Political Discussion

nolalady said:
To be fair, I'm not a big fan of Neera Tanden and I don't think she should be on the cabinet either, but because she is largely against progressive policies. She's in the pocket of big banks, and she's supposed to be in charge of the Office of Management and Budget?

Sanders also expressed concern over millions of dollars of corporate donations CAP received during her tenure, citing a report that the organization received at least $33 million from corporate companies like Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase and Google since 2014.

“So before I vote on your nomination, it is important for me and members of this committee to know that those donations that you have secured at CAP will not influence your decision making at the OMB," Sanders said.

Tanden pledged that those relationships would have "zero impact" on her decision-making as budget chief.

The pair have had strained relations since Sanders ran against Tanden's former boss, Hillary Clinton, during the 2016 Democratic presidential primary election. In 2019, Sanders wrote a scathing letter to CAP and the CAP Action Fund accusing the organization of “bad faith smears” and criticizing Tanden for calling “for unity while simultaneously maligning my staff and supporters and belittling progressive ideas."
sports.yahoo.com

Bernie Sanders presses budget pick Neera Tanden on Twitter attacks against him and others

Tensions between Sen. Bernie Sanders and Neera Tanden were on full display as Tanden faced a second day of questions over her barbed Twitter comments.
sports.yahoo.com sports.yahoo.com
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Sanders would have still voted for her though and his concerns are at least policy based. Manchin doesn’t like her because she said mean things about Republicans on Twitter. A very very dumb reason not to approve one of Biden’s cabinet picks. Manchin has carte Blanche to do whatever the fuck he wants and Biden and the Dems need him way more than he needs anything they can give him. Maybe one of the center Republicans decides to approve to engender some good graces from Biden later.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
www.cnn.com

DeSantis proposes voting restriction bills for Florida lawmakers to pass this session

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis unveiled a slate of voting proposals Friday that he wants lawmakers to pass in their upcoming legislative session, including restricting the mass mailing of mail-in ballots and access to ballot drop boxes.
www.cnn.com www.cnn.com

Florida is joining in on the fuckery
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I'm honestly surprised it's taken this long for him to get in on this BS. I guess it's because FL went solid red.

He's got his own troubles though, a lot of folks want to rein in the broad emergency powers they granted him because of the pandemic and he's like nah i'm good guys. (I understand a lot of states are having this issue with their governors though)
 
Rant: I am so sick and tired of healthcare and medical insurance.

I had Bell's Palsy last October. Even with insurance it still ended up costing me more than $2,000.

Bell's Palsy was pretty easy to self diagnose. With it's slow onset and it only effecting my face I was 99.9% sure it wasn't a stroke. I was trying to avoid the emergency room as that would be too expensive. I can't afford that living paycheck to paycheck and not being able to save up a rainy day fund due to living in a high rent area.

I called my doctors office. And of course they did the COVID-19 pre-screening over the phone. I had a headache and nasal congestion witch is totally normal with the viral infection that causes Bell's Palsy. But it triggered the COVID Flag and I could not be seen in person at my doctors office for 2 weeks even if I could produce a negative covid test.

My doctors office referred me to their priority care center which is part of the same medical group. They said I could get the covid test there and I would be able to see a doctor to take care of any other medical needs. Such as Bell's Palsy if that's what it turns out that I have. They made me an appointment and I went. They did a rapid covid test that came back negative. Confirmed Bell's Palsy and gave me a prescription for anti viral treatment and tear replacement eye drops.

The priority care center apparently bills as an Emergency Room. So I got hit with a $500 co-pay from my insurance which came in the mail a couple months later as they were doing check ins / outs at the priority care center at the time due to covid.

Because they were not a state funded covid testing site the covid test hit my insurance, which they passed on to my deductible naturally...

Those eye drops? Yup, not covered by my insurance and I had to pay full retail.

The priority care center said I needed to make a follow up appointment with my primary doctor for a week later.

Guess what, I still had that covid flag for another week. So we had to do a remote zoom follow up and then schedule another appointment so I could be seen in person after the covid flag is lifted.

