yzerman19

Both are vile.

Who wins the election means about as much to me as who wins the NBA finals. leftists want to change the world because they’re pissed off about losing or they want power. Hint: no matter what any politician says or does, the simple fact is the talented people who focus on doing great work and caring for their families will always come out on top. Every time. I

I don’t care. I just bank cash and let the babies cry.

Only ultra-leftists are that politically motivated. The accusers are the ones actually thinking that way, and it’s disturbing.

Social justice is a subjective term. If it means flipping the system on its head, adopting socialist positions, and vilifying anyone who has earned and achieved more, I am not for it. if it means treating people fairly, I’m all for it. like coaching hockey: ice time will be fair, it will not be equal.

Socialism is the attempt of those unable or unwilling to succeed to take from those that have achieved more. The argument has been perverted to now go as far as saying that the ability and willingness to succeed has something inherently racist or fascist or privileged behind it. My immigrant grandparents were dirt poor farmers. Each successive generation became more successful based on a combination of talent and hard work. I guess that is just my privilege talking...and the

Boy- I take a few weeks off from this board and more gasoline gets poured on the dumpster fire. as a non-Trumpist, anti-socialist, I’m starting to become terrified that this country is truly factioning on Ridiculousness. What happened to pro-meritocracy, pro-capitalism, limited government, anti-war, pro-individual, pro family, leave people alone government? when the failures of society in either party start to use the mob as the vehicle for rectifying their insufficiencies- well those of us who create wealth and jobs will simply stop...who is John Galt?

Nobody is forcing anybody to come onto this thread.

Deaths and ICU for people under 75 would seem like a good marker

How about: 1. If you are sick with symptoms stay home for 14 days. 2. If you are exposed to someone who is sick, wait 5 days in self quarantine then get a test. If sick stay home for 14 days. 3. If you are vulnerable, stay home. 4. If you are healthy and not vulnerable, then a. If with strangers, crowds, unknowns, then wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance as much as possible, be outside rather than inside if possible. b. If with people you know and trust and believe to be healthy, live normal.

What will happen is ND will kill all the university budgets except for UND and NDSU...really stupid to do this. The fear is sickening. I’m traveling the country right now with my son playing hockey tournaments all over.

Some of the positive tests are dead or recovered. 1% of active are serious/critical

99.96% of Americans have not died of/from/with Covid. 99.99% under 65. 98.8% of Americans have not tested positive for Covid. Of those currently positive for Covid, 1% are in serious/critical condition. All of this inspite of large gatherings to protest, some people refusing to wear masks, varying degrees of social distancing... Saying it this way won’t generate clicks though....Not saying it isn’t a nasty virus, not saying you shouldn’t take precautions, just saying...

True health care professionals differ in opinion on courses of action. Have you never been part of a consult? Being too passionate in a position is dangerous when you seek the best outcome. being anti-fascist is a label. It is not an intelligent position. You can be fascist in your anti-fascism. Political views are circular. My advice for you is to find inner peace and not be focused on the behaviors of others. Attempting to control others is the basis of fascism.

By the way my dude, very good medical professionals have differences of opinion. On many things...not just masks. It doesn’t make it right or wrong. When you deal in ambiguity, there will always be different paths. It’s a sign of low intelligence not to be open minded.

Hayduke: i believe that wearing a mask in unknown social interactions is prudent, but do you understand how close your posts are to true Fascism and how much it sounds like commentary in late 1930’s

The core tenets of the ACA were capping payer profit on fully insured products, guaranteeing coverage with pre-existing conditions, setting minimum benefit requirements, establishing a public marketplace, and mandating coverage. Esoterically, they facilitated these things with actuarial requirements which I won’t get into. You can argue the cost/benefit of each one and it’s importance by region. For example, Minnesota already had guaranteed coverage via a high-risk pool. Funded by a premium tax. Coverage mandate and minimum benefits impacted consumer choice and premium pricing (More benefits, more expensive coverage). MLR- well 2/3 of the market is self-insured or Medicare. I don’t want to subsidize rural hospitals more, I just don’t want them to shut down. They are employment and economic drivers as well as their role in providing care. I don’t want to wait in line for months or drive 400 miles for a knee scope. Do you know what drives health related bankruptcies in this country? Hint: it isn’t the medical bills. It’s all the other bills that pile up when a person is hospitalized and can’t work. The indigent have care and coverage via Medicaid- they have for decades. The elderly have it from Medicare. Commercial plans have maximum out of pocket amounts. If you aren’t breaking the individual mandate, then who doesn’t have coverage? The debate here has never been about healthcare, it’s about who pays for it. the system isn’t perfect, but it’s far better than politicos give it credit for. If you get really sick is there another country you’d rather receive care in? I wouldn’t. The margins in healthcare and health insurance are tiny. The industry employs tons of people all over the income spectrum- high school educated single moms working the call centers all the way to sub-specialist surgical MDs.

