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You are here: Home / Economics / C.R.E.A.M. / Open Thread: It Only Looked Easy

Open Thread: It Only Looked Easy

by Anne Laurie|  March 15, 20179:15 pm| 114 Comments

This post is in: C.R.E.A.M., Open Threads, Republican Stupidity, Republicans in Disarray!, World's Best Healthcare (If You Can Afford It), Riveted By The Sociological Significance Of It All

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Cruz: GOP will be "laughing stock" if ObamaCare repeal fails https://t.co/kCyVvpJK1t pic.twitter.com/4BFLJJL7O9

— The Hill (@thehill) March 15, 2017

2. The AMA, doctors & nurses orgs, AARP, hospitals & others oppose Obamacare repeal in large part because they're stakeholders in it…

— Al Giordano (@AlGiordano) March 15, 2017

3. Paradoxically, the inclusion of institutional stakeholders is what caused some who identify as "on the left" to oppose Obamacare in 2009.

— Al Giordano (@AlGiordano) March 15, 2017

8. The sad truth is that had "Obamacare" been "single payer" the *easiest* thing for the GOP right now would be to dismantle it…

— Al Giordano (@AlGiordano) March 15, 2017

22. So, #ThanksObama for designing health care in a way that anticipated attacks upon it. That's what organizing does! End memo.

— Al Giordano (@AlGiordano) March 15, 2017

Professor Krugman, “Populism and the Politics of Health”:

…[W]hy are Republicans having so much trouble? Health reform is hard; but why were the Dems able to pass the ACA in the first place? I’m seeing a lot of talk about Paul Ryan’s inadequacy and Republican lack of preparation as compared with Pelosi and the Dems in 2009, all of which is true. But there’s a more fundamental issue: who is being served?

Obamacare helped a large number of people at the expense of a small, affluent minority: basically, taxes on 2% of the population to cover a lot of people and assure coverage to many more. Trumpcare would reverse that, hurting a lot of people (many of whom voted Trump) so as to cut taxes for a handful of wealthy people. That’s a difference that goes beyond political strategy…

And yet, and yet: Trump did in fact win over white working-class voters, who thought they were voting for a populist; Democrats, who did a lot for those voters, got no credit — rural whites, in particular, who were huge beneficiaries of the ACA, overwhelmingly supported the man who may destroy their healthcare.

The answer, presumably, is that what we call populism is really in large degree white identity politics, which can’t be addressed by promising universal benefits. Among other things, these “populist” voters now live in a media bubble, getting their news from sources that play to their identity-politics desires, which means that even if you offer them a better deal, they won’t hear about it or believe it if told. For sure many if not most of those who gained health coverage thanks to Obamacare have no idea that’s what happened.

That said, taking the benefits away would probably get their attention, and maybe even open their eyes to the extent to which they are suffering to provide tax cuts to the rich…

This, btw, is why many ideological conservatives opposed Trump early. Feared he'd shred party's small-government ethos, & they were right.

— Alex Burns (@alexburnsNYT) March 15, 2017

That ethos was shredded long ago, when the lower end of the GOP's base became dependent on welfare programs. https://t.co/XpzhCJw5xh

— Milena Rodban (@MilenaRodban) March 15, 2017

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Reader Interactions

114Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    March 15, 2017 at 9:19 pm

    The sad truth is that had “Obamacare” been “single payer” the *easiest* thing for the GOP right now would be to dismantle it…

    This is probably an overreach, but the rest is accurate.

  2. 2.

    PST

    March 15, 2017 at 9:20 pm

    The more Cruz and others use the laughingstock argument to try to rally support the more they guarantee that the party truly will be a laughingstock when Trumpcare dies.

  3. 3.

    Westyny

    March 15, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    I like Giordano and I like Republicans eating their own and twisting in the wind.

  4. 4.

    TenguPhule

    March 15, 2017 at 9:22 pm

    So President Obama saved stupid white voters in spite of themselves.

  5. 5.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 9:23 pm

    After watching Kentucky – love “Kynect” hate “Obamacare”, elect a governor who ran on dismantling it – how can there be any doubt how unmoored from reality these people are?

  6. 6.

    Ohio Mom

    March 15, 2017 at 9:24 pm

    It’s not over til it’s over. We can take hope in these small signs but we can’t let up on the calls and letters, and whatever else we can manage.

  7. 7.

    Baud

    March 15, 2017 at 9:25 pm

    @TenguPhule:
    @efgoldman:

    People have learned to take Democratic policies for granted. That must be unlearned if we are to move forward.

  8. 8.

