The Affordable Care Act

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

You really have to ask me this question Chas? OK...nuance or whatever is not your strong suit. So I will help you out to the best of my ability. Chas...it's bad. It's the reason why our healthcare system costs nearly twice the percentage of GDP as the next most expensive Euro/Canadian system. And...it's the reason why, of the 40 most developed and wealthiest nations on earth this country is:

1. 37th in life expectancy.
2. 40th in infant mortality.

Not bad for twice the money, eh Chas? Yes or no?

But now I'll ask you. You think it's good to have a for profit, employment linked healthcare system? And since I've cooperated in my at bat in this silly fucking game I'm expect more than "yes" outta you...Chas.


Unless you're talking about our poisoned air, poisoned water, and poisoned food not being that bad...in which case, I won't be playing with you anymore. In this discussion anyway.

I realize you are new here, so let me say for probably the 20th time that I am a supporter of single payer. Employer based healthcare is problematic. And PPACA is not the answer. I'm assuming we're on the same page.

And actually, my comment was based on the poisoned air, water, and food. The air has been cleaned up considerably from the way I remember it in the 60's & 70's. A lot of the water as well.

I'm not too hep on genetically modified crops, and I'm a bit concerned about all of the hormones and antibiotics given to livestock...but I'm not ready to slit my wrists over it.

When you get right down to it, I just don't think things are all that bad.

Chas

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Charles

I realize you are new here, so let me say for probably the 20th time that I am a supporter of single payer. Employer based healthcare is problematic. And PPACA is not the answer. I'm assuming we're on the same page.

You assume correctly.

Originally Posted by Charles

And actually, my comment was based on the poisoned air, water, and food. The air has been cleaned up considerably from the way I remember it in the 60's & 70's. A lot of the water as well.

Perhaps that's because you're not a property owner in NW Indiana where the state legislature continually rolls over and dies whenever BP or Arcelor/Mittal threaten layoffs if they can't dump more mercury laden sludge directly into the South Shore of Lake Michigan than they're already allowed. Perhaps you're not getting a good whiff of what comes out of Mittal's 24/7 blast furnace stack sitting between the otherwise pristine towns of Ogden Dunes and Duneacres. Perhaps you're not a concerned resident of Ludington Michigan, watching the coal fired SS Badger ferry sailing off for Manitowoc every day, knowing that halfway there, every day, she'll be dumping 4 tons of coal ash into the middle of our fresh water supply.

Originally Posted by Charles

I'm not too hep on genetically modified crops, and I'm a bit concerned about all of the hormones and antibiotics given to livestock...but I'm not ready to slit my wrists over it.

Uh...OK. But now my clinical interest has been aroused. What, exactly are you ready to slit your wrists over?

Originally Posted by Charles

When you get right down to it, I just don't think things are all that bad.

I suspect if you were unemployed, uninsured, and a home owner in Roane County Tennessee

or Libby, Montana

your attitude might be a little different.

[d-ray657]

Originally Posted by Charles

I realize you are new here, so let me say for probably the 20th time that I am a supporter of single payer. Employer based healthcare is problematic. And PPACA is not the answer. I'm assuming we're on the same page.

And actually, my comment was based on the poisoned air, water, and food. The air has been cleaned up considerably from the way I remember it in the 60's & 70's. A lot of the water as well.

I'm not too hep on genetically modified crops, and I'm a bit concerned about all of the hormones and antibiotics given to livestock...but I'm not ready to slit my wrists over it.

When you get right down to it, I just don't think things are all that bad.

Chas

Chas,

I'm glad to see a hint of optimism flowing from your fingertips. And I mean that sincerely. Hope things are going well.

Regards,

D-Ray

[BlueStreak]

Wow! What is that mess in Libby, Ike? My parents had friends there that we visited in the early 1970s. It was a beautiful place back then. I remember there was a large lumber mill nearby.

Dave

[bobabode]

Well, well, well - shenanigans in California.
http://crooksandliars.com/karoli/cal...gop-astroturfs

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I'd like to see how much medical we export. Include equipment and of course the training as that contributes to our economy.

I bet it's a lot.

We're a LOT cleaner than we used to be btw.

Pete

Yeah and even though it comes from 300 feet down our well water will eat brass fittings there is that much acid in it.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Wow! What is that mess in Libby, Ike? My parents had friends there that we visited in the early 1970s. It was a beautiful place back then. I remember there was a large lumber mill nearby.

Dave

The top picture is the fly ash sludge flood from a ruptured containment pond in Tennesee.

The bottom pic is from Libby, Montana. Apparently the vermiculite mining companies in the area used large amounts of asbestos for some reason in their mining or processing and the entire Libby area is contaminated with it. High incidences of mesothelioma and other illnesses, and it continues to date.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

The top picture is the fly ash sludge flood from a ruptured containment pond in Tennesee.

The bottom pic is from Libby, Montana. Apparently the vermiculite mining companies in the area used large amounts of asbestos for some reason in their mining or processing and the entire Libby area is contaminated with it. High incidences of mesothelioma and other illnesses, and it continues to date.

Damn those Tennesseans for putting their community in they way of that sludge flow! Assholes!

So, have any Montana Republicans apologized to the vermiculite miners for the terrible tragedy the people of Libby have foisted upon them, yet?

Where is Joe Barton when they need him?

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

I'd like to see how much medical we export. Include equipment and of course the training as that contributes to our economy.

I bet it's a lot.

We're a LOT cleaner than we used to be btw.

Pete

Actually, Pete, the next time you're in a hospital have a look around at the equipment. (I hope it's a long time. Not, wishing you any harm, Bud.)

I recall when I had my heart surgery in 1988, seeing names like GE on the equipment. Now, it's all Siemens, Toshiba...................

Dave

[piece-itpete]

Ah so, darn krauts and japs

I'm not saying we're pristine pollution wise, but I lived downwind of LTV steel in Cleveland in the 80s (now Mittal) and it was a LOT dirtier then. When it rained everything got covered in grey pasty stuff.

Also, my dad was a member of the clean water task force, a group of engineers tasked with cleaning up Lake Erie. The growing fish population is a testament to the progress there.

And, , they're finally cleaning up the old nuke warhead dump sites here. A beautiful job too, they don't just remove the contaminants and replace the soil, they actually design the land/terrain/drainage to recreate an ecosystem from scratch.

Pete

Pete