Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

There are no moderate republicans – only extremists and cowards.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

Too often we confuse noise with substance. too often we confuse setbacks with defeat.

The fundamental promise of conservatism all over the world is a return to an idealized past that never existed.

GOP baffled that ‘we don’t care if you die’ is not a winning slogan.

Republicans: slavery is when you own me. freedom is when I own you.

They want us to be overwhelmed and exhausted. Focus. Resist. Oppose.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

The fight for our country is always worth it. ~Kamala Harris

I am pretty sure these ‘journalists’ were not always such a bootlicking sycophants.

That’s my take and I am available for criticism at this time.

Let the trolls come, and then ignore them. that’s the worst thing you can do to a troll.

The “burn-it-down” people are good with that until they become part of the kindling.

New McCarthy, same old McCarthyism.

Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life.

JFC, are there no editors left at that goddamn rag?

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

rich, arrogant assholes who equate luck with genius

… gradually, and then suddenly.

If a good thing happens for a bad reason, it’s still a good thing.

You’re just a puppy masquerading as an old coot.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

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Open Thread

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Another slow night here in the Cole household. Watching old cooking shows On Demand and basically being a sloth. I did serenade Lily with my best Etta James “At Last” rendition, and when I was done, she jumped up onto my chest while I was in the Lazyboy, looked down at me, and licked both lenses of my glasses:

I just love that doggie. Every time I look at her I think my chest is going to burst.

In other news, about 6 hours ago (and an hour after the vet closed), Rosie started repeatedly shaking her head like she has an ear infection. I sniffed her ears and I do not smell any bacteria or fungus, so I don’t know if she has an infection or a bug in her ear, but she is shaking her head so much I had to take her collar off because the sound of her jangling bling was driving me nuts. There goes another 100 bucks, I guess, but I feel bad it is going to have to wait until Monday to treat. Poor girl.

Reader Interactions

164Comments

  6. 6.

    Violet

    What about mineral oil? I saw it recommended for humans for dealing with wax in the ears.

    Don’t you have good friends who are vets, John?

  7. 7.

    Punchy

    Johnnie – http://www.match.c#m. Trust me, it works.

    It’s OK, natural, and honorable to love your pets. But you really need to find yourself a ladyfriend. Someone you can share a beer and hopefully sweaty chests with.

  9. 9.

    PeakVT

    @RAVEN: Maui? I wouldn’t trust pet advice from some exotic place like that. No, real Americans get their pet advice from Martha’s Vineyard.

  11. 11.

    MattR

    $100? I’m jealous. I’m down $300 after today’s visit which included drawing urine and dispensing antibiotics. Either Ellie’s vaginal infection has returned or the infection is further up the tract or in the bladder. Hopefully they will know more after analyzing her urine.

  13. 13.

    Violet

    @RAVEN: How was the fishing? And is Maui as wonderful as you hoped? You know it’s not really in America, right?

  15. 15.

    Violet

    Forgot to mention that that’s a lovely picture of Miss Lily. She looks like such a complete sweetie of a doggie. Love her.

  16. 16.

    Steller

    My retriever gets ear crud all the tie when her ears even get damp. We use swimmers ear (basically diluted rubbing alcohol) and it seems to nip ear problems in the bud beore they get bad.

  20. 20.

    RAVEN

    @Violet: the boat leaves @10:30pm. We’ll bait fish for a couple oh hrs and head for the big game waters for sunrise!

  21. 21.

    peach flavored shampoo

    I think I’m addicted to IPA beers. Never thought I’d like the bitter, but now I’m hooked. If anyone has any suggys for good IPAs, please lemmie know.

  25. 25.

    burnspbesq

    I had forgotten how incredibly good “Vivid,” the first Living Colour record, is. Damn. This sucker is back in the rotation.

  26. 26.

    NotMax

    @RAVEN

    Coolio. Believe it or not, they have improved the road to Hana from when I got here. Widened the road where practicable and put in guardrails.

    Didn’t go to the winery?

    How much longer will you be here, if it isn’t getting too personal to ask?

  28. 28.

    NotMax

    Raven, if you happen to be near a radio tomorrow (Sat.) between 12:05 p.m. and 2:00, some very close friends do a local show about computers on KAOI 1110 AM. They’re coming up on 9 years of doing the show soon.

  31. 31.

    Ash Can

    @peach flavored shampoo: Sierra Nevada Torpedo, Bell’s Two-Hearted, Dogfish Head 60 Minute, Founders Centennial, Lagunitas, and the inestimable Three Floyds: Arctic Panzer Wolf and, of course, Zombie Dust.

    For starters.

  32. 32.

    Abijah L.

    Zymox. Buy it. OTC and it works well as long as your sure it isn’t a foxtail or other nasty.

  36. 36.

