Thank you Adam Kinzinger for giving me some hope, and at least for a few minutes getting me out of my Yeats-ian despair. "And what rough beast is this, Its hour come round at last, Now slouches toward Bethlehem to be born."
My question: being in the position we're in, with the cabinet picks that have been nominated, how can America respond? More specifically, under Trump, is there a way to respond? Is it possible to weather the storm? Or is it hopeless?
We know the 'what'. We are figuring out the 'why'. But it's the 'how' of defending / fighting back against the regime of which I'm ignorant.
The only way to solve the health care crisis is the Bernie way. Medicare for All is the solution. Health Care is a human right; it is the responsibility of the Government to promote the general welfare. If it stays in the Free Market it will never be fair. We don't take out insurance policies for police coverage or fire protection - that would be more like protectionism. So as long as the profit motive is guiding idea for health care we shall not make any real fair progress. Think of all those advertising, stock, and CEO dollars going into serving Health Care?
Our current healthcare regime has little to do with "the free market". We already have socialized medicine - albeit most of it privately socialized through insurance companies. In order to have a real market, we would need to empower patients to make their own healthcare decisions by giving them transparent information about quality and prices. Our current system essentially prohibits the availability of such information. As a health economist, I am forbidden by my data use agreements from doing research on such things.
The essence of Obamacare is to empower payers (primarily private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid) against both patients and providers. The anger we are seeing in the wake of the murder of the UHC CEO is what happens when you empower payers.
When one is confronted health care issue it is hard to research the best choice for treatment. Just look at the bogus Manage Care commercials. Insurance companies have a profit motive monies of which take away from monies for care. I have had private and Medicare. I much prefer Medicare which is the only real choice I have ever had.
You all three are saying important things. It would be SO MUCH easier to listen to if you minimized the filler language: like, you know, I mean, sort of like, etc. 😕 Pleeeeaaassssse.
Thanks for Pat Ryan, Tim. I knew nothing about him. I loved that he thinks he won by being independent of the Dem party establishment. I hope the leadership of the Dem party going forward learns from him.
But I disagree with him about his "bad apples" theory of what Bernie is talking about. Bad apples are not responsible for the decline of the middle class and good-paying jobs that don't require a college degree. Neoliberalism is. See Ezra Klein's podcast with historian Gary Gerstle, author of “The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order [https://youtu.be/bGmzHXnRP9o?si=D--aoUqV3qhUp2rm]. This is what Bernie means when he says the system is rigged.
I like Adams attitude! And when he said one should never show fear because that is what they want, to intimidate. I thought of the line from The Band's Stage Fright: " You can make it in your disguise. Just never show the fear that's in your eyes". Adam has no fear! and it is no disguise!
I'm amused that you think Trump will not put you in jail. Retribution is a goal and the champions of law and order will go along or get along. Fear is OK. Moving to a place where there is no extradition treaty is OK.
Anybody Trump puts in jail will be out on bail the next day.
Fear is NOT okay. Trump's strategy depends on fear. As long as people like Adam remain fearless and refuse to capitulate, Trump will lose. That's why all the preemptive submission is so distressing - they are handing Trump a victory he could not win in an actual fight.
I think you are crazy to talk about going on 'bro' podcasts. The key right now is Counter-Programming. I am working on a project right now with a bunch of men that I am calling "TruthTosterone." We are all elders now, but when we were the age of these toxic 'brocasters' we created program for young men and boys that has endured and grown for three decades. Now, from a place of eldership, I want to gift back to the young men of today. Stay away from the toxic swamps. It's beyond pearls before swine.
Mr. Kinzinger, I think you're very correct: it is a mockery of an administration. I hear our President-elect saying, "There's nothing important or special about our system of government: any half-wit tv personality can run it. I'll show you."
Why is Kinzinger not in the White House? Again, I refer to that other timeline where he is, and unicorns and rainbows bedazzle the sky. I want that timeline for Christmas.
Maybe I missed it, but I have been sort of miffed that in all of these conversations about what the Dems got wrong in 2024, I don’t recall hearing any Democrat outline (or Bulwark contributor?) outline the numerous Biden Admin policy errors. Bad policy leads to bad outcomes which leads to bad politics. It seems pretty easy math to me. What were the policy mistakes?
