[QUOTE=Alan;243569]You're confusing 'access' with free access. We're no different.[/QUOTE WE are very different. I an not speaking of free access but affordable access. Here America fails miserably. Rob
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[QUOTE=Alan;243569]You're confusing 'access' with free access. We're no different.[/QUOTE WE are very different. I an not speaking of free access but affordable access. Here America fails miserably. Rob
That is very nice, and also I am not sure if anyone realizes how hard it can be sometimes. Some of us fee pretty beat up in our own ways. Internal self worth is essential, and right now I know I can't access it. Not really part of a political post, however too many recent suicides and attempted suicides in my awareness to be really detached on this issue.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan
We both have the same access, although for you, it boils down to whether or not you're willing to pay while not taking on some of the responsibility for ensuring a better outcome.Quote:
Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife
If I'm not mistaken, you have a college degree you've never used and allowed the citizens of Arizona to send you back to school for a certificate you've never used. You've had more opportunities than many to live the American Dream and for some reason have not. America has not failed you,
No, you are not in the latter camp. Ya gotta actually flee. Action. That is different from words.Quote:
Originally Posted by gimmethesimplelife
What do you consider affordable Rob? I took a quick look at the ACA plans for Arizona, and the most I was seeing as far as a co-pay was $50 for a bronze plan. How is that an "insane copay"? The copay is there to make sure people aren't being frivolous in doctor visits, but not so high as to prohibit someone who is truly sick.Quote:
I an not speaking of free access but affordable access.
As far as dental care, a cleaning and X rays costs me about $120. There have been many years I've just paid for that out of pocket. I also don't have a smart phone, don't go to Starbucks, or out to dinner much at all. I exercise at least 5 days a week, do lots of things to reduce stress, eat good fresh healthy food. Its my responsibility to take care of my own health. It drives me crazy to hear health care equated with medical care. The doctor is there for accidents and the things that couldn't be avoided, not to make me better when I make bad choices.
Perhaps you should reread what I wrote.Quote:
Originally Posted by Williamsmith
Stock buybacks aren't "hoarding". Sitting on piles of cash and note reinvesting it/distributing it as dividends/buying back shares to increase shareholder equity *is* generally hoarding, unless there is some plan for the use of the Scrooge McDuck -like piles.
Companies that sit on hoards of cash without abelievable plan for its use seem to eventually get targeted by other folks who swoop in, do a takeover, cut up the company into bits, and turn the capital to more efficient uses. This is of course not an instantaneous process, so you almost always can point at some poster-child corporation with tons of loot cluttering up its hallways.
(Bolding mine) My sentiments exactly--at least with regard to seeing doctors rarely, and for cause. I was just reading an article about the rise of n=1 care, in which treatment is geared to an individual, not handed out like Halloween candy, thoughtlessly, with no regard to if it actually works. The figures quoted in that article (numbers needed to treat) included 1 in 50 for statins, for example. That's a lot of wasted drugs discharged into the water supply, never mind the health sequelae. So you have to, as much as possible, take your health into your own hands, do your research, don't blindly trust corporate medical representatives, and be vigilant. I imagine that's pretty daunting for the average health care consumer.Quote:
Originally Posted by herbgeek
Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
Would you put Google, Apple and General Motors in that category? What I read points to these companies as leaders in the cash hoarding business.....are they subject to being cut into bits? Or is it more a clever way to avoid being taxed by shifting cash overseas. Or are they just waiting for a smarter investment with an optimistic view of the future?
Apple is my personal poster child for a company that has more money than it has a clue what to do with, and which has expressed no believable plan for what to do with the cash in the future. Google maybe less so, I think Google is still trying to formulate a coherent plan.