    John Cole

    @Punchy:

    It’s OK, natural, and honorable to love your pets. But you really need to find yourself a ladyfriend.

    Why do people feel the need to constantly say this shit to single people? I’m fucking 42, if I wanted to be married, I would be. I like being single. I like my life. I’m not ruling out one day getting married, but I don’t think Chef Anne Burrell or Rosario Dawson are interested in me, especially since the former is gay, so I’m not really planning on it.

    Fer fuck’s sake, this constant “WHY AREN’T YOU MARRIED” or “YOU NEED A WOMAN” bullshit gets tedious.

  38. 38.

    freelancer

    @RAVEN:

    I hope you and your lovely bride are having a good time

    The other commenter’s phrasing is a bit confusing here. Are you in Maui for YOUR wedding?

    If so, Mazel tov, sir!

    If not, oh well, keep enjoying the hell out of your vaca. We promise not to burn Georgia down while you’re gone.

  39. 39.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @John Cole: I think many people are just suggesting that you need to get laid. Not married. Not into a relationship. Just simple, sweaty sex. Me, I think you need to be nicer to Rosie.

  42. 42.

    John O

    Best tavern in the world. At least among the few I’ve been to.

    You just have to be in Milwaukee.

    (I actually like Milwaukee.)

    The food is what sets it apart, baseball bat-sized crab legs, three-bite shrimp cocktail, 3 lb. lobsters, filets and other primo beef, amazing pork, fresh veggies, glorious spuds and more, and there’s no menu. After checking out the deli case, you basically have a conversation with the waitress about what you’d like whipped up and how.

    A gourmet restaurant inside a neighborhood sports bar. Great tune selection. Truly worth a visit if you’re in the ‘hood.

  44. 44.

    freelancer

    @John Cole:

    We are all your extended family now.

    “That John Cole, he’s just a bachelor through and through. Why doesn’t he have someone badgering him constantly like I do?”

    They just don’t know like we do that you live your life at knife claw point.

  46. 46.

    Mnemosyne (iPhone)

    Have to get up 5 hours from now so we can get on our plane back to LA. Things went more smoothly than we expected, but I think the rush of events (wake, funeral, luncheon, apartment clearing) insulated us a bit from the grief. It’s really gonna hit on the plane tomorrow, I suspect. But we all survived the week without bloodshed.

  47. 47.

    BigD

    In my present situation, I live with two dogs, and one heterosexual human female. The first dog is a large male Labrador. The second dog is a small male mutt. The small male mutt has strong homosexual tendencies, so this is sometimes interesting.

    Occassionally disturbing.

  49. 49.

    Steeplejack

    @Mnemosyne (iPhone):

    Glad to hear it went well. Make sure to get enough rest. The fatigue can sneak up on you.

    ETA: Thought of you earlier because TCM was running a raft of Sam Fuller movies: Shock Corridor, etc.

  50. 50.

    Mark S.

    Geez:

    The NCAA sent a letter to Penn State asking for answers to four key questions related to the Sandusky scandal, and sports law expert Alan Milstein thinks it’s a foregone conclusion the NCAA will get involved. “If Penn State is smart,” he said, “they’re going to self-punish and eliminate the program for one year to avoid the death penalty.

    I’d be shocked if Penn St. actually did that, and I’d be even more shocked if the NCAA gave them a worse penalty that that.

  55. 55.

    RadioOne

    Anyone kinda weirded out by Piers Morgans fetish for interviewing old and cranky people? I don’t even remember who Robert Blake was, let alone why CNN is re-airing the interview.

  56. 56.

    Ash Can

    @John O: Thanks for the tip. We live in Chicago and love Milwaukee too, and will add this to our list of fun things to do in Brew City.

  57. 57.

    Anne Laurie

    Cole, are there foxtails in your area? Those can be extremely nasty — the barbs break off & work their way into the skin, causing irritation & infection as they go. Local vet will know for sure if s/he needs to check for the ugly things.

    Otherwise, till Monday, a little mineral oil dripped into Rosie’s ear might help. I’d suggest witch hazel, but I’m not sure anyone under 50 even knows what that is any more

    @Punchy: He just hasn’t met the right person yet. And if we keep pestering him, he might be too stubborn to admit it when he does!

  58. 58.

    FlipYrWhig

    @RadioOne: The entire audience for cable news is cranky old people. With the considered exception of cranky political junkies who watch it out of sheer masochism.

  59. 59.

    Alison

    @John Cole: Fucking seriously. Almost as annoying as the WHY DON’T YOU HAVE BABIES DON’T YOU WANT TO BE A MOMMY shit. I get both of these lines of crap, being single and childfree and entirely happy to remain both for the rest of my days.

    People: just because YOU have a need for a relationship or children doesn’t mean those of us who don’t are broken or wrong or crazy or weird. Get over it. I’d also offer that people who can’t STFU about someone else’s different choices might just possibly be a little regretful as to their own.

