Trump MAGAThread III: Steak, Vodka, Casinos, and America

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

I'm expecting Trump to amend the ACA on a few minor points, while calling it a repeal all the way through.

"I'm repealing Obamacare!"

"Sir, with all due respect, you're merely amending it on various..."

"I'm repealing Obamacare and anyone who says otherwise is a liar!"

With his following repeating that over and over again. It would be terribly in-character for him.

[Ifreann]

So, Obamacare?

No.

Notice how I said efficient.

You also said "approved by Republicans", so I assumed that saying "efficient" didn't count.

[Ashmoria]

I'm expecting Trump to amend the ACA on a few minor points, while calling it a repeal all the way through.

"I'm repealing Obamacare!"

"Sir, with all due respect, you're merely amending it on various..."

"I'm repealing Obamacare and anyone who says otherwise is a liar!"

With his following repeating that over and over again. It would be terribly in-character for him.

I'm not sure what he could do to make it better, what change would guarantee universal coverage, what mechanism there would be for lowering drug prices, how lower deductibles and copays could go along with lower premiums but if he wants to tweak what we have now and slap his name on it. IM ALL FOR THAT

even though that wouldnt make him "fit to be president" until after he gets it passed and implemented.

[Romalae]

I'm expecting Trump to amend the ACA on a few minor points, while calling it a repeal all the way through.

"I'm repealing Obamacare!"

"Sir, with all due respect, you're merely amending it on various..."

"I'm repealing Obamacare and anyone who says otherwise is a liar!"

With his following repeating that over and over again. It would be terribly in-character for him.

"Critics saying I'm not repealing Obamacare! Dishonest media repeats their claims! They have no idea! Very desperate. Sad!"

[Internationalist Bastard]

I'm expecting Trump to amend the ACA on a few minor points, while calling it a repeal all the way through.

"I'm repealing Obamacare!"

"Sir, with all due respect, you're merely amending it on various..."

"I'm repealing Obamacare and anyone who says otherwise is a liar!"

With his following repeating that over and over again. It would be terribly in-character for him.

And it'll all be done in tweets

[Hirota]

I'm expecting Trump to amend the ACA on a few minor points, while calling it a repeal all the way through.

"I'm repealing Obamacare!"

"Sir, with all due respect, you're merely amending it on various..."

"I'm repealing Obamacare and anyone who says otherwise is a liar!"

With his following repeating that over and over again. It would be terribly in-character for him.

Don't you know amendments are illegal.

(Actually this could explain a lot - maybe Trump thinks he is playing NS)

[Purpelia]

You know what the funny part is about all this? All the criticism and fake news and imaginary scandals and general slander being thrown Trumps way means that by the time he takes office he will be in a position where he can do no wrong. Not only are you completely demolishing any expectations and standards he would otherwise have to live up to but you are desensitizing the world. Right now Donald Trump could literally take a gun and shoot someone down in the middle of the street and people would dismiss it as just another fake news story.

[Lady Scylla]

You know what the funny part is about all this? All the criticism and fake news and imaginary scandals and general slander being thrown Trumps way means that by the time he takes office he will be in a position where he can do no wrong. Not only are you completely demolishing any expectations and standards he would otherwise have to live up to but you are desensitizing the world. Right now Donald Trump could literally take a gun and shoot someone down in the middle of the street and people would dismiss it as just another fake news story.

He said that himself sometime ago during the election. That's nothing new. I believe the quote was along the lines of "I could shoot someone on 5th avenue and not lose a vote."

[Ifreann]

You know what the funny part is about all this? All the criticism and fake news and imaginary scandals and general slander being thrown Trumps way means that by the time he takes office he will be in a position where he can do no wrong. Not only are you completely demolishing any expectations and standards he would otherwise have to live up to but you are desensitizing the world. Right now Donald Trump could literally take a gun and shoot someone down in the middle of the street and people would dismiss it as just another fake news story.

Presumably then the course of action for those who oppose Trump should be to sit quietly and not voice their opposition until Trump actually does shoot someone.

