U.S. Oil & Gas can go to hell. Kamala Harris Backs Massive Government Expansion Into Energy & Healthcare

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

Oil & Gas can go to hell, according to the new camp of U.S. Socialist politicians.  

American Socialist Energy, AKA Green New Deal, coming soon to bankrupt the U.S. economy. 

Highlights of this bold new Socialist plan for America:

● New taxes

● Oil & Gas replaced by "renewable" energy

● More new taxes

● More government control over pretty much everything

● More new taxes

● More mandatory insurance

● More new taxes

● More government control of Real Estate

● More new taxes

● More government control of private Industry

● More new taxes

● Guaranteed federal jobs

● More new taxes

● Guaranteed minimum income programs

● All funded by government - i.e. funded by new taxes

/ Side note, citizens generally pay taxes.  Illegal aliens, not so much.

 

Kamala Harris Backs Massive Government Expansion Into Healthcare, Energy

Democratic presidential contender Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has expressed support for “Medicare-for-all” and the “Green New Deal” plans that would massively expand government spending and intervention in the energy sector, and would allow the government to wholly take over healthcare. The plans are estimated to cost tens of trillions of dollars.

 

... Harris has also said that she supports the “Green New Deal”—a plan advocated by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez  (D-New York) who has just entered Congress and is backed by America’s largest Marxist organization, the Democratic Socialists of America.

Ocasio-Cortez proposed forming a House committee that would draft bills to put a “Green New Deal” in place. The plan not only advocates universal healthcare but also transitioning to all-renewable energy sources; overhauling all real estate, infrastructure, and industry to consume less energy and generate less carbon dioxide; federal job guarantees; and guaranteed minimum income programs—all government-funded and within a decade.

 

[Meredith Poor + 895]

Looks like more label slapping. There are fruitcakes at both ends of the political spectrum in Congress. They'll get a lot of conversational bandwidth, given the example above, but the practical issues get in the way instantly. Lets see if Julian Castro has a platform yet. He's planning to run in 2020. I suspect his idea is to leave a lot of stuff alone.

[Ian Austin + 131]

Tom, it's been a while. To address one point, I have trouble believing that anybody, of semi-practical mindset, would even think of Free Health Care in the US. To be clear, as a Canadian, I'm a huge proponent of worry-free Health Care, but I just don't see how it is practical for our neighbours down South.

Why? Because there is so much tied up in the privatization of the service. See the attached 3 web articles (I'm assuming they're close to accurate) - when 18% of your GDP is tied up in the specific service, it's darn near impossible to put the toothpaste back in that tube...

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/042915/5-industries-driving-us-economy.asp

https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statistics-trends-and-reports/nationalhealthexpenddata/nationalhealthaccountshistorical.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/184968/us-health-expenditure-as-percent-of-gdp-since-1960/

Of course, one question would be: why has it doubled as a % of GDP since the 1960's? As a non-resident, I feel like that's none of my business, but an interesting question. 

Stay in touch, 

Ian

 

Edited January 30, 2019 by Ian Austin

[cbrasher1 + 272]

these people are straight basket cases.  I do like your repeated emphasis on "more new taxes" tho Tom.  None of that is remotely feasible without bankrupting our country.  The mentality of the places these people were voted in.  In the limelight for a minute, I see no steam behind these ideas, and they will fade, meanwhile...i'll be out in the patch....drilling oil 😁😁

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

26 minutes ago, Ian Austin said:

Tom, it's been a while. To address one point, I have trouble believing that anybody, of semi-practical mindset, would even think of Free Health Care in the US. To be clear, as a Canadian, I'm a huge proponent of worry-free Health Care, but I just don't see how it is practical for our neighbours down South.

Why? Because there is so much tied up in the privatization of the service. See the attached 3 web articles (I'm assuming they're close to accurate) - when 18% of your GDP is tied up in the specific service, it's darn near impossible to put the toothpaste back in that tube...

 

Of course, one question would be: why has it doubled as a % of GDP since the 1960's? As a non-resident, I feel like that's none of my business, but an interesting question. 

Stay in touch, 

Ian

Hiya Ian, how you been lately?  It's been a while.

