So as you presumably have all heard by now, the Republicans were able to get their Obamacare repeal bill through the House. Which means we need to 1) make sure they don’t get an equivalent bill through the Senate 2) make sure that all the Republicans who voted for this bill lose their jobs as soon as possible.
I’ve been filling up my Twitter with reactions to this shit, so, hey, why not open up a thread for you to share your reactions as well?
They passed the bill. Now let's make sure they lose their jobs.
— David Futrelle (@DavidFutrelle) May 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/nsilverberg/status/860200105751625728
USE YOUR VOICE AND SHOW UP TO A TOWN HALL MEETING NEXT WEEK. Find your town hall here: https://t.co/Fy2dVIS3lK #trumpcare
— Alyssa Milano (@Alyssa_Milano) May 4, 2017
Here's a coordinated, national donation campaign raising money for opponents of GOP reps voting for Trumpcare: https://t.co/gQEr744pzQ
— Robert McNees (@mcnees) May 4, 2017
There's something strange about this group that just decided RAPE was a pre-existing condition… pic.twitter.com/xDtQT4fNeX
— Mikel Jollett (@Mikel_Jollett) May 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/whittyhutton/status/860220544989442049
Nate Silver’s Numbers Suggest That Voting For Trumpcare May Cost Republicans The House https://t.co/CkoASSKFhg
— #TheResistance (@SocialPowerOne1) May 4, 2017
Throw them all out. #RESIST! #PERSIST! #BePISSED!
And maybe, if you like this sort of thing, watch a video of Dr. Pimple Popper squeezing out a #CYST! (I dunno, I find these videos sort of relaxing.)
My brother was born with cerebral palsy, and was diagnosed with Juvenile RA at the age of two. You’d never know by just meeting himm, he’s a hard worker and a stubborn git. Years ago I made a promise to our mother that’d I’d take care if him if he needed it, no matter what. And, at least for now I haven’t had to make good on that promise save for nursing him through a few cases of stomach virus.
But what am I supposed to do now? If this passes and he loses his coverage, what then? I barely make enough now, and we still all live with our parents because we can’t afford to move out. I’ve been worried about my own future often enough but now I’m terrified for my brother.
I know I’m not contributing anything but I just needed to get this out of my head to someone.
The Senate kicked it back to the House.
Between this shit, seeing a Hulu ad for The Handmaiden’s Tale on Facebook, and not knowing where to BEGIN on dealing with this freaking horror show, I’m feeling impotent as hell. The Senate telling the House to go fuck themselves on the current measure is the only thing helping even a little bit right now. That and taking the buspar.
I feel like a failure at even making my opinion known, because I chicken out or I’m not sure I can even call a political figure’s office without going into unhinged, dissasociative screaming about all this… shit. And the shit in the Oval Office. I can’t do any cogent coherent discussion of why all this is bad. I just can’t.
Goddammit, I feel so powerless, and goddammit, I want my country back.
@Nequam
That’s some good news, how long that news will stay good will be a while. Congrats, we and our own AREN’T going to die broke from our preexisting conditions of not being genetically sound or being evil enough to get into an accident.
@Banananana dakry: Fat, Short-Haired, and Deranged
Condolences. We can make it through this.
OT:
“I stay on the bed you sleep on the floor.”
Dad, you storm into my grandmother’s house to go take a shower, make me give you a set of my clothes while also demanding me that I don’t ask questions as to why you’re here. And on top of that you’re telling me you’re gonna have me and my stepbrother be on some random smog check station to work? Yeah, guilt trip me by saying I’m staying for free and make it sound like you’re doing me a favor. Oh and top it off by making me admit I can’t land a job while also laying in my bed when you’re saying all of this to me. That’s great, that’s just great.
Aaand I’m out again-once again, I don’t trust my ability to not violate the comment policy. I’ll be back as soon as I can.
On the bright side…David is a popaholic!
making rape a pre-existing condition will dissuade some rape survivors from reporting their rape to the police, lest they lose their health insurance
You think this is just a coincidence? It’s a desired side effect.
OTOH, that image (video if possible) should be a cornerstone of every Democratic opponent, with a voice-over of “These men are celebrating passing a bill that would take medical coverage away from women who have been raped. My opponent is one of them.”
Resistance: Anyone here who is on Dreamwidth should check out the community thisfinecrew, which is a great source of information about when, where, and how to resist whatever is going on.
Everyone should check out Resistbot. It allows you to fax your displeasure directly to your Congresscritters, and unlocks more useful options the more you use it. It’s free, but donations are cheerfully accepted. I love this thing, because it turns protesting into virtually an impulse action. When I see something scroll by that I want to yell at them about, I just grab my phone and do it!