[Cymrea]

All the criticism...

Richly deserved.

...and fake news...

Generated by the right as much as, if not more than, the left.

...and imaginary scandals...

Not so much imaginary as right out on public display by the walking kumquat scandal himself.

...and general slander...

Would have to be untrue to be slander.

[Liriena]

The electoral college exists because it was thought each state would put up their own candidate, and the electoral college would wheel and deal, trade political favors, and choose one candidate out of the 13 (or so) candidates that showed up with delegates.

It never worked as designed.

And yet 200 years later, it's worked fine. It only doesn't work when your candidate loses.

Trump won 3,084 counties

Hillary won 57 counties

Gee, I wonder who should be president...

Modern nations are urbanized nations. If you don't like the fact that such a large percentage of the national population is concentrated in a few counties, blame the industrial revolution. To whine that the people's vote shouldn't count because most people live in cities is stupid.

[Lady Scylla]

So I've been looking at my options insofar as medication. I'm taking several to treat my bipolar disorder, and right now, I'm paying nothing -- they're completely free. However, I have to remain unemployed for this insurance, which is a problem because it is by no means a long term solution if I ever plan to fully recover my life.

On a social security income of about $4800/month

Without my insurance, I'll be paying anywhere from $897.62-1,346.37/month on my bipolar medication alone (depending on whether I need to refill once or twice). Since Texas never did the medicare expansion (fuck this state), I fall through the gap on coverage so I can't qualify. This means I would need to go for work insurance, and one that isn't shitty, since my last plan had a $5,000 deductible. So my plan was, get myself up to date on my health, finish getting surgeries (I have one tomorrow!) to deal with the complications of my MRSA infection years ago, and then abandon my insurance and find a job. The success of this, and whether I determine if it'll just be better to off myself, are going to depend on how the GOP completely fucks insurance up, beyond the ACA. By next year, we'll lose about $800 off of our SS income, as is, so we're already cutting even more things wherever we can and stocking up on more canned food. Talk about feeling in limbo. And that's not accounting for the ~$200,000 of medical debt I have thanks to not having insurance. Hospital quite literally will not see me unless it's urgent, or I pay on my bills somewhat. Which isn't always an option, especially near the end of the month where the bank account ends up with like only $7.

[Liriena]

"Fundamentally unfair"
"Unfair"
Yeah, and life is unfair.

Ah, love me some unoriginal cynicism in the afternoon.

[Ashmoria]

So I've been looking at my options insofar as medication. I'm taking several to treat my bipolar disorder, and right now, I'm paying nothing -- they're completely free. However, I have to remain unemployed for this insurance, which is a problem because it is by no means a long term solution if I ever plan to fully recover my life.

On a social security income of about $4800/month

Without my insurance, I'll be paying anywhere from $897.62-1,346.37/month on my bipolar medication alone (depending on whether I need to refill once or twice). Since Texas never did the medicare expansion (fuck this state), I fall through the gap on coverage so I can't qualify. This means I would need to go for work insurance, and one that isn't shitty, since my last plan had a $5,000 deductible. So my plan was, get myself up to date on my health, finish getting surgeries (I have one tomorrow!) to deal with the complications of my MRSA infection years ago, and then abandon my insurance and find a job. The success of this, and whether I determine if it'll just be better to off myself, are going to depend on how the GOP completely fucks insurance up, beyond the ACA. By next year, we'll lose about $800 off of our SS income, as is, so we're already cutting even more things wherever we can and stocking up on more canned food. Talk about feeling in limbo. And that's not accounting for the ~$200,000 of medical debt I have thanks to not having insurance. Hospital quite literally will not see me unless it's urgent, or I pay on my bills somewhat. Which isn't always an option, especially near the end of the month where the bank account ends up with like only $7.

good luck with your surgery.

its a nervous time for anyone who needs insurance.

[Ifreann]

So I've been looking at my options insofar as medication. I'm taking several to treat my bipolar disorder, and right now, I'm paying nothing -- they're completely free. However, I have to remain unemployed for this insurance, which is a problem because it is by no means a long term solution if I ever plan to fully recover my life.