• The American Rescue Plan which did not on its own cause inflation but made it worse probably by 3%-4%. That followed by the pursuit of BBB instead of fiscal policy that worked in tandem the Fed’s monetary policy to stem inflation. The Fed was the sole body trying to curb inflation which meant more rate hikes and a more difficult economic environment. Can Dems simply know acknowledge the ARP was a mistake and massive gov’t spending is not the way to economic growth?
• Getting rid of Remain in Mexico with nothing to take it’s place.
• Abandoning Afghanistan (Biden’s general warned against it) and reversing the Max Pressure campaign on Iran
• Keeping Trump’s tariffs
• Illegal student loan forgiveness
These were major policy errors which led to bad outcomes and a bad political environment for Dems. What am I missing? I’m Ron Burgundy?
You missed Ukraine. Biden kept a leash on the Ukrainians that kept them from gaining a decisive victory, making the war there look like another "endless" conflict - and he never explained or defended his Ukraine policy/strategy to voters. So, even though two-thirds of Americans support Ukraine, Biden failed to turn this popular issue into a political winner for his party.
Speaking of failure to communicate, Biden also did not capitalize on his infrastructure initiatives by talking them up. He and his team just seemed to think that good policy should speak for itself. Their reticence let Republicans fill the vacuum with their own talking points, which went unrefuted.
I needed Adam Kinzinger today. He gave me a sense that we can survive this and the work is worth doing. I’ve been pretty doom driven and burn it all down. Definitely have been feeling JVL. Adam was a good counter to those feelings.
Thank you Adam Kinzinger for giving me some hope, and at least for a few minutes getting me out of my Yeats-ian despair. "And what rough beast is this, Its hour come round at last, Now slouches toward Bethlehem to be born."
Absolutely, these interviewers let the MAGAts get away with the lies they tell. What is that?
My question: being in the position we're in, with the cabinet picks that have been nominated, how can America respond? More specifically, under Trump, is there a way to respond? Is it possible to weather the storm? Or is it hopeless?
We know the 'what'. We are figuring out the 'why'. But it's the 'how' of defending / fighting back against the regime of which I'm ignorant.
The only way to solve the health care crisis is the Bernie way. Medicare for All is the solution. Health Care is a human right; it is the responsibility of the Government to promote the general welfare. If it stays in the Free Market it will never be fair. We don't take out insurance policies for police coverage or fire protection - that would be more like protectionism. So as long as the profit motive is guiding idea for health care we shall not make any real fair progress. Think of all those advertising, stock, and CEO dollars going into serving Health Care?
Our current healthcare regime has little to do with "the free market". We already have socialized medicine - albeit most of it privately socialized through insurance companies. In order to have a real market, we would need to empower patients to make their own healthcare decisions by giving them transparent information about quality and prices. Our current system essentially prohibits the availability of such information. As a health economist, I am forbidden by my data use agreements from doing research on such things.
The essence of Obamacare is to empower payers (primarily private insurance, Medicare, and Medicaid) against both patients and providers. The anger we are seeing in the wake of the murder of the UHC CEO is what happens when you empower payers.
When one is confronted health care issue it is hard to research the best choice for treatment. Just look at the bogus Manage Care commercials. Insurance companies have a profit motive monies of which take away from monies for care. I have had private and Medicare. I much prefer Medicare which is the only real choice I have ever had.
You all three are saying important things. It would be SO MUCH easier to listen to if you minimized the filler language: like, you know, I mean, sort of like, etc. 😕 Pleeeeaaassssse.
Kamala tried the Joyful Warrior- so she was fighting for the ideas.
Thanks for Pat Ryan, Tim. I knew nothing about him. I loved that he thinks he won by being independent of the Dem party establishment. I hope the leadership of the Dem party going forward learns from him.
