@marga Doesn't he, though! He SO wants Putin's approval! It's so pathetic!

I'm having a he'll of a time here. Won't let me update my message, so here's a link to a Business Insider article--same info.

[businessinsider.com]

A little rough, but so true. I have many friends out of the country, and I am also embarrassed by our political scene right now. We are quickly becoming the global lauighing stock and the butt of political ridicule worldwide. The US lost the title of "leader of the free world" when he pulled US out of the Paris Accord for love of money. SMDH

It disgusts me that anyone does put profit over lives. But this is America at war in the last 100 years. If we are in a recession, start a war. If we are in a depression, start a war. If we want more profits, start a war.

@EllenDale agreed. All of our woes trace directly back to the military industrial complex and it's wars for fossil fuels and other resources. Not only do we suffer, but we make life hell and murder millions of other human beings.

So, so true young man. @Jnei

@EllenDale I strongly believe the real reason the UK government is making so many cut-backs is a desire to make the NHS as bad as possible (right now, thanks to the hard work of the amazing people who work in it, it's still excellent) so that when the time comes that we lose it people will say "oh well, it was crap anyway."

@Vic47 This is exactly the problem. Most people can but, thanks to Thatcher's successful mission to destroy community and the popular press's ongoing demonisation of the poor, not many people care about those who can't.

"I'm alright - pull the ladder up!"

@Jnei It seems we both need governments that don't play games (quien es ma's macho) with the lives of our citizens.

@gator Please refrain from putting words in my mouth. How is Hillary Clinton relevent in this discussion? I'm thrilled you are happy. We all should be happy about something, some time. I'm talking about healthcare. Care to lend your opinion about that? I, for one, am interested in what people have to say I as long as we agree on the subject. If you would care to post your opinions on who should run the country or about "poor Hilary" (sic), i would certainly respond for discourse, not arguing or mud-slinging purposes.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. We need more people communicating!

@EllenDale didn't you bring up the "minority elected president"?

@gater Let me explain it to you...

Popular Vote: (Actually Means Fuck-all)
Trump 62,979,879 (46.1%)
Clinton 65,844,954 (48.2%)

Electoral College: (Antiquated System)
Trump 306
Clinton 232

Two Electoral Colleges voted against Trump
Five Electoral Colleges voted against Clinton

As stated by the FACTS: Trump was named President after being voted into office by the minority of citizens of the US.

If you're going to "run with the big boys," @gater, use facts to have a leg to stand on. Then maybe somebody will care what you have to say.

@EllenDale Let me explain to you - Both Trump and Hilary knew the rules. Trump focused on getting the most Electoral votes. Simple - quit moaning about it.

@gater I am stating fact. That it bothers you is irrelevant to me. (What you think of me is none of my business.) If you were to call him the person who got the majority of electoral votes, I would have no problem with that. It's a fact. As a matter of fact, I encourage you to make your own posts in order to possibly get support from like-minded people. As for me, if you must play with madding facts to make your point, I won't participate.

@EllenDale So when you call the Electoral College an antiquated system - is that fact or opinion?

@Kimba. IDK. I'm trying to understand. His big problem might, instead, be that it is under one-payor; however he has put nothing on the table. But then, I'm not a politician. Wait neither is...

@Douglas Hear Hear!

@Wordywalt I agree that his followers are ill-informed. They do not do any resesrch--like lemmings' fake myth on suicide, the followers of the minority-elected president rely on fake myths to bolster their agendas. People will die before he's forced out of office, I fear.

@Vic47 im so happy for you! I lost mine to cancer too. When she went to the doctor he sat and looKed at her and said she had nothing wrong with her while her chest tumor emitted a hormone that swelled her to the point her 50-year-old face had no wrinkles showing! Two years later, later it had metastasized, and it was too late for her. We need more competition in healthcare so we have safe choices!

@Wolfgang

@Jeff TWAT or TWIT? Although, he doesn't seem to possess the genetic fortitude to make his own decisions.

Thanks for the heads up. I've reposted the Reuters link and @evidentialist posted one, too.

