OK...What's Next?

[stillshimpy]

32 minutes ago, SpencerHawk said:

Yes it is. Here is a version of it.

Awesome.  I have a recruit for you:  

Answer to questions you will likely ask:   

1. Yes, that is my car 

2. The focus is so bad because I was using zoom from a distance of way-the-hell-away 

3. Yes, he looks as traumatized as I felt 

4. Yes, he's still alive, to the best of my knowledge as we just sort of raised the hood and fled the area for a good long while. 

5.  That peered out at me from around my windshield wiper blade area while I was sitting at a light and I got to drive home for ten minutes chanting, "You are not allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles and hour, you are NOT allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles per hour."  

6.  When I got home, I totally freaked out for at least ten minutes complete with the "ookie, that is ookie and icky, and yucky and..." dance of "I've discovered the fountain of youth, apparently it lies in freaked out disgust and will turn you into a nine-year-old.

7.    Yeah, yeah, back to politics.   Enough about our Rodent Fantasy Football league.  

Edited January 4, 2017 by stillshimpy

[MulletorHater]

1 hour ago, Duke Silver said:

These fuckers...I suppose the results of their own poll are fake, too?

I also noticed that Snopes is now on the fecal roster of some of Drumpf's supporters, who are all butt hurt and angry because Brietbart and other proven sources of fake news are being continually debunked.  Now, these same people want us to believe that Snopes is fake news, as well as NYT, The Washington Post, Newsweek and other publications.  And, here I thought we fell down the rabbit hole during the Bush/Cheney years.

Of course, the GOP has been coming for the CBO for years ever since that non-partisan organization exposed the GOP's B.S.  Countdown to when they come after this site begins in 10...9...8...7...

[SoSueMe]

2 minutes ago, stillshimpy said:

Awesome.  I have a recruit for you:  

Answer to questions you will likely ask:   

1. Yes, that is my car 

2. The focus is so bad because I was using zoom from a distance of way-the-hell-away 

3. Yes, he looks as traumatized as I felt 

4. Yes, he's still alive, to the best of my knowledge as we just sort of raised the hood and fled the area for a good long while. 

5.  That peered out at my from around my windshield blade while I was sitting at a light and I got to drive home for ten minutes chanting, "You are not allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles and hour, you are NOT allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles per hour."  

6.  When I got home, I totally freaked out for at least ten minutes complete with the "ookie, that is ookie and icky, and yucky and..." dance of "I've discovered the fountain of youth, apparently it lies in freaked out disgust and will turn you into a nine-year-old.

7.    Yeah, yeah, back to politics.   Enough about our Rodent Fantasy Football league.  

Okay, I've got to know. Can you give us some sort of size reference? Can of Pepsi, chihuahua, loaf of bread? I know I'll be sorry I asked.

[stillshimpy]

Quote

Okay, I've got to know. Can you give us some sort of size reference? Can of Pepsi, chihuahua, loaf of bread? I know I'll be sorry I asked.

Monster or redbull energy drink, I'd say.  Larger than a can of Pepsi, smaller than Yorkie, not a very prosperous rat judging by his lack of girth.   I think he must have crawled into my engine while I was parked near an office building, adjacent to a storage facility.  Only reason being, he can't have been in there long and he seemed just about as pleased with the situation as I was, as his fur is standing pretty much straight out from his body.     When we opened the hood, he just stood there and stared at us like that for a really long time which is not, I'm guessing, normal street-rat behavior.   This will remain a guess, as sweet lords of mercy, I would prefer to do no further research on that.  

Plus, I wish I had an emoji to convey how equally "WTF is even happening now?" the eye that met mine through the windshield seemed to be saying.  

Trump's America, people, even the rats are freaked the hell out.  

[Cupid Stunt]

The League of Women Voters is supporting a “Call-In Day” to Congress today to challenge Trump’s conflicts of interest.

Quote

The League is joining with allied organizations for a Hill Call-In Day urging Congress to address President-elect Trump’s unprecedented and unconstitutional conflicts of interest. The calls will support a forthcoming bill from Senator Elizabeth Warren that will require the President to divest ownership of businesses and disclose all business dealings in order to avoid severe unconstitutional conflicts of interest…

To participate, call the below numbers to connect with your two Senators and your one Representative between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm EST [today], Wednesday, when congressional offices are open. You will be automatically connected to your appropriate congressional offices based on the zip code you provide.

Senate – 1-866-985-2543
House – 1-866-948-8977

Script:
President-elect Trump has conflicts of interest that are unprecedented for an American president. He could violate the Constitution and the law on his first day in office because of prohibited payments to him from his foreign and domestic businesses. Every other President and cabinet official before him has acted to avoid these types of conflicts of interest.

Mr. Trump has not fully disclosed how he will resolve these dangerous conflicts. Americans have been given little more than vague pledges about transferring operations and nothing about transferring ownership. Bi-partisan ethics officials from Republican and Democratic administrations agree this is completely inadequate and does not resolve his dangerous conflicts.

Congress must act to protect the interests of the American people and the integrity of the presidency. President-elect Trump must resolve his conflicts of interest and Congress must require that he disclose his finances and divest his business conflicts.

