacation pay was tacked on to each paycheck, etc, etc my gross bi-weekly earnings were right around $1500... My net was $1127. Of the $3000 I made each month, the Government took over $700 of it in various forms of taxes. Roughly $10,300 of the $42,000 (gross) I earned.

Are impoverished Americans and those living at the bottom end of the middle class, willing to pay 25% income tax, 13%-15% sales tax, etc, etc in order to get truly Universal Healthcare that fits the needs of everyone in your country? According to any American I've ever talked to... Hell no.

And by the way, the numbers I just provided would be low in your case because it doesn't account for all of the pre-existing medical issues in the United States (especially those related to obesity) that would have to be covered initially.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I've never met an average American in my vast communication with them, that would wants to support everyone else's Healthcare, when they are barely scraping by... It's just a cultural difference.

 

[twalsh]

If your read what I wrote, I said over-and over and over that nobody is ever going to take the guns. You and I are in agreement. Americans are obsessed with guns. That's the theme of my entire post.

The point I'm making is that you will always have substantial gun related violence in your country because of the obsession. You can't have one without the other. As long gone as Americans can understand that, there is no issue. A country that loves a tool for killing, is inevitably have wayyyyuu more instances in which people use guns to kill people. There should be nothing shocking about that. Like I said, I'm not judging you. That's your right (protected by your constitution) as Americans.

I just get ultra annoyed when Americans use countries like Canada, England, Germany and Sweden of examples where there is low gun violence and say "we can be like that". That's delusional. No you can't be, because in order to be like that it has nothing to do with regulation or reform. The reason those countries don't have mass guns related deaths are because the people in those countries don't have guns, nor the obsession that the U.S. has with guns...

It's simple.

And again, on Universal Healthcare... America is a sick country. Universal Healthcare is not affordable in your country until a generation of obese people (35% of Americans) extremely obese people (20% of Americans) die off and are replaced by a hopefully, healthier, less expensive, generation.

The other option is two tier Healthcare, where the poor get the most basic coverage and the the more wealthy you are, the better Healthcare you get.

The third option is to what we do here in Canada, which is to tax the crap out of people so that everyone gets the same healthcare, regardless of your health and to do that you have to raise every person in America's income tax SUBSTANTIALLY and Americans hate huge taxation. That will never pass.

Just to give you an idea of what it costs even low income Canadians for that Universal Healthcare... When I was in University, I worked in a restaurant, where I was paid $15.60 an hour. I worked 44 hours every week. After my vacation pay was tacked on to each paycheck, etc, etc my gross bi-weekly earnings were right around $1500... My net was $1127. Of the $3000 I made each month, the Government took over $700 of it in various forms of taxes. Roughly $10,300 of the $42,000 (gross) I earned.

Are impoverished Americans and those living at the bottom end of the middle class, willing to pay 25% income tax, 13%-15% sales tax, etc, etc in order to get truly Universal Healthcare that fits the needs of everyone in your country? According to any American I've ever talked to... Hell no.

And by the way, the numbers I just provided would be low in your case because it doesn't account for all of the pre-existing medical issues in the United States (especially those related to obesity) that would have to be covered initially.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I've never met an average American in my vast communication with them, that would wants to support everyone else's Healthcare, when they are barely scraping by... It's just a cultural difference.

Anyone who doubts that the US has a major obesity problem needs to visit Disney World or Las Vegas. Man it's disgusting.

 

[wicker]

US health care racket won't benefit the patient until you get the drug companies out of the mix. Health care today is reduced to giving you a pill

 

[IrishInOntario]

Anyone who doubts that the US has a major obesity problem needs to visit Disney World or Las Vegas. Man it's disgusting.

And I don't want people to think for a second that I'm ripping on Americans. At 18%, Canada has wayyyy too many obese people too. I'm just making a statement of fact. I know sometimes people think you're talking down to them, but in this case I'm simply trying to present all the facts. I've had a ton of conversations over the years with American friends about how the two Healthcare systems differ... My educational background is in comparative politics between Canada and the United States so I've delved deep into this one over the years.

Neither system is perfect. Both have their strengths and weaknesses. Statistically, Canadians may be healthier and live longer, but there is an enormous financial burden, plus patience needed on behalf of people who want elective procedures and who need procedures that can wait. It's a need based medical system, vs a pay to play system... The major concern is that in the U.S. 1/3 of the people fall into the "need" category in terms of Healthcare, but a significant number of those people also can't afford to contribute a great deal (financially) to the system. It puts an enormous burden on the people who will, statistically, use the system the least, while paying into it the most.

