It’s a good day. And it’s all thanks to those who protested in the streets, who showed up at Town Hall meetings, who called or wrote their elected representatives, who did anything else they could think of to fight repeal. If you were part of the Resistance, and I know a lot of you were, give yourself a big hand. You did it. We did it.
Without the ACA, there’s no way I could get insurance. There’s no way millions of Americans could get insurance. What a fucking relief this is. What a weight off all of our shoulders.
The fact that this is a massive defeat for Trump and Ryan and the Republicans generally is just icing on the cake.
Consider this an open thread. No Trump fans.
The fallout begins. Laugh? I nearly rofl’d. Schadenfreude is the very sweetest of pleasures.
https://www.axios.com/inside-the-trumpcare-meltdown-2329417172.html
@MJJ
Just wanted to let you know, you really sound like a jackass. Thought I’d give you a heads-up just in case that wasn’t your intention. Poor phrasing affects us all at some point, so you never know.
@MJJ
Activism on top of worrying poll numbers (people like Obamacare when you’re about to take it away) and general anti Trump sentiment would likely influence everyone, I think. Some would calculate it’s still worth voting for, but they only needed 22 to break ranks. Some of the ‘Freedom’ assholes did as well as some of the lesser fascists. Point taken, but I’m not gonna rule out the calls and whatnot as a factor
I mean, the issue that the majority of opponents have is that a black dude’s name is attached to it, so…
A Medicare for all bill has been introduced by Democrats in the House – H.R. 676 (Link goes to Congress website)
ETA: it was introduced 1/24/17 apparently
Gotta say that no Democrats were expected to vote for the bill. You think they’d have a united spine without activism? Even if you want to totally discount what I said earlier about moderate Republicans, the fact that zero Democrats were behind this bill when we all know about their history of blue dogging is remarkable.
@PoM
^This. Preferably, especially going forward, they wouldn’t need to be yelled at every week to be an opposition party and, ya know, fuckin oppose. It’s like they keep forgetting they have the support they do
Also, the significance of both the ‘Freedom’ assholes and the ‘moderates’ tearing away shouldn’t be taken lightly. With just 1 faction jumping ship, they coulda maybe been targeted and reigned back in. When everybody flees the titanic, that’s much harder to do. How do you give either group what they want without further pushing out the other?
And the public denunciations have begun.
Since this is an open thread, I’ll put it here that we made a German chocolate cake today and subbed in bourbon for half of the water.
It’s … a very nice cake. 😀
Holy shit, y’all. Sorry if someone’s already posted this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg0ZxRqLc9A
Team Trump is just addled with shit. Usually takes years for an administration to build up this many scandals. Also, if for nothing else, check out that shade starting at ~15:30. Fuckin savage! ?
Say David, there’s something I’ve been wanting to ask you for a while now, but every time there’s been an open thread, I’ve forgotten about it until after the thread was pretty much dead. But not this time!
I heard that, back on the 13th of February, there was a protest in Chicago in which people mooned the sign reading Trump’s name on the façade of the Trump International Hotel and Tower. I just have to ask; were you there, by any chance? Did you do that? Cause man, that sounds like it would have been an absolute blast. I wish there was a building with Trump’s name on it here in Melbourne (well, not really…) so I could do that.
I know this thread is pretty much done, but that gif! For those not familiar with these particular trash bins, there is a warning stamped into the lid warning against moving it around with the lid flipped open like that…
PoM – After ridding myself of Husbeast’s nephew, my friend came over to help me with Catbeast’s daily sub-Q fluid administration while Husbeast was off at an IT conference. She made a German chocolate cake, too, using cannabutter. Once you get past the green-tinted frosting, it’s just… OHO, YASSSSS!
@Axecalibur
It’s like a homemade pecan pie topped with a bucket of pina colada icecream in terms of delectable shadenfreude. Oh imagine what delights await us when all these threads come unraveled and laid bare.