House call: Ask your Representative to call for a congressional investigation to review Mr. Trump’s business dealings in order to identify and protect against conflicts of interest.

Senate calls: Ask your Senators to call for an investigation to review Mr. Trump’s financial arrangements. Urge Senators to support Senator Warren’s new bill that will require the President-elect to divest ownership and disclose all business dealings in order to avoid serious and unconstitutional conflicts of interest.

1 hour ago, stillshimpy said:

Trump's America, people, even the rats are freaked the hell out.  

Fellow travelers ... You dance with who brung ya'.

[stillshimpy]

By the way, that picture is from the beginning of November.  I just didn't ever think the story was appropriate for the Soft Kitty thread for reasons relating to...clearly psychic vermin trying to hitch to the nearest port of call "rats always know to get off a sinkin' ship" type of vibes didn't really seem the stuff of mind cuddles.  

[SpencerHawk]

3 hours ago, stillshimpy said:

Awesome.  I have a recruit for you:  

Answer to questions you will likely ask:   

1. Yes, that is my car 

2. The focus is so bad because I was using zoom from a distance of way-the-hell-away 

3. Yes, he looks as traumatized as I felt 

4. Yes, he's still alive, to the best of my knowledge as we just sort of raised the hood and fled the area for a good long while. 

5.  That peered out at me from around my windshield wiper blade area while I was sitting at a light and I got to drive home for ten minutes chanting, "You are not allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles and hour, you are NOT allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles per hour."  

6.  When I got home, I totally freaked out for at least ten minutes complete with the "ookie, that is ookie and icky, and yucky and..." dance of "I've discovered the fountain of youth, apparently it lies in freaked out disgust and will turn you into a nine-year-old.

7.    Yeah, yeah, back to politics.   Enough about our Rodent Fantasy Football league.  

He's adorable! Bet he's a lot smarter than Trump is. Looks like he has a good head on his shoulders.

[Moose135]

2 minutes ago, SpencerHawk said:

He's adorable! Bet he's a lot smarter than Trump is. Looks like he has a good head on his shoulders.

And better hair on his head, too!

[BookWoman56]

I'm fortunate enough to have good health insurance through my employer, so the imminent repeal of the ACA will not have any immediate effect on me, although undoubtedly premiums will rise. I currently pay roughly $120 every 2 weeks for my health insurance, which covers all the normal stuff and has a deductible of $2600 (my company automatically throws $1000 annually into a health account and will throw in another $800 if you take certain health education online courses, get a biometric screening, etc., to help with the deductible). I am extremely grateful for that coverage because it allowed me last year to have eye surgery when my vision had gotten so bad I could no longer legally drive. However, there have been several times in my career when I have worked as a contractor, meaning  my actual employer was a staffing agency but I worked onsite at another company. Some of the staffing agencies did not offer any sort of health insurance plan. (Many offer no benefits whatsoever.) About 10 years ago I was working for one that did offer health insurance, but it was fully employee-paid. I was paying over $600 a month for a plan that covered nothing in the way of office visits, prescriptions, etc., and would cover only major medical expenses (hospitalization) after something like a $10,000 deductible. That kind of craziness is what happens when there is no affordable care.

I have no doubt that the repeal of ACA will take place, followed by the gutting of SS, Medicare, etc. I wish I didn't believe this, but at this point I am firmly convinced that it's not going to be until enough people are homeless/starving/dying from treatable illnesses that the public in general will revolt against the Republican agenda. As long as Joe Blow who voted for Trump/Republican Congress thinks that only "undeserving" people will have their benefits cut, nothing will change. But once people lose their own benefits, or their elderly/sick parents have to move in with them because they can no longer afford housing/medical costs, then there will be a public outcry.

My only problem with Obamacare is that it didn't go far enough toward universal healthcare. I will never understand the mentality that thinks it's fine to use taxpayers' money to build a gazillion weapons that we rarely use and many that even the military says we don't need, but all hell breaks loose if you want to use taxes to pay for universal healthcare, which is something that could be used by everybody.

[Duke Silver]

[SpencerHawk]

1 hour ago, BookWoman56 said:

I'm fortunate enough to have good health insurance through my employer, so the imminent repeal of the ACA will not have any immediate effect on me, although undoubtedly premiums will rise. I currently pay roughly $120 every 2 weeks for my health insurance, which covers all the normal stuff and has a deductible of $2600 (my company automatically throws $1000 annually into a health account and will throw in another $800 if you take certain health education online courses, get a biometric screening, etc., to help with the deductible). I am extremely grateful for that coverage because it allowed me last year to have eye surgery when my vision had gotten so bad I could no longer legally drive. However, there have been several times in my career when I have worked as a contractor, meaning  my actual employer was a staffing agency but I worked onsite at another company. Some of the staffing agencies did not offer any sort of health insurance plan. (Many offer no benefits whatsoever.) About 10 years ago I was working for one that did offer health insurance, but it was fully employee-paid. I was paying over $600 a month for a plan that covered nothing in the way of office visits, prescriptions, etc., and would cover only major medical expenses (hospitalization) after something like a $10,000 deductible. That kind of craziness is what happens when there is no affordable care.

