The Republican Utopia
- Thread starter knapplc
- Start date
Dr. Strangelove
New member
Coming from the Rural guy who doesn't believe in Climate Change caused by people, hilarious.
As for the story, it was interesting. Anti-intellectualism has been a mainstay of the Right for decades, Donald Trump simply weaponized it to get votes.
If Americans in rural states don't want to get vaccines, trust environmental scientists, or take part in research, don't make them. But charge them more for health insurance because they're higher risk, restrict government reach money to their universities leaving the states devoid of talent that attracts businesses, etc. We should stop trying to drag Rural people kicking and screaming into reality.
commando
Active member
anti science...lol. i wonder if the science that gave us disease, bug, and drought resistant crops that yield massively better than they did a couple generations ago are fake also?
BigRedBuster
Active member
[No message]
Enhance
Administrator
So you did read them?
You had repeatedly asked in this thread why this was bad for Disney while almost exclusively focusing in on their ability to off-load debt. You ignored potential reasons that were shared while latching onto the one that might be a good thing. Nobody can provide you the detailed economic analysis you're looking for because, as far as I know, even the Florida legislature couldn't publicly produce one before they ram-rodded this vote through.
If that has been produced, then we should all review and discuss.
So, yes, when posts are made that answer your question (or at least offer an opportunity for a discussion to your question) and you ignore or cast them aside to repeatedly ask the same mundane question... that's the cat and mouse BS I'm talking about. You not understanding this is exactly why you're being called out for it and encouraged to knock it off.
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BigRedBuster
Active member
Danny Bateman
Donor
I see this on a daily basis at work. I work in a smaller community with a good mix of folks from folks from smaller communities around it. We're all educated, with people ranging from associate degree level education all the way up to doctorate degrees. I generally like everyone and we've got a good mix of different perspectives across various groups; we do have a couple more religious folks. One of them probably has comparable education to anyone else but they're full-blown anti-vax truther, Ivermectin believer, has contracted COVID at least once, etc., which is a very curious juxtaposition with a couple of the other very dogged, rigorous scientist types.
It's staggering how we, for all intents and purposes, live in different realities, by our own choosing. There is definitely self-sorting going on, both re: COVID beliefs and the urban/rural divide overall; we're in our own camps and generally not budging. Still, pretty crazy we can look up and see the sky is clearly blue when I neighbor sees it clearly as green. This is going to bite us in the a$$ eventually, even moreso than it already did throughout the pandemic.
I like your take, though. At some point punishing poor choices is important. I do chuckle at how much rural areas despise urban folks given how they rely on the latter to subsidize their lifestyles.
Not sure I see an offramp for this problem where we reconcile and sing kumbaya, though.
Yes.
I think the “cat and mouse” BS goes both ways. Nobody wants to talk about how this can be a potential win for the State of Florida and just do the , errrrrrDeSantis bad Republicans bad, Florida is screwed posts backed up by articles from sources against the legislation. Articles and tweets with just one or two sentences on how this legislation can be re-negotiated in the next year to more favorable terms for the State and allow Disney to continue with the Charter if they so please. Or how Democrats have wanted this Charter gone for some time but now they decide To change their mind??? Doesn’t anyone find that interesting and worthy of discussion?
I get it, the decision to do this now was political, as was the Democrat decision to oppose it now. Maybe some people will stop casting aside an opposing view to this Charter and discuss how this could potentially be a better win for the state and still allow Disney some of its benefits depending on how this plays out instead of what they currently do.
So do we allow the cities in NJ to be charged more because of the higher risk for cancer clusters?
Will anyone in cities over 250 lbs and under 6 ft be charged more for being a walking heart attack.
How about we charge more for those that don’t take a proven 10,000 steps a day?
Where do you draw the line on charging more?
Guy Chamberlin
Active member
If you boycott science, you gotta go all the way. Can't use that computer invented by scientists using technology you can't comprehend. Insulin, dialysis machines, and statins came to us through much the same process as vaccines. If you or anyone you know uses them, just stop. Everything you own that's not made of wool or wood is probably the product of the scientific elites, so better kick it to the curb.
Likewise Federal Funding. You can't just cherry pick. Once you get past the Food Stamps for Welfare Queens you're going to be slashing regulations and funding you've benefitted from your whole life. I guess you could pick on the urban stuff that doesn't affect you, but then other people could cut those farm subsidies that look like Big Government sweetheart deals rather than free market independence. And visa-versa.
Everybody on both sides of the aisle loves to talk about Community. But this is how it actually works. It can always work smarter, but it always acknowledges a shared contribution to the greater good.
Jimmy Stewart could probably convince most of America in 4:00, but he's not around.
Likewise Federal Funding. You can't just cherry pick. Once you get past the Food Stamps for Welfare Queens you're going to be slashing regulations and funding you've benefitted from your whole life. I guess you could pick on the urban stuff that doesn't affect you, but then other people could cut those farm subsidies that look like Big Government sweetheart deals rather than free market independence. And visa-versa.
Everybody on both sides of the aisle loves to talk about Community. But this is how it actually works. It can always work smarter, but it always acknowledges a shared contribution to the greater good.
Jimmy Stewart could probably convince most of America in 4:00, but he's not around.
Dr. Strangelove
New member
Considering the ease and effortless nature of vaccines, we can start there. Frankly we can lower costs dramatically and pass a form of Universal Healthcare but Republicans don't want that.
Furthermore, I propose letting each state have a referendum on issues they don't like. Let the voters decide: do you want woke Universities in your state to receive research dollars? Do you want your students to receive Pell grants when they go to a liberal-brainwashing University? Do you want pesky the government oversight that comes with farm subsidies? Do you want wasteful government spending to go to your states roads, public schools, or infrastructure?
I don't want Democrats to unilaterally take money away, but let voters in Red states decide. I don't see why we have to continually force them to do things they dislike. Give all that money to states or places that want it.
We can even set up a repayment plan for states like Kentucky to repay the Federal Government all that money they've been taking. They can pick themselves up by their bootstraps and figure out a way to function independently.
Enhance
Administrator
I think there are some things that might be too nebulous to raise/lower rates for, but others are not (i.e. being a smoker - if you're a smoker, I have no issue with you having higher insurance premiums). Someone can correct me if I'm wrong, but I also think health insurers can currently charge higher premiums to obese people because obesity is not considered a pre-existing medical condition under the Affordable Care Act (which, if that's the case, I personally agree with it. I think the majority of obese people in this country are there by their own doing and not because of physical health conditions). So, to some degree, those lines may already be drawn.
Either way, I personally like what my former health insurer did about seven years ago. Only a handful of relatively straightforward things impacted your premium (i.e. what kind of coverage, if you're a smoker, individual or family). They then had a number of voluntary programs you could enroll in that would require you to track and hit certain health achievements in a year (i.e. certain # of steps, amount of water you drank, # of exercises per week, etc.). At the time I was on an individual PPO plan and it shaved about $100 or so off my premium each month.
BigRedBuster
Active member
Oh boy....
BigRedBuster
Active member
Can it be more clear how this is a disgusting cult?