    Bess

    March 15, 2017 at 9:26 pm

    Trump has started the process of eliminating CAFE standards for car manufacturers. That means less efficient vehicles, more petroleum burned, and more global warming.

    How about a public boycott?

    Create a simple pledge people could sign online. Simply state that if any manufacturer exceeds fleet mileage efficiency over what was negotiated with President Obama then those signing will not purchase a new or used vehicle from that manufacturer until the manufacturer is back into compliance. Plus one year.

  9. 9.

    Aleta

    March 15, 2017 at 9:30 pm

    From the NYT report on the proposed budget cuts:

    Environmental Protection Agency and State Department each to be cut by around 31 percent.

    Drastic reductions in the 60-year-old State Department Food for Peace Program, which sends food to poor countries hit by war or natural disasters

    Elimination of the Department of Transportation’s Essential Air Service program, which subsidizes flights to rural airports

    .
    Cuts to public education
    Cuts to transportation programs like Amtrak

    Cuts to Department of Housing and Urban Development

    including the complete elimination of the $3 billion Community Development Block Grant program, which funds popular programs like Meals on Wheels, housing assistance and other community assistance efforts.

    Mr. Tillerson requested greater discretion in choosing where to make State Dept cuts — although the White House instructed him to leave untouched the $3 billion annual foreign aid payment to Israel, officials said.

  10. 10.

    p.a.

    March 15, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    @Baud: Rethug m.o., not always, but too often, successful: call a program welfare or entitlement and watch the usual media suspects agree and the usual suspect voters vote.

  11. 11.

    TenguPhule

    March 15, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    Sorta good news from Florida via the NYSluttytimes. Stand your ground will soon be made strong enough in Florida that anyone could kill Trump and his family/minions in self-defense and probably get away with it!

  12. 12.

    dmsilev

    March 15, 2017 at 9:32 pm

    Cruz: GOP will be “laughing stock” if ObamaCare repeal fails

    I think for a lot of us, the GOP “laughing stock” ship sailed a long time ago.

  13. 13.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    March 15, 2017 at 9:33 pm

    @TenguPhule: He tried, the ones in Texas, Wisconsin and I think 17 other states wouldn’t let him do it.

    the cattle rancher Trump hosted as a “victim” of Obama care has six kids, one severely autistic, and a $3,000/month premium. She blames O-Care. I’d love someone to ask her what she think Trump-Ryan is going to do for her. I feel bad for her, but I’d love to see the books on her ranch and how much agri-welfare she gets.

  14. 14.

    rikyrah

    March 15, 2017 at 9:33 pm

    Steph Haberman‏Verified account @StephLauren

    Trump cutting funding to Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to homebound, needy elderly

  15. 15.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 9:36 pm

    @Bess:

    Trump has started the process of eliminating CAFE standards for car manufacturers.

    It means that GM, Ford and Chrysler might sell a few more big pickups/SUV’s. But nobody’s going to retrofit their assembly lines to produce vehicles that pollute more, particularly the major Japanese brands (even though a lot of their manufacturing is done in North America now.)
    Also as was noted in a previous thread, California’s not going to lower their standards, and that influences cars sold in all the other states, because of volume – same as the shitheads that pick textbooks in Texas influence the contents of books sold nationwide.

  16. 16.

    TenguPhule

    March 15, 2017 at 9:36 pm

    @rikyrah: There is no person too poor that Trump will not spite.

  17. 17.

    TenguPhule

    March 15, 2017 at 9:37 pm

    @dmsilev: We’ve moved on to “Firing Squads, can’t happen soon enough!”

  18. 18.

    schrodingers_cat

    March 15, 2017 at 9:38 pm

    @rikyrah: His immigration initiatives are fucking up rural healthcare too, because guess where most of the foreign born doctors, work?
    * 25% of all doctors practicing in the United States are foreign born,

  19. 19.

    schrodingers_cat

    March 15, 2017 at 9:39 pm

    What about NIH and NSF budgets?

  20. 20.

    Baud

    March 15, 2017 at 9:40 pm

    Cruz wants Trump to fail so he can be the guy in 2020.

  21. 21.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 9:42 pm

    @Aleta:

    From the NYT report on the proposed budget cuts:
    Environmental Protection Agency and State Department each to be cut by around 31 percent.

    The house hasn’t actually passed a budget in umpty years. Why should they start now?
    I expect that once again we’ll end up with continuing resolutions.
    That budget gores a whole prairie fulll of oxen.

  22. 22.

    lollipopguild

    March 15, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    @Baud: So Cruz is going to run as the guy who is going to clean up trump’s mess or as the guy who will make the mess worse?

  23. 23.

    Major Major Major Major

    March 15, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    I wish Giordano would unblock me on twitter.