  61. 61.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @John Cole:

    Smart offer John, I hope you get a bite. ;) I’ve got one of those models and she has more dangerous curves than Highway 101 near Cape Perpetua here in Oregon.

    I ‘drive’ them like a madman. :D

  62. 62.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Alison: When someone posts three or four times a week about how he is unable to sleep because he is plagued by regrets and longings and other shit on a blog where comments are wide open, this person should not be shocked if people suggest that some of his regrets, longings, and other shit might be less bothersome if he had someone (human) with whom he spent time. Or they might suggest that he buy a bicycle. If you complain about problems, don’t be surprised if people suggest solutions. OTOH, if someone is happily single, childless, deeply involved with plants, or whatever, it is quite rude to jump on them.

  63. 63.

    TaMara (BHF)

    @Mnemosyne (iPhone): Safe travels. Grief hits everyone differently, just remember to be gentle with yourselves and get some rest when you can. It can be surprisingly exhausting to grieve. I’ve unfortunately been down this road three very difficult times this year, so you both have my deepest sympathies. Peace.

  65. 65.

    Alison

    @Omnes Omnibus: But John does spend time with people – he often talks about hanging out with friends, having folks over for meals, etc. He’s not a hermit hiding in a cabin never seeing anyone. There is validity to friendships too; romantic relationships are not the only way to make connections.

  66. 66.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    @Mnemosyne (iPhone):

    Best wishes to you and yours Mnem. I’ve been there, have done that and it hits you when it hits you but it will hit you. Being busy leaves little time for thought but it usually hits home once things settle down.

    Take care.

    @Omnes Omnibus: “OTOH, if someone is happily single, childless, deeply involved with plants, or whatever, it is quite rude to jump on them.”

    It depends on what kind of jumping it is. ;p

  67. 67.

    Anne Laurie

    @BigD:

    The small male mutt has strong homosexual tendencies, so this is sometimes interesting.

    Not that there aren’t gay dogs, but your little guy is probably just, as the behaviorists express it, performing a dominance display in a (vain) attempt to impress his larger doggie housemate. “Napoleon syndrome” is not limited to short humans & other primates.

    Our fixed rescue bitch Gloria, who lifts her leg to pee, humps my husband’s leg to demonstrate how much she loves him. Then she stares at me, looks away, and curls her lip. (She’s careful to get my attention, but she always looks away before sneering, because she may be ambitious but in this household *I* am the alpha bitch!)Our omega dog Sydney humps the other fixed male when they’re all dancing around waiting for me to serve dinner, because that’s the only time he can feel like King Dog Boss without getting beaten up for not knowing his place. Zevon, the oldest dog, humps inanimate objects (he wasn’t fixed until he was five), so we’ve got washable plush doggie-beds in every room to avoid unpleasantnessses. Neither of the boys have ever tried that stuff with Gloria, and while Gloria regularly ‘dominates’ the two slightly smaller boys by standing over their shoulders sideways, or shoulder-checking them, the humping is reserved strictly for the man of the house…

  68. 68.

    Cliff in NH

    I saw this diary on Kos:
    http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/07/13/1109750/-Today-Obama-wins-even-more-supporters-ACA-required-MLR-rebate-arrives-in-the-mail

    Now I have an individual health insurance policy with BCBSTX. The letter I got today with my rebate check said that BCBSTX in 2011 had a Medical Loss Ratio of only 71.0% and that since it missed the 80% target for MLR required by the ACA, a rebate check was enclosed equaling 9% of the previous 2011 premiums I had paid on my individual health insurance plan with BCBSTX.

    So, what is the Twitter tag gonna be for The ACA gave me a big check cause my insurance company has been ripping me of for years, but NOW they can’t rip me off more than 20% a year Yay??? umm.. hey what? how ’bout that other 20%…

    Yup a whole lot of people will be loving Obama and wanting a Twitter tag when they get that check for a Freefund of a month of premiums that They paid with Their money.. to profit seeking companies.

  69. 69.

    David Koch

    This is ‘bitch slap’ politics played with a gusto and coldness seldom seen from Democrats, at least since the Bill Clinton days. Asking for an apology is losing. Saying you want something you clearly have no power to get is losing.

    There’s a meta-politics Obama is playing by slashing at Romney with suggestions he might be a felon. He’s wounding Romney, who is clearly rattled and angry about the charges, but just as clearly can’t defend himself or strike back.

    the Obama camp has backed Romney into a position in which he looks ridiculous — something much more lethal for presidential candidates than most people appreciate.

    Josh Marshall

  70. 70.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Cliff in NH: Yeah, I’m sure across the country people will be erupting in righteous rage because their unexpected refund check wasn’t bigger.

