Thread regarding Chevron Corp. layoffs

@luja , as your hero Rachel Madcow said incessantly during the election proceedings during her analysis - No matter what scenario that plays out in the states because of the polling, "Trump will lose". You should check it out. It's a big it on YouTube!

@1fbc, just how is Mr. Trump draining the swamp? He'll have the most expensive inauguration in history with access to the administration at the festivities dependent on donation levels. How is this not pay to play politics?

@kvgp, hate to break the news to you but you aren't getting that wall built either.

@lbie, not sure that a relatively tiny CVX donation, something billionaire Trump has no control over, which would have been made to any inauguration, as was to Obama's, has any relevance to Trump's goal of massive replacements in the appointed positions, - things that he can dictate and is accomplishing quite handily. Please explain your lack of clarity and apparent misunderstanding of our political system.

How about that $500K donation from Chevron to the Trump inauguration. Good example of draining the swamp, eh?

I'm just flabbergasted that all the wealthy Obamacare lovers are getting cheap insurance at the expense of others. That's not how life works, unfortunately. The poor, disabled, indigent and elderly need help, not the well off Chevroids. That's why the ACA, today is a "Fuster Cluck". Sorry to burst your bubbles.

We did not know hide nor hair about the ACA when the monster was being created behind closed doors, nor was anyone, particularly from the political right, allowed access or input.

Don't expect anything different.

Rest assured that if you think you are getting a terrific deal, it's probably too good to be true, which is why the program is insolvent.

@kxzm, I'm not sure if anyone is aware of Trump's exact plans to replace Obamacare with. It's very possible that Trump doesn't even know yet how things will end up. But as you summized from Trump's various speeches and campaign promises, it seems to me to pull off this grand new "insurance of everyone", the government will have to foot most of the bill, perhaps through new taxes and the merging of the Medicare program with this new insurance program. All I know is I'm paying less than $50/month in Obamacare premiums for a Silver level HMO with no deductibles and only $4,250 max out of pocket annual in copaymrnts. It has a great participation of doctors, specialists and top name Houston hospitals. I love the insurance plan I'm in and hope any replacement won't cost much more.

@knpa, Trump does not want single payer, but he promises this: "We’re going to have insurance for everybody,” Trump said. “There was a philosophy in some circles that if you can’t pay for it, you don’t get it. That’s not going to happen with us.” People covered under the law “can expect to have great health care. It will be in a much simplified form. Much less expensive and much better.” from yesterday's interview at https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-vows-insurance-for-everybody-in-obamacare-replacement-plan/2017/01/15/5f2b1e18-db5d-11e6-ad42-f3375f271c9c_story.html?utm_term=.5c446ea9e1ee

Question is how is he going to do it? He's promising the world and unless it involves more government spending than the ACA, it doesn't seem possible.

Precisely, kcou. That's a good question and perhaps the best solution to our high medical cost dilemma in the US. We need a single-payer system, but better run than the systems in Canada and the U.K. I hope that us what Trump has in mind when Obamacare is repealed and subsequently replaced.

Why don't we have a single-payer health system to reduce costs and achieve better health outcomes like other advanced countries do?

Did Blundering Bumbling "putting them back in chains" foot-in-mouth, 2-shot shotgun Joe have to sell his house? No? didn't think so. What a joke. VP's and presidents get six-figure pensions and the best Health Care that the tax-payers can't afford, who actually do and did work for a living, unlike career politicians. Joe gets to continue his life as a parasite living quite nicely. I wouldn't be worried about saving either, if I had as much confidence in the tax-payers to support my parasitic existence as Obuma and Idiot Joe.

Ha ha ha Bernie Sanders proposing a drug amendment. What kind of Drugs, brah? Just what the country needs..... ROTFLMAO!!

