patrick.net

Good!

Medicare Part D, introduced by our Compassionate Friend of Big Pharma G W Shrub, I believe, is one of the reasons why budget deficit went parabolic.
Payoffs for Big Pharma! WIN-WIN again!

Good!

Was tRUMP President on Sept 3, 2016?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dakota_Access_Pipeline_protests

On September 3, 2016, during Labor Day weekend, the Dakota Access Pipeline brought in a private security firm when the company used bulldozers to dig up part of the pipeline route that contained possible Native graves and burial artifacts; it was subject to a pending injunction motion. The bulldozers arrived within a day after the tribe filed legal action.[58] Energy Transfer bulldozers cut a two-mile (3200 m) long, 150-foot (45 m) wide path through the contested area.[59][60]

When unarmed protesters crossed the perimeter fence to stop the bulldozers, the guards used pepper spray and guard dogs to attack. At least six protesters were treated for dog bites, and an estimated 30 were pepper-sprayed before the guards and their dogs left the scene in trucks. A woman that had taken part in the incident stated, "The cops watched the whole thing from up on the hills. It felt like they were trying to provoke us into being violent when we're peaceful."[60] The incident was filmed by Amy Goodman and a crew from Democracy Now![59][61] Footage shows several people with dog bites and a dog with blood on its muzzle.[60][62][63]

OccasionalCortex says

except everything Jazzy here posts is automatically regarded as total bullshit until proven otherwise. He destroyed his 'credit' here long ago, I am afraid.

That's personal. But he's not starving and he has a smartphone.

I don't see even the slightest hint of authoritarianism from the right in the US these days. Can someone give me an example?

I have personally experienced plenty of authoritarianism from the left though.

HEYYOU says

Patnetters,
Shall I destroy this thread.

You and who's army? Go for it....

Don’t you destroy all threads?

HEYYOU says

Patnetters,
Shall I destroy this thread.

"Opposed to liberalism, Marxism, and anarchism, fascism is placed on the far-right within the traditional left–right spectrum.[4][5][6]"

Please explain how a Fascist, who believes in total government control of society and the economy, are "right wing," when a right wing person wants as small a government as possible and the least amount of economic controls. The ultimate right winger is an Anarchist, who wants no government at all. The only people more left wing than a Fascist is a Socialist/Communist. In America, right wingers believe in gun rights, Facists believe in total gun confiscation, like all other authoritarians.

Yep, Bernie will get the most delegates by a fair bit, but the homo will be encouraged to stay in there as will Warren and Klobuchar and take delegates for themselves. In the end, it will be a brokered convention and mini Mike will buy the nomination with a promised $5 BILLION delivered to DNC coffers for a massive spending boost for congressional candidates. There is zero chance the DNC will resist Bloomberg’s billions.

And Bernie’s supporters will go NUTS! I predict that this will split the Democrat Party in half with elitists going one way and progressives/populists the other.

And the election is totally fucked. Progressives are totally not going to vote for Bloomberg, and many will sit out the election in sheer protest.

It’s going to be such a bloodbath. And I don’t see this scenario even being avoidable at this point. I give it a 75% chance of happening just like that.

Glorious!

"At first glance, the latest data – which came out on Feb. 7 – look pretty good. They show nominal hourly earnings rose 3.1% in January from a year earlier."

That's impressive since wages declined relative to inflation during Obama's administration.

Right now government-reported inflation (i.e, CPI) is around 2.1%. So under Trump, wages are growing faster than inflation.

In the end, it will be a brokered convention and mini Mike will buy the nomination with a promised $5 BILLION delivered to DNC coffers for a massive spending boost for congressional candidates. There is zero chance the DNC will resist Bloomberg’s billions.

Yep. Well at least Mini-Mike is to rich to be bought, a refreshing change from the always for sale Clintons. Wonder who Bloomberg will pick for VP.

Hey, money can't buy poverty.

(CNN)Over 100 US service members have been diagnosed with mild traumatic brain injuries

Exactly what is a "mild" traumatic brain injury?

They are looking to get documented in their active duty medical service record that they suffered a concussion. Many of them may be exaggerating the claims.

Why cause later on after they are discharged, they can file a disability claim with the Veteran Affairs (VA) for occasional migraine or headaches due to the concussion. That disability is subjective as it is based on the veteran's statement about headache conditions. It is not a disability like sleep apena which can be measured in a sleep lab or an objective test.