  71. 71.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Alison: What I said was that if he is posting about his vaguely depressive episodes, he shouldn’t be all pissed off if people offer advice. People aren’t just saying, “Hey, you are single. You need to pair up with someone.” It comes as a response to things Cole says by people who seem to care about him. Me, I think he would be happier if her was nicer to Rosie. Or if he bought a bike. ‘Cuz I just bought a bike and I love it. But back to my main point… Unsolicited random advice is generally rude. Post about one’s problems, however, can reasonably be seen as a solicitation of advice. If he doesn’t like the advice he gets, that is another matter.

    @Odie Hugh Manatee: Good point.

  72. 72.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cliff in NH: How much do you think it would appropriately cost to administer a health program? Admin costs are always a part of things. TP, rent, heat, receptionists, etc., all cost money.

  73. 73.

    Yutsano

    @Omnes Omnibus: My asshole older brother took it upon himself to inquire about my relationship status last time we talked. I basically told him it was a big fat pile of nunya and to hand the phone back to my mom. And he wonders why we never talk.

    Oh and LILYPUPPEH!!

  74. 74.

    BigD

    This little mutt in my house sucks dog cock Anne Laurie. Being a technical person, I have been trying to develop an evolution-based explanation for this habit of his. I’ll keep working on it.

    Perhaps a glass of wine might help.

  75. 75.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Yutsano: Hey, older brothers have responsibilities. We just want to make sure you little fuckers are okay. Or sometimes we act like tools (not me – I am speaking in general terms here).

  81. 81.

    shano

    John, go directly to Amazon and order some Zymox rinse. it is an enzyme combo from milk that will clean out the ears and cure and stop all ear infections. Please, i am begging you. A bottle costs 10 bucks. Just go, order and mix with water to rinse out her ears. It is a miracle for ear problems as well as many skin problems.

    You can try to put some hydrogen peroxide in her ears with a dropper until the Zymox comes. Pronto. Every dog owner should have this in their medicine chest, it saves a fortune on vet bills.

  83. 83.

    David Koch

    Heh!

    Even the liburel Matt Yglesias gets it

    I demanded an apology once in 8th grade. Wound up getting punched in the face.

    Mitty & Co. has no idea how weak and pathetic he looks demanding an apology.

  84. 84.

    MikeJ

    @David Koch:

    the Obama camp has backed Romney into a position in which he looks ridiculous — something much more lethal for presidential candidates than most people appreciate.

    In slapstick, look who gets the pie in the face. The more dignity the pie-ee starts with, the funnier it is. “Republican presidential candidate” is a category begging to be pelted with metaphorical pies.

  86. 86.

    Just Some Fuckhead

    Goddamn John. You got three friends in this virtual world, me, Punchy and Krista. And yer gonna shit all over Punchy cuz he’s worried about your stinky pickle??

    This is why no one likes you.

  87. 87.

    Cliff in NH

    So, After getting the ‘ObamaCares’ rebate of one months premiums for 9% waste, Yes I will bitch and moan and fight till I get those other 2 months of waste back in addition to the one I just got.

  88. 88.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cliff in NH: Okay, fine. Show me someone who said the ACA was the be all and end all of health care reform. Everyone should know that it is an incremental step. It is cool because it is better than what existed before not because it approximates the platonic ideal of a health care program.

  89. 89.

    shano

    I see one other person has recommended Zymox.

    On Amazon, spring for the fast shipping. Go. It is so soothing and cures even the nastiest ear infections. I use it once a month to prevent my dog from getting ear infections now.

  90. 90.

    David Koch

    Even Mitt’s buddies (Molly Ball/Atlantic) are mocking him:

    Hopefully in his interviews tonight Romney will announce he’s going on a hunt for the real Bain CEO.

    Ha!

  92. 92.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Steeplejack: I went with the Cannondale Quick. I like it a lot. The heat broke here on Saturday and I have done 70 miles since that morning. I can’t believe I went nearly 30 years without riding on a regular basis.

  95. 95.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cliff in NH: Okay, I am saying that the ACA is better than what existed before it came into effect. I am also saying that improvements on it are needed. In my view, progress is incremental. This was an increment. Does that sound like something?

  96. 96.

    Cliff in NH

    @Cliff in NH: How much do you think it would appropriately cost to administer a health program? Admin costs are always a part of things. TP, rent, heat, receptionists, etc., all cost money.

    this implied that you felt that 20% was not enough for those things, you should say something about what YOU think they should be costing, then I will decide if you are worth listening to.

  99. 99.

    Cliff in NH

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Are you Stupid?

    the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has found that administrative costs under the public Medicare plan are less than 2 percent of expenditures

    That is what I said.

  100. 100.