Last comment. Current healthcare model allows for local decision making done in the interest of community business and welfare. Would you rather have those decisions made by bureaucrats and lobbyists in DC? How much healthcare investment federally do you think would land in the Midwest as opposed to say NY and CA?

Oh, and check this out. Physicians in the US earn good money. In other countries...who the hell would spend all that money on training sand postpone getting paid until you’re in your 30’s for this??? source is medscape.

Regarding ICU bed pressure at specific facilities; In my experience, some facilities in metro areas are being designated for Covid specifically. The capacity of all facilities in the immediate area must be considered then in determining if there is a risk. I haven’t seen this macro lens presented for Houston. If the designated facilities reach capacity, you designate more facilities. This approach creates centers of excellence for treatment and studies while also helping contain the virus. Hospitals work on a flexing model of capacity as well. You don’t staff beds without patient demand. If you did that you’d waste money. Regarding those calling for single payor and healthcare being such an economic problem. First and foremost, aside from a transfer of power, what do you believe that would accomplish? The cost of health insurance is driven by the cost of care delivery. Fully insured products spend 85% of the premium on doctors, hospitals, and drugs. Another 7-10% on commissions, taxes, and fees; leaving 5-8% for reinvestment or profit. Also, there is no guarantee of surplus earnings, so in order to remain viable as a payor, they must maintain a risk-based capital requirement. This being able to honor their obligations even when the claims payments are greater than premium revenues. Self-insured employers pay nothing but claims costs and a 1-2% administrative fee. Also, government sponsored care is already the largest payor in the country, and commercial insurers are subsidizing them. If you want to lower costs more than marginally, then you have to bark up the care delivery tree. Which means less money for staff, equipment, technology. What a people spend money on is a sign of what they value. I contend there is no more valuable industry than one focused on improving health and saving lives. If you want to lower commercial premiums, you either reduce the dollars paid to care delivery or you increase payments from Medicaid and Medicare (aka raise taxes). Many arguments on healthcare costs in the US ignore some cost drivers that improve care too, such as having more facilities capable of more things in more locations. Smaller countries (for example) have little more than a physician‘a home office for basic care and all more complicated procedures and inpatient admissions are funneled into a handful of huge city hospitals. Imagine having to go to Minneapolis for any kind of care beyond office visits. Regarding quality outcomes. The stats are often misleading, because the US is bi-modal in this regard. Much is based on geography and on individual attributes of patients. On one mode, we have the greatest outcomes the world has ever seen. On the other mode we aren’t much better than average. So when blended we land in a place often criticized and quoted. The issue is not about quality, the issue is about disparity. That disparity is often driven by patient choices in lifestyle and attention to their health.

Never defended statues of confederate generals. My post was about taking the time to contemplate them. But on the general topic, should every defeated army leader in history With an unsavory affiliation or past be tossed into the garbage can of history?

I just don’t understand the activist culture. Are people that bored and unhappy? I exhaust my brain 50 hours/week with work, handle chores around the house, manage kids’ activities, Ensure the family is healthy and happy, have a couple drinks...wash, rinse, repeat. don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world, but Who has time to worry about confederate generals or the tweet of the day, let alone some massive movement? I’ll tell you what- the BLM movement had me on board a couple weeks ago. Not so much anymore- the hijacking of other causes and lunacy has completely taken away from the issue that got us all thinking about racism and bad cops.

Absolutely! as for that sexy desk job- not so sexy...20 years later 20 pounds fatter

No, we have winners and losers. It’s always been that way since the dawn of time. I don’t need a straw man to feel better. I’m annoyed by what I would call losers- coveting that which I have earned and trying to leverage a mob to enforce what they’re incapable of achieving on their own. I don’t bitch about paying a quarter mil/ in taxes until people start banging their class warfare drums.

Asset inflation in real estate has certainly been a factor