Plus 1,000.....Thank You for your very human take. RobQuote:
Originally Posted by Zoe Girl
Recently I had issues with kidney stones. It was very painful. I could not afford the deductible and copay combo.....and wasn't thrilled about the track to Mexico. My husband called a curando (sp?) - a traditional Mexican healer - who recommended corn silk tea. I'm very fortunate to have this wonderful person in my life....he raced off to get me cornsilkto brew......in twenty minutes the pain was reduced and I passed the stone about 90 minutes later.Quote:
Originally Posted by herbgeek
So I did get around the United States yet again luckily. I don't see how making medical access in this instance unaffordable serves society......if anything, I fear America more and have further respect for Mexico. What does society win from my fear and distrust? I also don't see how having kidney stones is my fault......though I would agree it's my responsibility to keep up with the chanca Piedra and the cornsilk tea the curando recommended, which I am doing. Rob
PS....as to your cleaning at $120..... $25 to $30 in Los Algodones and with a car full of people fleeing to offshore medical/dental your share of the gas is quite cheap. Also (legal) medical herbs and Western pharmacy cheaper across the border too. At 18K a year at the moment, I'm worth the Mexican price. Rob
Where I will fault myself..where I can look back and see where I was dense and what was I thinking? I should have went self employed years ago and I should have gotten in on the ground floor with eBay years ago during that incredible economy in the 90's.....For that I kick myself. Also for not buying Ford at $1.76 a share back in 2009.....what was I thinking????? About the degree.....I graduated into the recession of 1990 to 1991 to find it worthless. I ended out waiting tables and for awhile did well.....I was not middle class but I was above where I was raised. I should have saved and invested ALL the excess......I'll even give you that, Alan. Over the years, especially since 2008, serving has become less and less lucrative. About the certificate - I have tried to make something of this but so far no luck. I have tried and I'm not giving up. So I'm not going to say that you are entirely off base here but things are not so cut and dried and linear as you seem to imply. RobQuote:
Originally Posted by Alan
Wish us luck, IL. Pena Neito is trying to legalize same sex marriage in Mexico and if there is a provision to sponsor for immigration, my husband is a Mexican citizen and I could live there legally. It remains to be seen if this will happen...but if so, places like Querataro and Guanajuato are safe and affordable and I would go for so many reasons....Also not far from the US to keep tabs on my Mom. RobQuote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
Curandero. My SO's father was one, and so was my g-g grandmother Magdalena. It's a good skill to have handy.
I hope Mexico does the right thing, and the two of you can make a comfortable life south of the border, Rob.
Yes, that's it. I already owe much to my mother in law's curandero and I don't mean money. RobQuote:
Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
Jane, Thank You. Your kind words mean a lot to me. RobQuote:
Originally Posted by JaneV2.0
Interesting that you say Trump in the same sentence as sending jobs to other countries ... that is his MO. Also you talk about this being a stagnant economy.... look at other nations.... they are in a depression. We are doing well compared to the rest of the world yet you complain. Trump's political incorrectness is beyond brash... he is repugnant to many Americans and most foreigners. Also saying climate change is not an immediate threat is having your head in the sand. Even the head of the Republican party is put off by Trump. Now, that says a lot!!! Even after Ryan said he would endorse Trump he reprimanded him for his ridiculous remarks about the judge in his Trump University fiasco. Also saying you don't need a President that you can admire.... what BS. I do agree that Trump is not someone to admire. Clinton has problems too. Again, it is going to be picking the lesser of two evils.Quote:
Originally Posted by Williamsmith
I think it is the deductible and not the co-pays which are hurting people. Many deductibles start at 6k. To get a low one you have to pay a lot for the coverage which many people can't afford. Since career counseling was my field for many years you can end up with a degree that has no jobs for where you live. I found this out the hard way when I got a MSW in the Midwest back in 1990 and my son who was 16 was making 50 cents more/hour telemarketing/surveys while I was working with abused kids/families and had no benefits. Luckily I was married because I did not make enough $ to support even myself. My friend and I both looked into job employment rates that the school published but found out later they lied. They report as employed even if you are flipping burgers or had a job before you started. WE assumed all those people had jobs in their field. My friend was a single mom and had to move to KS to get a job. Many certificate programs do not lead to jobs. If our clients did not want to move I always researched the local job outlook so we didn't end up paying for education that couldn't be used.
But what are the sellers of the bought back stock, or dividend receivers likely to do. Probably invest in more stocks in most cases. So, no the company hasn't hoarded the cash, it's instead now being used to push up some other paper asset's price. Owner/foermer owner is now the hoarder. it's not being used for is to invest in increased production capacity or more employees.Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
That is such an odd view of the function of the stock market (owning stock == hoarding) that I don't really know where to go...
But when a corporation buys back stock and that money is spent to purchase existing stock in another company that's certainly not the definition of investing in increased production. It's simply storing wealth in the hopes that that wealth will increase in value.Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
Nope.
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Originally Posted by jp1
So enlighten stupid me. What is that situation?Quote:
Originally Posted by bae
I don't want you to consider me thoughtless to your remarks. I have chewed on them. But I would like to respond only to your last. In picking the lesser of two evils.Quote:
Originally Posted by frugal-one
How can we be satisfied in this picking of one evil over another? One evil has spawned the other. One evil we know where it comes from, the other I am not sure what it believes. One evil has been responsible for much of the beauracratic mess that has allowed the infrastructure of this country to crumble. The other evil is thriving in criticizing the inefficiency.
Of course, Trump has no idea how to solve the problems and probably will get a few things right and a few things terribly wrong and mostly will get nothing done because of his inexcusable narcissistic thin skin. Clinton has been more in control of the power that is necessary to get things done more than any other in the last ten years save Obama and yet because of the Democrats inability to govern efficiently.....we now have an environment where toxicity thrives.