    David Koch

    Mitt, when even the libuerl Atlantic uses u as a punch line it’s time withdraw:

    Apparently, as soon as Romney stopped running Bain in 1999, they were all, “WHEW, now we can do all that stuff he doesn’t approve of.”

  102. 102.

    James E. Powell

    @RadioOne:

    I don’t even remember who Robert Blake was, let alone why CNN is re-airing the interview.

    Because no young white women are currently missing.

  103. 103.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cliff in NH: Are you a dipshit? We are working with a system that is completely fucked up. The reality is that we will not jump to a perfect system in one fell swoop. You seem to be criticizing the system for being fucked up; I am not denying that. I am saying that the ACA is an improvement on what went before. Nothing more, nothing less.

    @chuck butcher: That I don’t know. As far as I am concerned, far and soon. The rest of the country may, and probably will, disagree.

  104. 104.

    Cliff in NH

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Seriously, tell me how you can defend 1 in 5 dollars in the entire health care sector having NOTHING TO DO WITH MAKING PEOPLE HEALTHY.

    My option is 2 in 100 dollars for admin.

    Explain.

  106. 106.

    Cliff in NH

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    You are saying that 20% is not enough of a admin expense, that is all, I don’t know who you think you are talking to here.

    read what you type. geez, g’nite or whatever I’m done.

  107. 107.

    Odie Hugh Manatee

    I noticed that Erick, Son of Erick, doesn’t like the idea of Romney on Rice… ummm, I mean Romney/Rice, not even if they’re served with “bull shiitake mushrooms”. He uses this same line in a post from yesterday called “Meet the Bainers, the New Birthers”  that he’s probably regretting because his ridiculing the Birthers and equating them with liberals who are focused on Rmoney and Bain brought out the Birthers again. Rmoney enthusiasm there is flagging so bad that the only way they can drive up enthusiasm is to say that an Obama win would be worse than voting for Rmoney.

    Winger flop sweat is a glorious thing to see, especially when there are Birthers floating in it.

  108. 108.

    James E. Powell

    @chuck butcher:

    I would not expect the next increment until a few years after ACA takes full effect, so don’t hold your breath. And it isn’t because Obama betrayed us, it’s because transitioning to a completely different system is going to be difficult and complex.

    I would like to see a public option or something like Medicare for all child care and prenatal care. I think it would be the next place to push on the wall.

  109. 109.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cliff in NH: I did not fucking say that 20% is not enough. All I fucking said is that the ACA is an improvement on what was in effect before it. If I was unclear in previous statements, I apologize. I don’t actually know what an appropriate percentage for admin costs might be because I am not a subject matter expert.

  111. 111.

    James E. Powell

    Totally unrelated to anything in this thread, but I saw Bill Clinton on some cable show. Man, he looks old and worn. I wonder if his health is good.

  112. 112.

    chuck butcher

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I’d be willing to bet, seeing the Democratic enthusiasm for their GOP bill, no time in the remote future and then something stupidly ineffective. I’d like to be wrong, I’d like to think the Dems have learned something from ’10 and the coming ’12.

  113. 113.

    danielx

    @David Koch:

    This is ‘bitch slap’ politics played with a gusto and coldness seldom seen from Democrats, at least since the Bill Clinton days. Asking for an apology is losing. Saying you want something you clearly have no power to get is losing.

    And about fucking time. More, please. If the Marquis is feeling all butthurt, well, he put himself out there on a limb and handed Obama a saw. I mean, seriously – he’s a rich Wall Street asshole and he’s bent out of shape because he’s being attacked for being a rich Wall Street asshole? It was as predictable as the sun coming up tomorrow that he’d catch a raft of shit for his activities at Bain, and the discrepancy between what he says and what the paperwork shows is obvious to anyone who can fog a mirror. He’s been caught out in an obvious lie and his response is to ask for an apology from the people who pointed it out?

    He’s not only coming across as an out-of-touch elitist asshole, but a lousy campaigner and a weakling in the bargain.

  114. 114.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @chuck butcher: I won’t argue that, but, even if it is true, many people will be better off than they were before the ACA. To me, this is progress. Not enough. Not fast enough, but, god damn it, far better than nothing.

  115. 115.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Cliff in NH: I would gladly support that figure being less than 20%. Is there any way to rally support for such a thing? Highly doubtful. Insurance companies have a lot of hired muscle. Honestly, there’s a ton of excessive profit baked into our entire economic system, but taking rich corporations’ money away from them tends to be difficult on account of how they have a buttload of money to spend on scaring people. Consider how many _Democrats_ thought Gulf drillers were being treated too roughly after a devastating spill that most of us think was treated all too leniently.

    There’s a difference between what things should be and what you can take action to compel them to be. Insurance company profits fall under that category.

  116. 116.

    Cliff in NH

    I Can’t click the button on the request deletion thing cause I can’t get to the button, Sorry If I f’d up the thread….