I have no doubt that the repeal of ACA will take place, followed by the gutting of SS, Medicare, etc. I wish I didn't believe this, but at this point I am firmly convinced that it's not going to be until enough people are homeless/starving/dying from treatable illnesses that the public in general will revolt against the Republican agenda. As long as Joe Blow who voted for Drumpf/Republican Congress thinks that only "undeserving" people will have their benefits cut, nothing will change. But once people lose their own benefits, or their elderly/sick parents have to move in with them because they can no longer afford housing/medical costs, then there will be a public outcry.

My only problem with Obamacare is that it didn't go far enough toward universal healthcare. I will never understand the mentality that thinks it's fine to use taxpayers' money to build a gazillion weapons that we rarely use and many that even the military says we don't need, but all hell breaks loose if you want to use taxes to pay for universal healthcare, which is something that could be used by everybody.

^ That. But that's all thanks to the corporations and Big Pharma. They didn't want Obamacare and they didn't want (socialist (evol)) universal healthcare. They're in it for the money.

Edited January 5, 2017 by SpencerHawk

[candall]

10 hours ago, stillshimpy said:

I really kind of resent having to fact-check the shit out of everything and I sincerely hate that too often that entire exercise turns into a snake eating itself because hardly anything matches up anywhere.

I recently had to take my dog to a vet I didn't know for emergency treament and (later) I noticed this comment, typed up and officially entered in the file notes: "Owner seems to question everything I say???"

Yep.  Don't care.  Blessed are the questioners.

Edited January 5, 2017 by candall

[Grommet]

6 hours ago, fishcakes said:

One idiot in the comments attributed it to the "liberal conspiracy" that is statistics:

To which my new secret online significant other replied thusly:

Statistics is a liberal conspiracy... I'm dying lmao. Other liberal conspiracies: math, the alphabet, engineering, and colors

Colors...made me laugh out loud. I'm venturing out of my bubble and I'm glad to see you're all still here,  being angry and witty. I opted for denial (enabled by a 30 day free trial of HBO) but I have to start getting ready for the march on the 21st.

Off topic, I still say "blah blah blah fishcakes." No one gets it but I don't care.

[fastiller]

@Grommet - I also get funny looks for "blah blah blah fishcakes."  And: my predictive text offered it up as I just typed that last sentence!

[possibilities]

10 hours ago, galaxygirl76 said:

I have been wondering about him making an enemy out of the US intelligence agencies. I can't see that being a smart move at all because they will know more about him than he even can begin to comprehend and all they really have to do is 'accidentally' leak some very incriminating information to a source that hates him(like the WaPo) 

This kind of thing is why I think he's genuinely crazy and not just manipulating the public with some kind of evil but well-thought out strategy in mind. The man is making enemies in a way that could bring him down a lot faster than anything the Dems could ever do, and there's nothing his base will be able to do to save him.

[izabella]

2 hours ago, BookWoman56 said:

My only problem with Obamacare is that it didn't go far enough toward universal healthcare. I will never understand the mentality that thinks it's fine to use taxpayers' money to build a gazillion weapons that we rarely use and many that even the military says we don't need, but all hell breaks loose if you want to use taxes to pay for universal healthcare, which is something that could be used by everybody.

Congress sure does have nice health coverage plans for themselves.  Maybe if they had to use the coverage available to their constituents, they'd understand the problem better.  Like, if a Senator or Representative votes to repeal the ACA, they have to give up their own insurance coverage, too.

[Ocean Chick]

7 hours ago, stillshimpy said:

Awesome.  I have a recruit for you:  

Answer to questions you will likely ask:   

1. Yes, that is my car 

2. The focus is so bad because I was using zoom from a distance of way-the-hell-away 

3. Yes, he looks as traumatized as I felt 

4. Yes, he's still alive, to the best of my knowledge as we just sort of raised the hood and fled the area for a good long while. 

5.  That peered out at me from around my windshield wiper blade area while I was sitting at a light and I got to drive home for ten minutes chanting, "You are not allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles and hour, you are NOT allowed to freak the hell out at 45 miles per hour."  

6.  When I got home, I totally freaked out for at least ten minutes complete with the "ookie, that is ookie and icky, and yucky and..." dance of "I've discovered the fountain of youth, apparently it lies in freaked out disgust and will turn you into a nine-year-old.

7.    Yeah, yeah, back to politics.   Enough about our Rodent Fantasy Football league.  

I have to say, Shimpy, that that rat looks smarter, saner and better looking than our Putrid Peach Pimple Elect.  Thanks for posting the pic.

[stillshimpy]

He also has the good sense to look scared in an overwhelming situation, so he has humility too.  Pretty much, we missed out when we missed out on Rat/Cheese 2016 representing the GOP.  

[random chance]

1 hour ago, possibilities said:

This kind of thing is why I think he's genuinely crazy and not just manipulating the public with some kind of evil but well-thought out strategy in mind.