Because my physical was during the heart of the stay at home orders last year it had to be done over zoom. So I never got my annual labs done at the time.

When I could finally be seen in person my doctor talked me into doing them saying it would be important to checkup on after the Bell's Palsy. I didn't want to do them at first because the prior year $391 hit my deductible from my annual labs. My doctor also said she would take a couple labs off the panel that are more expensive and I can get away with not having at this time to save me some money.

This year, make that a little over $900 hit my deductible for my annual labs. As explained to me when I contested it with my insurance, they weren't coded as being done with my physical and therefor are not considered preventative. I argued that this was surprise billing and I would not have done them if I knew the price tag. That got me nowhere. I tried to get the lab to recode them as being part of my physical. They refused saying that would be illegal. That's called "Insurance Fraud". COVID and the whole virtual physical made no difference when I explained it. They were not done at the time of my physical but rather 5 months later. I tried to negotiate the price with them but they flat at refused saying I was already paying my insurance companies negotiated rate.

I haven't paid them yet and they have now been sent to collections. I'm waiting on hopefully getting the $1400 stimulus if they ever pass it to pay for them.
 
There’s about 200 tenants that my property management company oversees. They’ve thrice sent out emails to the tenant mailing list urging us to vote NO on a Just Cause measure in the upcoming local election. That feels morally wrong for them to take advantage of that influence. They’ve been perfectly adequate landlords, I have had no complaints but this is just rubbing me the wrong way. I will gladly be voting YES for Just Cause and hope to hell it passes. It should pass because Burlington is very progressive, but the wording and way they’re spinning it for low information voters may sway some people. “Your rent will go up if this passes!” ffs 🤬
 
Going back to my healthcare rant post above,

I posted the same thing above in that other forum that is made up of a majority of boomers. Instead of agreeing that our healthcare system sucks, they called me out on my poor financial decisions.

Didn't you just buy a new M1 MacBook last November? Just maybe you should have saved your money to pay for the inevitable medical bills you knew would eventually becoming instead of blowing your money on a luxury item you don't need instead of letting your medical bills go to collections. Let this be a lesson in financial responsibility.
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The whole discussion then took a spin to being about my poor financial choices and having to defend myself verses being our healthcare system sucks and costs us too much.

The M1 MacBook was a purchase I had to make. It wasn't a choice. My 8 year old iMac died and I no longer had a personal computer. I need a Mac to do my freelance work and bring in additional income to pay down debt. I used a freelance paycheck to pay for the new Mac, so I could finish the job I was working on at get my second paycheck for. I bought an entry level low end Mac, I didn't splurge and spec out a $4500 Mac that I would love to have.

But of course, these people are like "you don't need a mac". Well, I would have to rebuy all my software if I bought a cheap windows laptop and the software alone would set me back more than what I paid for the Mac.

So frustrating.

To these people they so nothing wrong with our healthcare system and how expensive it can be. "That's just how things are and it's to be expected".
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Going back to my healthcare rant post above,

I posted the same thing above in that other forum that is made up of a majority of boomers. Instead of agreeing that our healthcare system sucks, they called me out on my poor financial decisions.



The whole discussion then took a spin to being about my poor financial choices and having to defend myself verses being our healthcare system sucks and costs us too much.

The M1 MacBook was a purchase I had to make. It wasn't a choice. My 8 year old iMac died and I no longer had a personal computer. I need a Mac to do my freelance work and bring in additional income to pay down debt. I used a freelance paycheck to pay for the new Mac, so I could finish the job I was working on at get my second paycheck for. I bought an entry level low end Mac, I didn't splurge and spec out a $4500 Mac that I would love to have.

But of course, these people are like "you don't need a mac". Well, I would have to rebuy all my software if I bought a cheap windows laptop and the software alone would set me back more than what I paid for the Mac.

So frustrating.