I have never understood the craziness of the concept of mandatory Medicare For All.

The U.S. medical & medical insurance industries are so overpriced compared to most of the rest of the world, and I'm not really sure why. 

Massive increases in new costs, new forced health insurance, and ever more government oversight in healthcare and medical insurance seem like economic suicide to me.

Ditto an enforced change from oil & gas to "renewable" energies.

With the current Arctic cold snap in the U.S. Midwest, I expect the radical environmentists will mostly shut up about the benefits of solar and wind power, and happily burn hydrocarbons to keep from freezing their butts off this week.

The Winter days in the U.S. Midwest are fairly short, and the sunlight comes in at a fairly steep angle.  Good luck to anyone using only solar power to keep their "renewable" energy house warm this week.

And wind turbines will likely freeze up in the extreme cold.

Hydrocarbons to the rescue!

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

9 minutes ago, cbrasher1 said:

these people are straight basket cases.  I do like your repeated emphasis on "more new taxes" tho Tom.  None of that is remotely feasible without bankrupting our country.  The mentality of the places these people were voted in.  In the limelight for a minute, I see no steam behind these ideas, and they will fade, meanwhile...i'll be out in the patch....drilling oil 😁😁

I maintain my stance that the Green New Deal is designed to bankrupt the U.S. with extreme Socialism.

Obviously my strong view on this will be a minority opinion.  I don't care, I'm not backing down.  Political correctness is intellectual murder.

My related thread from yesterday, leading up to my views on the insanity of the Green New Deal:

"What has happened to Venezuela is not a disaster or a coincidence, it is socialism.

... The strategy is simple, and it is textbook socialism: The government massively increases spending, subsidies and public employment printing local currency thinking that the dollars come from heaven because the Government says so. Then, it destroys its economy by expropriating companies, sinking the private initiative and imposing prices that do not cover the cost of production due to the destruction of the purchasing power of the currency. As such, the economy enters into a downward spiral, so the government continues to spend even more in nominal terms and finances it by printing more worthless paper notes while its foreign exchange reserves plummet. The currency becomes worthless and the government generates hyperinflation and poverty."

[Ian Austin + 131]

55 minutes ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Hiya Ian, how you been lately?  It's been a while.

I have never understood the craziness of the concept of mandatory Medicare For All.

The U.S. medical & medical insurance industries are so overpriced compared to most of the rest of the world, and I'm not really sure why. 

Massive increases in new costs, new forced health insurance, and ever more government oversight in healthcare and medical insurance seem like economic suicide to me.

Ditto an enforced change from oil & gas to "renewable" energies.

With the current Arctic cold snap in the U.S. Midwest, I expect the radical environmentists will mostly shut up about the benefits of solar and wind power, and happily burn hydrocarbons to keep from freezing their butts off this week.

The Winter days in the U.S. Midwest are fairly short, and the sunlight comes in at a fairly steep angle.  Good luck to anyone using only solar power to keep their "renewable" energy house warm this week.

And wind turbines will likely freeze up in the extreme cold.

Hydrocarbons to the rescue!

Tom it certainly has - been keeping off the social media for a while. It can be quite the anger inducing gaming at times. I’ve also been doing some retraining, so have been keeping busy  

With regards to Medicare I can’t comment too much, as I’m unfamiliar with the US system. However, after seeing my father in law having to use the US system (and the corresponding bill that went to his insurance provider) I was flabbergasted. Also, speaking of efficiency, I was unimpressed as well (this was a Hospital in Phoenix, AZ). We’re taught to think of anything government provided to be firmly in the “on the tit” category of services, but the privatized Medicare system are no slouches there either - specialists “stopping in” and charging $500 for a 5 minute chat (keep in mind they were summoned/wanted either) amongst other things  I really have no problem with tax $ going towards Health Care in Canada, although it could use some reform (things like nominal charges to see GPs, to keep the high users away).

One thing one privatized Health Care - it’s a service and it’s growing too rapidly, as a % of GDP. The US would likely be better off with that consumer $ going into productive ventures. I do agree however with government sticking its nose too far in and the general discomfort there - governments purpose is to provide shared services, mainly in the greater public interest - nothing more.