Yes, I think he's genuinely nuts - it's not nine dimensional chess or what the hell ever. He manipulated the public by telling them what they wanted to hear - it didn't take any kind of genius to devise that strategy, three year olds have figured that one out.

[Padma]

But he told them what they wanted to hear, at the same time he made them think he wasn't a typical politician who was telling them what they wanted to hear!

How'd he do that?

[Lantern7]

If you need a half-hour away from garbage people, then I suggest checking out fictional garbage people. It's Always Sunny In Philadelphia went for midseason form in the season opener. It's musical! And edgy! And there's a guy from a late Eighties/early Nineties sci-fi series! Okay, there's a reference to the incoming president, but I'm guessing there was a line about Hillary that got cut.

[candall]

LOL.  The constant insanity of the political situation means a freaked out rat stowing away in a poster's vehicle and peeking out at her while she's zooming along is only about the fourth weirdest thing we've heard today, and everyone starts drawing comparisons between the rat and the new Prez.  Mm-hmm, that seems about right--oh look, the little guy has nice hair and it's styled so appropriately, too.

I think The Resistance is coming along nicely.

[Lantern7]

Almost forgot . . . I think Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key will be showing up tomorrow night on The Daily Show as President Obama and Luther, his anger translator. Always funny. Just thought y'all should know.

ETA: In case you haven't seen it, here's the first sketch from Comedy Central:

[random chance]

9 hours ago, Padma said:

But he told them what they wanted to hear, at the same time he made them think he wasn't a typical politician who was telling them what they wanted to hear!

How'd he do that?

He was never elected to anything - like most of them - so he could say he wasn't a "typical politician," which I guess was true. And he claimed he funded his own campaign so he didn't owe anyone anything, which was a lie, but I guess people believed it because he's supposedly rich.

[stillshimpy]

Quote

My only problem with Obamacare is that it didn't go far enough toward universal healthcare. I will never understand the mentality that thinks it's fine to use taxpayers' money to build a gazillion weapons that we rarely use and many that even the military says we don't need, but all hell breaks loose if you want to use taxes to pay for universal healthcare, which is something that could be used by everybody.

 

 

I keep hoping that this "We're keeping our word, repeal the ACA!  But first...a poll...." thing is actually the GOP searching for a way out of this because for people who are sick right now or have pre-existing conditions that are disqualifiers under the archaic, draconian system, it feels tantamount to lining them up for a firing squad because without a word of exaggeration, some people will die without treatment.   They actually have to be aware of this.  Maybe it's the last shred of my idealism that has yet to die, that has me still hoping that they won't actually vote to do something that could kill people, or make them sicker or any number of terrible fates.   

I know I'm wrong.  I've watched the GOP try to do as bad and worse. A particular moment of shame on the GOP was trying to dictate what people on food assistance programs were allowed to buy like they were on some sort privation diet as a punishment.  Treating people who need help, like they've done something wrong and need to be put in food prison.   

This is very specifically why I am on such high alert.   I know I'm bouncing off the walls in here and unspooling with weird humor and all sorts of things, and I do apologize for that.  I know it's got to be incredibly obvious that I am freaking out over here.  I've done everything I can, made every call, logged my opinion through every official channel that I can but I'm like this because I can't figure out anything else to do.   

It's just hardwired into people -- or I thought it was -- to try and protect others when they aren't able to do that themselves.  Sick people, the GOP is fucking menacing sick people and I'm losing my bird over here because I'm super solution-oriented and now, all I can do is hope that these people, who have given me no reason to believe they have a conscience, will suddenly manifest one.   The majority of voters for all sides do not want the ACA repealed.  This is against the will of the people, even if some of them are so damned daft they voted to repeal "Obamacare!"  without understanding it was the same as the ACA or by telling themselves "they won't really do that because ....who would?"   

You will all be relieved to know, that the holiday break I took from volunteering, after I'd filled in for two other people, for two months prior to the holidays, will be over tomorrow afternoon and at least I'll be able to feel like I'm doing something to try and help.   The break seemed like a good idea at the time, when I booked it, not realizing that it would coincide with "Oh, look, the GOP is terrorizing people who are sick and should only be worried about getting healthy, and bullying other people who now have to be frightened about what will happen to them if they get sick!"  period in history.   
 

Yup, I need to go mainline chamomile or something because I thought, "I should look at this morning's news now, maybe something good will have happened"....and that was something of a vain hope.   

Edited January 5, 2017 by stillshimpy

[Ocean Chick]

27 minutes ago, stillshimpy said:

I keep hoping that this "We're keeping our word, repeal the ACA!  But first...a poll...." thing is actually the GOP searching for a way out of this because for people who are sick right now or have pre-existing conditions that are disqualifiers under the archaic, draconian system, it feels tantamount to lining them up for a firing squad because without a word of exaggeration, some people will die without treatment.   They actually have to be aware of this.  Maybe it's the last shred of my idealism that has yet to die, that has me still hoping that they won't actually vote to do something that could kill people, or make them sicker or any number of terrible fates.   