To these people they so nothing wrong with our healthcare system and how expensive it can be. "That's just how things are and it's to be expected".
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1st off, you don't need to justify your choices to anyone, period. If you don't see a problem with our healthcare system you're living under a rock, the "Boomers" were born from 1944-1964, I was born in 1964 and can tell you without a doubt everyone I went to school with see's that there is a healthcare issue........among other things. Honestly, I had to Google the date range, I couldn't remember when it started, but also came across a couple that said it was 1944-1960, which in my opinion makes much more sense.

That was the American Dream era, good jobs, white picked fence and a new car, you worked and you lived well, the Upper Middle Class was the norm. In 1955 the Vietnam War broke out and by 1960 it was a "problem", those born in the early 60s on were well aware of the social impacts the war and other cultural shifts that were taking place were causing. Younger people didn't see it the way their parents did, they didn't want to just go to an office and sit at a desk, it was a true turning point.

When I talk to some people older than me, pre 1960's, mid 1950's, the reality they grew up in is very different then mine so just imagine how different it is compared to the here and now. Too many people live in a bubble of their own reality and assume everyone is the same, and if they're not, THEY must have done something wrong, much like the stereotypes put on unemployed or impoverished races and communities, it's their fault............it has nothing to do with being paid less because of the color of your skin, or having your affordable housing torn down to build luxury condos at $5000 a month, please.

I know this is a counter rant to your rant, lol, but fuck em', just like Trumpsters, they just don't see these things, they truly live in another world. Don't get frustrated, this seems to be a sign of the times, instead of coming together we seek to tear down others, live your life in YOUR bubble and ignore them.............I have, and I'm a happier person for it. I will admit being in the "Boomer" bracket and hearing the boomer call out is a little frustrating because it's doing the same thing everything else does, lumps EVERYONE into one category ;)
 
I finally just did get a reply on this other forum related to my original post and healthcare. And it really does show how out of touch people are.

The reply I got was basically someone making a point about this is why you should always choose the top level / most expensive healthcare plan your employer has to offer. Don't cheap out and select the cheaper plan with the high deductible.

I guess that's a fair assumption from their bubble or times passed. But I indeed due have the most expensive plan my employer offers. They offer 4 different plans.

Our healthcare options have gotten significantly worse as larger global corporate holding companies acquire us.

All our healthcare plans have deductibles. The lowest deductible you can get is $1500. The cheapest plan is an HDCP. It has zero out of network coverage. And prescription drugs are not covered until your deductible has been met. The deductible for this plan is $5000, $10,000 for a family.

My only options for healthcare through my employer is shitty health insurance or shittier health insurance.

The sad thing is, they really push that HDCP plan. They say it's a great option if you are young and healthy. And can save you money. Which is desirable to a lot of people at work because wages are nothing spectacular and we live in a high rent area. For me I look at it and know no way! No out of network coverage? Bring on those surprise bills. Also the prescription drug coverage is a no go for me taking a few medications for anxiety.
 
I’ve worked in the health and pharmacy insurance sector for about 7 years now and anyone who thinks there aren’t severe issues with the healthcare system in pretty much every sector is either ignorant, contrarian, or very very very lucky...and I work for a major insurer that only really does HDHPs for its employees so I get your pain

I will say though. Out of Network coverage is very rarely worth the additional cost. It doesn’t protect much if at all on surprise bills and utilization has to be massive to pay out real benefits. It’s usually a sucker’s bet unless you know why you need it or it doesn’t get to you as a major extra cost.

edit: If anyone does want help/advice on the insurance side let me know, I just don’t volunteer it since it usually not welcome
 
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Yup, called it.

Found the discussion about this on the other forum. And "supply and demand" came up a bunch of times for justifications to the higher energy costs.

However, what came up a lot more "this is why you always buy a fixed rate plan". And that "it's a gamble you are taking if you are on a variable rate plan".

Saw at one point Griddy was charging $9/kwh. That's about 55x my normal KWh rate of about 16 cents per KWh.

No wonder these folks are going to see $10k power bills.
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There doesn't seem to be much discussion on greet and capitalism being bad. Just these people should of had a fixed rate plan for the year. And it's a chance they took.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Yup, called it.