I have been reading this website for a while, as well as listening to Paul Elam and the MRA’s speak on youtube. I am trying to get a handle on what is going on in this country, as far as the divide between men and women, in recent times. I have just been noticing that both sides seem to want the same things. I have noticed that they both just seem to want equal treatment. As a man in this society I am confused. If both sides just want to be treated the same, why do they just not work together? I am just thinking, I know that it might be dangerous, that maybe the problem is IST and ISM. I think that if people would follow the idea of humanism, that we might be better off. I believe that people are essentially good, and want equal treatment for all. I wonder why there are women that hate men and men who hate women. Could be the actions of a few that power these people? A women who had an abusive husband or father. A man who was jilted by a wife, or abused by their mother. When will people realize that they can not blame the whole of society for the actions of some? I plea to people to come together and make this world better. I know this has nothing to do with this article, but I just wanted to put a post up. Now I will make a comment on the ACA being repealed. Some of the very people who voted for President Trump are going to wake up and realize that they just lost their health insurance. Many of them voted for him just because he was not the normal politician. Many are getting a severe dose of buyer’s remorse as we speak. That being said, health care should not cost as much as it does today. Health care is a business, and they will try to make money any way they can. When you allow people to charge prices to insurance that is higher than people who pay in cash, you will see the price rise. If I can get $0.50 for a glass of water today that I know you need, next time I might demand $1.00. Thus the climb will continue. One of the problems with the ACA, is that the companies providing the coverage, where not making enough of a profit. So what is the answer? Do we give universal health care for all? How do we pay for that? Will that drop the quality of the care? Do we do away with all subsidized care? Do we then let people die if they can not afford to pay? I truly wish I had some answers, but I do not.
@Psy
Little advice from one of the amateur writers and writers of fanfiction here; break your prose up into paragraphs.
Welcome. I’m a very nice black lady and I’m here to help you.
Franscesca Torpedo
Thank you for the advice!
Very confused man just looking for answers!
MRAs don’t want equal treatment. They want to preserve their male privilege. So no, both sides don’t want the same thing.
Yeah, I’m getting that.
MRAs have a history of advocating for abuse, rape, doing away with age of consent laws so they can take advantage of young girls and many are even against women’s suffrage. Why would I want to work with people who think I should be beaten and raped? I thought you said you’ve been reading this site for awhile? You should know damn well we don’t want to work with the likes of Paul “fucking your shit up gives me an erection” Elam.
Spoken like someone who is really, really privileged. A whole lot of people do not want equal treatment for all. Not really.
Men are afraid that women are going to laugh at them and women are afraid that men are going to kill them. Stop pretending that these two are the same.
You just had to put a post up with your amazing insights? Like we haven’t all heard your little golden mean fallacy argument a million times before? How would it make the world a better place to come together with misogynists and white nationalists and homophobes and transphobes? Why should any of the targets of this hate want to work with people who want them subjugated or even dead?
Ftfy.
Well we could look to every other “first world” country. They all manage it. Medicare for all would not actually be that difficult or expensive. It’s the most efficient health insurance provider in this country.
My condolences for people having to watch this political version of Russian roulette.
I still struggle to understand how rape might be a pre-existing health condition? Is it common for rape survivors to be diagnosed with related health problems years afterwards? PTSD?
weirwoodtreehugger: chief manatee
Thank you for the response. Yes, I have been very lucky to have been born and raised in a first world country with it’s many advantages. I have also had the ability to travel to some of the world that is not as lucky as some of us Americans are. I still believe that there is a spark in most people around the world that want the best for their fellow person. I will agree that some MRA’s are just total, excuse the word, Assholes, but there are some men who have been treated unfairly because they are men. I have also seen the many terrible things that men do to women. Racist do to each other, but I think deep down we are all human.
As far as insights, I have a few of my own, but welcome people telling me theirs. I would not have posted if I did not want the views of others. As far as Paul Elam, I am not a fan. I think he in some ways works against the rights of all.
Trump a bigot? HELL YES! I did not vote for him, and hate all of his racist, sexist agenda! I was just quoting what I heard many people say in my so called RED State area.
Last point, I do not believe medicare and medicaid are that great. They will tend to leave some people out high and dry. I have seen people who really need health care denied medicaid because they make just a little too much money. People shipped out of health facilities because medicare would not pay! Then we go back to the thought I had that health care should not cost what it does in America. I have seen other countries use universal health care. It is good in some ways, but not in others.
Thanks again for the response!
Citation needed
Medicare and Medicaid are not the same thing. Medicaid is considered undesirable because it’s for poor people. Not so for Medicare which is universal for anyone over 65. Medicare has higher patient satisfaction ratings than any private health insurance and it has lower administrative costs.