With Green energy: I think over time we’ll be pushed there. However, I still have concerns over the economics. I’ve yet to meet somebody in the industry who can articulate an answer on the economics to me and I’ve searched quite a bit. Regarding weather, we don’t seem to have many issues with the scant Renewables we have in AB wrt latitude (solar - funny, Sourhern AB has a good a solar “resource” as Rio Brazil) or with Wind turbines freezing up - and AB is dam cold in the winter...

 

[ronwagn + 6,290]

2 hours ago, Ian Austin said:

Tom, it's been a while. To address one point, I have trouble believing that anybody, of semi-practical mindset, would even think of Free Health Care in the US. To be clear, as a Canadian, I'm a huge proponent of worry-free Health Care, but I just don't see how it is practical for our neighbours down South.

Why? Because there is so much tied up in the privatization of the service. See the attached 3 web articles (I'm assuming they're close to accurate) - when 18% of your GDP is tied up in the specific service, it's darn near impossible to put the toothpaste back in that tube...

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/042915/5-industries-driving-us-economy.asp

https://www.cms.gov/research-statistics-data-and-systems/statistics-trends-and-reports/nationalhealthexpenddata/nationalhealthaccountshistorical.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/184968/us-health-expenditure-as-percent-of-gdp-since-1960/

Of course, one question would be: why has it doubled as a % of GDP since the 1960's? As a non-resident, I feel like that's none of my business, but an interesting question. 

Stay in touch, 

Ian

 

My second career was as a psychiatric RN MA, I can throw out a few factors for you.

1. New technology is very expensive to buy and maintain. cat scans, sonograms, c-pap breathing machines

2. Nursing home care that was formerly done by relatives.

3. Hundreds of new drugs that are often expensive or very expensive.

4. Many new procedures such as hip and knee replacements, bariatric surgery (to lose weight}, plastic surgery, etc. 

5. Psychiatric care is a big money loser for hospitals because most of the patients cannot pay and many do not have insurance. Also, the patients take a long time to treat and often have repeated admissions. Drug treatment is much the same.  Our department often filled up as soon as the weather got cold. Cold homeless people would suddenly become suicidal so they would have three hots and a cot. I am for putting them in a homeless shelter, but you have to clear them first, even if you know they are malingerers.

6. Federally mandated computer input by physicians and nurses who end up literal slaves to computers that they must input to or will lose their job. The computer work becomes more important to them than actual patient interaction and other care. 

7. Some of the poorest people have all the time in the world to go to emergency rooms at one hospital and then go to another the same day to see if they can get more drugs or tests that they would like. Sad but true. 

8. Insurance companies make huge profits the last time I checked. Many executives are multimillionaires. 

My solution is to mandate health care education in high school and college. I highly recommend that those interested should at least get a nursing assistant diploma and maybe a two year RN. The sky is the limit to advance in the medical field. Realize it is hard work and often quite stressful. It may add years to your life and those of your family and friends. 

[cbrasher1 + 272]

Our country is under siege...by dimented idealists and a generation that believes everything should be free.  They conjur up these space cadet ideas without thinking them thru and what the true repercussions will be.  As @Tom Kirkman said in another thread look at what socialism has done to Venezuela, a once rich prospering nation is in a crisis of unimaginable levels.  Our industry is under siege...by a group that has bought into an idea that we are causing harm to the earth because some scientists say so(no, i do not believe in climate change) We need to take a long hard look at society and prepare for drastic changes to come if some have their way....Hypocrites I say, I don't see any of them living in caves and riding horses, they enjoy the by products and conveniences of fossil fuels like everyone else....

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

 

Amidst Global Warming Hysteria, NASA Expects Global Cooling

... Meanwhile, everyone is constantly bombarded with total garbage like Al Gore's claim Migrant Caravans are Victims of Global Warming.

And of course, the media is fawning all over AOC's "New Green Deal" hype as she too is a believer the World Will End in 12 Years if we don't address climate change.

The Guardian and the Intercept are both happy to promote this nonsense as of course the entirety of mainstream media.

Alarm Bells

When I was in grade school we had major alarm bells over global cooling. In high school it was population growth. Then came food shortages followed by peak oil.

Now the crisis du jour is global warming.

It's always about something!

[Top Oil Trader + 469]

KH is a joke, she dont have a chance even amongst the blacks

[JoMack + 549]

We see Ocrazio Cortez's popularity is starting to fade (thank you God), but  Harris, Bernie and Warren are pushing the same agenda.  Glad to see Howard Schultz step into the ring.  At least he's gotten the attention of the MSM and bringing some facts into the insanity of the Medicaid for all, a green U.S., high taxes, free college, and other policies to bring the U.S. to its knees.  

[John Houbion + 31]

Universal Healthcare is not free all right, but it is less expensive than our present wasteful system.  And it is coming ... I would prefer having the Republicans introduce it than the Democrats although at the end of the day it makes little difference.  Corporations will love it like they embraced the 401(k)'s that allows them to eliminate the defined pension plans.

Look at it this way, the 800K furloughed government slackers kept their HC coverage for not working when so many useful workers in the private sector don' enjoy any coverage!  Where is the egalitarianism the country was founded on?

The $220 billion budget of the VA is grotesque.

The cost of the ACA should be next on the chopping block.

Tort reform is long overdue, it is no longer mentioned much, isn't it.

Danke

 

[John Houbion + 31]

We see Ocrazio Cortez's popularity is starting to fade (thank you God), but  Harris, Bernie and Warren are pushing the same agenda.  Glad to see Howard Schultz step into the ring.  At least he's gotten the attention of the MSM and bringing some facts into the insanity of the Medicaid for all, a green U.S., high taxes, free college, and other policies to bring the U.S. to its knees.  

Are the Germens, Swiss, Dutch, Canadiens, &c, on their knees????

Danke

[Enthalpic + 1,496]

9 hours ago, Tom Kirkman said:

Now the crisis du jour is global warming.

It's always about something!

 

You obviously don't believe in anthropogenic climate change, primarily because you think humans can't really change the planet.  Yet if you look at our history we have changed the planet, taken action, and reversed the problem on more than one occasion:

CFCs were causing a huge hole in the ozone layer. We banned ODS and the hole recovered. 

Nitric and sulfur oxides were causing massive acid rain - we put in catalytic converters and stack scrubbers and things improved.

Widespread DDT use was causing bird extinction, once again we tackled the problem and now bald eagles are thriving.

Humans do change the planet...

[Ian Austin + 131]

31 minutes ago, John Houbion said:

Universal Healthcare is not free all right, but it is less expensive than our present wasteful system.  And it is coming ... I would prefer having the Republicans introduce it than the Democrats although at the end of the day it makes little difference.  Corporations will love it like they embraced the 401(k)'s that allows them to eliminate the defined pension plans.

Look at it this way, the 800K furloughed government slackers kept their HC coverage for not working when so many useful workers in the private sector don' enjoy any coverage!  Where is the egalitarianism the country was founded on?

The $220 billion budget of the VA is grotesque.

The cost of the ACA should be next on the chopping block.

Tort reform is long overdue, it is no longer mentioned much, isn't it.

Danke

 

Those are some good points - makes me wish I understood the current US System a little better

[JoMack + 549]

1 hour ago, John Houbion said:

Universal Healthcare is not free all right, but it is less expensive than our present wasteful system.  And it is coming ... I would prefer having the Republicans introduce it than the Democrats although at the end of the day it makes little difference.  Corporations will love it like they embraced the 401(k)'s that allows them to eliminate the defined pension plans.

Look at it this way, the 800K furloughed government slackers kept their HC coverage for not working when so many useful workers in the private sector don' enjoy any coverage!  Where is the egalitarianism the country was founded on?

The $220 billion budget of the VA is grotesque.

The cost of the ACA should be next on the chopping block.

Tort reform is long overdue, it is no longer mentioned much, isn't it.

Danke

 

Once the ACA is gone and the U.S. lets full competition of insurance companies and they are able to cross state lines, we'll see prices go down.  The government needs to get out of the way!  As you mention, the VA is ridiculous and even though they give veterans choice now, it is still under the VA guidelines and approval of the VA.  Definitely on tort reform!!  End Class Action!  

[Justin Hicks + 162]

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

The Tylers on ZeroHedge can write some darn good stuff, when they actually pen their own words, rather than simply repost articles by others.  Here ya go:

150,000 Miles: Elon Musk's 2018 Private Jet Log Defines The Renewable Energy Savior's Hypocrisy

 

Why is this ^ so amusing?  Well....

'It's the dumbest experiment in human history': Elon Musk rails against fossil fuel use and climate change

 

[Ian Austin + 131]

1 hour ago, Tom Kirkman said:

The Tylers on ZeroHedge can write some darn good stuff, when they actually pen their own words, rather than simply repost articles by others.  Here ya go:

150,000 Miles: Elon Musk's 2018 Private Jet Log Defines The Renewable Energy Savior's Hypocrisy

 

Why is this ^ so amusing?  Well....

'It's the dumbest experiment in human history': Elon Musk rails against fossil fuel use and climate change

 

Remember: Elon, first and foremost, cares about his bank account...

 

It is also hilarious, the quote about “no other way to do his job efficiently”, especially when blowing through a cool $100MM/week...

Edited January 31, 2019 by Ian Austin

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

On 1/30/2019 at 8:58 AM, Tom Kirkman said:

Kamala Harris Backs Massive Government Expansion Into Healthcare, Energy

Democratic presidential contender Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) has expressed support for “Medicare-for-all” and the “Green New Deal” plans that would massively expand government spending and intervention in the energy sector, and would allow the government to wholly take over healthcare. The plans are estimated to cost tens of trillions of dollars.

Is Paul Krugman (a Nobel Laureate) smarter than a high-school graduate?

Even a high school graduate could tell you that Krugman’s consistent calls for increased government spending, taxation, borrowing and money printing, at a pace faster than GDP growth, amount to a de facto Ponzi Scheme.

... “People perform better working together than when they steal from each other through taxes,” says Berwick. “That’s the difference between governments and free markets.”

... Berwick’s most biting criticisms are levied at compulsory US public schools which he likens to “indoctrination camps,” for teaching students that there are no problems for which more government is not the solution.

[ronwagn + 6,290]

4 hours ago, JoMack said:

Once the ACA is gone and the U.S. lets full competition of insurance companies and they are able to cross state lines, we'll see prices go down.  The government needs to get out of the way!  As you mention, the VA is ridiculous and even though they give veterans choice now, it is still under the VA guidelines and approval of the VA.  Definitely on tort reform!!  End Class Action!  

Please see 

Veterans Administration AKA Government Health Care

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_o81HvqVthNOZ3s0AkQ4wj40aXa4mi9yvIdi81VGOAg/edit

[ronwagn + 6,290]

On 1/30/2019 at 6:12 PM, Tom Kirkman said:

Is Paul Krugman (a Nobel Laureate) smarter than a high-school graduate?

Even a high school graduate could tell you that Krugman’s consistent calls for increased government spending, taxation, borrowing and money printing, at a pace faster than GDP growth, amount to a de facto Ponzi Scheme.

... “People perform better working together than when they steal from each other through taxes,” says Berwick. “That’s the difference between governments and free markets.”

... Berwick’s most biting criticisms are levied at compulsory US public schools which he likens to “indoctrination camps,” for teaching students that there are no problems for which more government is not the solution.

This is the long term plan https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloward–Piven_strategy

[DanilKa + 443]

On 1/30/2019 at 10:06 PM, Tom Kirkman said:

And of course, the media is fawning all over AOC's "New Green Deal" hype as she too is a believer the World Will End in 12 Years if we don't address climate change.

AOC become eligible to run for presidency in Oct 2024 so 12 years from now would be in her second term - you betcha world as we know it would end!

[Tom Kirkman + 8,860]

21 minutes ago, DanilKa said:

AOC become eligible to run for presidency in Oct 2024 so 12 years from now would be in her second term - you betcha world as we know it would end!

Green New Deal is the new Flat Earth.