The Repubs are mostly built along the lines of Ebenezer Scrooge before his conversion.  "If the poor are like to die, then they'd best be quick about it and reduce the surplus population".  What does Mike Pence care about some anonymous kid dying of treatable cancer - someone not related to him or known by him?  He probably just thinks that if that kid's parents would get off their fat butts and work hard enough, they'd have a job with insurance and the kid would live.  What does Paul Ryan care about your grandmother needing dialysis?  If you were a proper granddaughter or grandson, you'd happily go broke to pay for it yourself.  And people like Steve Bannon are hoping that if we can deny healthcare to enough "others", that America will become fully "white" by attrition.

Look not to the GOP for help.  Money trumps morals in that group, by and large.

[DollEyes]

Here are some alternatives for the Inauguration, courtesy of New York Times columnist Charles Blow:

The Anti-Inauguration

[SonofaBiscuit]

Question: How will repealing the ACA make insurance more affordable?  Won't many of the healthy people just drop their insurance (since they will no longer be fined for not having health coverage), leaving mostly sick people insured?  With millions of people no longer insured, and a large pool of sick people who ARE still insured, won't health insurance premiums everywhere increase?  

Also, I know that Republicans SAY that they want to keep the more popular parts of the ACA (pre-existing conditions allowed, children can stay on the plan until they're 26), but is that even possible?  A while back, I saw this tweet from Eichenwald:

Has anyone seen more information on what Eichenwald stated here?  Republicans keep claiming that they'll keep the parts of the ACA that people like, but I'm curious to know if that's even possible.  

By the way, I don't believe that the ACA is as disliked as Republicans choose to believe it is.  First of all, there are probably people who don't even realize that the ACA and Obamacare are the same thing.  "I get MY insurance through the Affordable Care Act.  Down with Obamacare!"  Second, we've all seen the stories covering people who rely on Obamacare but voted for Trump anyways.  If Republicans are betting on the fact that people who voted for Trump did so in part because they wanted the health care law repealed, they might be in for a big surprise.  It seems to me that maybe people voted for Trump even though the ACA is vitally important to them, and they will be in a real bind if it disappears. 

[candall]

1 hour ago, stillshimpy said:

I know I'm bouncing off the walls in here and unspooling with weird humor and all sorts of things, and I do apologize for that.

It's cool, Shimpy, we're all on an emotional rollercoaster, I think.  Some days I'm freaking and some days I'm all Rawrrrr!  I keep reminding myself about the kindness of someone responding to my breakdown post with:  "Of course you feel that way, who wouldn't?  We're saving your seat on the Resistance bus 'til you feel better."  There's definitely a seat marked StillShimpy, too.

I'm really hoping and depending on this group to stick together for the duration.

[Meanwhile, GOOD JOB keeping that car on the road when the little furry dude popped out of the windshield wiper well.  I park my car in a barn and I have tried to mentally prepare myself that I Must Maintain Control Of The Vehicle if a mouse ever darts up my pants leg.]

*******************

Rachel Maddow had such an interesting guest last night.  He and his many congressional staffer colleagues have prepared the "Indivisible" guide to resisting DT's agenda, starting at the grass roots level.  The staffers have experience with what's effective and what isn't. 

One part that was ironic and fun-ish is that they started the "Indivisible" project by scrutinizing the Tea Party and how that juggernaut started out being just a few people who were hell-bent on expressing their objection to the very popular Obama.  And just look at 'em now.  : (

www.indivisibleguide.com

[sistermagpie]

12 minutes ago, SonofaBiscuit said:

Has anyone seen more information on what Eichenwald stated here?  Republicans keep claiming that they'll keep the parts of the ACA that people like, but I'm curious to know if that's even possible.  

 

I think it's generally understood that no, it's totally not possible. 

[Chicken Wing]

Quote

By the way, I don't believe that the ACA is as disliked as Republicans choose to believe it is.  First of all, there are probably people who don't even realize that the ACA and Obamacare are the same thing.  "I get MY insurance through the Affordable Care Act.  Down with Obamacare!"  Second, we've all seen the stories covering people who rely on Obamacare but voted for Trump anyways.  If Republicans are betting on the fact that people who voted for Trump did so in part because they wanted the health care law repealed, they might be in for a big surprise.  It seems to me that maybe people voted for Trump even though the ACA is vitally important to them, and they will be in a real bind if it disappears. 

I have seen and read far too many anecdotes proving both of your points here.

And you are likely correct that the GOP is overstating how disliked the ACA actually is. There was a poll a few weeks ago showing that only 26% of all Americans actually want the ACA repealed; about half want it to stay as it is or expand what it does. And, actually, the percentage of Republicans who would like to see it repealed dropped significantly from before the election to after -- 69% to 52%.

Do any of these people in Congress ever stop to consider what the people -- you know, those pesky things that they're supposed to work for -- actually want? Obamacare is a failure, Obamacare is terrible, everyone hates it, blah blah. A lot of people do hate it, yes, but they don't necessarily speak for everyone just because they complain the loudest.

[stillshimpy]

Quote

Some days I'm freaking and some days I'm all Rawrrrr!  I keep reminding myself about the kindness of someone responding to my breakdown post with:  "Of course you feel that way, who wouldn't?  We're saving your seat on the Resistance bus 'til you feel better."  There's definitely a seat marked StillShimpy, too.