  24. 24.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    March 15, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    McCain goes on Senate floor and denounces Aqua Buddha to his face as a tool of Vladimir Putin (video)

  25. 25.

    Schlemazel

    March 15, 2017 at 9:44 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    That seems a bit steep, did she say what type of insurance they had? If they were not getting a subsidy they were making too much money. What Trump care would allow them to do is not have insurance (they could have done that under ACA but that was not obvious to morons). Too little data to decide if this is a failure.

  26. 26.

    Schlemazel

    March 15, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    @rikyrah:
    Well, that will certainly save money on Medicare and Social Security

  27. 27.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    March 15, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    @rikyrah:

    Trump cutting funding to Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to homebound, needy elderly

    #Economic Anxiety

  28. 28.

    hovercraft

    March 15, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    @TenguPhule:
    Yes he did, with Obamacare, the Detroit “bailout”, rescuing the economy, capping Deep Water Horizon, and countless other instances, the majority of the beneficiaries of all these things, were white working class people. The noise machine twisted it all and made them believe otherwise, and most of them turned around and voted for Twitler. It’s funny how throughout his presidency the media constantly cautioned Obama and democrats not to tout their accomplishments, lest those not benefitting yet get the idea they were forgotten. But suddenly over the last two months it’s okay for Twitler and co. to claim credit for shit they had nothing to do with, and those not willing to give them credit are now bitter dead enders. What happened to the loyal opposition who needed to be listened to? These voters want shit that benefits them and no one else, they resent anyone else getting shit even when they are getting most of it, they are greedy selfish assholes who’ve internalized the belief that anything not going to them is being stolen from them. Media and the GOP, talk about living off the government teat, these people can’t hack it on their own, they need the government to tilt the field in their favor, and when they don’t, a level playing field is perceived as a disadvantage.

  29. 29.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 9:45 pm

    I had a horrible day. Got to Lexington ok, saw the kid, got my car. Before I could get in the highway for home after dropping my son off, the dogsitter called me, screaming hysterically in my ear that the aggressive one had for away from him and attacked her nemesis Hershey in my living room and that they were killing each other. Incoherent screaming, and I’m five hours away.
    He hung up on me, called the police, who called animal control, who showed up after the dogs had stopped. Officer Miller was very nice, he took Hershey to my vet so he could get stitches again. Rosa the aggressive has been sent to doggie jail, and I have been strongly advised that she should be out down because her next attack could be on a person. I know I sound delusional, but she’s a very sweet, obedient dog who just hates other dogs now. There’s never a problem when I’m home. But obviously I can’t leave even a day.

    I know I should have her euthanized, but it’s breaking my heart. I can’t keep having this happen though, my poor sweet Hershey (Rosa’s gone after the others too, but not as viciously as him). So the drive home sucked.
    My front room carpet is ruined too. Because, though I EXPRESSLY SAID SHUT ALL THE DOORS IN BETWEEN, they weren’t and so the brawl took place in the living room. Sorry to ramble, I’m just so upset.

  30. 30.

    Gin & Tonic

    March 15, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Page me when he grows a pair and denounces Trump as a tool of Putin.

  31. 31.

    Baud

    March 15, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    @hovercraft:

    the media constantly cautioned Obama and democrats not to tout their accomplishments,

    DON’T SPIKE THE FOOTBALL!!!

  32. 32.

    Anne Laurie

    March 15, 2017 at 9:47 pm

    @Baud:

    Cruz wants Trump to fail so he can be the guy in 2020.

    Cruz is evil, but he’s not a moron. He’s (quite sensibly) afraid that if Trump fails too badly, the whole Repub brand will be toxic for a generation — if not destroyed outright.

  33. 33.

    Baud

    March 15, 2017 at 9:48 pm

    @satby: I’m so sorry.

  34. 34.

    jl

    March 15, 2017 at 9:48 pm

    In other bad news today (for the crazy loony party), looks like the Trumpster party in Netherlands did not do well. From what I read, an odd couple of the ruling center-right party and far left commie-socialist-green party came out on top. That will make for an interesting governing coalition.

    As for health care, I wonder if creeping Medicare/Medicaid for all will win out. I think big insurers did not think it through when they wanted to keep relatively loose regulations so they could keep on with the cherry picking game. I think a lot of instability in the exchange market is from that dynamic: big insurers taking a flyer on finding a market niche where they can make a fast buck, then if their plans don’t pan out quick, they drop out. I need to check numbers and see if slow creep upward of public insurance market share has continued through PPACA. I guess it must have in the Medicaid expansion states.