What countries and why is it not good? Show your work. Because right now you’re sounding like you’re basing the notion that universal health care isn’t great because you heard third hand about a Canadian having to wait a few weeks for an appointment. You’re going to need a lot more evidence than an extremely vague anecdote that what we have in the US is in any way working better than what other countries of similar wealth have.
weirwoodtreehugger: chief manatee
Thanks for the response again. A quick google search will show some of the problems that the NHS of Great Britain is having. Yes I do know there is a difference between Medicare and Medicaid. Medicaid is for people of lower income. I go back to the fact that I have seen people left out for any kind of medical coverage because they work and make a little too much money. They can not afford the health plan that there companies have offered if they want to feed their families. For the record, people who are disabled and under the normal age for medicare can get help from medicare I do believe they get ssdi for a certain amount of time, then get enrolled in medicare. Medicare will also only pay for certain kinds of care for certain amounts of time. It broke my heart to see people asked to leave, (Thrown out.) of a rehab and long term care center I worked at.
I am not saying that universal health care can not work, but we really need to overhaul the way medicine in the west is done. America is a very, very, very, wealthy country. People should not have to choose between death by lack of care, or starvation. The rapid rise in cost has really made the whole system broken.
Thanks for the response!
So sorry to see what’s happening to you all over there – sending love and sympathy.
If and when the orange prick comes over to the UK there will certainly be a ‘welcome’ he won’t forget, and I’ll be there for one.
It seems to be tricky to pin down exactly what businesses abroad Trump owns, and which can therefore be boycotted – all I know about in the UK is his golf courses. Does anyone know of anything else he has in England that could be boycotted, to hit him – or the extended Trump clan – in the pocket?
@Psychod787
I am an infrequent user of the NHS – over the years, hypothermia, infected elbow, suspected Weil’s Disease, scary lump that turned out to be unscary, a couple of GUM checkups, appendicitis, ingrowing toenail, sliced hand (twice), and regular dental care. Sometimes I’ve had to wait a few hours to be seen; sometimes I’ve had to pay a bit for some extra medication. There are faults, which have been exacerbated in recent years by conservative-led budget cuts and targets; but I would support the system we currently have here over anything the US has, without a doubt.
DanHolme
Thanks for sending this personal insight. I was thrilled when I saw that the ACA was passes, unfortunately a golden opportunity in America was lost. They sent contracts out to private insurance companies who need to make a profit. They could have used this chance to change the way medicine in the west is handled. In recent years, there has been a push for prevention of disease and holistic ways of treating problems, but big companies still have control in capital hill. They will still push for non needed test, high prices for life saving medications, and ignorant practitioners who still practice medicine like it’s 1950!
Thanks again!
Internet hugs back to you if you want them, Mels. Thank you.
I ended up cocooning for a while here at home. It helped. Now I got to brace myself for the MRI I’m getting in a few hours.
@Victorious Parasol
I hope everything goes well for you.
Victorious Parasol
I hope your MRI goes well. Mels, I also live in Flori-Duh, as we are known as in the rest of the country. Marco Rubio is a Giant Chuckle F#ck! I am sorry that you are having problems. I hope your lake stays calm and your sky’s sunny!
Thank you, Franscesca. The annoying bit is that I won’t hear the results for a while. Well, the really annoying bit is how much money we’re going to be out of pocket for this because my deductible hasn’t been finished yet, but at least it’s do-able.
I just read (on tumblr…) about an app called “Stance” (you all probably know about this, just thought I’d mention it in case anyway) that lets you record a message, then it keeps dialling your representative until it gets through and leaves your message in their inbox.
So you don’t have to speak directly to a human if you are anxious, and you don’t have to spend hours and hours trying to get through. And apparently it comes with info to guide you through the contact-your-rep process ???
(Just in case it could be another tool in your toolbox. xposted from the earlier Resist Trump thread, sorry for the duplication)
Victorious Parasol
I hate high deductible insurance! Standard PPO’s can be soo damn expensive though! The sad thing is that the cash cost to you will be alot less than they charge the insurance company! I once had to have a Abdominal Sonogram. The out of pocket for my insurance part was $300. Like you my deductible had not been met. I asked the cash cost if I paid it? They told me $89! If they can do it that cheap, why not just charge the company the same cost?
@Victorious Parasol
I hope your MRI goes well. Mels, I also live in Flori-Duh, as we are known as in the rest of the country. Marco Rubio is a Giant Chuckle F#ck! I am sorry that you are having problems. I hope your lake stays calm and your sky’s sunny!
Hi. British person here. What problems did your google search identify with the NHS? (I know plenty of people with direct experience of the problems, but an anecdote-free summary can be found at eg. https://www.myhealth.london.nhs.uk/help/nhs-today ) And of the problems you found, which ones lead you to think “well, it doesn’t seem to work everywhere, maybe universal healthcare isn’t such a great idea”?