@Zaunfink
Well, you can, but the republicans are generally against that sort of thing. Its ok though, because if you remove enough social safety nets the lowest worth people will just start dying of their own accord!
Did you know that some hardcore libertarians believe that children, being a burden on their parents whilst contributing nothing financially themselves, are not entitled to food or housing? Postnatal abortions are a right for everyone in the libertarian utopia!
They’re not totally heartless though. They do believe that child labour laws should be repealed to allow children to maximise their financial worth unhindered by the mean old government.
Well, if you let most of the poor people die, and make sure the rich people can make their children rich from the get-go, you will have a system where survival to adulthood is correlated with positive worth. Problem solved!
@ pie
@Alan Robertshaw
Awesome.
Also, the vending machines only take pure gold and Bitcoin, none of this silly fake Big Government “Fiat money” nonsense.
@Alan Robertshaw
Is there an ms paint illustration to accompany this hilarity?
@Scented Fucking Hard Chairs
To be fair they’ll (sometimes) accept bitcoin.
My cocaine machines only take Bitcoins.
I’m sure one of the many talented artists around here could oblige.
Others and @gijoel
Those links go to list-manage tracking URLs. One or more of them may be incorrectly copied. I suggest no one click on them unless you enjoy tracking. If you’ve got the actual site links (click on in your own browser, cut and paste from address bar usually works), that’d be nice.
If anyone is confused about exactly why the bill was pulled, the New York Times has a really good infographic showing who’s to blame.
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/03/24/us/politics/the-health-care-blame-game.html?_r=0
Hi all!
I’m new to the feminism movement and want to get involved locally to me on a practical level (ie preferably something more than cafe meetups). I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for the Melbourne, Australia area?
(I realise this might be mostly an American commentariat, it seems I need to broaden my reading circle a bit!)
Thanks! Some days I come here to fume, but I have stuck around for the insightful comments and of course, the obligatory cat pictures.
@lemoncurdled
Cat pictures are literally all you need to be feministing right.
… okay, maybe not, but I maintain that it’s an important part of, well, everything.
As for local involvement, the trick is usually in finding the events. I have no idea how Melbourne is so I don’t know that I have any good advice though. Normally I just recommend walking around the streets and paying attention to posters, leaflets, anything – but I live close to a city where more than half of those are from/for feminists, so obviously that helps.
Hm… maybe facebook groups and the like ? I’ve gotten directions from those before.
Though I wanna point out something : you said you’re new to feminism. So I assume you’re still learning (to be fair, all of us are continually “still” learning – those who’ve stopped become TERFs or the like) – in that case, café meetups are actually perfect. Take a seat and listen, then repeat. Besides, you’re sure to get directions to bigger events from those too.
@lemoncurdled
if you’ve got a planned parenthood nearby, maybe you could be an escort? …or, i don’t know if Australia has those outrageous anti-choice protesters.
@lemoncurdled,
Hi, I’m Australian, but a long way from Melbourne. Have you already tried cafe meetups? I’m in too rural an environment for that sort of thing, but would have hoped one could meet other local feminists at such events, and they could direct you to local activity.
If you are a student, how about student associations, or your student union?
If you’re working, or even if you’re not currently in work, your union? Unions collaborate on universal issues like women’s rights at work and in life.
http://www.unionwomen.org.au
I can list a few social media pages I find informative, if you’d like.
@lemoncurdled
Here in Aust. you might want to check out Destroy the Joint and/or Mad Fucking Witches (they’re both on social media which is a good place to start as this is where they publicise events and issues). For more local stuff, you could check Facebook for groups in your area. There’s plenty in the capital cities, and you’re in Melbourne, I gather? I’m in Brisbane myself, btw 🙂
There’s also any number of groups that are feminist-friendly although focused on other issues as well, like refugee support groups, anti-racist groups, LGBTIQ+, etc. If you’re interested in pursuing any of the above, let me know.
Your nym makes me think of lemon butter…