hard to tell, if anything is goin' to sell

"Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth."

~~  Abraham Lincoln

"Not since Harry Truman has anybody done so much.  That's a long time ago."

~~  Donald Trump

"My goal is to be one with the music."

~~  Jimi Hendrix

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"I can see why people get sick of politics and have no time for it, but this is interesting."

~~  miscellaneous blogger
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Headline one day ago:

"2 Senators Strike Deal on Health Subsidies that Trump Cut Off"
The New York Times

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2 paragraphs
6 Reader Comments
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WASHINGTON -- Two leading senators, hoping to stabilize teetering health insurance markets under the Affordable Care Act, reached a bipartisan deal on Tuesday to fund critical subsidies to insurers that President Trump moved just days ago to cut off.


At the White House, virtually as the deal was being announced, Mr. Trump voiced support for it while insisting that he would try again to repeal President Barack Obama's signature health law.


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Claire
San Francisco
The thought of bipartisan leadership on an issue as divisive as healthcare (one that really shouldn't be divisive at all) is encouraging.  Only when Republicans and Democrats learn to reach across the aisle and dispel the "I'm right, you're wrong" rhetoric, will our government truly be great.


John
Pittsburgh/Cologne
Donald Trump forced Congress to start doing its job and gave specific encouragement to Senators Murray and Alexander to find a short-term fix for subsidies.

It appears that his strategy is already paying dividends in the short term.  In the long term, this will hopefully be a first step in a return to normal democracy where the legislative branch legislates and the executive branch executes.

Thank you, Mr. President.

Stone
NY
The stock of UnitedHealth Group, the largest health insurance company in the United States, reached an all-time high today on the back of record profits, despite the possibility of losing the government subsidies.  

Does the American taxpayer really need to subsidize the health insurance industry as a means to guarantee that their profit margins are maximized?  Is that what the free market is all about?

By-the-way, UnitedHealth Group CEO, Stephen J. Hemsley, received $66.13 million in compensation last year

William Lustig
NYC, NY
Let's not be so quick to celebrate.  Giving states "more flexibility in the variety of choices they can give to consumers" means ending the defined benefits which, in turn, can make insurance unaffordable to those who need it.


Lucy
"But it remains to be seen whether conservative-leaning Republicans will get on board with the agreement..."  

Come on, reporters, call the facts.  

These are not "conservative-leaning Republicans."  

They are a new breed of extremist Conservatives determined to undermine and destroy our federal Republic. The GOP leadership has been coddling this crew for 7 years.  They are making Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell look cowardly and unpatriotic, which they are.  Call the cards as they are, please!



Christopher P.
NY, NY
Say what you want about Trump, but our legislators are actually legislating for a change, crossing the aisle to reach creative consensus.  

Now let's just hope they put a bill on the President's desk immediately, since he claims to support it but is known to change his mind more often than the wind changes direction.

__________________________

...Watch the plain clothes
You don't need a weatherman
To know which way the wind blows

Aah -- get sick, get well
Hang around a ink well
Ring bell, hard to tell
If anything is goin' to sell
Try hard, get barred
Get back, write braille...

____________________

{song excerpt:  "Subterranean Homesick Blues" -- Bob Dylan}

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