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2020 US Presidential Election

Controversial idea.

If alternative medicine practioners were given full legal powers in the US like M.D's, would that force M.D's to become more competitive and provide better services?
Only if insurance gave the same coverage. And then the question is, if insurance only pays for the first 10 min of a consultation, would then alternative doctors become more like the current MDs?
 
The far right falls for religious propaganda. The far left falls for Government is key for success propaganda.


If you realize state and religion are both cancer, you enter the libertarian realm.
 
Someone needs to figure out the murky connections between the medical world and the US Government . Especially when it comes to disability eligibility and who manages the NIH grants.
 
The far right falls for religious propaganda. The far left falls for Government is key for success propaganda.

If you realize state and religion are both cancer, you enter the libertarian realm.
You are raising an interesting point about introducing free market elements in health care. As a progressive of the European school, I am not against any form of free market principle in health care, as long as it serves the purpose of helping as many people as possible & is financial accessible to them. But this is something I do not often see in practice. Maybe it could make M.D.'s more competitive if alternative medicine practitioners are given full legal rights. But are there cases in foreign countries where they do this?

It is also a matter of making experimental research more accessible by the government, not so much about introducing free market principles. I have read stories about MS patients who went to foreign countries like Russia for stem cell therapy. Some of them mention that they have success with their treatment. I have to add that they were treated in university hospitals like the one in Moscow, which is mainly supported (financially) by the state. So it is also a matter of rules that are imposed by the government in the health care system in allowing patients to partake in experimental research (still in the study phase) who see this as a last resort.

Surely every step in a certain direction is better than the current scientific backwardness in the ENT community.I'm still astonished that some ENTS ,like my own, are not even aware of hyperacusis or unable to do an extended audiogram test, because they think that a normal audiogram is enough to rule out hearing damage/loss.
 
I noticed a lot of people do that. That is because America is the epicenter of the world.
Well, for a lot of Europeans it was. But since Trump, America has loosened its ties with Europe in many ways, fore mostly in international cooperation (he decided to blew up the Intermediate -range Nuclear Forces (INF) agreement and severed ties with NATO), which is a gift to Russia. We are also less inclined to make trade deals with the US because of different standards (mostly due to strict laws in EU for environmental protection, GMO restriction and animal welfare, for example). We have to rely on ourselves now and also look to the leadership of France and Germany to play a part internationally.
 
Any conservatives want to weigh in on why these things are needed in a COVID-19 bill:

Screenshot 2020-07-29 at 12.30.36.png
 
Trump wants to delay the election: View attachment 40008
Not surprised he wants to. I don't think it would help him win in the end, though. If the situation is so unsafe because of his bungling, and his crowd continues to believe it's a hoax and take no precautions, then he'll see a thinning of his base. It may help his term outlast RGB though.
 
Trump is unpalatable enough where he will still garner a lot of enthusiasm to vote against him but I hope the DNC understands that the GOP didn't get ahead in the last election by running towards the center.
I always thought that Americans elected Trump for president just to beat the British on nonsense after they said YES to Brexit (and now the UK regrets it).
Trump wants to delay the election: View attachment 40008
This has to be a joke. It is hardly surprising coming from a clown like Donald Trump.
 
He absolutely doesn't believe that the election needs to be delayed, imo. He is setting up an excuse in case he loses.
He loses probably big time. It is even possible that he is going to get some
serious ass kicked if we look at the stats in. the following pic. 12 Key battle grounds that were won by Trump in 2016 could easily move in Biden's favour. @FGG Why is NC is tied? Your state is not really GOP leaning, right?

Capture d’écran 2020-07-31 à 13.02.01.png


Link: https://morningconsult.com/form/july-presidential-battleground-state-polling/
 

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Any conservatives want to weigh in on why these things are needed in a COVID-19 bill:

View attachment 39982
FWIW, Being a former right wing conservative myself (product of conservative Christian and pro free market upbringing), I would not 100% understand why the GOP would defend these points that are mentioned in Sanders' tweet .

If I understand it correctly, it was the idea of the White House to include the point about a new FBI building in the bill. Some say it has to do with avoiding commercial development on a plot of land that is nearby a Trump hotel. Others think it fits the Trump narrative to invest in institutions that are the very image of the Trumpian Law and Order narrative. It is very likely that the GOP senators and house representatives will not support this issue, as it costs a lot of money. Even McConnell calls it a ''non-germane amendment''.

