2016 USA Presidential election thread I: The warm-up

[BaneTheBrawler]

Fucking crybabies better not ruin this shit for doctors.

Patients need this.

which shit, specifically? as a patient, i am deeply concerned by healthcare policy and am curious what you're referring to.

[kuronosan]

Not just the public option, but national health scholars program will pay your entire tuition bill for med school as long as you practice primary care in an underserved region.

I live near one of the poorest counties that has the worst health care because it has the least primary care practitioners (when you face 300k of debt there's little incentive to stay primary) per patient.

Increasing funding would increase incentive for PCPs to stay underserved, because they wouldn't be burdened with medical debt.

Since I plan to specialize, it would greatly benefit me to also license in primary care as it would others. What's another year in dual residency if you owe ZERO after you're done?

In addition, a public option basically drives cost down because insurance companies can no longer pool regionally. It's a national exchange if done correctly.

Finally, the most important part is the emphasis on quality of care for these communities. Imagine being able to actually afford medicine for mental illnesses because it's required to be covered just a much as other medications? Or imagine psychological health being a focus of care rather than a stigma? Addictions would be treated as a sickness instead of a crime...

All this shit is a win for you people. If Hillary gets in AND bros stop being sandy we could have a progressive Congress AND finally fix the broken parts of health care.

[archibaldcrane]

It's sad to see the Reddit devolve into NO BERNIE YOU TRAITOR.

Further proving, of course, they were never about the agenda and only about the candidate.

Honestly I think it shows they were never about the agenda or the candidate, they just hate Hillary but want to still be part of the liberal in-group, and Bernie was the way to keep that going.

[kuronosan]

Honestly I think it shows they were never about the agenda or the candidate, they just hate Hillary but want to still be part of the liberal in-group, and Bernie was the way to keep that going.

That makes me sad. If anything, Bernie risked his politics career to get a few concessions that are incredibly progressive and awesome for a platform.

Enough for me to unquestionably support Hillary, even if I don't like her, because this benefits the people I'm going to school to help (ie you).

[Andalusian girls]

Women's suits are buttoned higher, and there's no tie to bunch up. They don't have the same problems when sitting down.

i beg to differ fam you can see some unsightly bunching along the midpoint of her torso, those lines just aren't clean.

look i can forgive selling national security secrets and murdering people but that woman is a sartorial catastrophe

[Quicklet]

Not just the public option, but national health scholars program will pay your entire tuition bill for med school as long as you practice primary care in an underserved region.

I live near one of the poorest counties that has the worst health care because it has the least primary care practitioners (when you face 300k of debt there's little incentive to stay primary) per patient.

Increasing funding would increase incentive for PCPs to stay underserved, because they wouldn't be burdened with medical debt.

Since I plan to specialize, it would greatly benefit me to also license in primary care as it would others. What's another year in dual residency if you owe ZERO after you're done?

In addition, a public option basically drives cost down because insurance companies can no longer pool regionally. It's a national exchange if done correctly.

Finally, the most important part is the emphasis on quality of care for these communities. Imagine being able to actually afford medicine for mental illnesses because it's required to be covered just a much as other medications? Or imagine psychological health being a focus of care rather than a stigma? Addictions would be treated as a sickness instead of a crime...

All this shit is a win for you people. If Hillary gets in AND bros stop being sandy we could have a progressive Congress AND finally fix the broken parts of health care.

I hate to say this, but even in the unlikely scenario that Dems control Congress again, I wouldn't expect much in the way of health care reform beyond minor fixes and additional spending.

[Zealot]

i beg to differ fam you can see some unsightly bunching along the midpoint of her torso, those lines just aren't clean.

look i can forgive selling national security secrets and murdering people but that woman is a sartorial catastrophe

I'd hardly call that "unsightly," at least not compared to how a man's suit would scrunch up in the same position.

[kuronosan]

I hate to say this, but even in the unlikely scenario that Dems control Congress again, I wouldn't expect much in the way of health care reform beyond minor fixes and additional spending.

That's all great and wonderful.

Even minor changes are a win for patients. Even one minor fix can fix dozens of problems, including but not limited to:

Elimination of primary care facilities
Stigma of private practice versus health care systems
Lack of specialty care because they need referrals and #aintnobodygottimefordat
Lack of underserved/minority care because lack of money to pay for insurance OR fine
Lack of education about exchanges in general and subsidies therefore expensive insurance
Abolition of medicare expansions, since they're optional, resulting in the above
Lack of funding from state governments for mental health, basic primary care education, and medication
Lack of medication funding in general, leading to overly expensive medication because your insurance plan "doesn't cover it"
Reduction in the number of physician suicides per year due to burnout and disillusionment
Reduction in student loan debt leading to the above
Increase in physicians training in primary care because it's worth it again
Increase in interest in practicing medicine because of reduction in red tape
Decrease in cost of drugs since generics will be required as an option
Decrease in cost of care with a public exchange due to shared cost
Decrease in stigma regarding preventive care for mental, medical, and dental reasons
Increase in preventive care for women, mothers, and females for OB/GYN reasons
Increase QoL for children who could benefit from mandatory leave
Increase QoL for children who can now get proper mental health care instead of throwing medications at it
Increase in funding for vaccinations and awareness instead of ignorance
... et cetera et cetera.

