The Kochs vs Trump - Who Will Win On Healthcare?
By Thom Hartmann A...
The fight to repeal and replace Obamacare is rapidly becoming a battle between factions of oligarchs.
So who will win - the Koch brothers faction that hates the Republican healthcare plan?
Or the Trump-Mercer faction that supports it?
As it stands right now, the Republican plan to replace Obamacare still doesn't have enough support to make it through a House vote.
This is in large part thanks to opposition from the Koch brothers and their right-wing billionaire allies.
The House Freedom Caucus - AKA the Koch Caucus - says it has a 25 solid "no" votes against the bill - more than enough to prevent it from passing.
So on the one hand you have this awful bill pushed by the Mercer-backed Trump administration, and then on the other you have the House Freedom Caucus, which is essentially an arm of the Koch empire, demanding something more "conservative."
When David Koch ran for president in 1980, he called for the "abolition of Medicare and Medicaid." Is that the only thing that will please these people?
Comments
#2
Trump's campaign promise. Repeated many times by him, and still being repeated by Paul Ryan. For some reason, they all keep saying that the promise was to repeal Obama Care. Nope! The promise was to give us better health care. Better than what we had during the Obama years. And, to pay less for it. Repealing Obama Care is just a bump in the road, (not the promise) to that end. Better, and less expensive health care. Much appreciated, President Trump.. Thank you for your service.
#3
Does the Republican voter think they're represented?
#4
one benefit of the trumpcare rollout is that more and more americans are finally waking up to the reality that we have truly been living in an oligarchy, an oligarchy that owns congress and the media. does america have the will yet to take its country back, or do we need depression, famine and war to do the trick?
#5
#Robertcd: If this is the case, and there are more conservatives than "lib-tards" using social safety nets, then why haven't any high profile liberals pointed this out in a big way? And how can conservatives be registered conservatives and vote for their own abuse by putting conservatives into office be so hypocritical by sneaking off to use social services, Medicare, and Medicaid? Why is such a glaring disconnect going unnoticed by conservatives and liberals alike? (And I agree with you that they want us to just die off. They see us as things, so there is no humanity in them.)
#6
There are two kinds of people in this world; givers and takers. From all that I've seen so far, it is the conservatives who are the takers and the liberals (not neo liberals) who are the givers. When I see some conservative voter denouncing giving or sharing, I can't help but wonder if they are a text-book sociopath in church clothing. And as for the wealthy conservatives, like the Koch, brothers, I will never understand how people with so much can begrudge others from having the simple basics. You can't tell me these people aren't missing the compassionate gene or that they don't have sociopathic tendencies. Too bad they didn't have a little humility and a good dose of shame. (It also strikes me that these people are English and this type of miserly selfishness is culturally very English.)
#7
Depressing to realize that 'Trumpcare' might not pass due to not being conservative enough.
What's the current polling say about the midterm elections?
#8
A sane argument against single payer absolutely does not exist........which is why the entire argument over the ACA and or repeal of it is insanely just a waste of time.
Thom is the only person in public media that has even mentioned single payer recently, that I've heard anyway.....shame on the Dems for not attacking the Teapublicans armed with the single payer weapon....never been a better time.
The Kochs , Mercers, and all of their Fascist counterparts are on the wrong side of history. When the planet is beyond saving and all hell is breaking loose, citizens will look back on these people as pure evil incarnate.
#9
Willie W - I sincerely hope that people will recall and remember what you have just stated
Trup certainly and definately made these declarations
#10
wmleidy - I said prior 'cometh hour cometh the man' (qt)
We have the hour now where is the man
America needs a leader
Loads of commentators and opinionators
Sadly, no leader
#11
The Koch are not of British decent
And, nothing to do with England
Where do you get the idea that English are "type of miserly selfishness is culturally"
Where do get this from... Fox?
You tin pot!
#12
They vote at 8 am EDST.
#13
Floating eerily above the forest in a pool of stars, a snow-covered volcano glows with violet, ghostly phosphorescence, an imposing presence impossibly close in the formless light of early dawn. The profound tranquility of this silent immensity spills down the slopes and into the open window, brushing aside every thought, every worry. Time slowly fades and then vanishes.
Jolted awake, the light is blinding! The sun explodes in brilliance, cresting above the peak like an eruption -- golden beams flickering through craggy ridges like fire, ordering all in the land to witness the glory. A shade of deep purple with streaks of regal red slips from the volcano's bright white tip toward a shadowy terrace; a bank of glowing fog settles into the deep crevice of a lower valley. On nearby foothills are scattered treetops, indistinct shapes emerging from lingering mists, pale green apparitions marching forward with the promise of another day, another chance.
