I hear many complain of the "duopoly"

[Curried Goats]

This is what happens when ignorant people get fed up and don't know how to direct their anger. It's not greedy globalist corporations pushing Universal Healthcare. That's doesn't even make any sense.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

Many here are convinced that the Swamp is a duopoly, but I disagree.


What we have here is a Swamp run by the DNC with a token opposition party that never really offers much opposition. With opposition like McConnell and Romney etc., for example, at best you can say the opposition party is all just a bunch of sell outs.

What you have is a system where one party rules the roost, making you think you have other choices, when really you do not.

You just described the duopoly.

But at the end of the day, who cares? Either way, the system is broken as only about 10% of Americans think the US Federal Congress is doing a good job, and this low percentage has lasted for about 3 decades now no matter who gets voted into office. and with no end in sight.

And yet they win reelection at a greater than 90% clip. That is why there is no end in sight.

Poll after poll shows Americans think the country is on the wrong road, no matter your political affiliation. It's not hard to understand, even though it is often hard to put your finger on as to why.

When was the last time you voted for someone that did not have an (R) by their name? Have you ever done so?

 

[Harpy Eagle]

The problem is the Three-part Separation Theory is erroneous; the checks and balances do not work as expected.

The founders never expected Congress to abdicate much of its power to the executive branch

 

[Votto]

You just described the duopoly.



And yet they win reelection at a greater than 90% clip. That is why there is no end in sight.



When was the last time you voted for someone that did not have an (R) by their name? Have you ever done so?

All I can do is vote for what I hear them say.

So if I want a secure border, for example, I vote for those who say it needs fixed and not for those who say it is secure.

Or I can just assume them liars and stay home. Is that what you are suggesting I do?

 

[DGS49]

The Swamp is a "duopoly" but not in the sense that most Americans comprehend.

On one side is the permanent political class, These are the elected officials and their minions whose whole life it political involvement in a lust for power...almost always directed at Leftist initiatives. 98% of them are Leftist Democrats.

The other side is the Washington bureaucracy. In past generations, people went to work for the government because they were NON-POLITICAL, wanted a low-stress career with good pay and benefits, and a very early retirement. They were slugs.

Then Vietnam happened, Watergate, and a whole new culture. As a result, there came into being a whole new motivation for getting into government work: To change the world. The Federal bureaucracy, especially in D.C., is populated by hundreds of thousands of Democrats who hope, try, and expect to rule the country by administrative bullying, regardless of who or what party is in office. It has recently infected the FBI and the rest of the Justice Department. And the problem is, WE CANNOT VOTE THEM OUT! And of course, the Democrats are entirely fine with their presence and what they are doing.

Donald Trump, for all his faults and shortcomings, GETS IT. He tried his best to bring the Deep State (bureaucracy) under control, but with the Democrats, the Media, and the Deep State itself fighting, tooth and nail, his progress was limited. Even so, it is amazing what he was able to accomplish with those nearly-insurmountable barriers in his face.

And now the Leftists have corrupted the entire electoral system with mail-in ballots, an initiative that facilitates UNDETECTABLE FRAUD. The fraudulent ballots are mixed in with the good ballots and the audit trail vanishes.

We are fucked. Trump is our only hope, and you can see what they are doing to sabotage his run in 2024.

 

[Votto]

The founders never expected Congress to abdicate much of its power to the executive branch

Actually, I think the Founders would be shocked it has lasted as long as it has because they understood human nature

In these sentiments, Sir, I agree to this Constitution with all its faults, if they are such; because I think a general Government necessary for us, and there is no form of Government but what may be a blessing to the people if well administered, and believe farther that this is likely to be well administered for a course of years, and can only end in Despotism, as other forms have done before it, when the people shall become so corrupted as to need despotic Government, being incapable of any other.

-Ben Franklin

 

[g5000]

Come back after you have read the Constitution. In particular Article I, Section 8, and the Tenth Amendment.

Then give us your assessment of the Republicans in congress.

I am more familiar with the Constitution than most of the members of this board.

Your post has absolutely nothing to do with the realities I stated.

 

[g5000]

Your premise is false. You act as if the failed and corrupt govt can fix healthcare and gun crime.

You don't know me at all if you think I am a proponent of government health care.

The government broke health care, and the only way to unbreak it is for the government to extricate itself from health care. And that will require the repealing of a lot of laws and regulations.

Read Item number 6 in the OP of this topic: G5000's Plan For Economic Prosperity And Better Cable Reception

Those are no more solutions than not doing anything about guns and screaming "repeal and replace" at the top of their lungs.

