What are we going to do with all these Republicans who can’t take care of themselves? It’s a real problem. https://www.wsj.com/politics/electi...curity-medicare-unemployment-34e92b19?mod=mhp
2020 presidential-election winner in counties where government assistance is more than 25% Look at this sea of Red of helpless Republicans. Perhaps we need to have a large country music concert to address this emergency. This doesn’t even include things like military bases and farm supports. A national crisis indeed.
I bet a large portion of that is Obamacare, too… and most of those red state dopes getting it don’t even know it…
I feel for people who have lost economic opportunities. A lot of small town America & rural America provides little economic opportunity these days. &, IMO, the loss is not just economic; it's a loss of purpose & pride. It's a loss of community & a way of life. I advocate for free trade & free mkts, but it (& tech) produces a lot of losers. I don't think protectionism & subsidies are the answer - they will ultimately make the prob worse. I think the answer is probably complicated. Politicians want scapegoats which freq involves pitting folks against each other. But what we need are solutions. In 2020 Marianne Williamson said, we need more compassion in the world. That, & Amy K. telling Warren we don't need more MBAs were prob the best 2 pts. made. Our scoreboard obsession diverts our attention from humanity. In 1997 I sat in the kitchen talking with a 3rd or 4th gen rancher in San Juan County Colo. Their land was prob worth millions, but their only income was from renting a little corner of it to a NG gathering co. I wasn't there to fix their life, thank god. Cuz I had no ans then & I have no ans now. p.s. my acct has not been hacked
I recall a survey of Kentucky residents around 10 years ago in which a majority of respondents said that they like the Kynect Program while a majority in the same survey disapproved of Obamacare. Kynect is the Kentucky state Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) program. Kentuckians only hate Obamacare if you call it Obamacare
It's interesting. I think nicknaming things after people is a terrible idea in our polarized culture. Imagine how many liberals would have turned down something actively labeled as a the Trump Vaccine. If its REALLY meant to help people and not win political points, just call it the ACA.
Who do you think popularized the name? Turning people against the ACA the goal of the Republicans who started using the name 'Obamacare' a pejorative. And Dems didn't label the covid vax the Trump Vaccine or some other negative name because Dems weren't against the vaccine.
Exactly. Only after it became very popular did they start calling it other names (like the ACA or Kynect).
Bingo. Originally, it was Republican lawmakers during debate over the legislation in Congress who were the ones who derisively nicknamed the ACA into Obamacare. Obama and the White House later embraced the nickname as a badge of honor for how divisive the Republicans were being.
Did I say the democrats named it? I'm talking about in general. I hate the pub position on healthcare. (And you know it.) But i get it, if I say it, you will show up to argue.
If you're not going to fill in the blanks, others will do it for you. If you thought naming it Obamacare was a 'terrible' idea because it led to people being biased against it, maybe you could have mentioned the Republicans named it that for that very reason.
I like this version! The OP was (hopefully ) obviously sarcastic - with all the demonization I hear of government, those who demonize are often beneficiaries. Whether any particular program is cost efficient towards its purpose can be debated, but I’d argue that most of what the article is referencing, social security, Medicare and Medicaid are on balance efficient usage of resources.
I thought my previously clear opinion about Republican policy on health care helped fill in the blanks. To clarify. Weaponizing a bill by sticking a persons name on it is lazy and does nothing to support a position. It's just aimed to politicize an already toxic political environment. Just like if someone on the left had called the vaccine a Trump Vaccine. (Which some actually tried to do early on you may remember.) Its just a dangerous gasoline spill on an already raging fire. Debate health care fairly and honestly. Fix the broken parts of the ACA. Shake hands and the people win.
Just for clarification and possibly repitition - the “Obamacare” label was assigned by the media and Tea Party republicans to demonize it. It was not labeled that by the Obama admin. Eventually during an interview Obama decided to own the label. The republicans named it that in order to make it toxic. That was exactly the plan.
This is precisely what has led to the proliferation of MAGA. They tell these good people a narrative that they want to hear, they pretend that they care about them and will govern FOR THEM. But it’s all a lie. They just use these people to get elected so that they can enact tax cuts and laws to enrich their own pockets.
Its not just the republicans, the dems do the exact same thing. What you just described is the definition of a politician.
While there is some truth to that I think it is overplayed. Listening to Michelle Goldberg on a podcast, who has attended many Trump rallies, she largely rejects that narrative. She goes to these rallies and meets dentists, small business owners etc. I think you see the same thing here. The Trump fans here likely aren’t suffering. It is a tribal thing that largely but not totally plays along college education lines. Trump is a conman and he is playing on cultural and other feelings victimhood. He makes it OK to say what they feel. Trump provides a narrative and his followers find it attractive for various reasons. It really isn’t much different that what you may see at WWE or among sports fans. Many Gator fans are convinced that FSU fans are horrible people, and vice versa. College/pro football fans will believe ridiculous things in furtherance of their fandom. Trump has made it a team sport.
All politicians will try to spin things favorably, but can’t recall dems having to resort to crazy shit like the GOP touting infrastructure projects in their districts funded by the infrastructure bill they all voted against, or the GOP reps that promised to “protect” the Affordable care act, nevermind “they’re eating the dogs! they’re eating the pets!”. Spin usually has at least some connection the truth. Those instances are pretty much just straight up lying to their constituents faces and assuming they won’t know any better.
Correct. Putting someones name on it to demonize it is dangerous. Fight it on its merits. But politicians arent really looking to unite or create a common good. They want power.