Found the discussion about this on the other forum. And "supply and demand" came up a bunch of times for justifications to the higher energy costs.

However, what came up a lot more "this is why you always buy a fixed rate plan". And that "it's a gamble you are taking if you are on a variable rate plan".



There doesn't seem to be much discussion on greet and capitalism being bad. Just these people should of had a fixed rate plan for the year. And it's a chance they took.
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A fixed rate plan is going to vary based on your provider.

Here a fixed rate plan is based on your prior year’s usage. In this kind of situation, People are gonna have stupid bills next year if they are on a fixed rate plan.

I may despise Duke Energy but they can’t raise my rates without going to the state house.
 
Lee Newman said:
A fixed rate plan is going to vary based on your provider.

Here a fixed rate plan is based on your prior year’s usage. In this kind of situation, People are gonna have stupid bills next year if they are on a fixed rate plan.

I may despise Duke Energy but they can’t raise my rates without going to the state house.
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Not necessarily, in Texas like here in Massachusetts you are open to choose your energy supplier. So while it's on your electric companies bill and you pay your electric company, you are charge the rate of the supplier of your choice.

Most of these suppliers offer fixed rates for the first year and then variable rates. So who people do is switch up energy suppliers every year and lock in fixed rates and it saves them money.

I have looked into and for me it wouldn't work.

National Grid is my electric company, and their variable rate is higher in the winter and lower in the summer. I use around 10x more electricity in the summer because of the central air in my apartment. So a flat rate is more costly to me. My heat is natural gas.

If someone had electric heat here in MA, or like in Texas where your usage is probably consistent all year always swapping out for those fixed rate plans from different suppliers do save you money. Especially if you find one offering promotion pricing to switch.

You don't get stock with higher rates the next year. And if that happens you can always just switch suppliers.
 
Here is a good explanation of the high energy bills in Texas and how they are possible by Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins of Dallas Country

How come Texans face high energy bills? What caused it and how can Texas fix it?
The energy market scheme was designed by Texas leaders to benefit large-scale commercial companies using a lot of energy. In Texas, commercial energy shoppers can take advantage of the opportunities and wholesale purchases that small businesses and ordinary Texans can't get. For this, companies have employees / consultants who manage their energy purchases by taking advantage of price falls and covering risks.
With these companies in mind, Texas created a system that allows a wide range of shopping options, but little consumer protection. The rest of us buy energy from retail companies that operate as ′′ middlemen ". These retailers don't generate or deliver power. They offer a variety of plans to consumers. Some of these plans are ′′ fixed rate ". That means the rate you pay is fixed and doesn't change during the term of your contract. Some are ′′ variable plans ′′ and fluctuate with the market. Of those variable plans, some have a risk limit and some don't. Most consumers buy a plan without a full risk appreciation and then forget about it. Once their contract expires, companies change it to their predetermined plan. This plan may be a high fixed rate or a variable rate, but one thing they have in common is that those default plans benefit the retailer, not you.
You can check out what plan you have at http://powertochoose.org/es-es
Follow the next steps to protect yourself if you have a variable plan:
Find out the amount of your invoice so far;
If you're high, stop the ′′ automatic payment ′′ and change plan as soon as possible, preferably to a plan that allows you to change retrospectively at the beginning of the turnover cycle.
Governor
Greg Abbott
,
Public Utility Commission of Texas
and legislature should immediately investigate
Griddy
and other predatory companies charging exorbitant fees; however, they appear to have followed the scheme set by Texas to allow this to happen .. Texas should ban variable tariff plans, or at least ban the upper end of risk exposure so its tariff can't rise more than a small fraction in any turnover cycle.
This should never have happened! Elected leaders in Austin who caused it must correct and fix it so it never happens again. It's up to all of us to see them do it.