On a social security income of about $4800/month

Without my insurance, I'll be paying anywhere from $897.62-1,346.37/month on my bipolar medication alone (depending on whether I need to refill once or twice). Since Texas never did the medicare expansion (fuck this state), I fall through the gap on coverage so I can't qualify. This means I would need to go for work insurance, and one that isn't shitty, since my last plan had a $5,000 deductible. So my plan was, get myself up to date on my health, finish getting surgeries (I have one tomorrow!) to deal with the complications of my MRSA infection years ago, and then abandon my insurance and find a job. The success of this, and whether I determine if it'll just be better to off myself, are going to depend on how the GOP completely fucks insurance up, beyond the ACA. By next year, we'll lose about $800 off of our SS income, as is, so we're already cutting even more things wherever we can and stocking up on more canned food. Talk about feeling in limbo. And that's not accounting for the ~$200,000 of medical debt I have thanks to not having insurance. Hospital quite literally will not see me unless it's urgent, or I pay on my bills somewhat. Which isn't always an option, especially near the end of the month where the bank account ends up with like only $7.

Don't worry, Trump's going to get Congress to replace Obamacare with something even better and healthcare will be solved forever. It'll be great. The best system. So good. Believe me.

[Liriena]

You know what the funny part is about all this? All the criticism and fake news and imaginary scandals and general slander being thrown Trumps way means that by the time he takes office he will be in a position where he can do no wrong. Not only are you completely demolishing any expectations and standards he would otherwise have to live up to but you are desensitizing the world. Right now Donald Trump could literally take a gun and shoot someone down in the middle of the street and people would dismiss it as just another fake news story.

Trump? Fake news, imaginary scandals and slander?

Can you spell P-R-O-J-E-C-T-I-O-N?

Also, yes, we are well aware of the fact that his fanatics will dismiss any bad news about Trump as fake. That's what fanaticism is all about. The good news is that the vast majority of the American people, as far as I can tell, are not Trump fanatics.

[Ngelmish]

You know what the funny part is about all this? All the criticism and fake news and imaginary scandals and general slander being thrown Trumps way means that by the time he takes office he will be in a position where he can do no wrong. Not only are you completely demolishing any expectations and standards he would otherwise have to live up to but you are desensitizing the world. Right now Donald Trump could literally take a gun and shoot someone down in the middle of the street and people would dismiss it as just another fake news story.

There's something to this, though not in the way that you're suggesting.

The most instructive example to look in regards to Trump is Silvio Berlusconi. The Italian media and political elite spent almost 20 years so aghast at who Berlusconi was that they focused their attacks on him personally, convinced that if they kept pointing out how outrageous, how uncouth, how corrupt and, most importantly, how he wasn't classy enough, the population would get disgusted with Berlusconi. It didn't work (well, the corruption charges eventually stuck, but that wasn't because of anything his opponents said and it took a lot longer than said opponents had every imagined) because the fundamental nature of Berlusconi's character was not actually contentious between his supporters and detractors.

Trump is creating a similar dynamic here, and if Democrats, or other Republicans, want to beat him, they're going to want to avoid making it all about his personality. Don't ignore what they would term to be Trump's disqualifying characteristics, simply hammer those in passing, tie it to a retrograde vision rather than a retrograde man, and, ideally, offer something better.

[Liriena]

So I've been looking at my options insofar as medication. I'm taking several to treat my bipolar disorder, and right now, I'm paying nothing -- they're completely free. However, I have to remain unemployed for this insurance, which is a problem because it is by no means a long term solution if I ever plan to fully recover my life.

