US Politics Thread 2016-2020

[ET2SN]

Originally Posted by Sailor Steve

Yep

I spend half my time these days visiting the VA Medical Center.

The other half is spent feeling guilty because I'm not paying for it.

You paid for it as soon as you stuck your right hand on your heart at the MEPS station. At least, you paid for the insurance policy.



Think about it, we made ourselves available to get our ### shot off.
Another way to think of it was all of those long hours for low pay.

I dealt with some of that VA guilt when I first enrolled. I think they almost count on us wanting to be the last guy in line.

[Rockstar]

Originally Posted by ET2SN

You paid for it as soon as you stuck your right hand on your heart at the MEPS station. At least, you paid for the insurance policy.



Think about it, we made ourselves available to get our ### shot off.
Another way to think of it was all of those long hours for low pay.

I dealt with some of that VA guilt when I first enrolled. I think they almost count on us wanting to be the last guy in line.

This is true. It isn't free healthcare, it was part of the contract we all signed. You fulfilled your contractual obligations, they are fulfilling theirs. Though reading the fine print none of it is guaranteed it is and will always remain a privilege.

[em2nought]

I was thinking I should at least go to the VA once just in case I really need to go later.

[Mr Quatro]

Originally Posted by em2nought

I was thinking I should at least go to the VA once just in case I really need to go later.

Call first for your three (3) months from now appointment

I just went last Monday and they asked me if I wanted to come back in four (4) months or (6) months.

I said I could be dead in (6) months and they said, "We know"

@ Steve just count yourself lucky that you made it this far

Think of all the poor souls that can't complain now

[ET2SN]

em2nought;

That's a tricky subject, at least in this topic.

I enrolled due to what looked like a catastrophic condition (which it turned out it was) and my home state dropped the ball. So I wound up moving to another state where at least the VA wanted to see me.

I lucked out, I wound up with a really good Neurologist who got me on the right meds.

So, this is the part that gets tricky. Yes, you want to at least "check in" with your VA.
Please, don't do it for that whopping VA pension. It is what EVERYONE is going to assume most of the time. For the record, I was advised to file for the service-connected gravy train but I turned it down. The VA covers my meds and tests and I get a very basic pension out of the deal. We're all happy that way.

Find a good guy (or gal) to act as your VA Rep. You'll find them usually at your local DAV or Legion hall. Make sure they understand what you want and what is important to you. This is a no BS zone and you only get one chance if you get caught making stuff up. Once you fry your credibility, you're on your own. Make sure you can find your DD-214 form from when you were discharged. If you can't find it, don't panic. Your Rep can get a copy based on your SSN but it can take longer.

[Onkel Neal]

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
·
10h
So last year 37,000 Americans died from the common Flu. It averages between 27,000 and 70,000 per year. Nothing is shut down, life & the economy go on. At this moment there are 546 confirmed cases of CoronaVirus, with 22 deaths. Think about that!

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/...27356314869761

Is that Trump for real? My god!

[August]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/...27356314869761

Is that Trump for real? My god!

Is what Trump said not true?

I had the flu already this year. Wasn't so bad for me, a relatively fit 60 year old or most people but it can be tough on the elderly and the infirm, just like Corona is so far shaping up to be, but without, again so far, the annual body count we get from the flu.

What are you looking for him to say instead? Generate a panic, declare martial law, mandatory isolation for everyone? What?

[ET2SN]

Build a wall?

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Sailor Steve]

Originally Posted by ET2SN

You paid for it as soon as you stuck your right hand on your heart at the MEPS station.

That's along the lines of my quick exchange with our CC (Company Commander, the equivalent of every other service's DI). We were sitting around shooting the breeze when he asked for volunteers for a work detail. I loudly said "Never volunteer!" He came back with "The Navy doesn't have a draft. You volunteered the day you signed on the dotted line."

Salt Lake City must have the best VA in the country. Not only can I always get help, sometimes it's hard to get rid of them. In the last year they've kept constant reign on my liver problem, never stopped trying to find what's wrong with my intestines, paid for a rehab company to come to my apartment when I refused to go to live-in rehab, and given me two new lenses, effectively giving me the best vision I've ever had. They've constantly dumped expensive equipment in my lap - a CPAP machine, various forms of compression equipment to help with the swelling in my legs, a pump suit I have to strap myself into to perform the same function over my whole lower body, and a walker that helps me by getting in the way all the time. This is not to mention the test equipment and insulin plus injection pens for the same. Like Joe Walsh said, "I can't complain, but sometimes I still do."

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by August

Is what Trump said not true?

I had the flu already this year. Wasn't so bad for me, a relatively fit 60 year old or most people but it can be tough on the elderly and the infirm, just like Corona is so far shaping up to be, but without, again so far, the annual body count we get from the flu.

What are you looking for him to say instead? Generate a panic, declare martial law, mandatory isolation for everyone? What?

August, I'm not gonna argue with you, you're a true believer and nothing I can say will make any difference. We're on two different wavelengths. No, I don't want the President to generate a panic.