Jeff, & Ellen, I'm pretty sure he meant twat, but I wonder after I saw this placard at the Women's March just passed,..."I'd call Trump a cu*t, but he lacks depth & warmth."

@KKGator one of the largest greedy businesses is rx and health facilities. It bothers me that every time someone with compassion mentions universal healthcare, the fake-mongers shout, "socialism!" in order to ridicule or frighten citizens away. I can't believe the number who believe Bernie Sanders is a socialist ( and he may well be but its more likely he holds some11 socialist ideations) who can't wait to turn our country into a fascist state. SMDH.

Socialism is a red herring. Public libraries are a form of socialism. Volunteer fire departments. & yes, Social Security & universal healthcare. For a "more perfect union" we need a balance of whatever works & is best for its citizens. Do we need to set things up so that things are paid for on time? Yes, of course, but that can & has been done in other places.

@evidentialist Thanks for having my back, so to speak. What's your personal opinion? We haven't heard it yet.

@EllenDale -- Der Trumpenfuhrer is an interesting personality study. He is a man who navigates his world with a finger in the wind and his ass in everyone's face. What I mean by that is that his overall picture of the world is guided by which way the wind appears to be blowing at any particular time and his backside is always turned downwind.

So, specifically in regard to healthcare issues the current wind is being generated by the conservative right wing evangelical Repugnicans whose agendas are in a favorable position politically now. Add to that his desire to be admired by anyone and his inability to accept anything anyone else may have done that gained some admiration/success that might keep the spotlight off him and we get this.

Anything his predecessor has done (Obama) that seems to have worked even partly is to be knocked down, whatever the cost. One of the main ones is the healthcare issue that has been under fire from the right all along. Likewise, anything that appears to lend credence to that is to be demonized regardless of its merits. His recent tweet denouncing the UK's system, aided by the troubles they've been having, was almost predictable. If there hadn't been any problems it is doubtful he would have said anything about it and he would have stuck to his generalized demeaning of anything smacking of socialized government.

I see his approach to government less as governing and more as branding. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't propose renaming the United States of America to the United States of Trump or even Trumplandia. That was snide and tongue-in-cheek, but I think you get the idea. The best we can hope for is a change in wind direction that would certainly be accompanied by him changing his direction. The man is mentally ill. I'm not a mental healthcare professional, so I can get away with that as a layman's opinion.

@evidentialist Thanks for the link & your comment. I agree.

@Wordywalt I agree that his followers are ill-informed. They do not do any resesrch--like lemmings' fake myth on suicide, the followers of the minority-elected president rely on fake myths to bolster their agendas. People will die before he's forced out of office, I fear.

@EllenDale true statement... people already died... Young Female in Charlottesville NC.

@GipsyOfNewSpain Full steam ahead and one of my one-time favorites,

@EllenDale You made me cry the day after the super bowl!!!!

My alma mater!!! (so to speak!)

@phxbillcee I loved every minute on my Navy. Despite the lack of sleep... the wasted saturdays at sea floating on the middle of nowhere... does not matter, showed me the World.

@KKGator one of the largest greedy businesses is rx and health facilities. It bothers me that every time someone with compassion mentions universal healthcare, the fake-mongers shout, "socialism!" in order to ridicule or frighten citizens away. I can't believe the number who believe Bernie Sanders is a socialist ( and he may well be but its more likely he holds some11 socialist ideations) who can't wait to turn our country into a fascist state. SMDH.

@EllenDale Agreed.

@EllenDale There is a really big difference between Socialism & Fascism . Fascism is only sought out by those who have not experienced it , & are fed pipe-dreams about how it would be this patriotic eutopia . Anyone vying for fascism needs to be reminded of the downfalls of North Korea . If thats what they want , there is where they need to go !

@Douglas Im finding the loudest criers do not do research. Hard to respect thoughtless following and a mandate of segregation and hate.

yep, I grew up with government health care.

Socialism is a red herring. Public libraries are a form of socialism. Volunteer fire departments. & yes, Social Security & universal healthcare. For a "more perfect union" we need a balance of whatever works & is best for its citizens. Do we need to set things up so that things are paid for on time? Yes, of course, but that can & has been done in other places.