Agnostic.com
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US announces big hike in Medicare premiums

The federal government announced a large hike in Medicare premiums Friday night, blaming the pandemic but also what it called uncertainty over how much it may have to be forced to pay for a pricey and controversial new Alzheimer's drug.

[msn.com]

This isn't what you thought you'd be getting from Biden, now is it?

{We are sidetracked into, at best, debates about how we can improve the status quo, rather than whether the status quo works or, even more usefully, whether the status quo is dangerous and eco-cidal.}

Preserving Out-of-Control Power

The propaganda system tightly constrains our understanding of political and ideological realities to make them dependent on the economic priorities of the ultra-rich. We become unconscious lobbyists for the lawless and immoral activities of corporations and billionaires.

[consortiumnews.com]

Before I go further into the Consortium article, I'll address the Medicare article after I attempt to show how the 2 are related. While Jonathan Cook uses Russell Brand as an example in the linked interview, we get the same typical examples from our representatives. We got a ton of these examples during the 2020 election cycle from both representatives and MSCM. Which today the positives have not played out, and aren't going to any time soon. The following from a reply I made this morning related to Medicare.

{I just read this morning that Medicare recipients are going to take a large hit with a monthly increase of over 14%. Even those who also get SS, while looking forward to an increase of a little over 5% within the largest inflation period of 30 years will still face harder, struggling times, as the difference negates the other. This is another issue I and others warned democratic supporters of as Biden came into the presidential circus. They chose to ignore and argue against our use of his history despite our warnings. Now, along with rising cost due to the virus, which was used as a weapon against our society, by both Trump and Biden, they're going to pay the price with the rest of us. Exactly how we explained it before the election. The few that might benefit the most were more than willing to throw those not so well off under the bus to keep what they have. Now they don't exactly have it now either. I'm sure those with what they deem as a large enough nest egg left to get by may still argue they were right anyways, as they ignore the criminal cycle we attempt to expose that actually effects the whole of our society. As generations below them will be left to even more drastic rising cost to cover them. The cycle seemingly invisible? Or is it just a case of narcissistic entitlement? To hell with those that come after me? I'll be gone as the planet burns.}

And it will burn, according to all indications beginning with horrific conditions beginning approximately in 2036. More on that bellow. Which is also highly related.

{So Riddell — who was honored by the queen in 2012 as a commander of the British Empire (CBE) for his services to journalism — is very much integrated into the establishment that runs the country for its own benefit. But he is also on the wing of it that is most anxious about the masses getting restless if the failures inherent in a system designed to uphold the establishment’s power become too apparent.

The candidates for these public bodies — including, of course, Riddell himself — have already been carefully filtered for ideological sympathy to elite goals. The vast majority, like Riddell, have attended private schools and/or gone on to elite universities such as Oxbridge.}

This is where my argument has been with progressives since 2016 when it became obvious Sanders was limiting himself to fully denouncing Clinton in that primary and went on to betray his supporters in all aspects of that year. Then carried it over into 2020. The squad also plays a roll in this by limiting their dissent to only a slight of verbal notice. Do you ever hear them denounce the cast of representation above them with information of discovery found here that could provide them a powerful argument for real change, exposing their crimes and unethical practices? Of course not, their job is merely to keep us from becoming to restless within false hope.

{The appointments system has always been heavily rigged — as one would expect — to maintain class privilege. Cliques have no incentive to invite in outsiders, those who might disrupt the financial and ideological gravy train the elite has been growing fat on. The appointments system, by its very nature, is deeply conservative.}

What was our warning towards Biden's cabinet picks? You didn't hear MSCM speak of the history our sources provided. So yet again the same horrid social and world policies they helped to create are still going and growing worse. We got a new boss and new cabinet still working for the same ruling class with the help of the media they also own.

Crony Appointments

{Any challenges to the status quo come not from the left — or so rarely from the left that they can be quickly snuffed out with corporate media-led propaganda-vilification campaigns, as happened with the former Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn – but from the right. Which is why the system has a consistent tendency to shift rightwards, even as reality moves leftwards, in the sense that the failure of financial institutions and the collapse of environmental support systems become ever harder to conceal or ignore.}

{“a non-political senior independent panel member.” They even have an acronym for this sticking plaster: a SIPM.

What does “independent” mean in this case? Only that these solitary figures on the appointments panels should not be “politically active” in public — perhaps to encourage us to imagine that, in secret, there are lots of socialist bankers and hedge fund managers who pick the people who head our most important public bodies. And that, unlike the other panelists, the “independent” one should have some minimal technical understanding of the principles of making public appointments.

In other words, Riddell’s role is to make sure there is one person like him on these selection panels — a moderate apostle for neoliberalism — rather than only dog-at-dog cheerleaders for neoliberalism. And the reason is as cynical as it looks: that it benefits the system that not too many overtly dog-eat-dog candidates get appointed to Britain’s most important, visible and cherished public bodies.}

In other words. Independent appointed panels means cover up. Very limited accountability will be provided, if any. With a long history of this nature, we still remain unwilling to seemingly to unite for change.

{The Guardian fulfills the same role. In its report on the public appointments system, it highlights a supposed battle to maintain the system’s already non-existent integrity — as though Riddell serves as a check on government power over regulatory bodies in the same way The Guardian claims to act as a check on the rest of the billionaire-owned corporate media.

