Donald trump. what is your take on him?

[madswitcher]

Beer and the odd spliff does me these days ,an ocassional  drop of whiskey to sip .
I did try a few other things over the years , stimulants ,hallucinogenics on a handfull of ocassions ,no interest in that anymore.
Most of my mates went through an extasy phase in the late 80's to mid 90's ,Im not into techno so avoided that whole scene.
The coke started to become big business here about 15 years ago ,no coincidence either that Irish republicans had forged links to Farc in the jungles of south America , and that we have a massive very poorly policed coastline right at the most westerly point of europe . I know quite a few who got a taste for the peruvian marching powder , ended up costing them ,not just financially ,but spiritually emotionally and in friendship and relationship terms more than they ever bargained for , Im very glad I didnt go down that rocky road .Knew a few who got a taste for the opiates of one kind or another ,some long since gone off the face of the planet ,some recovered and doing well ,and some hanging on like strings of misery.

I notice nowadays that many take what I term lifestyle pharmaceutical products ,antidepressants  ,antipsychotics ,anti anxiety pills of one sort or another ,they and their doctors will swear blind there not addicts nor the pills addictive. These types of pill become less and less effective over time prompting the usual response from the medicine men  ,'double the dose and come back and see me in a few weeks'. When this fails they endlessly chop and change different meds and doses ,often with catastrophic physical health implications for the patient , massive weight gain and diabetes being very common .

Life's a bit of a rollercoaster at the best of times ,modern media tending to feed the down swings ,sure you can find a pill,powder or potion to iron out the emotions or numb the senses but then you cant experience the up swings either .Some can and do get themselves off this merry-go-round ,others try but as soon as the drug wears off and they have to deal with their emotions and reality again they start falling apart at the seams. What Im saying is theres less difference between illicit and prescribed drugs than what were led to believe, one very often takes the place of the other ,take the case of the prescription opiate addict who cant get anymore scripts and ends up using street junk  or the alcoholic who trades their fondness for the juice for valium ,either way round the underlying issues arent being addressed.

The illegal drugs are demonised  ,war on drugs is the biggest illusion going ,war relies on drugs to fund itself ,and the atrocities of war in turn create new generations of addicts.

The medical and pharmaceutical industry is little more than a money making machine in its own right ,it doesnt care if people end up hooked ,or if they suffer debilitating side effects, they dont care about polluting the environment and releasing carcinogenic substances, it all keeps the wheels of industry turning and the profits increasing year on year .

Hi Tubetec,

I think that is probably one of the most adult and honest posts I have seen here for some time.

Mike

 

[JohnRoberts]

Well put. Not just the part I have quoted, the whole post is good.

Attached, is the pharmaceutical industry's goal.

Gene

Edit: PS: remember this picture the next time your doctor tries to shove more pills down your throat.

Whenever we describe a segment of the economy as an "industry" that means they are profit oriented.  The fast food industry is all about selling more junk food.

The holy grail for the drug industry is to come up with chronic medications that they can sell to end users perpetually. So they don't want to cure diseases, they prefer maintenance.

Promoting addictive painkillers seems like a miscalculation of short term profit for longer term pain, the drug industry will pay for that poor judgement, while the dead people will still be dead.

JR

PS: The classic example of the drug industry maintenance meme, was how they tried to suppress the Australian doctor who cured ulcers, destroying that cash cow of selling people ulcer medicine for the rest of their lives. 

 

[Gold]

The medical and pharmaceutical industry is little more than a money making machine in its own right ,it

When I hear a more market based healthcare system will produce more efficiency and better results it scares me.

 

[JohnRoberts]

When I hear a more market based healthcare system will produce more efficiency and better results it scares me.

I am certainly not a fan of the status quo in healthcare, but the high deductibles increased over recent years, are having the intended purpose to make consumers more mindful of their health care expenditures.

Hospitals are building new outpatient centers in response to market forces to reduce the high cost of emergency room treatment.

Still a mess but at least one positive trend... emergency rooms are horribly ineffective and too expensive for most things.  Getting patients out of the emergency room for non-emergency treatments will reduce cost.

JR

PS: Years ago when I broke my finger playing basketball, I didn't get it xrayed until the next day in a clinic. After reading the xray of my clearly broken finger, the x-ray technician apologized for not being more gentle (it really hurt when she mashed it down flat). 

 

[dmp]

I am certainly not a fan of the status quo in healthcare, but the high deductibles increased over recent years, are having the intended purpose to make consumers more mindful of their health care expenditures.

Hospitals are building new outpatient centers in response to market forces to reduce the high cost of emergency room treatment.