    It also wouldn’t let me edit it and delete all but the last line , I tried several times. FYWP.

  117. 117.

    Yutsano

    @chuck butcher: I’d agree with you if Vermont hadn’t gotten their single payer waiver. That is already being studied closely by a few other states. A friend of mine from college checked it out while she was exploring their dental health coverage. She was pretty excited about spreading it to Washington.

  118. 118.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @FlipYrWhig: No, he wants a perfect system now. Forget the fact that he is not working from a blank slate. Forget the fact that there are entrenched interests. Forget the real world. Hell, I want what he wants. I just know that it will take a while to get there.

  119. 119.

    chuck butcher

    @Omnes Omnibus:
    What worries me is that this mess will substitute for actually doing something serious and real. This will be what we get because it’s just too hard… and because the plutocrat dicks own the outfit “in charge”

  120. 120.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @chuck butcher: I know. It worries me too. But then, I am the kind of guy who would have supported the Kerensky government. In my view, incremental reform, as long as it keeps moving forward, is better than revolutionary change. One never knows where it will lead.

  121. 121.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Omnes Omnibus: When talking about charities, the rule of thumb Is that administrative costs and the costs of fundraising should combine to be under 25% of the organization’s revenue. That’s for nonprofits. So the idea that a health insurance company should have to spend no more than 20% of its premiums on things other than care doesn’t sound out of line. Maybe that’s a flawed parallel, I don’t know. But it seems quixotic to attempt to chase profit out of health care. It would be a great improvement, but I don’t see how you’re ever going to get there.

  122. 122.

    Cliff in NH

    I made a comment at 68
    @Cliff in NH:

    there was a response.

    It was this:

    72 Omnes Omnibus Says:

    @Cliff in NH: How much do you think it would appropriately cost to administer a health program? Admin costs are always a part of things. TP, rent, heat, receptionists, etc., all cost money.

    All I was fucking asking for was some fucking discussion of how fucking much insurance companies have been ripping everyone off, and some hopefully thoughtful conversation on the realization in the wingnut brain that they have been ripped off by 30% for years and until Obama No politician has made any effort to get them their moneys worth.

    All of this while contemplating a twitter tag for how much they have been ripped off.

    How about SOMEONE pay attention to the fucking question.

  123. 123.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @FlipYrWhig: Okay. Thank you. Cliff seems to want 2%. He also doesn’t want to read. I need to go to bed because I have a life that must be live tomorrow, so cheers.

  125. 125.

    Yutsano

    @FlipYrWhig:

    But it seems quixotic to attempt to chase profit out of health care. It would be a great improvement, but I don’t see how you’re ever going to get there.

    The rest of the Western world has managed it. And people forget it took Canada decades. Hell Taiwan purposefully tried and it still took 8+ years.

  126. 126.

    MikeJ

    @FlipYrWhig:

    I would gladly support that figure being less than 20%. Is there any way to rally support for such a thing? Highly doubtful. Insurance companies have a lot of hired muscle.

    I was shocked when they got 20% in. I may have actually said whoo-hoo.

  127. 127.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cliff in NH: You caught me just before I went to bed. Well done. You do not seem to have responded to a thing that I have actually said. Some how you have grabbed on to the idea that I think a 20% profit margin for insurance companies is inadequate. I have explicitly stated that I do not think that is the case. If there was an initial misunderstanding because I phrased something inartfully, there has enough time and enough subsequent comment to correct it. At this point, I have to believe you are arguing just because. If I missed something, I am sorry, but, dude, I want the same thing you do – I just think it will take time.

  130. 130.

    Martin

    @Cliff in NH: You do have the option of choosing an insurer that doesn’t spend at the max. My insurer, for instance, won’t be sending rebates out because their MLR is below the threshold (and always has been). And for large group policies, the ratio is 85%.

    Keep an eye on the co-ops and other new agencies being created under PPACA – those will have MLR rivaling that of Medicare.

  131. 131.

    Yutsano

    @MikeJ: A Medicare for All expansion will involve an increase in their overhead. It’s just basic math. It will still be much less than 20% but there will be an increase just in labour costs alone. I think 5-7% will be the new reasonable.

  132. 132.

    Cliff in NH

    @Martin:

    All I wanted was some discussion of what the twitter tag should be for wingnuts getting big rebates from their insurance while being assholes about those rebates such as demonstrated here….

    So, what is the Right twitter tag for these morons? hmmm?

  133. 133.

    Cliff in NH

    For some reasom I dont think #YouAreAFuckingMoron will catch on .. but ya never know..

  134. 134.

    Martin

    @FlipYrWhig: It’ll take a few years to push below 80%/85%. What we’re seeing right now is that there is massive disparity by state. Texas, proud trailblazer for tort reform which promised to reduced health care costs, is sending rebates to 92% of policy holders. Massachusetts and 11 other states are sending rebates to 0%.