But I disagree with him about his "bad apples" theory of what Bernie is talking about. Bad apples are not responsible for the decline of the middle class and good-paying jobs that don't require a college degree. Neoliberalism is. See Ezra Klein's podcast with historian Gary Gerstle, author of “The Rise and Fall of the Neoliberal Order [https://youtu.be/bGmzHXnRP9o?si=D--aoUqV3qhUp2rm]. This is what Bernie means when he says the system is rigged.
Dear Pat Ryan,
Crying in Texan. We are just frogs boiling in trash water.
I like Adams attitude! And when he said one should never show fear because that is what they want, to intimidate. I thought of the line from The Band's Stage Fright: " You can make it in your disguise. Just never show the fear that's in your eyes". Adam has no fear! and it is no disguise!
I'm amused that you think Trump will not put you in jail. Retribution is a goal and the champions of law and order will go along or get along. Fear is OK. Moving to a place where there is no extradition treaty is OK.
Anybody Trump puts in jail will be out on bail the next day.
Fear is NOT okay. Trump's strategy depends on fear. As long as people like Adam remain fearless and refuse to capitulate, Trump will lose. That's why all the preemptive submission is so distressing - they are handing Trump a victory he could not win in an actual fight.
It won't necessarily be Trump himself but his "flying monkeys." THEY know what to do to please The Great Eye.
I think you are crazy to talk about going on 'bro' podcasts. The key right now is Counter-Programming. I am working on a project right now with a bunch of men that I am calling "TruthTosterone." We are all elders now, but when we were the age of these toxic 'brocasters' we created program for young men and boys that has endured and grown for three decades. Now, from a place of eldership, I want to gift back to the young men of today. Stay away from the toxic swamps. It's beyond pearls before swine.
Mr. Kinzinger, I think you're very correct: it is a mockery of an administration. I hear our President-elect saying, "There's nothing important or special about our system of government: any half-wit tv personality can run it. I'll show you."
Why is Kinzinger not in the White House? Again, I refer to that other timeline where he is, and unicorns and rainbows bedazzle the sky. I want that timeline for Christmas.
Loved Kinzinger. He is such a tremendous leader.
Maybe I missed it, but I have been sort of miffed that in all of these conversations about what the Dems got wrong in 2024, I don’t recall hearing any Democrat outline (or Bulwark contributor?) outline the numerous Biden Admin policy errors. Bad policy leads to bad outcomes which leads to bad politics. It seems pretty easy math to me. What were the policy mistakes?
• The American Rescue Plan which did not on its own cause inflation but made it worse probably by 3%-4%. That followed by the pursuit of BBB instead of fiscal policy that worked in tandem the Fed’s monetary policy to stem inflation. The Fed was the sole body trying to curb inflation which meant more rate hikes and a more difficult economic environment. Can Dems simply know acknowledge the ARP was a mistake and massive gov’t spending is not the way to economic growth?
• Getting rid of Remain in Mexico with nothing to take it’s place.
• Abandoning Afghanistan (Biden’s general warned against it) and reversing the Max Pressure campaign on Iran
• Keeping Trump’s tariffs
• Illegal student loan forgiveness
These were major policy errors which led to bad outcomes and a bad political environment for Dems. What am I missing? I’m Ron Burgundy?
You missed Ukraine. Biden kept a leash on the Ukrainians that kept them from gaining a decisive victory, making the war there look like another "endless" conflict - and he never explained or defended his Ukraine policy/strategy to voters. So, even though two-thirds of Americans support Ukraine, Biden failed to turn this popular issue into a political winner for his party.
Speaking of failure to communicate, Biden also did not capitalize on his infrastructure initiatives by talking them up. He and his team just seemed to think that good policy should speak for itself. Their reticence let Republicans fill the vacuum with their own talking points, which went unrefuted.
I needed Adam Kinzinger today. He gave me a sense that we can survive this and the work is worth doing. I’ve been pretty doom driven and burn it all down. Definitely have been feeling JVL. Adam was a good counter to those feelings.
How long do you have to accept a pardon? Is there is a lot a paperwork to complete?
Yes, you can accept or reject a pardon offer. But how quickly must you respond to the offer?
Can you just keep it in your backpocket until you need it?
I am not been able to find the answer.