Still a mess but at least one positive trend... emergency rooms are horribly ineffective and too expensive for most things.  Getting patients out of the emergency room for non-emergency treatments will reduce cost.

So high cost is reducing demand... yup that might lower prices in a competitive, voluntary market. Except that it means people can't afford healthcare and will suffer without. The profit driven free market has been really doing  a number on us for decades. It's been a great few decades for corporations and rich CEOs to make money off people's misery in America.
The last point about emergency rooms was a key point of the ACA health care reform. I thought Republicans wanted to go back to the emergency room treatment plan of GWB?

 

[Gold]

I am certainly not a fan of the status quo in healthcare, but the high deductibles increased over recent years, are having the intended purpose to make consumers more mindful of their health care expenditures.

The current rationing scheme is working quite well. People that can't afford routine medical care don't get it.

Hospitals are building new outpatient centers in response to market forces to reduce the high cost of emergency room treatment.

The reason people go to emergency rooms for routine medical issues and wait 6-8 hours to be seen is that it is the only place that will see them. No one argues this is a good way to do it.

 

[JohnRoberts]

So high cost is reducing demand...

no higher out of pocket cost, is making consumers search out cheaper solutions, like clinics instead of emergency rooms.  If demand just went away they would not be building new clinics to meet this market desire. Pretty much econ 101. 

yup that might lower prices in a competitive, voluntary market. Except that it means people can't afford healthcare and will suffer without. The profit driven free market has been really doing  a number on us for decades. It's been a great few decades for corporations and rich CEOs to make money off people's misery in America.
The last point about emergency rooms was a key point of the ACA health care reform. I thought Republicans wanted to go back to the emergency room treatment plan of GWB?

I thought I was clear about the economic principle, but not surprised that every discussion turns into a "damn those republicans" (corporations, rich people, etc) screed, in this modern divisive political climate.

In case I haven't said this recently, this will be difficult and I am not sure the current congress is up to the task (so far they aren't).

I just read today that all the states will have at least one ACA insurer next year. Could be worse.

JR

 

[dmp]

no higher out of pocket cost, is making consumers search out cheaper solutions, like clinics instead of emergency rooms.  If demand just went away they would not be building new clinics to meet this market desire. Pretty much econ 101.  I thought I was clear about the economic principle, but not surprised that every discussion turns into a "damn those republicans" (corporations, rich people, etc) screed, in this modern divisive political climate.
In case I haven't said this recently, this will be difficult and I am not sure the current congress is up to the task (so far they aren't).
I just read today that all the states will have at least one ACA insurer next year. Could be worse.
JR

My high deductible plan requires service be provided by 'in-network' clinics. So I have ZERO ability to shop around.
Does anybody here have a high deductible plan where they've been shopping around for discount medical care?

The econ principle is supply and demand sets an equilibrium price. I think it is more likely that people are unable to afford health care, than significant cost deflation via consumers shopping around.  But if you presented some evidence of your beliefs I might be proven wrong.

As to a "damn Republicans" screed, I think there is ample evidence to justify that. Just look at the 50ish votes to repeal the ACA while Obama was President, and then the failed attempts to modify it this past year ("it's hard to roll back an entitlement").
Several prominent Republicans made statements pre-ACA saying ER based health care for the poor was fine, including Mitt Romney and GW Bush. Even while medical costs were significantly involved in 1/2 to 2/3 of bankruptcies.

 

[Gold]

Acting like buying medical care is equivalent to buying clothing is disingenuous at best.  I'm not sure why it's rationing when care is restricted for all but it's not rationing when you can't afford it.

 

[tands]

It's a death panel either way. Unless you've got enough money from exploiting the rest of us. Then you can pay to not die. All you'll get is *whelp* *shrugs* from republicans until it's their ass on the line, then they got an issue with it.  :

https://twitter.com/sassygayrepub/status/908360475405987841

 

[Gold]

End of life care is hugely expensive. Some would argue wasteful. That eats up a lot of the available pie.

 

[bluebird]

I notice nowadays that many take what I term lifestyle pharmaceutical products ,antidepressants  ,antipsychotics ,anti anxiety pills of one sort or another ,they and their doctors will swear blind there not addicts nor the pills addictive. These types of pill become less and less effective over time prompting the usual response from the medicine men  ,'double the dose and come back and see me in a few weeks'. When this fails they endlessly chop and change different meds and doses ,often with catastrophic physical health implications for the patient , massive weight gain and diabetes being very common .

Dude, this is a really broad and blanketed judgment... I get what your saying and understand why you think this, but what  you think are  "lifestyle pharmaceuticals"  I know are "lifesaving pharmaceuticals" .  Everything in this world can be abused and misused. Anti depressants, saved my life. They allow me to function and keep my marriage happy and healthy...Which keeps my children happy and healthy.  Which is a positive investment in society.