On a social security income of about $4800/month

Without my insurance, I'll be paying anywhere from $897.62-1,346.37/month on my bipolar medication alone (depending on whether I need to refill once or twice). Since Texas never did the medicare expansion (fuck this state), I fall through the gap on coverage so I can't qualify. This means I would need to go for work insurance, and one that isn't shitty, since my last plan had a $5,000 deductible. So my plan was, get myself up to date on my health, finish getting surgeries (I have one tomorrow!) to deal with the complications of my MRSA infection years ago, and then abandon my insurance and find a job. The success of this, and whether I determine if it'll just be better to off myself, are going to depend on how the GOP completely fucks insurance up, beyond the ACA. By next year, we'll lose about $800 off of our SS income, as is, so we're already cutting even more things wherever we can and stocking up on more canned food. Talk about feeling in limbo. And that's not accounting for the ~$200,000 of medical debt I have thanks to not having insurance. Hospital quite literally will not see me unless it's urgent, or I pay on my bills somewhat. Which isn't always an option, especially near the end of the month where the bank account ends up with like only $7.

[Vassenor]

You know what the funny part is about all this? All the criticism and fake news and imaginary scandals and general slander being thrown Trumps way means that by the time he takes office he will be in a position where he can do no wrong. Not only are you completely demolishing any expectations and standards he would otherwise have to live up to but you are desensitizing the world. Right now Donald Trump could literally take a gun and shoot someone down in the middle of the street and people would dismiss it as just another fake news story.

There's something to this, though not in the way that you're suggesting.

The most instructive example to look in regards to Trump is Silvio Berlusconi. The Italian media and political elite spent almost 20 years so aghast at who Berlusconi was that they focused their attacks on him personally, convinced that if they kept pointing out how outrageous, how uncouth, how corrupt and, most importantly, how he wasn't classy enough, the population would get disgusted with Berlusconi. It didn't work (well, the corruption charges eventually stuck, but that wasn't because of anything his opponents said and it took a lot longer than said opponents had every imagined) because the fundamental nature of Berlusconi's character was not actually contentious between his supporters and detractors.

Trump is creating a similar dynamic here, and if Democrats, or other Republicans, want to beat him, they're going to want to avoid making it all about his personality. Don't ignore what they would term to be Trump's disqualifying characteristics, simply hammer those in passing, tie it to a retrograde vision rather than a retrograde man, and, ideally, offer something better.

So when do the Bunga-Bunga parties in the West Wing start?

[Lady Scylla]

So I've been looking at my options insofar as medication. I'm taking several to treat my bipolar disorder, and right now, I'm paying nothing -- they're completely free. However, I have to remain unemployed for this insurance, which is a problem because it is by no means a long term solution if I ever plan to fully recover my life.

On a social security income of about $4800/month

Without my insurance, I'll be paying anywhere from $897.62-1,346.37/month on my bipolar medication alone (depending on whether I need to refill once or twice). Since Texas never did the medicare expansion (fuck this state), I fall through the gap on coverage so I can't qualify. This means I would need to go for work insurance, and one that isn't shitty, since my last plan had a $5,000 deductible. So my plan was, get myself up to date on my health, finish getting surgeries (I have one tomorrow!) to deal with the complications of my MRSA infection years ago, and then abandon my insurance and find a job. The success of this, and whether I determine if it'll just be better to off myself, are going to depend on how the GOP completely fucks insurance up, beyond the ACA. By next year, we'll lose about $800 off of our SS income, as is, so we're already cutting even more things wherever we can and stocking up on more canned food. Talk about feeling in limbo. And that's not accounting for the ~$200,000 of medical debt I have thanks to not having insurance. Hospital quite literally will not see me unless it's urgent, or I pay on my bills somewhat. Which isn't always an option, especially near the end of the month where the bank account ends up with like only $7.

good luck with your surgery.

its a nervous time for anyone who needs insurance.

WHICH REMINDS ME. You lot my not see me for several weeks, unless I stay on my phone. It's a risky surgery as is, and I'll be unable to walk or do much back in the wheelchair I go since they're fucking with my spine. Good news is, I should have a pretty gnarly scar (it'll be about a foot long), so I can point it out to people and be like, "Shark attack".

[Alvecia]

good luck with your surgery.

its a nervous time for anyone who needs insurance.