 

 

 

 

Thank you, candall, I sincerely appreciate that.  

Quote

 

And you are likely correct that the GOP is overstating how disliked the ACA actually is. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is one other hope: Since it has become abundantly clear, that people don't even understand what "Repeal Obamacare Immediately" entails and have convinced themselves that they'll get to keep the parts that benefits them (and fuck everyone else, as is the party mantra) there is one thing that might make them hesitate.   Since repealing it immediately without a plan in place would actually fuck people over -- many people who don't apparently understand that they voted giddily for something that will actually hurt them -- they may be willing to come to some sort of interim compromise with the Dems.   

The only reasons they'd have an interest in doing that is that it stops being possible to blame Obama for any resulting damage and the shit would stain their party this time.   So self-interest might stop them.  

The democrats have an actual interest in helping human beings, so that might help too.  

These are all hypotheticals.  It is just really unlikely that they'll rip to shreds something that their voters actually are depending on, even if many don't understand the ways in which they do, they sure as shit will when it's gone.   And these are the happy folks who really like guns so.....?  

So there's a possibility that they'll all go to the table and emerge with something.    Even Trump gets that maybe it's not a good idea to start a presidency with a giant disaster that will have people, heavily armed people, screaming in their direction for a change.  

Edited January 5, 2017 by stillshimpy

[Lantern7]

1 hour ago, DollEyes said:

Here are some alternatives for the Inauguration, courtesy of New York Times columnist Charles Blow:

The Anti-Inauguration

I thought there would be an actual party. Minimum, it would have to feature Pink (or "P!nk") and Twisted Sister.

Read on Facebook that the Cheeto-In-Chief called Charles Schumer "head clown" in a tweet. Needless to say, I'm a little pissed off.

[izabella]

17 minutes ago, stillshimpy said:

Thank you, candall, I sincerely appreciate that.  

There is one other hope: Since it has become abundantly clear, that people don't even understand what "Repeal Obamacare Immediately" entails and have convinced themselves that they'll get to keep the parts that benefits them (and fuck everyone else, as is the party mantra) there is one thing that might make them hesitate.   Since repealing it immediately without a plan in place would actually fuck people over -- many people who don't apparently understand that they voted giddily for something that will actually hurt them -- they may be willing to come to some sort of interim compromise with the Dems.   

The only reasons they'd have an interest in doing that is that it stops being possible to blame Obama for any resulting damage and the shit would stain their party this time.   So self-interest might stop them.  

The democrats have an actual interest in helping human beings, so that might help too.  

These are all hypotheticals.  It is just really unlikely that they'll rip to shreds something that their voters actually are depending on, even if many don't understand the ways in which they do, they sure as shit will when it's gone.   And these are the happy folks who really like guns so.....?  

So there's a possibility that they'll all go to the table and emerge with something.    Even Trump gets that maybe it's not a good idea to start a presidency with a giant disaster that will have people, heavily armed people, screaming in their direction for a change.  

I'm still trying to understand how the Republicans can possibly reconcile 1) repealing Obamacare (privatized health insurance using government credits (funded by taxpayer money) because they hate it and 2) deliberately turning Medicaid and Medicare INTO Obamacare (would become privatized health insurance using government vouchers (funded by taxpayer money). 

Yet, that is #1 on Ryan's agenda.  Repeal one and institute the other because one is SO SO VERY BAD while saying the exact same system would be SO SO VERY GOOD for Medicare and Medicaid. 

I guess they think the public is ALL STUPID, ALL of the TIME and can be fooled all of the time.

[Padma]

32 minutes ago, Lantern7 said:

Read on Facebook that the Cheeto-In-Chief called Charles Schumer "head clown" in a tweet. Needless to say, I'm a little pissed off.

I wasn't happy with Schumer's response to it to,  "stop clowning around."  Because....please don't normalize or minimize this man's idiocy. Even a mild rebuke like, "That's disappointing language from someone who will be president of the United States in 15 days" would be better than treating it like good-natured joshing around among pals.

Re: ACA.  Ironic, isn't it, that the big attack on Obama was because he promised they could keep their own doctors and ... OMG! It was a LIE! 

Now, the GOP is picking and choosing the things people like in the ACA and saying, "You'll still have that. But it's going to be better and cheaper!"  PEOTUS is a big one who said/says this.  They believe him, but it's impossible to deliver.  (Also, of course, they have these promises but absolutely no plan at all.)

Isn't that a much bigger lie than "Keep your own doctor" was, the one they've been milking for 6 years?

Republicans are well positioned to be the critics of the administration. I don't see any indication that they're prepared to govern wisely for a majority of Americans.

[ruby24]

If there was any common sense in these idiots they could easily take credit for improving the ACA, which was an old Republican plan to begin with. But of course it's not about that, it's about insulting Obama. Fuck the 30 million people who are going to get thrown off their health insurance and the people who will literally DIE because of this.

These people are so fucking cruel. They don't care about anyone.