As for the other points concerning investments in the US military, this fits the Neo-conservative narrative (as it is mentioned in the older works of Francis Fukuyama, who no longer is adherent of the philosophy) and probably GOP's way of implementing a part of their platform in exchange for supporting some ideas that the Democrats proposed. The Neo-conservative philosophy assumes that you create a safer country if you heavily invest in the military. Other countries are less likely to attack you (based on Mutual Assured Destruction principle), which created more order and less wars on a global scale. However, the investment in the military does not address the domestic problems that might arise, like people who are losing jobs because of COVID-19. Investments in the US airforce would not really add up from that perspective. My take is that the GOP want to have these ideas implemented in exchange for supporting some ideas that Democrats wants to put into practice, like the extension of the jobless aid, rental assistance and mortgage relief and additional aid for food assistance.
 
He loses probably big time. It is even possible that he is going to get some
serious ass kicked if we look at the stats in. the following pic. 12 Key battle grounds that were won by Trump in 2016 could easily move in Biden's favour. @FGG Why is NC is tied? Your state is not really GOP leaning, right?

View attachment 40027

Link: https://morningconsult.com/form/july-presidential-battleground-state-polling/
It sure looks that way, but I'm keeping my mind open to the possibility of him winning still -- it looked like Clinton would win by a landslide in 2016 but look what happened. And the same poll that predicted Trump's win in 2016 has predicted it again.

I also think the US might have a fight on their hands to get him to leave if he does lose. He's suggested a few times that he would refuse to go, even beyond 2024. I have to say, Trump fan or not, that the leader of the free world threatening to turn America into a dictatorship is very concerning.
 
I always thought that Americans elected Trump for president just to beat the British on nonsense after they said YES to Brexit (and now the UK regrets it).
I think you will find that a lot of the people who voted to leave don't regret it.
It's unfortunate timing for the UK though that the virus has hit just at this time.

For sure, the UK needs to become much more self-reliant in all ways, but I'm glad that the UK left the EU. Talk of an EU army is nuts and expanding further east will bring no good to anyone in the long run.

That said, the UK should keep close ties with other European countries in many ways.
 
I also think the US might have a fight on their hands to get him to leave if he does lose.
The guy is toying with their heads. The USA government is made up of more than a 'President'. There are lobbyists, foreign countries, it is about money and power. All the old POWER BROKERS are dying off. Don't vote them out, wait them out? Whomever becomes President there will be a reckoning, :beeranimation:
 
I think you will find that a lot of the people who voted to leave don't regret it.
It's unfortunate timing for the UK though that the virus has hit just at this time.

For sure, the UK needs to become much more self-reliant in all ways, but I'm glad that the UK left the EU. Talk of an EU army is nuts and expanding further east will bring no good to anyone in the long run.

That said, the UK should keep close ties with other European countries in many ways.

True, there are talks about the EU army and further expansion. In my opinion, this is only matter of time. Some countries will try to postpone it, like Poland, Greece, Croatia, but eventually it will happen (for better or worse).

I'm also not a fan of how politics is done sometimes in Brussels (like how Greece is undemocratically forced to sell property and change it's economy to become more pro free market), but I believe that democratic change is best achieved by working within the system. For me, there are still enough benefits in being member of the EU (substantial investments in local industries, cooperation between universities, good deals in free trade of services and products, etc.).

I hope we can stay friends after the Brits have their Brexit. I am also wondering how long Gr. Britain will exist if Scotland is slowly making it's way towards independence in hopes of being part of the EU. This will certainly change the dynamic in our relationship (fishery, subsea oil fields, etc.)
 
I think you will find that a lot of the people who voted to leave don't regret it.
It's unfortunate timing for the UK though that the virus has hit just at this time.

For sure, the UK needs to become much more self-reliant in all ways, but I'm glad that the UK left the EU. Talk of an EU army is nuts and expanding further east will bring no good to anyone in the long run.

That said, the UK should keep close ties with other European countries in many ways.
I think there is now an opportunity for the EU to have the upper hand and impose its terms on the UK.
 
He loses probably big time. It is even possible that he is going to get some
serious ass kicked if we look at the stats in. the following pic. 12 Key battle grounds that were won by Trump in 2016 could easily move in Biden's favour. @FGG Why is NC is tied? Your state is not really GOP leaning, right?

View attachment 40027

Link: https://morningconsult.com/form/july-presidential-battleground-state-polling/
NC is probably the most "purple" state in the US. As a rule, cities vote liberal and rural areas vote conservative and our population is roughly 50/50 of each.
 
It sure looks that way, but I'm keeping my mind open to the possibility of him winning still -- it looked like Clinton would win by a landslide in 2016 but look what happened. And the same poll that predicted Trump's win in 2016 has predicted it again.

