Our For Profit Health Insurance System Responds to the Corona Virus

11 Comments
 
Our health care system...LOL! am I right?  
 
People with insurance spending 3 hours on hold trying to get pre-approval for a blood test. People without it or with not good insurance....
After returning to Miami last month from a work trip in China, Osmel Martinez Azcue found himself in a frightening position: he was developing flu-like symptoms, just as coronavirus was ravaging the country he had visited. Under normal circumstances, Azcue said he would have gone to CVS for over-the-counter medicine and fought the flu on his own, but this time was different. As health officials stressed preparedness and vigilance for the respiratory illness, Azcue felt it was his responsibility to his family and his community to get tested for novel coronavirus, known as COVID-19. ... But two weeks later, Azcue got unwelcome news in the form of a notice from his insurance company about a claim for $3,270.
We might find it hard to get ahead of a pandemic when the priority is stuffing additional riches in the bank accounts of billionaires. -Via Eschaton

South Carolina Debate Reaction Thread

5 Comments
How'd it go? I didn't watch. Well, that's not exactly true. I watched about 4 minutes and that was enough to confirm my suspicion that this dog and pony show is designed to highlight each of the candidate's unique weirdness. Here are the evenings moderators ranked by net worth: Bill Whitaker ($75,000) Major Garrett ($3 million) Margaret Brennan ($5 million) Norah O'Donnell ($18 million) Gayle King ($25 million)

“Base Turnout Election” Defined

A base turnout election is one in which candidates and parties focus on appealing to the energy and creativity of their "base" voters and eschew watering down their partisan message and values in order to appeal to so-called "swing" voters. Nobody has ever encountered a swing voter, but they are alleged to be free to vote for either party or candidate provided they are courted with a "Goldilocks" message that is not too hot, or too cold, but just right. "Base turnout" is an election strategy that Republicans have used to great effect but Democrats have ignored. This appears to be changing as more Democrats bypass professional DC based consultants and embrace a left-of-center message to mobilize and expand the Democratic base. Democrats have found that in chasing a narrow swath of mythical swing voters, Democratic Party leadership has ignored a broader coalition of voters who have delivered blue victories time and time again. A public service message from DL. You're Welcome.

Deep Thoughts

An "ultra-liberal" might lose "centrist" voters. But an "ultra-conservative" will never lose "centrist" voters. Ok. I get it. We're still debating this dumb fucking "centrist" shit?

COONS’ VOTE ENABLED THIS – TRUMP TO SLASH CDC WHILE CORONAVIRUS SPREADS

1 Comment
Alex Azar, you may not be surprised to learn, is a member of the notorious Alfalfa Club. So Azar and Coons have recently been doing some hob-sobbing. I wonder if slashing the CDC budget came up over cocktails at Jeff Bezos' place? This is Coons gloating about his vote to confirm Trump's HHS hatchet man:
"I have known Mr. Azar for several decades and have always been impressed with his intellect and work ethic....I personally met with Mr. Azar last month and pressed him on a number of key issues that he will impact as Secretary, including the Affordable Care Act, drug pricing, and continued progress on health care system delivery reform. ...I was encouraged by his answers during our conversation and I believe he is committed to representing the interests of Delawareans and Americans everywhere."
...encouraged...
HHS Sec. Alex Azar testifies before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee about the White House budget. While the Trump administration proposed massive cuts to health services including the Center for Disease Control, they recently asked Congress to allocate $2.5B to combat coronavirus. Half of this money is being redirected from other federal programs...

South Carolina Debate Preview & Bloomberg’s plan to win on the second ballot of a brokered convention

15 Comments
Bernie Sanders will be the target. There is widespread panic among the Democratic and media establishment that a "SOCIALIST!" might run the table from here on out. Pete Buttigieg is going to say that Bernie is “polarizing” and that he loves Castro. Yawn. I once respected Buttigieg. His unraveling has been pitiful. Joe Biden may bring up the fact that Sanders contemplated a primary run against Obama. *gasp!* ("Psst...Obama was African American." I wonder if Biden

Jess Scarane Online Fundraiser Day 2 – Don’t Allow Coons to Give Mitch Veto Power

1 Comment
I've covered how much momentum Jess is building through the state and how your donation can have a big impact in this primary. Now I want you to think about kicking in $10.00 for very specific reason. I want even people who may think they "support" Coons to consider a $10.00 contribution for Scarane, earmarked for this specific purpose.
Send $10.00 and deliver this message to Coons: Retract your promise to give Mitch McConnell veto power over progressive legislation.
This is a huge deal. Coons has promised to vote to keep the filibuster Julian Castro puts it succinctly:
“If (Coons) requires 60 votes in the Senate—which is nowhere in the constitution — (Coons) is basically giving veto power to big pharmaceutical companies, to the insurance industry, to gun manufacturers.”
Jess' primary challenge of Coons isn't simply an election - it is part of a movement that is seeking to restore basic Democratic values to the party. Your (additional or new) $10.00 contribution can help get the word out about Coons' plans to give veto power to Mitch McConnell, and perhaps move him off that position. Click Here -> to donate $10.00 to stop Coons from giving McConnell veto power.