  35. 35.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 9:49 pm

    @rikyrah:

    Trump cutting funding to Meals on Wheels, which delivers food to homebound, needy elderly

    @schrodingers_cat:

    His immigration initiatives are fucking up rural healthcare too, because guess where most of the foreign born doctors, work?

    Clearly, Canteloupe Caligula has the political instincts/knowledge of a box turtle, but clearly there’s not one fucking person who talks to him that’s any smarter.
    Pretty soon the vandals in congress are going to see their own, individual numbers for next year tanking. Then the fun will really start.

  36. 36.

    Baud

    March 15, 2017 at 9:49 pm

    @Anne Laurie:

    the whole Repub brand will be toxic for a generation — if not destroyed outright.

    Color me skeptical.

  37. 37.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    March 15, 2017 at 9:49 pm

    FBI + Congress need to investigate the persistent allegations that Paul Ryan murdered 5 Rent Boys in Wisconsin.

    Many, many people are saying this is true but the Ryan murders are being covered up by Trump and the White House.

    Note: Ryan has refused to deny his connection to the Green Bay murders.

  38. 38.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 9:50 pm

    @lollipopguild:

    Cruz is going to run as the guy who is going to clean up trump’s mess or as the guy who will make the mess worse?

    Yes, yes he is.

  39. 39.

    jl

    March 15, 2017 at 9:51 pm

    ” Cruz: GOP will be “laughing stock” if ObamaCare repeal fails ”

    I think a lot of GOP Congresscruds would rather be laughed at for a while, rather than get their asses kicked out their cushy jobs in 2018 and 2020.

  40. 40.

    Omnes Omnibus

    March 15, 2017 at 9:52 pm

    @David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Only five?

  41. 41.

    dmsilev

    March 15, 2017 at 9:53 pm

    @Baud: Me too. Remember, two years after Bush was radioactive in 2008, 2010 happened.

  42. 42.

    debbie

    March 15, 2017 at 9:53 pm

    @satby:

    Can you find Rosa a home without any other dogs?

  43. 43.

    Barbara

    March 15, 2017 at 9:54 pm

    @satby: I’m sorry. I kept an aggressive dog for too long. I found a rescue sanctuary for him but I was prepared to put him down. I tried so hard to work with him. My au pair moved out because of him and I lived in fear that he would bite my kids’ friends. I just couldn’t take it after more than six years. But it was hard.

  44. 44.

    Anne Laurie

    March 15, 2017 at 9:54 pm

    @satby: Ugh, that’s horrible. I don’t blame you for being distraught about the whole situation!

    If there were any way to “retrain” Rosa, you’ve got the experience and the skill to have implemented the process already. As you know better than any of us, for some dogs, the mercy of quick oblivion is really the best gift we can offer them. I’ll be keeping you in my thoughts…

  45. 45.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    March 15, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: so far only 5 sex crime murders have been linked to Paul Ryan. so far.

  46. 46.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    March 15, 2017 at 9:55 pm

    @Gin & Tonic: Hear, hear. It’s all chin music until they go for his tax returns and appoint an independent commission to investigate Russia’s role in 2016

    One of the things I hate about trump is he’s made me often agree with smug douchebag David Frum, but he’s persuaded me that the focus of a “special prosecutor” is too narrow, since they only look for indictable crimes.

  47. 47.

    schrodingers_cat

    March 15, 2017 at 9:56 pm

    @satby: {{{ }}}

  48. 48.

    Elmo

    March 15, 2017 at 9:57 pm

    @satby: Oh satby, I am sorry. I have been exactly where you are. 30 years in rescue and it sometimes happens that you end up with a dog who isn’t a viable candidate for rehoming but can’t stay where he is either. It’s nobody’s fault.

    How old is Rosa? How big?

    Something to think about, that had helped me in similar situations : if you end up having to make the hard choice, remember that you will not be taking 30 or even 10 years of life away. Dogs lives are short. You might be shortening it by a year, or three, or even five if it’s a young dog – but it’s already had a good life with you, and shortening it a little because it has a fatal flaw is not something to be ashamed of.

    I wish I could help. I have put down more than one dog whom I loved because of agggressiveness. It’s one of the things that can be too dangerous and unpredictable to tolerate.

    Dammit I am so sorry.

  49. 49.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 9:58 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Only five?

    The hotel room was barely big enough for that many.

  50. 50.

    Another Scott

    March 15, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: WH.gov:

    MS. COUEY: Our rates are three times what they were before Obamacare started. We have one provider in our county. We have very little options for what we can and cannot do. We’re a small-business owner; we’re actually not a brick-and-mortar, we are cattle ranchers. We can’t afford our equipment if we’re paying these rates year after year after year.