 

[IrishInOntario]

US health care racket won't benefit the patient until you get the drug companies out of the mix. Health care today is reduced to giving you a pill

That is another legit point. Countries like Canada severely limit what those companies can charge you for drugs in order for them to be approved. Many Americans believe that approach (which isn't Capitalistic in nature) is blasphemous and limits the earning potential of those corporations, which makes it Anti-American... Again, it's a matter of perspective.

You can't have truly free markets and expect people not to get exploited, the same way you can't expect Americans to have millions of guns (especially the types available to Americans) and not expect people to get shot... That's not a judgment or a criticism, it's just a realistic observation.

 

[john0gaunt]

you will always have substantial gun related violence in your country

We have always had guns, but we haven't always had "substantial" gun violence. It may or may not be solvable.

Anyway, we completely disagree on the potential for improvement in the near future here and what is going to come. Not a problem at all. I look forward to more entertainment coming from DC as it seems to be coming something new every day.

Very exciting stuff. I Love it.

 

[Bodizephax]

We have always had guns, but we haven't always had "substantial" gun violence. It may or may not be solvable.

Anyway, we completely disagree on the potential for improvement in the near future here and what is going to come. Not a problem at all. I look forward to more entertainment coming from DC as it seems to be coming something new every day.

Very exciting stuff. I Love it.

We do have some substantial gun violence in places like Liberal Chicago which has the strongest gun control laws in the Nation. Safe places are where there are more guns owned by it's citizens.

 

[NIN Irish]

We have always had guns, but we haven't always had "substantial" gun violence. It may or may not be solvable.

Anyway, we completely disagree on the potential for improvement in the near future here and what is going to come. Not a problem at all. I look forward to more entertainment coming from DC as it seems to be coming something new every day.

Very exciting stuff. I Love it.

Or embarrassing, depending how one looks at it.

 

[wicker]

We do have some substantial gun violence in places like Liberal Chicago which has the strongest gun control laws in the Nation. Safe places are where there are more guns owned by it's citizens.

I'm going wager short odds that most shooting victims in Chicago were also packing

 

[IrishInOntario]

We do have some substantial gun violence in places like Liberal Chicago which has the strongest gun control laws in the Nation. Safe places are where there are more guns owned by it's citizens.

Statistically, that is actually true. But the safest, are the places in which very few people have any...

Not that I'm at all pushing that agenda. As a firm supporter of democracy, I support your Constitution wholeheartedly.

 

[IrishInOntario]

We have always had guns, but we haven't always had "substantial" gun violence. It may or may not be solvable.

Anyway, we completely disagree on the potential for improvement in the near future here and what is going to come. Not a problem at all. I look forward to more entertainment coming from DC as it seems to be coming something new every day.

Very exciting stuff. I Love it.

I find myself pretty enthralled by it as well, quite honestly. The world needs a shake up. I just hope it doesn't get out of hand.

I just appreciate that Trump calls the media out for their agenda, although I do think he's an arrogant prickly in the process hahaha... They ask loaded questions that are BS, but he's about as arrogant as they come. Telling people to sit down and be quiet today during his press conference was hilarious. Some of them are vultures and deserve what they get, but some of the questions were legit and he didn't even try to give a reasonable answer... I also wish he would stop using statistics that he then back tracks on and says "somebody else told me that". He media is going to dig deep into those numbers and crucify you with them when you're wrong... Why spout them out and then back track on national TV when they're clearly wrong? It's already happened a number of times.

Trust me, I understand that Donald is just learning how to be a politician, but he needs some serious work on not putting his foot in his mouth whenever possible hahaha

 

[IRISHJD98]

We do have some substantial gun violence in places like Liberal Chicago which has the strongest gun control laws in the Nation. Safe places are where there are more guns owned by it's citizens.

Bodi,

I very much like you and enjoy your posts. I had been trying to avoid further damaging our recruiting discussion mojo, but since you got drawn in I'm compelled to comment on something.