Insurance is bullshit and I wholeheartedly support universal care, but under the current system nothing fucking beats a public option, which would vastly help most of the above.

Even eliminating one or two of those is a fucking win. It's not a matter of expecting it. If there's a 20% chance of getting 50% of that, it's better than a 100% chance of getting 0%.

[Yuri-G]

I kinda chewed out a Bernie bro today. I was like, bitch I can't afford to live under a Trump presidency. with the way he'll gut social programs I could literally die. glad you're doing fine with your rich white suburban money but not all of us can afford rebellion.

[Gredival]

I just don't understand why he would pick Gingrich. Court the old guard republicans? Is he really more concerned with losing the old guard republicans than all the moderate conservatives?

Honestly, I think it would be because of chemistry between the two rather than any strategic pick. Plus Trump can pick up all of Gingrich's moneymaking schemes for after he loses the election and gets relegated to talk radio.

I think the logic is that Trump wants a steadying presence on the ticket that reassures people who are doubtful of his rashness (also one of the reasons the retired general is in consideration).

Also Gingrich is (or was) well connected at the Capitol and experienced with the legislative process, so he could help get things done.

Fucking crybabies better not ruin this shit for doctors.

Patients need this.

Widen the scope of this statement by substituting doctors with "everyone" and patients with "we", and you'll see why the rest of us were tired of Bernie six months ago.

And in other news Evan Bayh is jumping into the senate race in Indiana, changing the seat from safely Republican to up in the air. Former governor and senator, so he's got the name recognition and money to do it.

Bayh himself retired willingly from the Senate seat in Indiana before. When he was an incumbent it was super safe for him (last three campaigns he won Senate re-election by +25 each time) so he is extremely electable. I wonder how his standing is affected by him going back as a challenger coming out of retirement.

Also it should be noted that he only has a good chance because he's the exact type of Democrat that a Bernie-bro would hate, but that works well in Indiana.

[archibaldcrane]

Newt Gingrich just said that Trump's VP announcement should come either tomorrow or Thursday.

So if history is any guide, I'll expect it in a couple weeks.

[Rooney]

Bayh himself retired from willingly from the Senate seat in Indiana before. When he was an incumbent it was super safe for him (last three campaigns he won Senate re-election by +25 each time) so he is extremely electable. I wonder how his standing is affected by him going back as a challenger coming out of retirement.

Also it should be noted that he only has a good chance because he's the exact type of Democrat that a Bernie-bro would hate, but that works well in Indiana.

I'd say being the challenger won't be nearly as bad in his situation. He's got name recognition, did the exact same job before, and was very well liked. On top of that public opinion is shifting against Pence and the Republicans in the state for the large amounts of bad press they keep bringing. And for Indiana, he's really the only type of Democrat that has a chance to get elected.

[Gredival]

I'd say being the challenger won't be nearly as bad in his situation. He's got name recognition, did the exact same job before, and was very well liked. On top of that public opinion is shifting against Pence and the Republicans in the state for the large amounts of bad press they keep bringing. And for Indiana, he's really the only type of Democrat that has a chance to get elected.

But this isn't about winning elections, it's about transforming America.

[Gredival]

Delicious Bernie-bro tears. They are already griping about Bayh and how he represents the old (Clintonian) political regime

It will be a glorious homecoming for Evan Bayh, that undistinguished corporatist, who is wildly out-of-step with the mood of the country and the changing makeup of the Democratic Party, but who possesses those two vital attributes: a famous name and a fortune. If all goes well, this living embodiment of everything corrupt and dispiriting about American politics in the 21st century will soon once again take his rightful place, in a sclerotic legislative body designed by aristocrats to confound popular democracy.

If we have to elect a bunch of shitty Democrats in order to spend the next four years battling right-wing revolutionaries to barely maintain the lousy status quo, can’t we at least get some new shitty Democrats?

http://gawker.com/evan-bayh-is-done-...ike-1783512660

[kuronosan]

Holy shit the Sanders Reddit is so full of fucking salt.

[kisada]

did they really not see this coming or something

[archibaldcrane]

They had a Sanders delegate on my local NPR station tonight, asking her about the endorsement and such, she sounded so frustrated and on the verge of tears it was so pathetic and funny.

[kuronosan]

did they really not see this coming or something

I think they deluded themselves.

I was waiting to hear about the platform and now that I have I'm satisfied at the chance for some progress.

Some of these people seriously think it's better to vote Trump and fuck everything up because it can be undone in four years.

They clearly have no idea how this shit works.

[Krandor]

In new Quinnipiac polls, Trump ahead in FL, PA, and OH.

[Arkanna]

Fuck my state. (PA)