    PPACA is revealing just how useless the regulatory power is in some states and how effective it is in others (Idaho, Iowa, California etc. – I still have no clue why Idaho works so well, and surprisingly Vermont is receiving the largest per-member payout.). And you can see why Perry is so eager to get out of PPACA – Texas insurers are absolutely having their way with the public, and clearly that’s putting pressure on the Gov.

    Once you get everyone on more or less the same field and get some of these other provisions in place, they should be able to push for an 85%/90% rule. It’s hard to go much higher than 90%. Remember, the MLR also has to account for premiums that go to the insurers reserves. That money is in the 15%-20% that we’re calling a ‘loss’. It’s not a loss – it’s money put aside in anticipation of future payouts, based on anticipated medical inflation and member growth rates. The 98% Medicare number doesn’t account for that because the Medicare trust is built up in a different way, but all insurers need an equivalent to that fund – and that fund has to be pretty big.

    So for the folks like Cliff that are pissed that 20% is being ‘wasted’, it’s not necessarily the case that it’s all going to CEO bonuses and advertising. Some or all of it could be going into the reserves. That’s a good thing, and you’re not going to get to wave that away entirely.

  135. 135.

    Cliff in NH

    @Martin:

    I Only have that option if the rethuglicans can’t pull some stuff off.

    so, it’s down too are you For Me or you are Against Me?

    That’s what the reThuglicans and democrats have to define.

  136. 136.

    Triassic Sands

    @Dr. Squid:

    The only time I’ve ever needed to go to the emergency room was on the weekend.

    As a result, I now don a Styrofoam suit Friday at 5PM, crawl into a closet, and don’t come out until Monday morning.

    (OK, not really.)

  137. 137.

    Cliff in NH

    Tort reform: once they fuck you up, you can’t sue for damages.

    corp says cyanide is safe to drink, Tort Reform! Can’t Sue!!

    Fuck You Tort refuckers.

  138. 138.

    Martin

    I just looked it up, and an apples-to-apples comparison of Medicare to other insurance would put Medicare’s MLR at about 104%. Which is why it’s in crisis – we pay out more than we take in. But for most of the life of Medicare, it would have scored a MLR in the 88-90% range as it was socking away upwards of 10% of our payroll contributions to the trust. Up against an 85% MLR for large group policies, the current threshold looks not too bad. After all, we’d very much like to see Medicare back in that 88-90% zone.

  139. 139.

    chuck butcher

    @Cliff in NH:
    Oddly enough for the GOPers most tort claims are made against a really small number of doctors and it looks as though those tend to be repeat performers. It really depends on which State as to whether there is reporting much less sanctions and whether they’ve got teeth. The AMA certainly isn’t much help in this situation. Law suits do drive up the cost of doing business – hell buy a ladder sometime – but the way to get around that is stopping the offenses not fucking with legal recourse.

  140. 140.

    Cliff in NH

    @chuck butcher:

    If they didn’t break the law they did nothing wrong, I don’t understand defending liars and sociopaths.

    That’s my main beef with the GOP.

  141. 141.

    David Koch

    Multiple wingers are now making pretty funny jokes about Romney being a felon.

    yes, I know they’ve always deeply loathed Mitty, but nevertheless, they’ve always clicked their heels in defense of vulture capitalism. But now Mitty’s activities at Bain have turned into punch lines with only 120 days before election day.

    They’ve reached the 5th level of grief: acceptance.

    Acceptance — “It’s going to be okay.”; “I can’t fight it, I may as well prepare for it.”
    In this last stage, individuals begin to come to terms with their mortality, or that of a loved one, or other tragic event. This stage varies according to the person’s situation.

  145. 145.

    Pat

    I remember the first pic you posted of Lily. She looked so timid. Now look at her with that “I got you, babe” happy face.

  148. 148.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Maude: My air conditioner seems to have died over night. I am not pleased. Also too, Cliff in NH is an idiot. Oh yeah, Good morning to you too.

  149. 149.

    gelfling545

    For emergency ear treatment equal parts of glycerin (you can get it at the drug store) & vinegar. Put a small amount in the ear using a dropper. Also, if she has been bathed recently there could be water in her ear in which case a couple drops of alcohol will dry it out.

  150. 150.

    Skepticat

    Can’t for the life of me remember the product name (or much else) and I left the bottle in another country, but I use an OTC powder ear cleaner with an iodine smell that has solved a lot of ear problems for my cats. They tolerate it much better than the liquid ear washes, and it seems very effective for minor problems.

    I sooo understand the feeling of having your heart nearly burst when you look at a pet that gives you so much love.

  151. 151.