Its often repeated that Chicago has some of the strictest guns laws in the country. That used to be true. But nearly all of the tough Chicago laws have either been stricken down or repealed over the last 5 or so years. Licensed concealed carry is allowed like the rest of the state, Chicago repealed it gun registry, and its ban on gun shops within the city has been stricken down. Illinois, as a state, still has strong gun laws compared to other states. With the exception of assault weapons, I'm not sure Chicago is anything special anymore. And the sentences handed out in Chicago for gun law violations are substantially less than other major cities.

I live in a pretty nice and very popular Chicago neighborhood. Its a place that's safe enough that many, many pretty and drunken women are perfectly comfortable walking home alone in early morning hours following a fun night out on the town. Its one of the things that lured me here. When people think of gun violence in Chicago, I'm guessing they don't picture overwhelmingly white gentrified neighborhood.

Last year we had three fatal shootings within a walk I make daily from my home. They were gang-bangers from a neighboring hood. Just over a week ago, there was a shooting at a liquor store a block from my home. A clerk and a customer got in a dispute over the store's high prices and warm booze (which happens to be absolutely true). The clerk carries with a permit. He has no problem letting people know. In this instance, the aggrieved customer went out to his car, got his own gun, and fired a shot into the store. Rather than calling the cops, the clerk played Wyatt Erp, ran out the door, and got shot. Luckily, nobody other than the guys playing with guns got hurt.

But that's not always the case. Last year, again a block from my home, a young woman riding in a cab at 2:00 am was hit by a stray bullet (maybe she should have walked) from a nearby alley. And in the last week, the city has had three children under the age of 13 shot and killed by stray gun fire. One was a two year old toddler.

If grown macho men want to treat each other like jerks and play with guns, that's one thing. But I don't think that guns made any of these women and children safer. Congested urban areas don't leave much wiggle room for poorly aimed and highly powered hand guns.

My son is an active duty Marine. His guns makes me safer. I'm not gonna try to take them away, but I'm really not convinced my neighbor's guns keep me safe.

 

[BGI User 348]

All good.....Draining The Swamp is a messy job...BUT TRUMP will get it done!!!

IIO just turn to FOX News to get it right.

 

[Bodizephax]

Bodi,

I very much like you and enjoy your posts. I had been trying to avoid further damaging our recruiting discussion mojo, but since you got drawn in I'm compelled to comment on something.

Its often repeated that Chicago has some of the strictest guns laws in the country. That used to be true. But nearly all of the tough Chicago laws have either been stricken down or repealed over the last 5 or so years. Licensed concealed carry is allowed like the rest of the state, Chicago repealed it gun registry, and its ban on gun shops within the city has been stricken down. Illinois, as a state, still has strong gun laws compared to other states. With the exception of assault weapons, I'm not sure Chicago is anything special anymore. And the sentences handed out in Chicago for gun law violations are substantially less than other major cities.

I live in a pretty nice and very popular Chicago neighborhood. Its a place that's safe enough that many, many pretty and drunken women are perfectly comfortable walking home alone in early morning hours following a fun night out on the town. Its one of the things that lured me here. When people think of gun violence in Chicago, I'm guessing they don't picture overwhelmingly white gentrified neighborhood.

Last year we had three fatal shootings within a walk I make daily from my home. They were gang-bangers from a neighboring hood. Just over a week ago, there was a shooting at a liquor store a block from my home. A clerk and a customer got in a dispute over the store's high prices and warm booze (which happens to be absolutely true). The clerk carries with a permit. He has no problem letting people know. In this instance, the aggrieved customer went out to his car, got his own gun, and fired a shot into the store. Rather than calling the cops, the clerk played Wyatt Erp, ran out the door, and got shot. Luckily, nobody other than the guys playing with guns got hurt.

But that's not always the case. Last year, again a block from my home, a young woman riding in a cab at 2:00 am was hit by a stray bullet (maybe she should have walked) from a nearby alley. And in the last week, the city has had three children under the age of 13 shot and killed by stray gun fire. One was a two year old toddler.

If grown macho men want to treat each other like jerks and play with guns, that's one thing. But I don't think that guns made any of these women and children safer. Congested urban areas don't leave much wiggle room for poorly aimed and highly powered hand guns.

My son is an active duty Marine. His guns makes me safer. I'm not gonna try to take them away, but I'm really not convinced my neighbor's guns keep me safe.

Talking about guns is not talking about politics so bad mojo on recruiting averted.