I get my prescriptions from Canada sometimes and I pay much less. There is no law against it. You can even use your HSA account. Then finally Expresscripts came up with a cheap enough generic to compete so I get it there now. My doctor strongly recommends against it because they do not have to pass the standards, and are not FDA approved. He does not want to be responsible and you can't blame him. I supposed that's what's make them cost more here. I know that I am taking a chance. Some of the drugs come from all over the world through Canada. Like India, UK, S.A., S.A. Teva factory via UK, then Canada, etc. etc. You know, "It's my body". I am not crushing a baby's skull to get it through the birth canal, like what is common in many late-term abortions, Though. I would not wish that upon any person, mother OR child. Yet some low-lifes seem to think that's perfectly OK.

@jhuz, thanks for the clarification. So many Congressmen are beholden to their corporate funders that they will not support bills which reduce those corporate profits. As long as corporations hold so much power over politicians, I'm not sure how we can make the system better.

@jsjx, a slew of Democrats joined some Senate Republicans 3 or 4 days ago to defeat a measure that would have made it lawful for Americans to purchase and for American companies to import cheaper drugs from Canada.

Read one of several news articles here: https://www.google.com/amp/s/static.theintercept.com/amp/cory-booker-joins-senate-republicans-to-kill-measure-to-import-cheaper-medicine-from-canada.html?client=safari

Trump and the GOP have vowed for years to repeal and replace the ACA. So why don't they have a plan ready to go? What have they been doing the last six years?

@jjti, what do you mean that it had the votes to pass but deliberately let it fail?

@jryy, Good post on the 6 reasons that healthcare in the US is so high. Would you know that just last week Congress was going to pass a bill to lower drug costs in our country and had sufficient votes for it to pass, but deliberately allowed it to fail?

"The majority of chevroids on this site are 10 percenters". Yes, so folks with good employer provided health plans from Chevron should make out ok: their health care benefits will be taxed, but they will get a tax rebate that will offset most of this. Those that got laid off .... not so much. When the health care exchanges collapse after repeal and no replace many will have a hard time finding insurance at anything near a reasonable price, and lord help them if they have a pre-existing condition in the family. The Trumpolights here seem abnormally focused on the subsidies that those at the bottom get from the ACA, rather than that of the majority who pay the costs of their non-employer-based plans without subsidies and will lose access to health plans priced at normal group rates.

"I'm willing to try something new" ... ok, but what would that something be I have to wonder. Trump will be president in a few days and the republicans are charging down the path of ACA repeal, but we have heard nothing about replace. Trump is all over the map, putting only "believe me, it will be great" on the table. The only republican plan that has been explained with any granularity is the Ryan plan, which would repeal ACA subsidies and end Medicaid replacing the whole lot with the requirement (in the form of a tax return) that everyone spends $2700 a year on health care). With that you can buy...well not much....so most will have to add other moneys to the pot if they want anything resembling comprehensive coverage. Employer provided health care would be taxed as income, which will offset most of any tax rebate for those with above average incomes. For those at the bottom, who would have their $2700 plans, Ryan would shunt them off to state and local government services when they became really sick (so as to top out their modest health insurance)....supported in part by federal block grants (the saving of this over the current ACA subsidies is not clear). What this plan does not do is improve any inefficiencies in the system, help focus spending on prevention rather than expensive catastrophic intervention, or control costs charged by providers and big pharma. For those expecting "it will be great" to mean a town car in the driveway, you might want to re-calibrate for a 10 year old yugo.

@jxnz "wall off people from health care?" A bit paranoid and disingenuous aren't we? The majority of chevroids on this site are 10 percenters. I hardly think much of what you said is true. If it is true, it's even more true of the liberal elites. Many poor people have access to Medicaid and the older ones Medicare. Not much of that will change. Relax. The republicans represent people who think that citizens should be honest, hard working and responsible and stand on their own two feet if at all possible. Don't act that like it's a disease or something. The world's not going to end if governments cut back a little on giving away the free stuff that's paid with tax dollars of the working class to the non-working class.

@L370Drz-jiav , Income inequality skyrocketed under Obama. How can it get any worse? Congress are members of the political elite. They are perfectly happy with their tax-payer financed luxury healthcare and pay. I don't expect any of them to sympathize, either party. I don't see how more of the same would get different results.....I'm willing to try something new.

How is the Republican plan not going to lead to greater income inequality?

'Donald Trump's Health Care Plan Shows His Complete Disdain for Expertise: He’s not just clueless—he’s willfully ignorant.': http://reason.com/blog/2016/03/08/donald-trumps-health-care-plan-shows-his

From the article published in March 2016: "Last week, however, Trump finally released his health care replacement plan. It is not terrific. It is not really a plan at all. Instead, it is a bunch of words somewhat related to health policy that his campaign is calling a plan. Those words demonstrate not only that Trump does not understand health care policy, but that he cannot be bothered to hire anyone who does to work with him. Even more than that, Trump’s willful ignorance on this issue and others on suggests that his entire campaign is rooted in near-total disregard for expertise."

Where is that "terrific" plan that Trump is promising to replace the ACA with on the same day that ACA is repealed? Can we see the details somewhere? It's like his theories on global warming, says it's a hoax but has nothing to back up his opinion.

'6 Reasons Healthcare Is So Expensive in the U.S.': http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/080615/6-reasons-healthcare-so-expensive-us.asp

1. Administrative Costs

2. Drug Costs

3. Defensive Medicine

4. Expensive Mix of Treatments

5. Wages and Work Rules

6. Branding

Other advanced countries have single payer or two-tier systems. We spend far more per capita and get much worse outcomes. Why not take the best practices from other countries in reforming our system?

@jram , Awesome! When are you moving?

There are also many buthurt losers who receive SS benefits without paying in. That's one of the main reasons it is slowly but surely becoming insolvent. Those of you who are not clueless know about these things. In any event, what would keep the people who do not pay in, much like SS, from either getting the insurance or not if that is the only program? The problem with these systems in the US is there's little to no accountability with the entitlement programs and the left wishes to keep it that way for votes. There's a reason we have 30 million immigrants here who weren't here in the 60's prior to Ted Kennedy's faux pas. And it's not because the US does not take care of it's sick and elderly. The US is not Canada, and I do not wish upon you the tax burden that Canadians shoulder or their medical either. Check it out for yourself, I have.

@jzrr, All citizens and legal residents in the USA who have worked at least 40 quarters (10 years) have earned their way to receiving Social Security when they reach a minimum of 62 years of age. We all paid into the SS system and so it's fair that we are able to collect it in our later years when we're no longer working or able to work. I think it's a good think that we were all required to pay a portion of our paycheck into a system like social security, since many folks just don't save enough for retirement. Much like SS, I think it would a good thing to have Universal Healthcare Insurance and also be required to pay a portion out of our paychecks to fund a general medical insurance program for everyone. Just like with SS, the younger workers will support the bulk of the program which will benefit our older retired people who also contributed a minimum of 40 quarters of taxes in their lifetime. Since the creation of Obamacare was rather recent and whathever program supersedes it in the Trump administration, it would be a pretty good thing for everyone, and especially the old and sickly population to benefit from having a low cost medical insurance program. This segment of our citizenry is often unemployed, retired and in a fixed income. It would be wonderful to move into this late age knowing you have that safety net to receive affordable or free medical care. It will be funded primaryly by our younger workers who don't often need medical care. They shouldn't complain either as one day they will get old, get sick, unemployed or retired on a fixed income. The program will be there when they need it most.

I don't agree when people whistle the false tune about anyone in the US not having access to healthcare. Premium "Universal Healthcare" for freeloaders and paid for by others is a different story. As someone just posted, No one in dire condition is turned away at ER's and have never, ever been by law. The failed ACA didn't have anything to do with that.

You money-grubbing freeloaders and moochers on others need to come up with a better argument. Nothing's free and nothing of quality is cheap, particularly that which requires expertise, years of study, internship, experience, hard work, and dedicated lifetime professionals. Don't pretend that there's a way anyone can get those services free, cheap, or that anyone should be "granted" those services at birth, as an innate entitlement of birth or citizenship. Get a clue, please.

Your boys Trump and Tillerson are going to get us into a war with China and screw with our economy which is closely integrated with China: http://www.cnn.com/2017/01/13/politics/us-tillerson-china-reaction/index.html

Trump and Tillerson have zero qualifications to conduct US foreign policy. If we don't face nuclear war by 2020 it will be a goddamned miracle.

Quick question: is Vladimir Putin performing at the inauguration? Maybe a rendition of 'Putin on the Ritz'?

You Trump supporters are something else. Some kind of gullibility to buy $hitloads of snake oil without a money back guarantee. Your boy Trump is laughing all the way to the bank in his gold plated Rolls Royce. Y'all been played.

Iwjz Might be better to have urber do that flat earth drive home for you tonight

Four in 10 Americans believe God created the Earth and anatomically modern humans, less than 10,000 years ago, according to a 2014 Gallup poll. http://www.livescience.com/46123-many-americans-creationists.html

It's pretty clear we have an education crisis in the U.S.

-ikxb: Not to belabor a point (joke), but if the magnetic field were aligned with the edges of a round plate I could do exactly as you say, make the same observation you predict, and "prove" (to myself) Earth is a flat 2D plate. The view from space was rather definitive, but wait! ... that was all a hoax perpetrated by those government funded 3D map and space travel people .... biased!.... I can not believe anything they say! The proof in the end is that the 3D earth model explains many more observations and allows more accurate predictions than the flat earth model ... but if I refuse to do the hard work to understand the observations that would distinguish the two models and the value of the predictions (e.g., satellite communications) then it may be hard to see the value. Indeed, the flat earth model may work better for me as I try to get home from the bar across town houston tonight.

Donald Trump is not sure the earth is not flat. He hears a lot of things and wants to take a good look at the science. He's going to appoint Alex Jones to head a committee to look at the science and ensure that we have scientific integrity in our earth science. It's an effective use of tax dollars, just like the vaccine safety committee to be headed by Robert F. Kennedy. President Trump is on the bleeding edge of science and will surely make America great again.

-iohb: I do not know about the whole earth, but just looked around from 40 in HOU150 and it would seem that Houston at least is pretty damn flat!

Trump did pull off the election with help from the Russians and his cabinet is an oligarchy with massive conflicts of interest and very little relevant experience for their positions (e.g. Carson, Tillerson, DeVos). Now he wants to rule like his autocratic hero Vladimir Putin. Senate Intelligence Chairman Richard Burr (R-N.C.) said today that his committee will investigate possible contacts between Trump’s campaign and Russia. That's a positive step. We do not want to be a Russian satellite country, Trump's effusive praise for Putin notwithstanding.

If you believe that global warming is a hoax and that Russia had no impact on electing Trump, then I have a bridge I'd like to sell to you, a real steal of a deal. That's some kind of magical thinking.

Trump colluding with Russia to throw a USA election in his favor??? Give me break, but let me laugh that one off first. Damn, if he could pull that off singlehanded without tipping off the DNC, well he is just the man we need to solve every problem the country has. More power to Trump.

Are you guys joking? There is no smoking gun "data". Science will continue to explore all sorts of alternatives, some suggesting more dire outcomes of global warming then others, but there is no debate on the general trend or the controlling mechanisms taken broad brush. One becomes a hero in science by defining a "real" (testable) idea that explains the observations in a different (better) way, many have tried with global warming models and it has not happened. While we are at it let me confirm with great conviction that evolution is the way new species originate, Earth is old (billions not 10k years) and Earth is not flat ... it is no longer interesting to debate these points. Now, did Trump directly collude with the Russian's to throw a usa election so that he could build a new oligarchy under his direct control, that's a more interesting conspiracy to explore ;-).