[sistermagpie]

4 minutes ago, ruby24 said:

If there was any common sense in these idiots they could easily take credit for improving the ACA, which was an old Republican plan to begin with. But of course it's not about that, it's about insulting Obama. Fuck the 30 million people who are going to get thrown off their health insurance and the people who will literally DIE because of this.

 

Some of them seem like they really might be ideologues who are offended or fear taking care of people this way. Like maybe after all these years of getting people to see Obamacare as giving free monthly elective surgery to illegal immigrants and welfare queens they really believe it. Or at least fear admitting they don't.

[Hanahope]

1 hour ago, izabella said:

I'm still trying to understand how the Republicans can possibly reconcile 1) repealing Obamacare (privatized health insurance using government credits (funded by taxpayer money) because they hate it and 2) deliberately turning Medicaid and Medicare INTO Obamacare (would become privatized health insurance using government vouchers (funded by taxpayer money). 

Because essentially they are taking Medicare/Medicaid down a peg, where you have to actively purchase it, rather than it being automatic, and if you forget or for whatever other reason, don't use your voucher, then too bad, you have no coverage and the government saves that voucher money, and too bad for the hospital that ends up doing the minimum care to 'stabilize' you as required (without getting reimbursed by anyone, unless they can harrass a relative to pay) before they dump your ass at the curbside.

Then eventually, they'll try to do the same to Medicare/Medicaid as they did to Obamacare, scut it altogether.  Pay for your own insurance suckers or do without.  Really, health care isn't a right according to them.

[SpencerHawk]

Came across a fitting Chinese fortune from a fortune cookie today: Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Gave me a bit of the chills after reading it.

Guess that's what we all have to do from now on.

3 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

I thought there would be an actual party. Minimum, it would have to feature Pink (or "P!nk") and Twisted Sister.

Read on Facebook that the Cheeto-In-Chief called Charles Schumer "head clown" in a tweet. Needless to say, I'm a little pissed off.

Damn. Wouldn't Cheeto-In-Chief be the real head clown there? Charles Schumer has his head in the game.

[Duke Silver]

FFS.  GOP really, truly only cares about the deficit when Dems are in charge.  And what happened to "ObamaCare blew up the deficit!!!" argument by GOP?  repeal should mean reduction in deficit, right?  RIGHT??

https://twitter.com/keithellison/status/816967979757932544

[ruby24]

Well, Rand Paul is apparently against repeal due to the fact that it would blow up the deficit.

We need like, three Republican senators to be against repeal in order to block it through the budget process. Maybe that can happen. Susan Collins could be one, Murkowski maybe. There may be some who don't want to get rid of the Medicaid expansion.

If we can just get it out of the budget process then repeal can't pass without Democratic votes.

[Duke Silver]

^^ My post & tweet aren't really addressing all of that, which is not to say your point is incorrect.

--------------------

Kander is a the Dem Sec State in Missouri; can't submit posts w/ embedded tweets, but I think most will find clicking the tweet link & watching the video worthwhile.

https://twitter.com/JasonKander/status/817045851033845760

[jhlipton]

On 1/4/2017 at 10:43 AM, galaxygirl76 said:

All they really have to do is 'accidentally' leak some very incriminating information to a source that hates him(like the WaPo) 

1) If it's from the WaPo or NYT, the rubes won't believe it

2) They DON'T CARE!  Trump has insulted POWs and admitted to sexual assault and like any victim of domestic violence, they excuse his behavior and beg for more.

4 hours ago, izabella said:

I guess they think the public is ALL STUPID, ALL of the TIME and can be fooled all of the time.

They're not wrong.  See above.

[EyewatchTV211]

Yikes 

[Lantern7]

Wait . . . their pay doesn't get cut by $1, but to $1??? Seriously, how are people not getting dragged out of rooms and beaten on a regular basis?

[Treehugger]

2 hours ago, VMepicgrl said:

Yikes 

I spent today making calls to senators about the need to investigate Russian influence into our elections and calling representatives about the ethics investigation debacle.  In the morning I'll start a round of calls about the Holman Rule.  

I started a separate Facebook page so that I could track the Facebook sites of numerous senators and representatives in order to keep up with what is happening but PTV is keeping me better informed than the official news sources.  More resistance in the morning.  Time to start a strong pot of coffee!

[shok]

12 hours ago, SonofaBiscuit said:

Question: How will repealing the ACA make insurance more affordable?  Won't many of the healthy people just drop their insurance (since they will no longer be fined for not having health coverage), leaving mostly sick people insured?  With millions of people no longer insured, and a large pool of sick people who ARE still insured, won't health insurance premiums everywhere increase?  

By the way, I don't believe that the ACA is as disliked as Republicans choose to believe it is.  First of all, there are probably people who don't even realize that the ACA and Obamacare are the same thing.  "I get MY insurance through the Affordable Care Act.  Down with Obamacare!"  Second, we've all seen the stories covering people who rely on Obamacare but voted for Trump anyways.  If Republicans are betting on the fact that people who voted for Trump did so in part because they wanted the health care law repealed, they might be in for a big surprise.  It seems to me that maybe people voted for Trump even though the ACA is vitally important to them, and they will be in a real bind if it disappears. 