The GOP has not put a single idea on the table to solve the major problems we face.

Well, there's TH3 WAHL. Because, you know, all our problems are because of Mexicans and Muslims.


The Republican "solution" to our gun violence problem is to oppose any ideas the Democrats come up with. They want to do NOTHING to solve the gun violence problem. They don't care how many bodies pile up. They literally don't care.

So like I said, when faced with a choice between NOTHING and whatever ideas Democrats put on the table, the voters will always go with those Democratic ideas sooner or later.

If you want to stop the Democrats from getting their ideas passed, then you better put some better ones on the table or STFU.

 

[TNHarley]

You don't know me at all if you think I am a proponent of government health care.

The government broke health care, and the only way to unbreak it is for the government to extricate itself from health care. And that will require the repealing of a lot of laws and regulations.

Read Item number 6 in the OP of this topic: G5000's Plan For Economic Prosperity And Better Cable Reception



The GOP has not put a single idea on the table to solve the major problems we face.

Well, there's TH3 WAHL. Because, you know, all our problems are because of Mexicans and Muslims.


The Republican "solution" to our gun violence problem is to oppose any ideas the Democrats come up with. They want to do NOTHING to solve the gun violence problem. They don't care how many bodies pile up. They literally don't care.

So like I said, when faced with a choice between NOTHING and whatever ideas someone puts on the table, they voters will always go with those ideas sooner or later.

If you want to stop the Democrats from getting their ideas passed, then you better put some better ones on the table or STFU.

I didnt say you did, you were just implying that is the fix. I disagreed with that. I do agree they need to get the hell out of it. Costs started sky rocketing when they tried to get involved in the 30s. This is the govts fuck up. Just like education costs.
The GOP is fucking worthless. Not sure i understand how you go about "fixing" gun crime when most of it is suicide or gang related. You cant bring up gangs or you get branded a racist and socially assassinated.

 

[dblack]

It's not greedy globalist corporations pushing Universal Healthcare. That's doesn't even make any sense.

Given that "Universal Healthcare" will almost certainly be contracted out to private insurance companies, contracts with government guaranteed profits, it makes lots of sense.

 

[$ecular#eckler]

The founders never expected Congress to abdicate much of its power to the executive branch

Okay, so what does that mean???

But the great security against a gradual concentration of the several powers in the same department, consists in giving to those who administer each department the necessary constitutional means and personal motives to resist encroachments of the others. The provision for defense must in this, as in all other cases, be made commensurate to the danger of attack. Ambition must be made to counteract ambition. The interest of the man must be connected with the constitutional rights of the place.

 

[Curried Goats]

Given that "Universal Healthcare" will almost certainly be contracted out to private insurance companies, contracts with government guaranteed profits, it makes lots of sense.

With UHC the government effectively becomes the insurer and hospitals and drug companies would have to negotiate with the government for prices and payments for those drugs and services. With this being a government of the people (ostensibly) that means ultimately those hospitals and drug companies are negotiating with us. That's better than the system we have now where health providers (often being parts of large corporate conglomerates) only have to negotiate amongst themselves over what we will pay.

 

[dblack]

With UHC the government effectively becomes the insurer ...

Not if we're talking "Medicare for All" - that's farmed out to insurance companies ...

Just like with ACA, the vested interests will find a way to ride the gravy train.

 

[Curried Goats]

Not if we're talking "Medicare for All" - that's farmed out to insurance companies ...

Just like with ACA, the vested interests will find a way to ride the gravy train.

The name is confusing sure because its marketing to make it reconizable to older voters but what it would effectively do is make the government the insurer and eliminate the need for private health insurance.

United States National Health Care Act - Wikipedia

The act would establish a universal single-payer health care system in the United States, the rough equivalent of Canada's Medicare and Taiwan's Bureau of National Health Insurance, among other examples. Under a single-payer system, most medical care would be paid for by the federal government, ending the need for private health insurance and premiums, and re-casting private insurance companies as providing purely supplemental coverage, to be used when non-essential care is sought. The national system would be paid for in part through taxes replacing insurance premiums, but also by savings realized through the provision of preventive universal health care and the elimination of insurance company overhead and hospital billing costs.

 

[dblack]

The name is confusing sure because its marketing to make it reconizable to older voters but what it would effectively do is make the government the insurer and eliminate the need for private health insurance.

It's not just the name, not just marketing. Bernie et.al. have held up Medicare as the model. They just want to expand it.

In any case, do you really think a program that cuts billions of dollars in corporate profits would make it through Congress?

