'Nobody knew that health care could be so complicated'... Nobody? Or only Trump?

[Simon Dog]

In some places fire service is a self funding private affair.

I am not aware of any "private fee based FDs", but there was an interesting story about a public sector FD that was in a town near an area that had no coverage, and the town had no taxing authority to collect revenue from those in this area.  The solution was a voluntary subscription fee, to the public fire department, for coverage under the terms you described.

is the hospital bill you can't pay should not be removable by bankruptcy.

Just like student loans.

[Michael Murphy]

Actually you can clear student loans by bankruptcy difficult but in the right circumstances doable.  If you have a disabity that there is no expectation of a cure you can get the student loans cleared.  A family member went to court to clear them, when it looked like the judge was going to discharge the loans sallie Mae offered to settle all tloans for a ridiculous low fee.  The reason is they wanted to keep the no bankruptcy roumor going.  My guess is any one with ESRD on dialysis could clear the student loans through bankruptcy since it's a permanent disability.

[MooseMom]

Nope, I was wrong.  All seems to be good between Trump and Ryan. 
 

Nope, I was wrong again.

Ryan just got bus-squished.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2017-03-26/trump-endorses-fox-news-host-call-paul-ryan-resign

[Bill Peckham]

He is very motivated by revenge. I wonder what he has in store for the Freedom Caucus? There is a lot of legislation he could pass if he installed a speaker that would bring to a vote in the House legislation that would get 150 D votes 100 R votes ; legislation that would get 40 D and 20 R votes in the Senate.

He has to be infuriated with the Freedom Caucus, they revealed what a crappy negotiator he is - Trump caved on the 10 essential bennefits and didn't get anything in return. Sad.

[Michael Murphy]

Somewhere former speaker boehner must be laughing like hell.

[MooseMom]

He is very motivated by revenge. I wonder what he has in store for the Freedom Caucus? There is a lot of legislation he could pass if he installed a speaker that would bring to a vote in the House legislation that would get 150 D votes 100 R votes ; legislation that would get 40 D and 20 R votes in the Senate.

He has to be infuriated with the Freedom Caucus, they revealed what a crappy negotiator he is - Trump caved on the 10 essential bennefits and didn't get anything in return. Sad.

Taking a deep breath here.  OK.  Maybe the Freedom Caucus is a blessing in disguise.  They are so far right that I have a hard time believing that most Americans would be behind any legislation that would meet their exacting standards.  So, perhaps this will force Trump to work with Democrats to help him succeed bigly.  Before you know it, maybe we will have bipartisanship once again in Congress.  Oh, the irony.

[Shaks24]

He is very motivated by revenge. I wonder what he has in store for the Freedom Caucus? There is a lot of legislation he could pass if he installed a speaker that would bring to a vote in the House legislation that would get 150 D votes 100 R votes ; legislation that would get 40 D and 20 R votes in the Senate.

He has to be infuriated with the Freedom Caucus, they revealed what a crappy negotiator he is - Trump caved on the 10 essential bennefits and didn't get anything in return. Sad.

Problem is he maybe can influence who the speaker is but it is up to the members of the house to elect the speaker or take down a speaker. Right now it seems no one else would want the job. Can you blame them? I can't believe Trump supported such a lousy bill. It was the exact opposite of what he promised. The fact that he tried to force it through shows what a Con artist he is. Now on to tax reform I guess. Lets see what type of goodies get offered to the rich. I hope Trump supporters are paying attention. Look at his budget proposal too. 

[kickingandscreaming]

They're just itching to give more tax breaks to the already obscenely rich.  Talk about class warfare! Reverse Robin Hoodism.

[Bill Peckham]

Yeah, I agree that Trump's revenge will have to wait, he pulled himself from the game and without the White House involved it will all be theater. The Democrat and Republican positions are so far apart that I'm not sure what a compromise position could be. Right now they are hanging their hopes on the idea that the exchange insurance markets will collapse, and then democrats will negotiate a deal. There is a lot wrong with the strategy but it does indicate the assumption that democrats won't deal, until something happens. Meaning not any time soon.


Next up is the need to raise the debt ceiling in about a month ... where are those votes going to come from?

[Michael Murphy]

The recent lack of response to a house fire in Obion, Tennessee, has created a national fire storm (no pun intended) in the rural area surrounding the city of South Fulton. As cited in numerous newspapers, editorial columns, Web pages, blogs, Tweets, and other sources, we have come to discover that homeowners in the region outside the town limits of South Fulton, Tennessee, have to pay $75 a year to have fire protection from the town's fire department. Recently, the house of Gene Cranick, who had not paid his $75 fee, caught fire. When the fire department arrived, they announced that since he had not paid his fees, his house would be allowed to burn to the ground. The homeowner offered to pay the $75 on the spot, but the firefighters refused. as the neighbor’s house was an endangered exposure and was covered under this subscription program, it was protected by the firefighters as the Cranick fire was spreading to the neighboring home. 
To compound this smack down of the Cranicks and their fire, the mayor of South Fulton ineloquently stated, "If homeowners don't pay, they're out of luck."  Well, that does not resonate well with me and my fire service brothers and sisters.
GOGLE subscription fire departments

[Shaks24]

LOL. Today Ryan and the GOP say they are not done with the Repeal and Replace. I guess that big tax cut for the rich is just too hard to walk away from. Who knows what Trump will do? You can't trust anything he says.

[Michael Murphy]

If you think the moderate republican split with the freedom caucus was fun to watch over medical issues it will be down right hilarious over taxes.  One side wants to virtually eliminate taxes for the one percent the other side wants to take care of the middle class. Ant attempt to draw in democratic votes  will require changes that will further divide the republicans.  We finally have a government that is fundamentally unable to govern.  Mean while it's the keystone cops investigating Russian connection to Comrade Trump.  We have a government that looks like it's in a Monty python movie.

[kickingandscreaming]

it's in a Monty python movie

You nailled it---except for the part where it isn't funny.

[Michael Murphy]

Actually while I pains me to say I never enjoyed Monty python movies.

[Shaks24]

So, any predictions as to where this healthcare debate goes? We have a 2 week recess where I'm sure members are hearing from the voters. They added an amendment to fund high cost patients to the tune of 15 billion dollars over 10 years which even conservatives say is woefully inadequate. I guess this was intended to indicate momentum on the bill. Never the less the GOP seems stuck in a tug of war between the Freedom Caucus and Moderate Reps. Are they going to move on to something else or bring a healthcare bill to the floor? If they add the changes the Freedom Caucus wants they would kill pre existing conditions, community rating and kids on parents policy until 26. Insurance would be the wild wild west again in the individual market. I'm pretty sure this would push even more moderates to a no vote.

[Michael Murphy]

What is beginning to occur to me is we need three new parties, conservative, moderate, and liberal.  Split the republicans between the Conservative and moderates, split the democrats between the moderate and liberals.

[Rerun]

I would go for that.