Bodi,

I very much like you and enjoy your posts. I had been trying to avoid further damaging our recruiting discussion mojo, but since you got drawn in I'm compelled to comment on something.

Its often repeated that Chicago has some of the strictest guns laws in the country. That used to be true. But nearly all of the tough Chicago laws have either been stricken down or repealed over the last 5 or so years. Licensed concealed carry is allowed like the rest of the state, Chicago repealed it gun registry, and its ban on gun shops within the city has been stricken down. Illinois, as a state, still has strong gun laws compared to other states. With the exception of assault weapons, I'm not sure Chicago is anything special anymore. And the sentences handed out in Chicago for gun law violations are substantially less than other major cities.

I live in a pretty nice and very popular Chicago neighborhood. Its a place that's safe enough that many, many pretty and drunken women are perfectly comfortable walking home alone in early morning hours following a fun night out on the town. Its one of the things that lured me here. When people think of gun violence in Chicago, I'm guessing they don't picture overwhelmingly white gentrified neighborhood.

Last year we had three fatal shootings within a walk I make daily from my home. They were gang-bangers from a neighboring hood. Just over a week ago, there was a shooting at a liquor store a block from my home. A clerk and a customer got in a dispute over the store's high prices and warm booze (which happens to be absolutely true). The clerk carries with a permit. He has no problem letting people know. In this instance, the aggrieved customer went out to his car, got his own gun, and fired a shot into the store. Rather than calling the cops, the clerk played Wyatt Erp, ran out the door, and got shot. Luckily, nobody other than the guys playing with guns got hurt.

But that's not always the case. Last year, again a block from my home, a young woman riding in a cab at 2:00 am was hit by a stray bullet (maybe she should have walked) from a nearby alley. And in the last week, the city has had three children under the age of 13 shot and killed by stray gun fire. One was a two year old toddler.

If grown macho men want to treat each other like jerks and play with guns, that's one thing. But I don't think that guns made any of these women and children safer. Congested urban areas don't leave much wiggle room for poorly aimed and highly powered hand guns.

My son is an active duty Marine. His guns makes me safer. I'm not gonna try to take them away, but I'm really not convinced my neighbor's guns keep me safe.

I need my guns. I am not rich and I live in a bad neighborhood. It is a wild world.

 

[IRISHJD98]

Talking about guns is not talking about politics so bad mojo on recruiting averted.


I need my guns. I am not rich and I live in a bad neighborhood. It is a wild world.

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We need more people with guitars.

 

[IRISHJD98]

Preferably women.

 

[Bodizephax]

 

[IRISHJD98]

Speaking of the White House:

 

[wicker]

Blind, unabashed loyalty is a problem

 

[BGI User 1596]

Trump seems to have more orange skin pigmentation.....is that a chemical or just how he reacts in the sun?

 

[Maplerock]

but he also does not truly speak for the average American.

You're wrong. He speaks for the millions that don't run around whining all the time. Two percent this... 13% that.... it's time the tail stopped wagging the dog.

 

[Granite45]

You're wrong. He speaks for the millions that don't run around whining all the time. Two percent this... 13% that.... it's time the tail stopped wagging the dog.

Still not the average American.

 

[Bodizephax]

US health care racket won't benefit the patient until you get the drug companies out of the mix. Health care today is reduced to giving you a pill

 

[Zorich 88]

Never in a million years would I guess a candidate that was on tape saying he grabs women by their p---y, would just a few months later hold the highest office in the land. Never mind a candidate that still refuses to release his taxes. Only in America!!!

 

[Zorich 88]

Only in America you win the highest office in the land with less than 50% of the vote.

 

[IrishInOntario]

Only in America you win the highest office in the land with less than 50% of the vote.

Not true, like you guys, our system is broken as hell. We once has a Prime Minister in place with I belive t was 38% of the vote (three parties got a lot of votes).

 

[twalsh]

Only in America you win the highest office in the land with less than 50% of the vote.

It's not the first time a president got less than 50% of the votes.

 

[Zorich 88]

It's not the first time a president got less than 50% of the votes.

This Presidency is already a joke. Trump is further over his head than Kelly.

 

[Bodizephax]

This Presidency is already a joke. Trump is further over his head than Kelly.

Shut your pie hole Purse junior. Trump is awesome.