You can point at how disgusting Trump,is...and I will agree with you but Democrats like Clinton must be held accountable for their governance in abstentia. If we can solve terror by killing American citizens by decree, then we can attack our crumbling schools and infrastructure with equal precision. The Democrats have been woefully inadequate and enjoy too much blaming it on the machinations of Republican resistance.
When I hear Clinton talk, I hear someone who is pausing to filter words through a political correctness app. I do not know who she really is. With Trump, I know immediately. It is impossible to be in this political discussion without getting the crap all over you whichever side you choose. I do feel a little cause for alarm over that. And I do believe our government has been layered and crusted over with buearacracy to the point of gridlock. A little knock on thensidenof the machine with a rock is in order.
I'm leaning toward bae's approach of voting your conscience; I may write in Bernie. (Which will have no real effect--Hillary is a shoo-in here.)
I have a connection to Ron Paul that goes back to his childhood home. I could write in Rand Paul and sleep well at night.
Where are all the third party candidates who could win enough electoral college votes to keep both Hillary and Donald from getting to 270. That way we could have the House pick a President and the Senate a Vice President. And the third party candidate could have a vocabulary that includes more than four letter one syllable words and isn't as insufferable as the other nominee.
Now I know this scenario has been laughed at and tossed in the trash bin more than once over the last few months but bear with me here.
First, I realize it was unthinkable that a third party independent could turn any blue state enough to win delegates in the primary. But the toxic political environment around Trump has the worm turning and considering his penchant to double down on stupidity, there is reason for renewed optimism here for the general election.
So let's make some desperate assumptions. Assume that a candidate from the Deep South can be found that could win Texas. Hmmm. That strips 38 from most likely Trump. Now let's say this same person could command Florida and Pennsylvania or Ohio..... that blocks 47/49 from the other side. Or how about New Mexico, Colorado, Oregon and Nevada....that's 27 otherwise blue electoral college votes.
The real fireworks are about to begin between Donald the blowhard and Hillary the unimaginable. Perhaps now someone will see the opportunity is fading and jump in with both feet for Texas. Gimme a T for Texas.
Or someone mainstream on the right needs to decide to run independent but only if Bernie will also run independent. Then we've got a 4 way race with outsiders and insiders from both sides of the spectrum. Let the best (wo)man win. If that happened then bring out the popcorn because it'd be the most exciting presidential race of my lifetime.
In a case like that probably nobody would get to 270 and the top three would be thrown to the house and senate respectively for picking president and Vice President. Right?Quote:
Originally Posted by jp1
Right now, that is my plan in the voting booth.Quote:
Originally Posted by Williamsmith
A vote for Paul is a vote for Hillary!Quote:
Originally Posted by iris lilies
I'm considering doing the same for Bernie, and a vote for Bernie is a vote for Trump. In this election, more than ever it's time to stand up for what you believe in.Quote:
Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler
And speaking of Bernie, I thought that this video of Bill Maher's interview with billionaire capitalist Nick Hanauer to be a succinct and compelling case for why we should have a national $15 minimum wage.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QyXG8pYZ054
I will either vote Trump outright or write-in The Bern.
Refreshing to hear Hanauer speak out--especially since he agrees with me, or I with him.Quote:
Originally Posted by catherine
The owner of my sons tool and die shop is doing quite well based on the size of his house and the number of expensive toys his family plays with. He pays his employees chicken feed. In 1913 Henry Ford figured it out and was called a socialist for doubling the minimum wage and cutting his work day to 8 hrs. to get workers who were dedicated and loyal. He did pretty well for himself.
That is only half the history of Ford.Quote:
Originally Posted by Williamsmith
But nonetheless, it sucks that your son is working for a place like that. No other options there?
Henry also knew that in order to sell cars, he needed people who could afford to BUY cars. And his best customers are his employees. Henry's strategy helped to build a strong middle class. A class who could buy cars and clothes and vacations (with all the purchases that entails) . The middle class IS the job creator we need, and we need it to be big and strong and bad-ass.Quote:
Originally Posted by Williamsmith
Too bad the McDonalds and Walmarts of this country, along with those who oppose a minimum raise, can't see that.
So Ford paid his workers enough to buy his cars? So he gave them money and they gave the money right back? They gave him their labor and he gave them the car they built?
Why not just make them work for the car itself, ya know? Just pay them in cars. lol
Something don't sound right to me in this scheme.
It's the whole "we'll all make a fortune taking in each others' washing!" economy.Quote:
Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler
Because you can't feed cars to your growing babies.Quote:
Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler