In metro NYC, if not in what its residents like to think of as the Real America (TM), Epstein is a common enough name. I, for example, frequent an Epstein's deli.
I’m asking you to explain how you reconcile those attitudes in your mind.
What's to reconcile? There is no conceivable system where everybody gets everything they need (for some values of need) or want (for some values of want), so if you think it advances the discussion then, yes, under any conceivable system, some will die, either because they can't pay on their own or they can't wait while someone else pays. I think my "pay, wait, or die" is inevitable position has been perfectly clear to just about everyone else.
Any system will have some combination of these features, as will any non-system. Lots of countries throughout the world have managed to create systems of different kinds, with different pay-wait-die balances, that seem to suit their people. We can, too.
Wouldn't it be great to have the Swiss health care system, or something like it, where you had to buy private insurance and if you couldn't afford it you'd be subsidized. Why does that sound familiar?
Usually, when there is a pissing contest between a reporter who thinks a good story has been spiked and higher-ups who think the story is too thin to publish, my instinct is to side with the reporter. But when the reporter says the story was too thin to publish, I stay out of it.
Healthy people who don't use their insurance tend to think it's OK until they need it. Maybe they don't have malaise until reality knocks on their door, but reality doesn't care how you feel about it.
There's a big difference between being happy with what you have and not needing what you don't have. One is a matter of opinion; the other is a matter of fact. Someone who has never used his health insurance and is happy with whatever he thinks he has is like someone who is happy not paying for fire insurance. Works out fine until there's a fire.
I was also born (in 1953) with an undescended testicle, on the right side, which they didn't do anything about until I was 5 or 6, clearing up both a hernia and the undescended testicle at the same time. (They reopened the same scar when they had to get my appendix out. It was only years later that I saw a normal appendectomy scar.) The scar was no big deal, but leaving the testicle up there for so long often results in infertility. I hope you were one of the lucky ones.
Just as no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, no health care plan will survive contact with Congress. Regardless of the merits, we just won't get the Full Bernie or the Full Warren, or the Full Whatever-Kamala-is-Pushing -This-Week. Even the Full Biden will be an enormous political lift. There are lots of workable ways to skin the health care cat, and any candidate's Big Bold Plan is a starting point for negotiations and nothing more. I wouldn't pick a candidate based on detailed differences in their health plans.
That's one possible way to balance the inescapable pay-wait-die equation, though if you're suggesting that it is the only way or the most likely way, you haven't shown your work. I'm not sure whom you are disagreeing with, since my point was that in any conceivable system -- or collection of non-systems -- you pay, wait, or die, and you don't seem to disagree with that.
Ultimately, you either pay, wait, or die. People can have any proportion of the three they want, and we can argue about how we want to balance them, but just pointing out that one variable will increase under Plan X doesn't move the ball much.
The thing about precedents, as those of us in the precedent business soon come to learn, is that we don't know, and can't know, what a precedent means until the next case comes along and the interested parties argue for contested readings that favor their clients' interests.
Who is this "we"? If you want to "look into" this stuff, knock yourself out. But that means actually looking, not just reiterating what we don't yet know, with a raised eyebrow. And that's hard work. Meanwhile, as we keep seeing, and contrary to predictions, other people are looking into it. Journalists don't have investigatory superpowers or even subpoena powers. They're just people who ask questions of people who, presumably, know things. There's no magic in a reporter's ID card; anyone persistent and interested could do it, and has as much right to an answer, though it's harder than it looks. If the people who do know, assuming someone does know at this point, which is a huge assumption, don't talk, it's hard to report anything beyond "General Franco is still dead." Stuff will dribble out, as it has been doing, until either the investigation concludes or someone gets someone who knows how the investigation is going to talk. That's how the world works, and it doesn't work on our preferred schedule.
Several years ago, I sat next to Dr. Baden on a train. I asked him if it was true, based on his work around the death of former Governor Nelson Rockefeller, whether the common nickname for the Albany Mall -- Rockefeller's Last Erection -- was premature. He told me it was. He probably shouldn't have.
I'm convinced that somewhere in the Warner Brothers vaults are unreleased Looney Tunes cartoons, produced for the personal enjoyment of the artists, in which Sylvester finally gets and eats Tweety, Wile E. Coyote catches the Road Runner, and Elmer Fudd successfully bags a wabbit.
On “About Last Night: Overreaction Wednesday Edition”
Sounds about right.
On “Epstein Dead”
In metro NYC, if not in what its residents like to think of as the Real America (TM), Epstein is a common enough name. I, for example, frequent an Epstein's deli.
On “Elizabeth Warren Releases Medicare For All Plan, Math Debate Ensues”
I’m asking you to explain how you reconcile those attitudes in your mind.
What's to reconcile? There is no conceivable system where everybody gets everything they need (for some values of need) or want (for some values of want), so if you think it advances the discussion then, yes, under any conceivable system, some will die, either because they can't pay on their own or they can't wait while someone else pays. I think my "pay, wait, or die" is inevitable position has been perfectly clear to just about everyone else.
Any system will have some combination of these features, as will any non-system. Lots of countries throughout the world have managed to create systems of different kinds, with different pay-wait-die balances, that seem to suit their people. We can, too.
"
Money is money, too. If you can't pay for a surgeon out of your own pocket, now or 6 months from now, and nobody else picks up the tab, you die.
On “Epstein Dead”
Forget it, Jake, it's DD.
"
Indeed, that is what Juanita Broderick appears to believe.
On “Police Use Junk Science To Secure Convictions.”
Wouldn't it be great to have the Swiss health care system, or something like it, where you had to buy private insurance and if you couldn't afford it you'd be subsidized. Why does that sound familiar?
On “Epstein Dead”
Usually, when there is a pissing contest between a reporter who thinks a good story has been spiked and higher-ups who think the story is too thin to publish, my instinct is to side with the reporter. But when the reporter says the story was too thin to publish, I stay out of it.
On “Elizabeth Warren Releases Medicare For All Plan, Math Debate Ensues”
Healthy people who don't use their insurance tend to think it's OK until they need it. Maybe they don't have malaise until reality knocks on their door, but reality doesn't care how you feel about it.
"
There's a big difference between being happy with what you have and not needing what you don't have. One is a matter of opinion; the other is a matter of fact. Someone who has never used his health insurance and is happy with whatever he thinks he has is like someone who is happy not paying for fire insurance. Works out fine until there's a fire.
On “Oxycodone and Me”
I'm very happy for you.
On “Elizabeth Warren Releases Medicare For All Plan, Math Debate Ensues”
We probably are because I have no idea what you mean.
On “Oxycodone and Me”
I was also born (in 1953) with an undescended testicle, on the right side, which they didn't do anything about until I was 5 or 6, clearing up both a hernia and the undescended testicle at the same time. (They reopened the same scar when they had to get my appendix out. It was only years later that I saw a normal appendectomy scar.) The scar was no big deal, but leaving the testicle up there for so long often results in infertility. I hope you were one of the lucky ones.
On “Elizabeth Warren Releases Medicare For All Plan, Math Debate Ensues”
Just as no battle plan survives contact with the enemy, no health care plan will survive contact with Congress. Regardless of the merits, we just won't get the Full Bernie or the Full Warren, or the Full Whatever-Kamala-is-Pushing -This-Week. Even the Full Biden will be an enormous political lift. There are lots of workable ways to skin the health care cat, and any candidate's Big Bold Plan is a starting point for negotiations and nothing more. I wouldn't pick a candidate based on detailed differences in their health plans.
"
That's one possible way to balance the inescapable pay-wait-die equation, though if you're suggesting that it is the only way or the most likely way, you haven't shown your work. I'm not sure whom you are disagreeing with, since my point was that in any conceivable system -- or collection of non-systems -- you pay, wait, or die, and you don't seem to disagree with that.
"
That assumes a choice. If you can't pay, and you don't have the option of waiting while someone else pays, you die.
"
Ultimately, you either pay, wait, or die. People can have any proportion of the three they want, and we can argue about how we want to balance them, but just pointing out that one variable will increase under Plan X doesn't move the ball much.
On “Kangaroo Court”
The thing about precedents, as those of us in the precedent business soon come to learn, is that we don't know, and can't know, what a precedent means until the next case comes along and the interested parties argue for contested readings that favor their clients' interests.
On “Epstein Dead”
maybe we could look into stuff
Who is this "we"? If you want to "look into" this stuff, knock yourself out. But that means actually looking, not just reiterating what we don't yet know, with a raised eyebrow. And that's hard work. Meanwhile, as we keep seeing, and contrary to predictions, other people are looking into it. Journalists don't have investigatory superpowers or even subpoena powers. They're just people who ask questions of people who, presumably, know things. There's no magic in a reporter's ID card; anyone persistent and interested could do it, and has as much right to an answer, though it's harder than it looks. If the people who do know, assuming someone does know at this point, which is a huge assumption, don't talk, it's hard to report anything beyond "General Franco is still dead." Stuff will dribble out, as it has been doing, until either the investigation concludes or someone gets someone who knows how the investigation is going to talk. That's how the world works, and it doesn't work on our preferred schedule.
"
Again, props to Jaybird for keeping us up-to-date on the mainstream media coverage that wasn't supposed to happen.
"
Several years ago, I sat next to Dr. Baden on a train. I asked him if it was true, based on his work around the death of former Governor Nelson Rockefeller, whether the common nickname for the Albany Mall -- Rockefeller's Last Erection -- was premature. He told me it was. He probably shouldn't have.
On “Nancy Pelosi: House to Vote on “Resolution Formalizing the Impeachment Inquiry””
So what does the dog chasing the car do when the car stops? No doubt it will find something else to yap about.
On “On National Cat Day, It’s Time to End Anti-Feline Discrimination!”
I'm convinced that somewhere in the Warner Brothers vaults are unreleased Looney Tunes cartoons, produced for the personal enjoyment of the artists, in which Sylvester finally gets and eats Tweety, Wile E. Coyote catches the Road Runner, and Elmer Fudd successfully bags a wabbit.
On “Tulsi Gabbard Taps Out on Congress”
Longer than that, youngster. Get off of my lawn.
On “Disney Just Made Me Obsolete – AGAIN!”
Yes, you did imagine that -- and very well, too.
*Comment archive for non-registered commenters assembled by email address as provided.