I also think the US might have a fight on their hands to get him to leave if he does lose. He's suggested a few times that he would refuse to go, even beyond 2024. I have to say, Trump fan or not, that the leader of the free world threatening to turn America into a dictatorship is very concerning.

True, Trump's chances of winning most battleground states are not impossible. People will not forget that until May, he was doing quite well with running the economy (if GDP is the main indicator). It was also the main reasoning why he wanted to keep the economy running despite the outbreak in New York State, for example. And we all know that most people base their vote on how well the economy is doing.

However, In key battle grounds, his mishandling of the COVID-19 situation proved disastrous (leave it to the states, not the federal government), as we can see in the pic down below. His approach of keeping states open (who are also underfunded in health care) and misinformation (on the workings of hydroxychloroquine, e.g.) will not play in his favour, and will have a more negative prolonged influence on businesses and for consumers than in countries where a government has imposed anti-COVID-19 measures more forcefully. If this keeps on going until September, I'll bet that most people will change their minds about him and vote for whoever makes the most chance against him.

Capture d’écran 2020-07-31 à 16.08.53.png
 
True, there are talks about the EU army and further expansion. In my opinion, this is only matter of time. Some countries will try to postpone it, like Poland, Greece, Croatia, but eventually it will happen (for better or worse).

I'm also not a fan of how politics is done sometimes in Brussels (like how Greece is undemocratically forced to sell property and change it's economy to become more pro free market), but I believe that democratic change is best achieved by working within the system. For me, there are still enough benefits in being member of the EU (substantial investments in local industries, cooperation between universities, good deals in free trade of services and products, etc.).

I hope we can stay friends after the Brits have their Brexit. I am also wondering how long Gr. Britain will exist if Scotland is slowly making it's way towards independence in hopes of being part of the EU. This will certainly change the dynamic in our relationship (fishery, subsea oil fields, etc.)
Well you see what has happened with the EU trying to expand into Ukraine.

Many, if not most, political unions fall by the wayside eventually, eg Soviet Union, British Empire, Ottomon Empire and so on, and the UK will probably go the same way. It would be a tragedy if it did, as the defence of the British Isles would become much more difficult, and it would be a godsend to our perceived foes, ie Russia and China.

The EU won't be around that much longer anyway; just wait for the next war to break out.
 
Joe Biden narrows down his VP list, with Karen Bass emerging as one of several key contenders

''In more than two dozen interviews with CNN in recent days, members of Congress, top Democratic donors, Biden allies and others close to the vice presidential vetting process said California Rep. Karen Bass, the 66-year-old chair of the Congressional Black Caucus, has gained real traction in the late stage of the search. Amid furious last-minute lobbying and speculation about Biden's historic decision, California Sen. Kamala Harris and Susan Rice, Barack Obama's former national security adviser, are also believed to be among the most serious contenders''

Perhaps we know next week who is going to be IT.

Link:
https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/31/politics/joe-biden-running-mate/index.html
 
Karen Bass, who I know nothing about and will not drive out anyone.
I think it's smart (in a way) to pick a random candidate whose name hasn't been floated around. There is not much lead time for negative campaigning against her.
 
I think it's smart (in a way) to pick a random candidate whose name hasn't been floated around. There is not much lead time for negative campaigning against her.
True, but it also stops people from being brought on board because of her. He has talked about being a one term president. I would like it to be someone younger who could carry a torch, not someone who will also be 70 by the next election.
 
In today's world it is better to be united and part of a group than to be alone, like the UK is going to be.
The UK is part of NATO, which works reasonably well as a unit due to the US on the whole, but the EU is far from united; it is fraying at the edges and will eventually collapse. Maybe NATO will too, now. The EU is only really good for the weaker economies within it and for Germany in the long run.

I will give you one thing though, the Brexit talks were badly handled by the UK, which was largely down to May's ineptness, weakness and love for the EU.

Anyway, this is a US elections thread, better get back on topic:D
Well, for a lot of Europeans it was. But since Trump, America has loosened its ties with Europe in many ways, fore mostly in international cooperation (he decided to blew up the Intermediate -range Nuclear Forces (INF) agreement and severed ties with NATO), which is a gift to Russia. We are also less inclined to make trade deals with the US because of different standards (mostly due to strict laws in EU for environmental protection, GMO restriction and animal welfare, for example). We have to rely on ourselves now and also look to the leadership of France and Germany to play a part internationally.
As much as I don't like Trump, he is right about NATO, i.e. the other countries have not been pulling their weight or taking their own defence seriously, and they only have themselves to blame. But, you are right, it is a gift to Russia.

Should you be looking to Germany for leadership? It is reliant on Russia for one.
 

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