HeadSet says

"mild" traumatic brain injury

That could be detected using imaging like MRI's, etc.

However, there may be "undetectable" mild brain injuries like occasional headaches.

This type of disability is subjective and not objective since it cannot be easily measured by a lab test or analysis of an image from an MRI.

A shock wave or impulse could also cause tinnitus, which is a disability rated at 10% by the Veteran Affairs. This may be attributed to "mild" brain injury also.

jazz_music says

... and their tunes are too good.

You know Jenny from the block is rich right?

Trump may be making "cuts" to Medicare as in reducing the payouts to doctors.

So instead of seeing an increase in Medicare spending that is double the inflation rate, Trump may propose only increasing Medicare spending at the annual inflation rate (i.e., 2%).

This is considered an entitlement spending "cut" within the Beltway.

I suspect this is to keep the growth of Medicare spending in check and ensure the program is financially sustainable.

Obama made cuts to the Pentagon by freezing its budget each year. That is, he only funded it at a constant level for several years.

So Obama maintained the growth of the Pentagon budget at 0% annually.

Trump likely wants to increase Medicare's budget by 2% each year.

Will Lawng Island become the new Taiwan?

HeadSet says

Well at least Mini-Mike is to rich to be bought, a refreshing change from the always for sale Clintons.

He was one of the ones buying the Clintons. He is the epitome of the oligarchy, and now he’s running/buying his way to the Presidency to just remove the middle man.
And yep, Trump is also a billionaire, but not anywhere near the FU money Bloomberg has. Trump might be worth five billion. Bloomberg can afford to throw away five billion to buy the power and control he wants. Trump used mostly donations to fund his campaign, and most of them small donations. Bloomberg is not seeking donations, or trying to build popularity, but just saying “I’m going to do it all myself.”

personal

I saw on CBS Nightly News that the couple that got jailed because they failed to show up to court or failed to give good reason why they were unable to attend the court session. They were only charged with failure to show.

Good!

There are nonprofit organizations that will buy the medical debt from a debt collector so that the debtor ends up paying very little for the medical bills. Because of the complexity with medical billing, there are costs that can be significantly negotiated such as providing monthly payments over 5 to 7 years.

https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/contact7/contact7-gives-medical-debt-rescue

https://wealthfit.com/money/organizations-that-help-pay-medical-bills/

Can't the CIA churn out a good Manchurian legend candidate more than once every ten or fifteen years? You know, the 'Grand Unifier' salesperson type?

Either way they lose. If the push Bloomberg/Biden/Buttigieg/Hitlary in a brokered convention with lots of Caucus shenanigans, they still lose. If Bernie or Warren wins nomination, they also lose.

HeadSet says

Bollinger Motors had said its all-electric pickup truck would cost less than $100,000. Turns out it’s $125,000.

LOL, they were promising it will be $60K when they were launching this thing several years ago.

zzyzzx says

How in the fuck does that happen? I see the power lines, so it's probably shit land from the get go. But seriously? No one thought about drainage? Dip shits.

I just test drove my work colleague's new Tesla Model 3 at lunch today. I have a Chevy Bolt so am already used to awesome torque and horsepower from EV's.

But holy shit, this Tesla (base model) blows my car away. So fun to drive. Can't wait to get one when my lease is up in 2 years. Tesla is so far ahead of all of the other automakers in terms of battery and drive train tech - no one is even close.

they all are RAYCIST!!!!!!!!!

It wasn't so Grand. Juicy knows some set designers that could make it really GRAND!

WookieMan says

How in the fuck does that happen?

Probably the design was outsourced.

So Biden is down to at least 5th?

The RAYCISM IN THE COUNTRY IS INTOLERABLE!

Charging Jussie is like the Rebirth of the KLAN!

Something only possible with the RISE OF ORANGEMANBAD FASCIST!!!

WookieMan says

How in the fuck does that happen?

Clogged drains mp.

The_Weeping_Ayatollah says

WookieMan says

How in the fuck does that happen?

Clogged drains mp.

True. Tress look like leafs recently disembarked. Still likely paying someone $70k/yr to take care of this regardless if Tesla is responsible or not.

What happen to the Cooke County Prosecutor that refused to take the case?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/arts-entertainment/2019/03/27/why-prosecutors-dismissed-charges-against-jussie-smollett/

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/chicago-police-demand-resignation-city-s-top-prosecutor-after-jussie-n991076