What most people don't realize is that even if they're not on one of the exchanges, if they're getting their insurance through employer supplied plans, THEY'RE ON OBAMACARE! The various changes and rules in the Obamacare law applied to ALL insurance policies regardless of who or how it's paid for. Companies had to upgrade their plans to comply with the pre-existing condition clause, the kids up to 26 clause, the no lifetime cap clause, the no cost birth control clause, the preventative medical checkups clause, etc etc.

If the Republicans manage to repeal Obamacare, it's not going to just affect those 30 some million people who finally got insurance for the first time, it's going to affect EVERYONE who has insurance.

I really blame the media for this whole mess. They had a responsibility to explain to people what was involved in this new law but instead all they covered was the more exciting backlash protests and townhalls and fights. I saw a guy being interviewed today who had worked at HHS when the law was being created and enacted and the interviewer made the usual claim that it was the Democrat's fault for not explaining the bill better and he noted that the government spent over $1 billion on an ad campaign trying to get the information out but it was drowned out by the media's constant coverage of the Tea Party marches and the near riots at town hall meetings held by Republican congresspeople which had all been drummed up by a coordinated right wing action plan funded by the Koch Bros and other RWNJs, and of course the problems the Dems had for a couple of weeks trying to get the computer program up and running. I'm not saying the Dems are blameless. They are too often naive about the ferocity and lies the Republicans will resort to and they fail to come up with equally tough and loud and media flooding to counteract the Repugs and they certainly were out manoeuvred on Obamacare, but a responsible media would have fulfilled their duty to inform the public instead of chasing the brightest shiniest Squirrels!

[Chicken Wing]

A new poll from Kaiser Health released today says that 47% of Americans do not want lawmakers to vote for repealing Obamacare, and another 28% say the vote should wait until after a replacement has been announced. Seventy-five percent of the country disagrees with what Congress is doing right now. When are these bozos on the hill going to realize that being in control of Washington (holding the majority in both chambers and the White House) does not constitute a mandate to do whatever you want? Just because "the people" voted you in doesn't mean they actually agree with what you want to do; many of them voted for you purely on principle but actually hope you don't do what you said you'd do. But Congress doesn't care about any of that. They've been given a book of blank checks and they're going to see how many $1,000,000.01 checks they can get away with before someone takes it away.

[candall]

What the fuck?!  The Senate has declared there will be ONE DAY allotted for the confirmation of Lifelong Professional Racist Jeff Sessions for US Attorney General, and furthermore, Dems will be limited to four witnesses.  (It took three solid days to hear all the boatloads of damning testimony when he was rejected for the position of Federal Judge.)

Then on Day TWO, they plan to finish up with Sessions, if necessary, AND zip through five more confirmations in record time, including Comrade Secretary of State Tillerson--REALLY?!?! AN HOUR?!?!--Secretary of Voucher Education Davos, Secretaries of Homeland Security, Transportation (aka Mrs. Mitch McConnell) and CIA Director.  Do they have a backup rubber stamp in case the first one wears out?  What's even the POINT of holding these sham "hearings"???

And just in case anyone in the media might feel compelled to do a little story about any of this totally transparent fuckery, DT alleges he's going to hold a press conference on that same day, so the media will all be like poorly trained hounds distracted by the fake scent trail of whatever nonsense he spews, or else talking about Another Press Conference That Wasn't, take your pick.

I am so disgusted with these people, I could spit.

************************

 

Did anyone see Joy Reid force the Republican Congressman from Alabama (who sits on the Foreign Affairs and House Armed Services Committees!) to say five separate times that he just really couldn't say whether he believed US Intelligence was any more credible than Julian Assange?

As depressing as it was to see the rank horseshit muck now in charge of our country, it was wonderful to finally have a journalist repeat the question, repeat the question, repeat the question, repeat the question, repeat the question until the absurdity of the pussyfooted toady non-response is ringing in your ears.

Edited January 6, 2017 by candall

[Shannon L.]

These may be stupid questions, but I've never done any phone calling or writing to representatives before:

1. I live in California:  We have Feinstien and Harris as Senators and my local representatives are democrats.  Would flooding them with phone calls be like preaching to the choir?  Should I wait and see if they say anything about compromising on an issue that I'm against?

2. Do representatives outside my district (but still in CA) care about my phone calls since I'm not one of their constituents?  Or should I call them, too?  (or do they not ask you where you live?)

On 1/4/2017 at 11:55 AM, stillshimpy said:

6.  When I got home, I totally freaked out for at least ten minutes complete with the "ookie, that is ookie and icky, and yucky and..." dance of "I've discovered the fountain of youth, apparently it lies in freaked out disgust and will turn you into a nine-year-old.

Ah, yes.....I discovered that a few years ago when I uncovered the barbecue for our first grilled meal after a long winter only to see a rat staring back at me.  I don't blame him--it was a nice home--sheltered from wind and rain, little bits of food, lots of room....In all honesty, he was looking at me with curiosity and I feel a little bad about scaring the hell out of him, but maybe if he'd asked first  :)