But I am glad to hear you beat the flu. I've never had it, crossing my fingers.

[August]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

August, I'm not gonna argue with you, you're a true believer and nothing I can say will make any difference. We're on two different wavelengths. No, I don't want the President to generate a panic.

WTH does my political leanings have to do with it? I asked you if what he said was correct or not. Seems to me it is perfectly appropriate for him to draw comparisons with the flu but since you seem to disagree I am interested in what has got you so freaked out. Or is it just because it's Trump saying it?

But I am glad to hear you beat the flu. I've never had it, crossing my fingers.

You are in your 50's iirc and you've never had the flu, not even once? I find that difficult to believe. I've probably gotten it at least 40-50 times in my life so far.

[Onkel Neal]

Originally Posted by August

WTH does my political leanings have to do with it? I asked you if what he said was correct or not. Seems to me it is perfectly appropriate for him to draw comparisons with the flu but since you seem to disagree I am interested in what has got you so freaked out. Or is it just because it's Trump saying it?

It's obvious Trump is projecting the attitude that the flu kills many more people than covid-19 has at this point so people should relax, covid-19 is not as dangerous as the flu we already deal with annually. Which is a incredibly stupid and irresponsible thing to say. It freaks me out that the President - even Donald Trump - would say something that dumb. I mean, I have gotten use to waking up each day with the realization that Donald Trump is the President of the United States (still probably better than the alternative but hmmm....) and it's not a Simpsons joke, but when he goes and says something like that, it keeps eclipsing my sense of incredulity. He can draw comparisons all he wants but let's see what he says in the next few weeks.

Originally Posted by August

You are in your 50's iirc and you've never had the flu, not even once? I find that difficult to believe. I've probably gotten it at least 40-50 times in my life so far.

Influenza A, B, or C? Not to my knowledge. If I did the symptoms were too mild to notice. I've had a cold before but never influenza, which a completely different thing.

[Buddahaid]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

He can draw comparisons all he wants but let's see what he says in the next few weeks.

Mike Pence will be fired for not stopping the pandemic with tough language. Billions in contracts will be awarded to his cronies to develop new snake oil remedies etc. Nothing will be his fault because everybody around him was giving him bad advice. He will personally close the barn doors but fail to see the cows are long gone. And finally, he'll twitter Covid-19 into oblivion which may actually work because even a virus can see what an idiot he is and die laughing.

[em2nought]

Originally Posted by ET2SN

em2nought;

That's a tricky subject, at least in this topic.

I enrolled due to what looked like a catastrophic condition (which it turned out it was) and my home state dropped the ball. So I wound up moving to another state where at least the VA wanted to see me.

I lucked out, I wound up with a really good Neurologist who got me on the right meds.

So, this is the part that gets tricky. Yes, you want to at least "check in" with your VA.
Please, don't do it for that whopping VA pension. It is what EVERYONE is going to assume most of the time. For the record, I was advised to file for the service-connected gravy train but I turned it down. The VA covers my meds and tests and I get a very basic pension out of the deal. We're all happy that way.

Find a good guy (or gal) to act as your VA Rep. You'll find them usually at your local DAV or Legion hall. Make sure they understand what you want and what is important to you. This is a no BS zone and you only get one chance if you get caught making stuff up. Once you fry your credibility, you're on your own. Make sure you can find your DD-214 form from when you were discharged. If you can't find it, don't panic. Your Rep can get a copy based on your SSN but it can take longer.

I'm in their system already, I've just never gone to them for anything ever. I've found it easier to just get a check up and prescriptions in foreign countries until now when travel "might" be suspended. A pension wouldn't be something I'd be looking for, I have no service related disability.

[vienna]

Originally Posted by Onkel Neal

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/...27356314869761

Is that Trump for real? My god!

Hmm...

Seems to be a sentiment a lot of people (voters) are asking of late, a good many of the members of the GOP:


Republican Mayor Drops Donald Trump for Joe Biden in Key Swing State of Michigan --

https://www.newsweek.com/republican-...chigan-1491355


There are a lot of moderate GOP voters who have had more than enough of the Chump-in Chief and are mulling over making a switch come November...

I've said it before: Trump is his own worst enemy. I have little doubt he will say and/or do something to torpedo his chance at reelection...

The truly sad thing for the GOP is he will probably take down the GOP Senate majority with him and cripple the GOP for the foreseeable future...

BTW, in the CA Primary, I voted for Bloomberg; you know, a real billionaire who has an actual successful track record in business, who in the last year alone has donated to charity a total amount (USD $3.3 Billion) almost as large as Trump's claimed total fortune and who has, overall in his life has donated to charity more than double Trump's claimed total fortune, some USD $9.5 Billion. I know Bloomberg has withdrawn from the race, but, you know, I actually felt good about voting for Bloomberg. I wonder how many of the voters who cast votes for the Idiot-in-Chief in 2016 will feel good about voting for him again, especially without an extremely poor alternative such as was Clinton? Biden may not be the very best candidate, but, in the November election, even he couldn't be the worst candidate...









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