What's in the News 3.0

[clonkertink]

Not sure how 'truthy' it is, but I heard a blurb on NPR this morning, and saw it confirmed elsewhere (including this and this from The Hill) that Gaetz may face quite a hurdle in getting confirmed.

I mean, from what I was reading, it was Lisa Murkowsky who was hemming and hawing about him. And she never quite seems to throw a wrench into things the way, say, John McCain did with the ACA.

[midnightblack]

Depressing as the perspective is, I'd think it's realistic to expect he's going to get everyone he wants in those positions, regardless of how absurd some of the nominations are.

[Sofia Grace]

I was really hopeful when I saw that John Thune was elected Senate majority leader because at least it wasn't Cornyn, and a small part of me thought maybe Thune would have a bit more backbone especially when it came to Gaetz... then I saw coverage last night where he essentially said 'we'll get his appointees confirmed one way or another' and hope went out the window. 

[Nowherewoman]

Nominating the man who lost half his brain to a parasite as Sec. HHS.

Irony truly is lost on some people.

[Callie Del Noire]

Nominating the man who lost half his brain to a parasite as Sec. HHS.

Irony truly is lost on some people.

Not to mention he’s insisted that HIV isn’t a virus. Or that chemicals and water were making kids trans.

[Oniya]

HIV isn’t a virus.

This is a new one to me.  I knew he was antivax (which should be enough to DQ him) and that basically the rest of the Kennedys have snubbed his political ambitions.

[Callie Del Noire]

This is a new one to me.  I knew he was antivax (which should be enough to DQ him) and that basically the rest of the Kennedys have snubbed his political ambitions.

Also said you can only get hepatitis from sex workers. Guy sounds demented.

[Callie Del Noire]

Here’s the link. https://www.meidasplus.com/p/viruses-are-our-friend-10-off-the?utm_medium=ios

[Oniya]

Here’s the link. https://www.meidasplus.com/p/viruses-are-our-friend-10-off-the?utm_medium=ios

Well, apparently that brain-eating worm can be transmitted over the Internet - because I'm sure I lost a few brain cells reading that.

[Beorning]

Please explain RFK's brain-eating worm to me? I keep seeing it mentioned, but what does it really mean?

Anyway, among Trump's nominees we have: an antivaxer for health (RFK), criminal for justice (Gaetz) and Russia sympathizer for national intelligence (Tulsi). Wow.

[Al Terego]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/05/09/politics/rfk-jr-parastic-worm-brain/index.html

[TheGlyphstone]

https://apnews.com/article/biden-son-hunter-charges-pardon-pledge-24f3007c2d2f467fa48e21bbc7262525


Gawddammit, Joe. One of the few pieces of moral high ground you had left...

[Callie Del Noire]

Well I don’t blame him. I mean look who is replacing him. The man who pardoned Kushner’s father.

[ShadowFox89]

https://apnews.com/article/biden-son-hunter-charges-pardon-pledge-24f3007c2d2f467fa48e21bbc7262525


Gawddammit, Joe. One of the few pieces of moral high ground you had left...

Doing this means Trump can't just tell the DoJ to arrest him for that particular crime.

[TheGlyphstone]

Wouldn't that be double jeopardy? Hunter was convicted, he just hadn't been sentenced.

[Regina Minx]

Doing this means Trump can't just tell the DoJ to arrest him for that particular crime.

No, Biden wrote a very sweeping pardon that specifically covered all crimes committed since 2014 til present.

[Samael]

"When someone tells you who they are, believe them."

Trump is incredibly petty and he already said he will come after all the people who pissed him off.

While usually I'd find this distasteful and a power a president shouldn't have, in this case it is used for sheer self-preservation and protection of a loved one from retribution.

Also, I find the outrage by the right hilarious, considered who Trump pardoned (and sure as hell will pardon next).

[TheGlyphstone]

I'm just not sure what they'd stand to gain from dragging Hunter out of prison to charge him with even more crimes - his only utility was as a club to beat his father with, and I imagine Trump's ire would be focused on people who directly upset him in the last fifteen minutes.

Just feels like a mistake as far as sinking to their level, even if it's good on a personal/familial front. But that is Biden's choice.

[Nimmy]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/04/us/brian-thompson-united-healthcare-death/index.html

Normally I don't hang out in the Debates board, but wtf?

[Aiden]

https://www.cnn.com/2024/12/04/us/brian-thompson-united-healthcare-death/index.html

Normally I don't hang out in the Debates board, but wtf?

Are we supposed to express grief or compassion for this shit stain? 

The for-profit private health insurance industry in the United States frequently denies care to ordinary people in order to maximize their profit margins. They also lobby — pay — politicians to protect their industry. The reason we don’t have a single-payer universal healthcare system along with virtually every other modernized nation on the planet is because healthcare companies pay our politicians not to implement it. The result is that sociopaths like Thompson profit from the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
That’s why ordinary working people are happy to see a member of the wealthy ruling class — who profit from our misery, poverty and sickness — eat it in the street.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1h6vz85/what_is_the_deal_with_brian_thompson_why_is_he_so/

Having dealt with Anthem, I don't condone it, but I get it. 

[Oniya]

Something, something gun control
Something, something health care

Thoughts and prayers.

[Aiden]

Something, something gun control
Something, something health care

Thoughts and prayers.

Your plan only includes Thoughts,
Prayers that are out of network and do not apply to your deductible. 

If you wish to appeal, please spend a ton of time gathering information for our AI or non-medically trained analyst can deny you. 

[Oniya]

Your plan only includes Thoughts,
Prayers that are out of network and do not apply to your deductible.

If you wish to appeal, please spend a ton of time gathering information for our AI or non-medically trained analyst can deny you.

Prayers are being handled by an alternative provider with standardized rates.    No appeal will be necessary.

[Samael]

Are we supposed to express grief or compassion for this shit stain?

The for-profit private health insurance industry in the United States frequently denies care to ordinary people in order to maximize their profit margins. They also lobby — pay — politicians to protect their industry. The reason we don’t have a single-payer universal healthcare system along with virtually every other modernized nation on the planet is because healthcare companies pay our politicians not to implement it. The result is that sociopaths like Thompson profit from the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people.
That’s why ordinary working people are happy to see a member of the wealthy ruling class — who profit from our misery, poverty and sickness — eat it in the street.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OutOfTheLoop/comments/1h6vz85/what_is_the_deal_with_brian_thompson_why_is_he_so/

Having dealt with Anthem, I don't condone it, but I get it.

Apparently they were on the very top of the denial pyramid. I read they were 6x (!) more likely to deny care than the other health insurance companies even.

Perhaps these people's greed just pushed folks too far now.
Frankly, I am surprised this hasn't happened sooner.

[TheGlyphstone]

Spotted this on one of my Discords.