 

[Curried Goats]

It's not just the name, not just marketing. Bernie et.al. have held up Medicare as the model. They just want to expand it.

Did you read the link? It's an over haul of our entire healthcare system.

In any case, do you really think a program that cuts billions of dollars in corporate profits would make it through Congress?

If we elect enough politicians who aren't beholden to corporate profits and hold progressive values then yes.

 

[g5000]

Once upon a time, the GOP voted to repeal and replace Obamacare with John McCain leading the way. In fact, I remember a robust condemnation from John McCain on the evils of Obamacare, that has long since been taken down by the Left for obvious reasons. Much of what he complained about we see come to fruition today . After all, the same voices that sold us Obamcare with the lies that accompanied it are the same voices today that want to "fix" it all over again with the government in complete control. However, John knew that Obama would veto the legislation to repeal and replace Obamacare, which he promptly, did.

Then voters in mass voted out the DNC in spectacular fashion in 2010, a true red wave as the GOP ran on securing the border and repealing and replacing Obamcare. However, once in power the GOP and John McCan't refuse to once again vote to repeal and replace Obamcare, because he knew Trump was their to sign it into legislation. Oh, and they did not fix the border in the two years the GOP were in power either. No, they waited will the DNC took over saying, "See, we told you they would not do what they promised"

That is the type of crap conservatives have been dealing with for years.

As for solutions, there is not one perfect solution for health care, not like the Left would lead us to believe, but I prefer having it in the private sector where I feel some hope of running to government once I'm screwed over to maybe get compensated. After all, had a CEO promised me in writing that my new health care policy would be cheaper and I could keep my same plan and doctor, and then find it was all a lie, he would go to jail. However, when Obama did it, he got re-elected and is revered by many to this day.

There never was an Obamacare replacement put on the table by the Republicans or Trump when Trump was president. Ever.

Fact.

60-plus partial and full repeals of Obamacare while Obama was president. Then, magically, when the Republicans got the House, the Senate, and the White House they asked the rubes to give them so they could repeal and replace Obamacare, they suddenly stopped repealing and replacing.

That's how you know it was all one big hoax on the rubes, just so the GOP could get power and break all prior spending records.

Trump and the Republicans thus ensured Obamacare is forever a third rail and immortal. At least until the Democrats replace it with UHC.




'

 

[g5000]

As for solutions, there is not one perfect solution for health care, not like the Left would lead us to believe, but I prefer having it in the private sector where I feel some hope of running to government once I'm screwed over to maybe get compensated. After all, had a CEO promised me in writing that my new health care policy would be cheaper and I could keep my same plan and doctor, and then find it was all a lie, he would go to jail. However, when Obama did it, he got re-elected and is revered by many to this day.

See Item 6 in my OP: G5000's Plan For Economic Prosperity And Better Cable Reception

 

[g5000]

This is what happens when ignorant people get fed up and don't know how to direct their anger

I've talked about this many times on this forum. So I'm going to copy and paste what I have said more recently.

There are dark forces working to keep us all at each other's throats. "Divide and conquer".

Every American, left and right, can feel something is being stolen from them. They can't put their finger on it, but they sure as shit can feel it.

Then some fucking evil demagogues come along and tell them, "It's the Mexicans and Muslims!"

It isn't the Mexicans and Muslims. They are textbook scapegoats.

And boy oh boy does it keep us from seeing who is really ripping us off, even though they are hiding in plain sight.

It doesn't help the left and right wing propagandists don't give a shit about getting to the truth, even though that's supposed to be their job.

The propagandists don't care how many bodies pile up so long as the rubes keep their eyes plastered to their screens and buy their merch and click the ads.

The media of all stripes have abdicated their roles. And without that, we are well and truly fucked. The media is the last barricade to chaos.

 

[g5000]

And yet they win reelection at a greater than 90% clip. That is why there is no end in sight.

I talk a lot about this, too.

Congress's approval rating is consistently in the low double digits, oftentimes dipping into the teens. Prior to the midterms, their approval was 21 percent.

And yet the House of Representatives has had a 98 percent re-election rate for the past 70 years at least.

The Senate has had an 80 percent re-election rate.

I showed recently that almost every freshman elected to Congress this past election is replacing someone who retired or died.

21 percent approval, 98 percent re-election.

Go figure!

"Those other bastards spend too much on PORK, but my guy brings home the BACON!"


The real reason, though, you have to wait for the fuckers to die or retire before you can replace them is because they have too much power, and that power is purchased by special interests with gobs of money, thus giving an incumbent an insurmountable cash advantage against any challengers to their seats.