    Our food source is in jeopardy because of this healthcare law. It’s my basic —

    THE PRESIDENT: I know. Sorry. Don’t worry. Don’t worry. This is what’s happening. It’s gone up three times, and then you have to pay — if you don’t want to use it, you have to pay. That’s the all-time beauty. If you don’t want to use it, you have to pay. And, Tom, you have to pay big league, right? Some people say, well, if I use it, I use it, I’m paying too much. If I don’t use it, I have to pay a penalty. And do you have to pay penalties? Do you ever do that, or you have to —

    MS. COUEY: We haven’t as of yet, but we were uninsured in December. They dropped us for the fourth time, after we paid over $50,000 last year for healthcare expenses.

    THE PRESIDENT: And it’s gone up triple.

    MS. COUEY: Yes.

    THE PRESIDENT: And before Obamacare, you actually had good healthcare.

    MS. COUEY: We did. We had a fantastic plan.

    There’s a whole lot of verbiage there, but I can’t make heads or tails of it. It sounds like she’s paying for insurance for employees. And it sounds like they may have had a bare-bones plan that didn’t cover anything before, but was cheap for her to provide and thus “fantastic” for her as a business owner.

    Who is “they”? Why were they “dropped four times”?

    It sounds like lots of things are going on there.

    To be clear, there are genuine horror stories out there, and this may be one (but I’m skeptical), and there are things that need to be fixed about Obamacare and the way the insurance system works. But throwing 24M people off insurance and giving millionaires huge tax cuts isn’t going to fix anything that these people are complaining about when it comes to their insurance policies.

    FWIW.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  51. 51.

    eclare

    March 15, 2017 at 9:59 pm

    @satby: So sorry to hear, that sounds awful. Unbelievably stressful. Can’t imagine the drive home.

  52. 52.

    cokane

    March 15, 2017 at 10:00 pm

    Don’t buy some of Giordano’s analysis here. If Obamacare had been single payer there would be “stakeholders” just the same as now, and there would still be those alarming headline figures of “20+ million would lose care”.

    Of course single payer wasn’t politically possible then, so I’m not saying it needed to happen. But it’s absurd to think it could be popularly dismantled — after all, doing so to Medicare and Social Security is unimaginable.

  53. 53.

    amk

    March 15, 2017 at 10:01 pm

    Go dutch.

    No, it’s not a dating proposal.

  54. 54.

    Truegster

    March 15, 2017 at 10:02 pm

    I’m not so sure that Single Payer would be less popular than Obamacare at this point in time in a parallel world. Also, Democrats bringing, um, Working Class Muricans some real change like Single Payer and it not being named after a black guy might also have helped in Manchin country. But her emails…

  55. 55.

    debit

    March 15, 2017 at 10:02 pm

    @satby: Oh god, I am so sorry.

  56. 56.

    Another Scott

    March 15, 2017 at 10:02 pm

    @satby: I’m so sorry, satby. I hope there’s a solution.

    Hang in there.

    Best wishes,
    Scott.

  57. 57.

    BlueDWarrior

    March 15, 2017 at 10:03 pm

    @dmsilev: by and large are dealing with a population trained to vote for Democrats to fix the things that Republicans break, but not let Democrats stop the Republicans from breaking it to begin with.

  58. 58.

    Waynski

    March 15, 2017 at 10:03 pm

    Wow. So, this is super incompetent. I grew up in Briarcliff Manor, NY (10510), home to one of Trump’s Golf Courses. Rachel was showing the envelope that contained the Trump tax return received by DKJ and I immediately noticed the postmark stamp that included a partial zip code (105 – Rachel bloked out the rest. Not sure why). It was the prefix to the zip code in Briarcliff Manor. It’s also the prefix to the zip code where his other club is farther north and would also be the prefix for Hillary Clinton’s home in Chappequa, NY. From any one of those places, you can drive a half an hour or less and be CT, where if mailed from there wouldn’t give you much to go on. I smell this as a contrived Hillary plot by Trump, or rank incompetence, Keeps getting better.

  59. 59.

    David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch

    March 15, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Last night’s installment of “The Ameri☭ans” was awesome (photo)

  60. 60.

    lamh36

    March 15, 2017 at 10:04 pm

    Ok…I now have a new celebrity crush…lol

    @thehill
    Chris Evans: “I feel rage” about Trump win

    As if I needed another reason to love Chris Evans, besides his muscles ;-)…Good on you Cap’n America…good on you…lol

  61. 61.

    BlueDWarrior

    March 15, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    @Another Scott: things are bad, so let’s screw more people to not fix it and… wait what we’re we doing?

  62. 62.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    @debbie: I have tried, but honestly, she can’t go to the adoption days. Then after the last incident the rescue declared her unadoptable. I was trying just to wait out the inevitable demise of my older dogs, since they’re very old. Then Rosa could have a whole floor of the house just to herself, and the other younger dog could have the other. With the doors shut, and one going to boarding if I went anywhere. But that could be still a year or more.

  63. 63.

    Major Major Major Major

    March 15, 2017 at 10:05 pm

    @Another Scott: cattle ranchers? Aren’t they some of the biggest beneficiaries of government largesse? DIAF.

  64. 64.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 10:06 pm

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    the focus of a “special prosecutor” is too narrow, since they only look for indictable crimes.

    Hey lawyerpeople: The president can only be removed by impeachment/conviction. But is there any reason that he can’t be indicted by a grand jury?
    Tricksie Dicksie Nixie was named as an unindicted co-conspirator; I took that to mean that special prosecutor Jaworski could have asked for, and probably obtained an indictment.
    Judges have been impeached and removed after indictment/conviction, yes?

  65. 65.

    Mary G

    March 15, 2017 at 10:07 pm

    @satby: That’s horrible. I’m sorry.

  66. 66.

    Jeffro

    March 15, 2017 at 10:07 pm

    @Baud: @lollipopguild:

    Were there any reports on how the Trump/Ted & Heidi Cruz dinner went last week? Must have been a real meeting of the (deranged) minds there…

  67. 67.

    Omnes Omnibus

    March 15, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    @lamh36: Don’t read the reply tweets. Seriously.

  68. 68.

    Ohio Mom

    March 15, 2017 at 10:08 pm

    @Aleta: If all those cuts are actually made, I can’t imagine the economic repurcussions.

    For example, no money for housing programs? Okay, lots of houses aren’t built or renovated. Whoever is selling the materials and equipment just loss a lot of business. The contractors lost a lot of jobs. The neighborhoods that were going to be stabilized by the improvement in the housing stock just took a hit to their housing values. The banks that were going to underwrite it all just lost out on a lot of interest income. It’s a reverse mulitiier effect.

    Economics, who knew it was so complicated?

  69. 69.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    @amk:

    No, it’s not a dating proposal.

    Does anyone under 60 or so even understand the usage?

  70. 70.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    March 15, 2017 at 10:10 pm

    @Another Scott: I would buy a plane ticket for the reporter who wants to get the details on her story, and yeah, @Major Major Major Major: , it’s the “small business/cattle ranch” that set me off.

  71. 71.

    Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)

    March 15, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: You too? I don’t even know what I did.

  72. 72.

    Thru the Looking Glass...

    March 15, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    @Anne Laurie:

    if Trump fails too badly, the whole Repub brand will be toxic for a generation — if not destroyed outright.

    So there is a possible good outcome to this rolling disaster after all…

    If by some miracle of justice it’s irrefutably proven that Trump was indeed colluding w/ Russia, I for one will be extremely disappointed if any and all Republicans dragged down by association don’t do serious time…

  73. 73.

    debbie

    March 15, 2017 at 10:12 pm

    @satby:

    I think I remember you saying you were familiar with Stop the Suffering. I’ve seen a number of their FB posts. They don’t believe any dog is unadoptable. Would you consider reaching out to them?

  74. 74.

    Lyrebird

    March 15, 2017 at 10:12 pm

    @satby: Oh I am sorry you’re having to face this, and sorry dogsitter didn’t follow basic instructions. Wish I could remember – I mean you’ll be sad either way – but I wish I could remember, maybe it’s this one (People Mag link), but out in Washington State there’s a rescue/sanctuary for dogs that are not safe to be around.

    Not saying I know what’s right, just trying to chime in usefully. I so respect you for what you do for the doggies *AND* for being able to consider the bad news. I was not harmed by the dog that changed one of my usual walking routes where I used to live, but I felt lucky to have backed away at the right speed. The postal carrier and others got hurt, though, and the owners would not consider that their sweet pooch would EVER be a danger, bc he was so sweet with them.

  75. 75.

    lamh36

    March 15, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    @Omnes Omnibus: Fuq’em…I rarely do anyway…lol

  76. 76.

    Omnes Omnibus

    March 15, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    @efgoldman: Dessa is 35.

  77. 77.

    amk

    March 15, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    @efgoldman: ageist!!! (I am under 60).

  78. 78.

    lamh36

    March 15, 2017 at 10:14 pm

    I remember reading a bit about the new STARZ show American Gods…but I never saw a full trailer til today.

    This looks good…yeah?