 

[topdecktiger]

Only in America you win the highest office in the land with less than 50% of the vote.

Bill Clinton did it twice.

 

[shabak]

The White House is led by a guy who has never held a major governmental office, whose chief of staff has never held a major governmental office.

Politics is a learned skill. The White House needs some player development, or an experienced graduate transfer.

Politics is why this country is screwed up. Politics is why I ran has a pathway to nuclear weapon. Politics is why jobs were lost in America we have a balance of trade deficit. I could go on and on, but this is a football site dealing with Notre Dame. Go Irish

 

[beachcardinal]

Boys,

What's happening in y'alls White House? A month in, and we have people getting fired and others resigning. I follow U.S. politics as avidly as most politically motivated Americans do. I was hoping for stability... Yikes.

I feel for Sean Spicer. That dude is earning his money!

You guys are funny. Let's see. A guy quit. There was supposed to be a 90 ban on five countries that was stayed by the courts.The pipeline has been restored. Border enforcement has been doubled. New rules are in place requiring an agency writing new regulation to consider the cost and to cancel two existing regs. There has been a federal hiring freeze.

Oh yeah, and Trump has been a big meanie to the press (Although he did not try to expel a news media from all press conferences as Obama tried with Fox, nor order a phone tap on a reporter as Obama did.) There has been nominated, a supremely qualified Supreme Court Justice who was approved 98-0 for the circuit court who may be too conservative for some. There have been announcements of new jobs and a new 7 billion dollar capital investment in Arizona. The market it at it highest level ever. There have been several demonstrations, some of them destructive.

Does any here even look at facts. Do you know the highest number of deportation in the history of the US was under Obama? Do you know for comparable periods they are down under Trump? (although to be fair, a rare thing these days, mush of that is probably due to the new administration starting up).

THIS has you guys in a tizzy? Man you must lead wonderful protected lives. I spent some time and Sri Lanka during its civil war and a lot of time in Asia. THIS is scary to you? Did a miss a war we are in?. Did I miss a depression? Might I suggest you grow up and look at the reality both good and bad and stop being mindless partisans. Not sure whether I should feel angst, sadness or just laugh.

 

[rgc7]

That is another legit point. Countries like Canada severely limit what those companies can charge you for drugs in order for them to be approved. Many Americans believe that approach (which isn't Capitalistic in nature) is blasphemous and limits the earning potential of those corporations, which makes it Anti-American... Again, it's a matter of perspective.

You can't have truly free markets and expect people not to get exploited, the same way you can't expect Americans to have millions of guns (especially the types available to Americans) and not expect people to get shot... That's not a judgment or a criticism, it's just a realistic observation.

Ontario,
I enjoyed reading your comments, and no matter what type of health care , there are certainly pros and cons.
When I lived and worked in Germany as a young man. Germany had what seemed like a perfect
system of Socialized Medicine. It seemed like a dream come true !
Medical, Dental, eye care, prescription Drgs, Vacations for Cures and rehabilitation, etc.
why did it work so well ? The older population was decimated in WWII , the German economy was growing
and the need for labor was large, The Young working people paying into the system greatly outnumbered
the relatively small older population.
Then the Wall came down, and a large influx of East Germans flooded the system, The guest
workers who came into Germany and the flood of immigrants needed all types of welfare. Taxes, Taxes, Taxes !
In short, All socialzed systems fail when they run out of " Other Peoples Money "
America can not afford a truely Socialized Medical System ! Too many people on Welfare, shortage of
jobs, too big a deficit, too many immigrants legal and illigal, etc!
Too many Doctors,in many case, are more business men than Medical Doctors. I was very fortunate
as a young man ( without any medical insurance during my first year of employment ) with a growing family to find two great Family Doctors, who delivered my children and treated my family concerned more about
the welfare of my family than their bottom line.
now, most doctors will not even take a patient without the "Right" type of insurance.
I don't know too many details about Canadian Insurance, but , " Correct me if I am Wrong " , but
waiting lists are long in Canada, and Many More well to do Canadians come to the USA to avoid waiting
in Canada.
I also go to mexico because of the unaffordable dental care here in the USA, and there are also
many Canadians doing the same thing.

 

[BGI User 1596]

The hilarious house: tin foil hats vs. the orange skin man

 

[greengael]

To answer the original question. "It's morning in America"!!!!