I'll spare you the details but I've been on and off them for years and do not have massive weight gain or diabetes. Im happy and healthy and I'm not the only one. I respect your post and there is a lot of truth in it, but I'm living proof that some of the stuff you said is wrong.

--------------

And lets not forget, the brewery is just a bunch a dogs barking. We are all right, we are all so smart and know how other people should be living. None of this is our fault either, its the government, its the big corporations, its other cultures, its anyone but us. On average, there's just regular people in all those groups trying as hard as they can.  We are no better, so why all the finger pointing? Why all the hypocrisy?  The world is just one big undulating expression of humanity, one living organism.

Woof woof woof,
Ian

 

[cyrano]

The possession with intent to sell can be pretty big compared to a possession charge..

When a poor fella gets arrested, holding 100$ coke, it's clearly "with intent to sell". After all, a poor fella can't afford to put a 100$ bill up his nose, can he?

When a rich fella gets arrested because he has a bag in his Ferrari, there's nobody that will call that anything else than "personal use". After all, the rich bloke uses 100$ bills to light his cuban cigars...

It does look like some progress is being made at least.....Yeah a 1:1 ratio of equal punishment would be a great start....Drugs are drugs.....

Some progress is being made. Like the decriminalisation of pot.

Portugal took drug addiction out of the law entirely. Addiction and possession are no longer criminal. Addiction rate halved in just two years.

The city of Zürich "reserved" one city park for addicts, provided free needles, methadone and social services. Crime, related to heroin use, dropped to zero in just weeks.

It seems the USA can't even find it's homeless, these days. At least, that's what one msm shouted, a few days ago. If they'd pour all that money that goes into weapons, into healthcare and education, the USA would be a very merry place.

You can react:
https://secure.ucsusa.org/onlineactions/UPRO5mOyPUuwCytCr4r1NA2

 

[Tubetec]

Thanks for taking the time to reply Ian(Bluebird) ,
I know many who are in a similar situation to you .

I have no formal qualifications in counseling ,but that certainly hasn't stopped me lending an ear to my friends over the years.What Ive noticed with many who have been given diagnosis's of depression and other mental conditions is that its not just something that comes out of nowhere for no reason , these conditions certainly can run in the family ,but I don't attribute this to genetics or some kind of chemical imbalance ,which is often what the medical people trot out . While I don't suffer with serious depression myself ,I certainly have gone through stages where life got me down , Ive always been a very outspoken person ,never shy about speaking my mind and for me at least this saved my soul .Around the time of my 30th birthday I kinda came to a crossroads and realised I had stuff from early childhood to come to terms with.  I'd had counseling on several occasions previously so I basically knew how to go about sorting through things ,trouble was I met a brick wall with close family and a lot of friends. I ended up isolated ,in a rage and subsequently in hospital for a short spell,zonked on meds and unable to even express myself anymore. Had it been up to the psych witchdoctors they'd have kept me that way ,numbed and dummed . Luckily I had a good friend who had been through the wars themselves and were willing to listen .After a few months living as a slack jawed shadow of my former self I put the meds in the bin ,against doctors orders and just got on with my life. Took a while to shake the effects of the meds off ,the talking cure isn't something with a start or a finish though,its an ongoing process.

Humans and indeed the entire animal kingdom has a tendency to prey on the weak and vulnerable ,what we term mental illness is a manifestation of this ugly trait, a way to marginalize and undermine the credibility of those who refuse to play along with this charade we call civilised society .

 

[tands]

End of life care is hugely expensive. Some would argue wasteful. That eats up a lot of the available pie.

Yeah, let me know what you think when you get there.

 

[Gold]

I know what I think already. Put down my 17 yo dog last Friday. Had a grandmother with Alzheimer's who lasted too long. 100k  a week for three weeks is a waste of money.  I'm glad you think I'm special enough to spend that kind of tax money on me.

 

[bruno2000]

End of life care is hugely expensive. Some would argue wasteful. That eats up a lot of the available pie.

Have a plan.........
Best,
Bruno2000

 

[tands]

I know what I think already. Put down my 17 yo dog last Friday. Had a grandmother with Alzheimer's who lasted too long. 100k  a week for three weeks is a waste of money.  I'm glad you think I'm special enough to spend that kind of tax money on me.

Well, we won't really know until you're in that situation, and you don't have the right to go deciding for anyone else, anyway. 

 

[Gold]

I'm ready to go tomorrow. That's why people usually don't fuck with me.

 

[tands]

Get another dog then, I'm sure the shelter has one.  :