    Guess I’ll have to get STARZ after all…

    FYI: I fuqn LOVE Ian McShane and IDK why…lol

    https://www.facebook.com/AmericanGodsSTARZ/videos/733287946848718/?hc_ref=NEWSFEED

  79. 79.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    @Barbara: thanks.
    @Anne Laurie: thanks.
    @Elmo: Elmo, thank you, of course you’re right and you’re so comforting to share that.

    I wouldn’t hesitate if she had ever been the slightest bit aggressive to a human, but she’s a perfect little lady to us. She kisses your hand thank you when you give her her dinner bowl before she starts to eat.
    Now I’m just tormenting myself, AL and Elmo are right, because to keep Rosa is to have to restrict her more and fear for the safety of the rest. That’s not a fair life for any of them.

  80. 80.

    hovercraft

    March 15, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    @satby:
    I’m sorry what a terrible day, and an awful dilemma.

  81. 81.

    Major Major Major Major

    March 15, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    @Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant): I suspect he’s an asshole.

  82. 82.

    SiubhanDuinne

    March 15, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    @satby:

    Oh, god, I’m so sorry. That’s horrible. I hope there’s a good solution for all concerned. Big hugs.

  83. 83.

    MJS

    March 15, 2017 at 10:18 pm

    @efgoldman: I do. I’m 53. But a young 53. I swear.

  84. 84.

    hovercraft

    March 15, 2017 at 10:18 pm

    I’m not sure what’s going on on CNN right now, but my mother is yelling and cursing at the TV upstairs, I’d go see but I haven’t the stomach.

  85. 85.

    Cheap Jim

    March 15, 2017 at 10:20 pm

    Twitter remains the very best medium for long-form composition.

  86. 86.

    SiubhanDuinne

    March 15, 2017 at 10:21 pm

    @efgoldman:

    I’ve been meaning to have a word with you about your hostility towards box turtles.

  87. 87.

    Another Scott

    March 15, 2017 at 10:21 pm

    @Major Major Major Major: She seems to be a gung-ho GOP person. Her family’s story was used in a political short/viral ad last September. It’s a really unfair ad IMO, but does say that her personal family insurance policy cost over $50k (but in the WH transcript it says her medical expenses cost over $50k, so which is it?).

    I assume that’s why Donnie’s people had her on.

    It’s still unclear what’s going on with them and their insurance, IMO, but it does seem to be their family policy and not a business policy, so there’s that. I wouldn’t take their word of the reality of the overall situation, though…

    FWIW.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  88. 88.

    Major Major Major Major

    March 15, 2017 at 10:22 pm

    @Another Scott: ads can say a lot of things. For all I know she’s one of those idiots who didn’t take the subsidies and then complained about the cost. If she’s a rancher though I do know that she’s taking in way more than she’s producing.

  89. 89.

    Another Scott

    March 15, 2017 at 10:23 pm

    @efgoldman: Nixon was not indicted due to concerns about whether the United States Constitution allowed the indictment of a sitting President (see Executive privilege)..

    HTH.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  90. 90.

    Elmo

    March 15, 2017 at 10:24 pm

    @satby: It’s not fair to you either, to live with that level of anxiety and restriction. There is nothing wrong – nothing – with being fair and kind to yourself and taking your own burden into account.

    Know that I’m shedding a tear for your Rosa, and for you.

  91. 91.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 10:27 pm

    @debbie: I just looked at them, I can call tomorrow because they’re in Ohio, but they don’t mention aggression at all.

    @Lyrebird: never heard of that guy, but interesting. I’m sort of unsure that would be a place for her, but I can see if I can get hold of him tomorrow too.

  92. 92.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 10:27 pm

    @Elmo: appreciated

  93. 93.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    @Lyrebird: my philosophy is that any dog could potentially be frightened and bite under trying enough circumstances. I always shut the dogs into other rooms when people are over, unless it’s people that know and like my dogs.

  94. 94.

    Arclite

    March 15, 2017 at 10:31 pm

    8. The sad truth is that had “Obamacare” been “single payer” the *easiest* thing for the GOP right now would be to dismantle it…

    Not true. There’d be nothing to go back to with the vast majority of private health insurance companies out of business.

  95. 95.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    Baud, Debit, MaryG, schrodinger’s, eclare, Scott: thanks all. Just needed to vent a bit. Nerves still jangly.
    And anyone I may have missed. Appreciate the support greatly!

  96. 96.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    March 15, 2017 at 10:35 pm

    saying “if Obamacare had been single payer” is a bit like saying “if I had won that powerball last year”

    just sayin’

  97. 97.

    zhena gogolia

    March 15, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    @Gin & Tonic:

    Maybe he’s working up to it?

  98. 98.