Things are not likely to change in Texas any time soon, even because of this. Because:

But the key is that there is no regulatory body that says "you must be able to handle these conditions to be legally licensed to operate in Texas". A true capitalist would say that's the way it should be. And true capitalism is what made this event happen.
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And this is exactly why nothing will change.. Those that run things here will says "this is what the market wants.. Texas want the market to rule things and not some gubmint regulator. We'll put up with no power to get that"
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Many lawsuits have been filed against the electric companies in Texas already. Any many people know someone who is getting a 10k Bill.

But the lawsuits really have no legal ground to stand on sadly. There is no consumer protections or laws against price gouging. This is all 100% legal in a 100% capitalism market with no government regulation.

Those who had the money auto withdrawn from their accounts will likely never get it back. And this could only add to the issues of people not being able to make rent.

Those who get 10k bills and refuse to pay it my face getting their utilities cut and will likely either have to go through the bankruptcy process or settle it in small claims court.

Another sad thing about this whole situation in Texas that not al lot of people are talking about yet is insurance. Most peoples cut rate insurance does have comprehensive coverage that covers water damage from burst frozen pipes. And why would people ask about it and get that coverage in Texas?

Right now we are just hearing about all the water damage as things warm back up.
 
RenegadeMonster said:
Here is a good explanation of the high energy bills in Texas and how they are possible by Judge Clay Lewis Jenkins of Dallas Country

How come Texans face high energy bills? What caused it and how can Texas fix it?
The energy market scheme was designed by Texas leaders to benefit large-scale commercial companies using a lot of energy. In Texas, commercial energy shoppers can take advantage of the opportunities and wholesale purchases that small businesses and ordinary Texans can't get. For this, companies have employees / consultants who manage their energy purchases by taking advantage of price falls and covering risks.
With these companies in mind, Texas created a system that allows a wide range of shopping options, but little consumer protection. The rest of us buy energy from retail companies that operate as ′′ middlemen ". These retailers don't generate or deliver power. They offer a variety of plans to consumers. Some of these plans are ′′ fixed rate ". That means the rate you pay is fixed and doesn't change during the term of your contract. Some are ′′ variable plans ′′ and fluctuate with the market. Of those variable plans, some have a risk limit and some don't. Most consumers buy a plan without a full risk appreciation and then forget about it. Once their contract expires, companies change it to their predetermined plan. This plan may be a high fixed rate or a variable rate, but one thing they have in common is that those default plans benefit the retailer, not you.
You can check out what plan you have at http://powertochoose.org/es-es
Follow the next steps to protect yourself if you have a variable plan:
Find out the amount of your invoice so far;
If you're high, stop the ′′ automatic payment ′′ and change plan as soon as possible, preferably to a plan that allows you to change retrospectively at the beginning of the turnover cycle.
Governor
Greg Abbott
,
Public Utility Commission of Texas
and legislature should immediately investigate
Griddy
and other predatory companies charging exorbitant fees; however, they appear to have followed the scheme set by Texas to allow this to happen .. Texas should ban variable tariff plans, or at least ban the upper end of risk exposure so its tariff can't rise more than a small fraction in any turnover cycle.
This should never have happened! Elected leaders in Austin who caused it must correct and fix it so it never happens again. It's up to all of us to see them do it.


Things are not likely to change in Texas any time soon, even because of this. Because:





Many lawsuits have been filed against the electric companies in Texas already. Any many people know someone who is getting a 10k Bill.

But the lawsuits really have no legal ground to stand on sadly. There is no consumer protections or laws against price gouging. This is all 100% legal in a 100% capitalism market with no government regulation.

Those who had the money auto withdrawn from their accounts will likely never get it back. And this could only add to the issues of people not being able to make rent.

Those who get 10k bills and refuse to pay it my face getting their utilities cut and will likely either have to go through the bankruptcy process or settle it in small claims court.

Another sad thing about this whole situation in Texas that not al lot of people are talking about yet is insurance. Most peoples cut rate insurance does have comprehensive coverage that covers water damage from burst frozen pipes. And why would people ask about it and get that coverage in Texas?

Right now we are just hearing about all the water damage as things warm back up.
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I shudder to think what my electric bill will be next month.
 
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