Suddenly, someone kicks the door open! Frantic voices burst in, and a fuss of activity swirls around the room -- machines and wires and tubes; yet, the physical struggle seems pointless now, strange and far away.
Outside, an astonishing display of color and light, a scent of unspoiled mountain air, an overwhelming panorama of raw, unbounded beauty fills the senses, numbs the pain. Beckoned onward, the spirit quietly slips away.
Healthcare is a right for all human beings.
#14
Why do none of the democrats and liberal commentators (other than Thom) mention the destruction of Obamacare by Justice Roberts (state choice for medicaid expansion) and Marco Rubio (risk corridor damage causing higher premiums)?
#15
Recently in an interview with Amy Goodman, Ralph Nader spoke about "universal single payer" and wondered why Dems were not bringing this up now as it seemed to him the perfect time. Bernie Sanders could be a spokesman for this. I think the removal of medical benefits and subsidies in exchange for a massive tax cut for the wealthiest in the US may be the big STORY that needs to be on national TV news! Communicating in simplest terms with Trump supporters about what Trump is doing, what THEIR party is doing to them, seems a no brainer. Headlines: With the failure of the Republican Trumpcare bill, Trump moves on to tax cuts for the wealthy while his base of support awakens. Rewarding a Koch bro (owner of the large oil refinery in Texas) with the Keystone Pipeline- another no brainer. Another headline: Trump connected to massive voter fraud operation "interstate crosscheck". Trump under oath admits to "quid pro quo" with Russians for email hacking during campaign. Trump tax returns reveal .....
#16
(Response to deepspace- #13:)
That paints such a clear picture of a place I have been, deepspace.
I have had to let the world go, and live in a posture of acceptance of the blessing of the breath of life, as it flows through me, one breath at a time. I'm ok with that. I don't want to live without it, that is for sure.
I know a lot of good-hearted, sincere people work in the industry. Honestly, it wears them out. People who commit their lives to serve health deserve a healthy industry that actually facilitates real health care - in all spheres.
I wholeheartedly endorse support for healthy lives in a healthy world, I'm not convinced that the 'health care' industry in this culture serves individual, or community health so much as it serves its own grim survival ... part of that involves ongoing consumer demand. So, community clinics, preventative care and quality nutrition may be viewed as counter-productive, and unaffordable.
For me, first and foremost, the demand is to embrace and follow through with the breath of life ... and when it slips away, I dearly hope I slip with it. That said, this is how I would prefer to read this Maxfield Parrish moment you have painted here:
"Floating eerily above the forest in a pool of stars, a snow-covered volcano glows with violet, ghostly phosphorescence, an imposing presence impossibly close in the formless light of early dawn."
"The profound tranquility of this silent immensity spills down the slopes and into the open window, brushing aside every thought, every worry."
"Time slowly fades and then vanishes."
"Jolted awake, the light is blinding!"
"The sun explodes in brilliance, cresting above the peak like an eruption -- golden beams flickering through craggy ridges like fire, ordering all in the land to witness the glory."
"A shade of deep purple with streaks of regal red slips from the volcano's bright white tip toward a shadowy terrace; a bank of glowing fog settles into the deep crevice of a lower valley. On nearby foothills are scattered treetops, indistinct shapes emerging from lingering mists, pale green apparitions marching forward with the promise of another day ..."
"... an astonishing display of color and light, a scent of unspoiled mountain air, an overwhelming panorama of raw, unbounded beauty fills the senses, numbs the pain. Beckoned onward, the spirit quietly slips away ...."
..., surrender to that moment, and chances are, you will relax and let go enough to open up and keep on flowing ... one breath ... ka
#17
ka,
Your words are wise and from the heart. I wish you many, many more breaths of life!
I wrote that for my mom who imparted her life-long love of the mountains to me as a child. Her death was made easier with hospice care provided by Medicaid.
The volcano is Mount Hood in Oregon.
-- Ryan
#18
Thank you deepspace, much appreciated. This reminds me of a piece I wrote, some time ago. I don't write often, or much. Now and then, something pops out - you might like it:
#19
Beautiful poem and inspiring website! Mount hood has touched our common spirit. Another sacred paradise is Glacier Park in Montana. Nature is always the greatest teacher, our first and last.
#20
Thank you, deepspace. I like being surrounded by live volcanoes ... it's so kinetic.
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I think I correctly believe they just want "us" to die off from lack of health care. They wrongly believe that most using medicare, medicade and any of what they call "entitlement" programs are used mostly by liberals. If they can cause many of us to die that's is fewer of us to get in their way. Ironically from what I know there are far more on their side that use government assistance programs then "liberals" do.