    Lizzy L

    March 15, 2017 at 10:36 pm

    @satby: So sorry! What a tough situation. No advice or help to offer, just empathy.

    My 13 1/2 year old dog, Theo, is not responding to the medications the vet prescribed. He’s pretty much refusing to eat unless I hand feed him. Whatever it is — cancer, most likely — I think it’s time to say goodbye to my old boy.

    Damn, it hurts.

  99. 99.

    Aleta

    March 15, 2017 at 10:37 pm

    @satby: I’m sorry. For me, when something bad happens I almost always think: If only that hadn’t happened things would be OK. But if something different had happened, there’s also a chance that the eventual outcome down the road might have been even worse for the animal. So I try to remind myself, and sometimes it comforts me a little. I’m so sorry you’re going through this.

  100. 100.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 10:38 pm

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    I’ve been meaning to have a word with you about your hostility towards box turtles.

    They’re not the brightest bulbs in the quadruped chandelier.

  101. 101.

    Aleta

    March 15, 2017 at 10:41 pm

    @Lizzy L: That’s so very hard. My sympathy.

  102. 102.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 10:41 pm

    @Another Scott:

    HTH.

    If Jaworski hadn’t seen impeachment coming down the tracks (it was pretty obvious) I wonder if he would have done it anyway.

  103. 103.

    Lyrebird

    March 15, 2017 at 10:41 pm

    @satby: Yeah, and thanks for a generous reading of my comment, which might sound like I totally missed your “danger to other dogs” point, there.

    This doesn’t help your current mess (lit. or fig.), but even as someone who is NOT like you or debit or JC, I so wish the public safety folks would not just report “## jillion dog bites OH NO”, and instead give us an idea how many of them are the totally normal “puppy went too far” or similar understandable situations versus “this could be the one to put a jogger in the hospital” situations. The latter happens, but so much more rarely.

    Image if we judged all cats by the number of scratches they give per year, not counting the circumstances at all.

    Further good thoughts and wishes for that best resolution.

  104. 104.

    Aleta

    March 15, 2017 at 10:44 pm

    @efgoldman: How do you feel about prairie chickens?

  105. 105.

    debit

    March 15, 2017 at 10:49 pm

    @Lizzy L: I’m so so sorry. Having been through that decision making process recently, I offer my deepest sympathy. The kindest thing you can do is ease his pain, but it’s hard and it hurts.

  106. 106.

    Lizzy L

    March 15, 2017 at 10:49 pm

    @Aleta: Thanks.

  107. 107.

    rikyrah

    March 15, 2017 at 10:55 pm

    @schrodingers_cat:

    @rikyrah: His immigration initiatives are fucking up rural healthcare too, because guess where most of the foreign born doctors, work?
    * 25% of all doctors practicing in the United States are foreign born,

    I know that now…just found it out within the last month

  108. 108.

    efgoldman

    March 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    @Aleta:

    How do you feel about prairie chickens?

    Pan fried is good.

  109. 109.

    rikyrah

    March 15, 2017 at 10:59 pm

    @satby:

    awe satby…sorry…

  110. 110.

    debbie

    March 15, 2017 at 11:02 pm

    @satby:

    I know I’ve seen posts where they work to place dogs who weren’t working out in their current homes. It can’t hurt to see if they can be of any help or if they know of a place that might be able to help.

  111. 111.

    Another Scott

    March 15, 2017 at 11:21 pm

    @Lizzy L: I’m sorry Lizzy. It’s painful. Theo appreciates all you’ve done for him. Remember all the good times, and know that he’ll always be with you as long as you remember him. Condolences, and best wishes.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  112. 112.

    satby

    March 15, 2017 at 11:35 pm

    @Lizzy L: Oh Lizzy, so sorry too! Yes, it heartbreaking, even if it’s kindest for them. Condolences.

  113. 113.

    Jinchi

    March 15, 2017 at 11:49 pm

    The main reason Republicans are quickly choking on their proposed repeal of Obamacare is that it was so well constructed for this moment.

    I won’t spend too much time arguing counterfactuals, but Donald Trump is president. He and the Republican party won campaigning on a promise to repeal Obamacare. They may be failing at putting together a replacement, but they are in a strong position to kill ACA by a thousand cuts over the next few years and it will take a lot of work to stop them.

    If they had lost, Obamacare would not be at any risk at all. I’m not willing to concede the argument that ACA was the best of all possible worlds until we’ve gotten past the breaking point.

  114. 114.

    Rasputin's Evil Twin

    March 16, 2017 at 11:55 am

    @satby: There’s “Sit Means Sit” a chain of trainers who can change pretty much any bad behavior in dogs. Google them for a local trainer. IT worked for us.

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