2016 USA Presidential election thread I: The warm-up

[Darus Grey]

Yeah I'm just responding to the 50%. It bugs me because "sell across state lines" is practically the only Republican talking point there is for how to "fix" the insurance system, and while there's probably a little savings to be had there potentially, the idea that it is "the singular solution" (which cost savings on the order of 50% would imply) is looney tunes.

I agree with that, I don't think it's a singular solution, just a big step in the right direction that has to be accompanied with other reforms to realize the true potential in the long run.

It could also lead to a Thunderdome scenario where all insurance companies race to the bottom and ultimately the one with the lowest premiums and best coverage emerges triumphant, destroying all of the competition and emerging as a natural monopoly.

Ha ha, no, they'll absolutely collude with one another to keep prices high.

Yep, that's why I stated it needs to be accompanied with regulations similar to other countries that allow it to happen. It's the "right thing to do" but the reality of our system will probably torpedo it and we'll get fucked anyways....yay.

ftfy. The AMA's policies are clearly focused more on the restriction than the competency.

(but yeah)

Yeah =/ It's an issue like no one talks much about but it's really depressing.

I've always said the AMA is the primary reason I didn't pursue an MD. Software and computer technology is more money over a lifetime and just an easier career path.
If we ever got the reform we needed or I became truly wealthy I'd probably switch gears even now, I've always been extremely interested and passionate about healthcare, but the barriers are just beyond reasonably high in the US.

[thetruepandagod]

he he he he

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-0...1-lawsuit-bill

[kuronosan]

Eh fuck you budday

[Byrthnoth]

Yeah =/ It's an issue like no one talks much about but it's really depressing.

I've always said the AMA is the primary reason I didn't pursue an MD. Software and computer technology is more money over a lifetime and just an easier career path.
If we ever got the reform we needed or I became truly wealthy I'd probably switch gears even now, I've always been extremely interested and passionate about healthcare, but the barriers are just beyond reasonably high in the US.

The doctor-producing apparatus in the US is pretty silly. It was established in a time of scarcity and emphasizes/reinforces that scarcity instead of viewing it as a problem and solving it.

Furthermore, many of the barriers they put up don't have anything to do with ensuring they produce the most capable, competent doctors. A rough rundown of the things required for medical school-

Things that might somewhat correlate with the ability to be a doctor:
1) Like 7 letters of recommendation, likely including the endorsement of a committee at your university - Somewhat ensures that you're not a shithead, but did you really know 7 faculty members well enough to ask for meaningful letters of recommendation in college?
2) >40 hours volunteering in hospitals - Shows you've at least been exposed to a healthcare environment, which is more of a safety for the applicant than the medical school
3) MCAT scores - This one likely indicates competence and command of the material. I'll also note that the MCAT bar is really not very high, but also that a lot of the topics on the MCAT are irrelevant to doctors in practice.
4) High GPA - This one also likely indicates competence and your ability to put forth consistent effort.

Things that don't correlate with the ability to be a doctor:
5) Fill out the common med school application
6) Fill out the secondary application for each school you want to apply to
7) Pay to apply to all these different schools (~$1000 for 10 schools)
8) Pay to travel to the interviews (~$400/school)
9) Pay to acquire the proper attire so you don't look too out of place in the interviews (~$300 if you go econo-suit?)

So if you have blazing MCAT scores and a high GPA with good letters of recommendation, you're looking at putting down ~$3500 to visit the top 5 schools that gave you interviews of the 10 you applied to.

After you get accepted to a med school, you will also pay for tools, books, and tuition (~200k), likely on credit, while being educated in one of the most backassward, disconnected ways imaginable. Then in your final year, you'll have to apply to (and be matched with) residency programs across the country in what amounts to a second med school application process. The duration and conditions of your residency depend on which program you're in, and if you want to further specialize it will take longer. Also, your first residency typically pays like 45k/year, which isn't going to help you pay down that debt.

Finally, once you've escaped residency and managed to actually obtain a job, which is yet another hell unless you're willing to live in bumblefuck Idaho, you're probably 7 years older, more than 200k in debt, and, as the kicker, will have finally realized that "evidence based medicine" is basically tossing out all the physiology and anatomy you learned in medical school and doing medicine-sans-rationale.


On the upside, it will probably be programmers and a supercomputer that next revolutionize the health care field, so perhaps you picked a health care related field afterall.

[Cjskater]

http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/18/politi...alo/index.html

Hahaha

711 is a thing:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/9/11_%28film%29

[notorious bum]

he he he he

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2016-0...1-lawsuit-bill

[6souls]

Guiliani to endorse Trump, but won't campaign for him.

[kuronosan]

Wat

[6souls]

Guiliani to endorse Trump, but won't campaign for him.

https://www.google.com/amp/abcnews.g...droid-verizon#

[Minions]

Donald Trump Wins NY (Huge surprise there)

Exit Polls on Hilary 52% Sanders 48% Razor Thin Exit polls....

[kuronosan]

Holy shit that's closer than I would have thought.

[6souls]

If only Brooklyn hadn't turned away those 125k voters.

[Minions]

If only Brooklyn hadn't turned away those 125k voters.

I think they are still voting, those votes just have to be sorted out after today. They just use provisional ballots.

[6souls]

Yeah, there is a bunch of votes that won't be counted until people can be confirmed as eligible voters. There was a fair number of people who switched parties last October before the deadline who when they went to vote, were not recognized by their new party.

[Andalusian girls]

only 2% in but the initial results are blowing those exit polls apart, Trump at 69% Hillary at 62%. those should both drop some but easy wins for the local frontrunners tonight, as expected

[Minions]

only 2% in but the initial results are blowing those exit polls apart, Trump at 69% Hillary at 62%. those should both drop some but easy wins for the local frontrunners tonight, as expected

I think Hilary will end up winning, but much closer than anticipated. I'm much more hesitant than I expected to be considering how close those exit polls are. The good thing is those exit polls do show Hilary up 4% but I don't expect more than 5% higher than Sanders. The state is no uniform, and areas could be reporting right now that are strong for Hilary.... So I'm wary until me get more of the vote in across the state.

[Andalusian girls]

exit polls are ok but we're nearing 10% of the vote and Hilldog is still up by 20+, it's looking like a terrible night for Sanders.

with 9% in Hillary's up by 23%, Trump remains floating around 69% which represents a terrific night for him. first time he's hit 50%+ in any contest, he's overperforming his polling average by about 15%, and he could sweep all of New York's delegates

[notorious bum]

Your neighborly NY neighborhood breakdown:

http://www.wnyc.org/story/map-ny-primary-vote-nyc-2016/

[Minions]

exit polls are ok but we're nearing 10% of the vote and Hilldog is still up by 20+, it's looking like a terrible night for Sanders.

with 9% in Hillary's up by 23%, Trump remains floating around 69% which represents a terrific night for him. first time he's hit 50%+ in any contest, he's overperforming his polling average by about 15%, and he should sweep all of New York's delegates

None of west NY is reporting yet, which I expect will go Bernies way. Right now Clintons strong areas are reporting. Remain cautious. It is one thing if the whole state were reporting and these were the numbers. It's entirely different when most of Sanders stronger areas have yet to start reporting.

[Andalusian girls]

vote totals just jumped to 21% and Hillary's 23%ish lead is holding, confirmed terrible night for Sanders