    Lojasmo

    @peach flavored shampoo:

    Where are you. There are several thousand great Left coast IPA makers. Personally, when I am home (Minnesota) I drink Surly Furious exclusively.

    Ninkasi (Oregon) is very good.

  152. 152.

    Ronzoni Rigatoni

    @Yutsano: I seem to remember back in 1956 (I think) when Canada instituted its public health system (Gawd, I’m really too damned old!), and all the doctors went on strike. Didn’t last long, tho’. I’ve also seen it working in der Nederlands. Nice, but they really could use some dental insurance LOL. I think we’ll get there, but probably not in my lifetime.

  153. 153.

    Lojasmo

    @Cliff in NH:

    Actually, you implied that 0% wof premiums as enough money to administer a health insurance business. This is a laughable opinion.

  154. 154.

    Cliff in NH

    @Lojasmo:

    Are you fucking stupid? this is what I said:

    68 Cliff in NH Says:

    I saw this diary on Kos:
    http://www.dailykos.com/story/…..n-the-mail

    Now I have an individual health insurance policy with BCBSTX. The letter I got today with my rebate check said that BCBSTX in 2011 had a Medical Loss Ratio of only 71.0% and that since it missed the 80% target for MLR required by the ACA, a rebate check was enclosed equaling 9% of the previous 2011 premiums I had paid on my individual health insurance plan with BCBSTX.
    __
    So, what is the Twitter tag gonna be for The ACA gave me a big check cause my insurance company has been ripping me of for years, but NOW they can’t rip me off more than 20% a year Yay??? umm.. hey what? how ‘bout that other 20%…
    __
    Yup a whole lot of people will be loving Obama and wanting a Twitter tag when they get that check for a Freefund of a month of premiums that They paid with Their money.. to profit seeking companies.

  155. 155.

    Cliff in NH

    The whole and ONLY question was what is the appropriate twitter tag for idiots against ‘Obamacares’ when they get a fucking check in the mail for a free month of premiums, and with the text 70% vs 80% etc etc …

    especially once they realize the difference between a for profit system and a not for profit system is a total of 3 months of premiums – 2 months post – ‘Obamacares’

    You know those regulations that forced the companies to pay back excess profits.

    wingnuts hate regulations.

    regulations give wingnuts money, what is the appropriate twitter tag? Hmmm?

  156. 156.

    Percysowner

    John, try the remedies recommended here. I have no idea where you live in relation to Beckley, West Va, but I know one of the vets who works at the Vet Hospital there. They are open until noon on Saturdays and they are on call 24/7, so if things seem like and emergency and you are anywhere close, they should be able to get you in. Obviously, emergency rates apply after hours.

  157. 157.

    Cliff in NH

    @Lojasmo:

    since you can’t do math 9% x 3 = 27%

    CBO says they do 2% every day 30%-2%= 28%

    9%= 32 days of premiums

    blah blah blah etc etc…

  158. 158.

    Chris from Arlington, VA

    Is Rosie doing any better this morning? I hope so. Nothing’s worse than a sick puppeh.

  159. 159.

    WaterGirl

    @Mnemosyne (iPhone):

    Things went more smoothly than we expected, but I think the rush of events (wake, funeral, luncheon, apartment clearing) insulated us a bit from the grief. It’s really gonna hit on the plane tomorrow, I suspect. But we all survived the week without bloodshed.

    When my dad died, I learned first-hand that what they say is true: You never really know someone until you share an inheritance with then.

    The apartment clearing and the bickering was truly awful. For me the worst hit came when I returned home and turned onto my street. We came in, sat down on the couch, and for the first time in my life, i wanted to run away. Seriously, I just wanted to bolt from the couch and run from how I felt. I wanted this with my entire being. I didn’t run, of course, because the problem was how I felt, and not anything around me.

    You made it this far. This is what I call “one step in front of the other” time.

    Best to G, and to you.

  160. 160.

    FlipYrWhig

    @Cliff in NH: It’s ceasing to matter, but I thought your original point was to be sarcastic about the Kos diary’s happy tone, and to suggest that being excited that you were still going to have 20% of your money ripped off was foolish. That’s why my first snarky reply was about grousing that the rebate check was too small. That seems to have been what Omnes thought too.

  161. 161.

    WaterGirl

    @shano: My sister’s dog has chronic ear problems. Or at least very frequent. Is this something you use WHEN there is a problem, or all the time to PREVENT problems? Or both?

    Edit: You also said skin problems. Her dog also chews his feet a lot, is it something they could put on his paws, as well?

  163. 163.

    burnspbesq

    @Yutsano:

    The rest of the Western world has managed it.

    Not exactly. The Swiss and Dutch systems, which are repeatedly and correctly held up as superior alternatives to our system, involve private insurance, and AFAIK the Swiss and Dutch private insurers are consistently profitable.

Comments are closed.