WHICH REMINDS ME. You lot my not see me for several weeks, unless I stay on my phone. It's a risky surgery as is, and I'll be unable to walk or do much back in the wheelchair I go since they're fucking with my spine. Good news is, I should have a pretty gnarly scar (it'll be about a foot long), so I can point it out to people and be like, "Shark attack".

Damn, I haven't got any scars big enough for "shark attack".
I've been using "attempted ninja assassination".
Pretty jealous, not gonna lie.

[Ngelmish]

There's something to this, though not in the way that you're suggesting.

The most instructive example to look in regards to Trump is Silvio Berlusconi. The Italian media and political elite spent almost 20 years so aghast at who Berlusconi was that they focused their attacks on him personally, convinced that if they kept pointing out how outrageous, how uncouth, how corrupt and, most importantly, how he wasn't classy enough, the population would get disgusted with Berlusconi. It didn't work (well, the corruption charges eventually stuck, but that wasn't because of anything his opponents said and it took a lot longer than said opponents had every imagined) because the fundamental nature of Berlusconi's character was not actually contentious between his supporters and detractors.

Trump is creating a similar dynamic here, and if Democrats, or other Republicans, want to beat him, they're going to want to avoid making it all about his personality. Don't ignore what they would term to be Trump's disqualifying characteristics, simply hammer those in passing, tie it to a retrograde vision rather than a retrograde man, and, ideally, offer something better.

So when do the Bunga-Bunga parties in the West Wing start?

Oh, I'd assume that they've already started. Politically speaking though, if we can get our hands on a Trump sex-tape, everything I said might be off. Americans are a lot more prudish about sex with their politics than Italians are.

[Ashmoria]

So I've been looking at my options insofar as medication. I'm taking several to treat my bipolar disorder, and right now, I'm paying nothing -- they're completely free. However, I have to remain unemployed for this insurance, which is a problem because it is by no means a long term solution if I ever plan to fully recover my life.

On a social security income of about $4800/month

Without my insurance, I'll be paying anywhere from $897.62-1,346.37/month on my bipolar medication alone (depending on whether I need to refill once or twice). Since Texas never did the medicare expansion (fuck this state), I fall through the gap on coverage so I can't qualify. This means I would need to go for work insurance, and one that isn't shitty, since my last plan had a $5,000 deductible. So my plan was, get myself up to date on my health, finish getting surgeries (I have one tomorrow!) to deal with the complications of my MRSA infection years ago, and then abandon my insurance and find a job. The success of this, and whether I determine if it'll just be better to off myself, are going to depend on how the GOP completely fucks insurance up, beyond the ACA. By next year, we'll lose about $800 off of our SS income, as is, so we're already cutting even more things wherever we can and stocking up on more canned food. Talk about feeling in limbo. And that's not accounting for the ~$200,000 of medical debt I have thanks to not having insurance. Hospital quite literally will not see me unless it's urgent, or I pay on my bills somewhat. Which isn't always an option, especially near the end of the month where the bank account ends up with like only $7.

Don't worry, Trump's going to get Congress to replace Obamacare with something even better and healthcare will be solved forever. It'll be great. The best system. So good. Believe me.

ITS ALMOST DONE!

the only thing that is needed now is for his anti-Obamacare hhs nominee to be confirmed

[Lady Scylla]

WHICH REMINDS ME. You lot my not see me for several weeks, unless I stay on my phone. It's a risky surgery as is, and I'll be unable to walk or do much back in the wheelchair I go since they're fucking with my spine. Good news is, I should have a pretty gnarly scar (it'll be about a foot long), so I can point it out to people and be like, "Shark attack".

Damn, I haven't got any scars big enough for "shark attack".
I've been using "attempted ninja assassination".
Pretty jealous, not gonna lie.

[Skyviolia]

Well, Americans can say goodbye to Obamacare and thousands can be sick with perfectly treatable diseases. I don't think Republican politicians relize that their are people in the country that aren't as rich or affluent as them and boy will it be a rude awakening.