US Politics Mega-thread - Page 8110

On July 18 2017 12:55 Wulfey_LA wrote:
+ Show Spoiler +

The Republican policy platform has long devolved into sticking it to the libs. Look at all the praise by Trumpkins for Gorka cause he sticks it to the libs on TV. There is no real Republican policy ... even on taxes. It is crazy. They could pass a 10% capital gains tax cut right now with 50 votes but they don't. Only thing the REpublican party can still do is Judges, and that is because of the power of faith.

On July 18 2017 10:37 micronesia wrote:

I'm not a fan of reality TV but that is really insulting.

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As sad a subject as healthcare in the USA is, it gives me some amount of pleasure to see the republicans completely unable to repeal Obamacare as they loudly declared they would (for the past 7 years), despite controlling the house, the senate, and the Whitehouse. Unless I'm missing something, this administration is still working on its first legislative victory.

On July 18 2017 12:59 mozoku wrote:

The Left's energy is literally behind a movement called "The Resistance" and you're only concerned about Republicans being obstructionist?

Sticking it to the other party is the standard opposition party strategy. Counterproductive as it is to actually getting things done, welcome to American politics.

On July 18 2017 13:31 Wulfey_LA wrote:


First, the Republicans aren't obstructing anything for several reasons. (1) They are the majority ... how can they obstruct? That makes no sense. (2) They write bills that poll at 18%. BCRA seriously hit 18%. That is only a little above Herpes. It isn't obstruction if the public understands that your bills are terrible and they let you know it.

Second, I know what Dems stand for. HRC ran on having a public option and ACA expansion. We will limit our foreign wars to hunting jihadists. Taxes will largely be the same but with some more on capital income. Defense spending is likely to plateau (a net cut). Liberal judges. Aggressive civil rights and voting rights enforcement. Criminal justice reform. Expanded labor rights if we can ever manage to pass the bill. And more public spending on universities, research, and general public welfare. Yeah the 'Resistance' kids don't put whole sentences on their billboards, but if you actually asked on these likely college kids I would bet they could come up with a list very similar to mine.

On July 18 2017 13:35 TheFish7 wrote:
I don't see how the ACA made things worse? Premium growth slowed, people got better access to coverage. Sure it took away the individual right to stick one's head in the sand and not buy insurance (which hurts the system overall). Maybe if they can't muster the votes within their own party they should move on to something that might actually "get done".

CBO report: Obamacare repeal would lead to 32 million more uninsured by 2026
And it would double insurance premiums in the individual market, a new report says.

On July 18 2017 13:42 {CC}StealthBlue wrote:


Clinton did not run on a public option. That is a bold faces lie, she was actually against it while Sanders said Medicare for all is a human right.

On July 18 2017 13:31 Wulfey_LA wrote:


First, the Republicans aren't obstructing anything for several reasons. (1) They are the majority ... how can they obstruct? That makes no sense. (2) They write bills that poll at 18%. BCRA seriously hit 18%. That is only a little above Herpes. It isn't obstruction if the public understands that your bills are terrible and they let you know it.

Second, I know what Dems stand for. HRC ran on having a public option and ACA expansion. We will limit our foreign wars to hunting jihadists. Taxes will largely be the same but with some more on capital income. Defense spending is likely to plateau (a net cut). Liberal judges. Aggressive civil rights and voting rights enforcement. Criminal justice reform. Expanded labor rights if we can ever manage to pass the bill. And more public spending on universities, research, and general public welfare. Yeah the 'Resistance' kids don't put whole sentences on their billboards, but if you actually asked on these likely college kids I would bet they could come up with a list very similar to mine.

Immigration officials are raising the ceiling of visas available under a program that brings in low-skilled, seasonal workers from abroad, they announced Monday, but employers will need to show their businesses would be harmed if their positions aren't filled.

The H-2B temporary visa work program helps companies in industries such as landscaping, hospitality and seafood processing who have difficulty finding workers. The program excludes agricultural operations.

There's a limit on the number of visas allowed under the H-2B program, with only 66,000 permitted this year. That number is split into two parts for the workers who begin employment in the first half of the fiscal year and those who begin in the second half.

Officials are allowing another 15,000 workers to come into the country — welcome news for some businesses that rely on low-skilled, foreign workers, but not for unions that represent American employees in the affected industries.

The lifting of the ceiling follows efforts by the administration to restrict entry by foreign workers, who candidate Donald Trump accused of taking jobs from American employees.

Gillian Christensen, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services spokeswoman, said Congress in May allowed Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly in the federal omnibus budget bill to increase H-2B visas one time.

"The impact that we want it to have is to save American businesses that face potential irreparable harm so that they can keep their businesses going and keep their American employees employed," said Christensen.

Now, businesses that need to hire more low-skilled, foreign workers can fill out a form to show that, without the workers, they will suffer financial losses.

The H-2B visas differ from the H-1B visas heavily used by the technology industry to bring in highly skilled employees, such as those with engineering degrees.

Unionized hospitality workers oppose the lifting of the H-2B visa cap. Father Clete Kiley, director of immigration policy for the labor group UNITE HERE, whose members include hotel and resort workers.

"The H-2B visa workers are brought in and can quickly displace permanent workers in those spots, particularly union members that have those union jobs," Kiley said.

If more H-2B workers have to be brought in, Kiley said he hopes they will at least be paid fairly.

"You know we're not an anti-immigrant organization," he said. "We're overwhelmingly an immigrant union. But if you're going to use those visas, we want to see labor protections...".

The Trump Organization that runs the president's businesses is among the operations that use the visas to bring in workers, the Associated Press reported.

On July 18 2017 13:43 Wulfey_LA wrote:
No one gets a free pass to say ACA is bad anymore. Any time anyone shit talks ACA I can now post this CBO analysis showing that its repeal would double insurance premiums and toss 32 million off the market. If ACA is making premiums skyrocket, why would repealing it double premiums? Unless you can prove the CBO wrong, any anti-ACA argument has as concessions: 100% premium increase + 32 million tossed.

eliminating, in two steps, the law’s mandate penalties and subsidies but leaving the ACA’s insurance market reforms in place