In reality, both are trying to stop real scrutiny of out-of-control power structures that are ultimately destroying economic health and environmental health on a global scale.}

Big Oil’s dangerous lies, the push for pharma price negotiations, ‘Baby Shark’ song used in torture

How long do you think our energy companies have known how our dependency on fossil fuels would effect climate warming? What if Lee Camp told you it has been since 1959? What if Lee Camp shows you how it has been since 1959. According to their own estimates the beginning of the worst will start hitting us approximately 2036. As if it isn't already bad enough now as we're looking at virtually no turning back, that isn't far away. 1959 mind you, with their predictions, according to documents shown by Camp, since then have played out virtually with bullseye accuracy to what we've been experiencing from then right up to today. Also, Anders Lee goes into more on the facade of Big Pharma’s latest effort to stop Congress from giving the government the power to negotiate lower drug prices.

[rt.com]

I'm also going to suggest anyone who gets the Vice channel to catch this weeks episode of {WHILE THE REST OF US DIE} Which is called Toxic Wasteland --- Government policy and powerful companies fuel the country’s appetite for natural resources. But the average American is paying the price for their greed.

[vicetv.com]

Food Kills which I suggested last week is now also available online.

[vicetv.com]

I don't recommend Vice for a whole lot of content, and place a high sense of caution on their news, but these shows on while the rest of us die provide great sources information.

William_Mary 8 Nov 13
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1

It figures. I knew that, besides inflation, that my 5.9% increase next year in Soc. Sec. benefits would get eaten up some way quickly. Since I am not old enough yet for Medicare, it will get taken by inflation for now, but in two years, it will be eaten up already by the Medicare hike, even before inflation.

1

Too long to read the whole thing but one misleading item needs to be addressed. The larger percentage of a much smaller number is still a lot less than the smaller percentage of a larger number. The 14% jump in Medicare is expected to be $21.6 a month. Whereas, the average Soc. Sec. payment is $1,437.55 and a 5% increase in that = $71.85 $1,509.40). Also, we need to remember just what medicare is, a health insurance plan for those over 65. The reason given for the increased medicare is due to the increasing numbers of people with Alzheimer's. This includes many of those who are making medicare payments and so they won't have to get huge medical bills. We need to remember what is 'insurance' for.

JackPedigo Level 9 Nov 14, 2021

Part of a reply below.

{While the vast majority of the cares act has benefited corporations and the ruling class, we have been left with limited assistance. Unless you have children, which families are raking in the money still. It's all ass backwards! The underlining point which I think should be pertinent is {federal government}.

Add research to that.

@William_Mary More anti-government ranting. Lets see how a people can get along with no government. This is the philosophy of libertarian-ism and we see how that works these days when we can't even get people to follow simple rules during a time of a major pandemic.

@JackPedigo more indoctrination rhetoric. When you resort to this as an argument or debate over recognizing when people are reacting to the work of genuinely concerned journalist attempting to awake us for change in governing. You're the only one that insinuated being governless without it being part of the narrative of the article or group as a whole. Even from a MSCM article that didn't attempt to feed that to you, you came up with it from nowhere anyway.

Our tax dollars are misused in research to benefit corporations in the healthcare industry. I think it's safe to say a lot if not most people will agree. And making themselves multi billionaires and millionaires over putting profits into research for better healthcare for society. These examples however went without thought for useless unwarranted rhetoric.

Actually a new article this morning adjusted it to a little over $29. Were all glad you're willing to over look those who will struggle tossing them under a bus, and that you're obviously well set to absorb the cost. And attempting to normalize a genuine issue we've been discussing for over a year that can have a profound result on our society as it continues to exacerbate unfairly.

@William_Mary It's so nice (not) for people on this site to go after others directly instead of using a more civil tone. I have been the brunt of direct attacks before and it only tends to make the person doing the attacks less viable in their argument. I could supply answers to some peoples line of ideological thoughts but won't because it will be more talking to a brick wall.

@JackPedigo welcome to my world. And your own hypocrisy. Right out of the gate you stated you didn't have the respect to read the "to long to read the whole thing" to develop a complete opinion on, and then went on to inform us of information already in the article. You attacked me first with your second reply after I simply posted another observation due to your first reply which basically added nothing to the forum. Now you're going to attempt to turn the classic attack claim on me that people of dissenting views use? Please!?! That's all you seem to be able to supply. In basically every instance here your ideology always seems to be formed from indoctrination. I don't think I've once seen you apply any original sense of a developed opinion based on factual information, or address information in a post. Your comments are always short snark entries as though you just want to be seen and correlated with people of the same attraction.

1

Just push him left lol

Biden? At this point I don't think he knows his left from right. He hasn't really known left during his political career.

0

Too long. You have about 4-6 points clamouring for my attention on Sunday arvo.
One lovely phrase that hit hard
"We become unconscious lobbyists for the lawless and immoral activities of corporations and billionaires".

FrayedBear Level 9 Nov 14, 2021
3

Not much to argue about, except under trump Medicare would have dried up since he planned to make the payroll tax cuts to Medicare permanent if he was re-elected.

You say that as though he did. I don't know of any legislation during his administration of where that happened. Trump doesn't have the sole decision to make that change. If such a change were to happen then it would be within collaboration with our representatives. I don't believe an executive order would fit an ability for him to do so either. According to what I can find, the cuts were replaced by general revenue and transferred to the trust fund.

{While lawmakers have decided against including a general payroll tax proposal in the packages considered to date, they made the following changes to the payroll tax – opposed by the National Committee – in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act (P.L. 116-136):

Employee retention payroll tax credit: In order to incentivize employers to keep their employees on payroll rather than laying off those employees, this provision would offer a fully refundable tax credit, tied to the payment of employee wages, against the employer’s share of Social Security payroll taxes. Payroll tax revenue forgone by this proposal would be replaced by general revenue and transferred to the trust fund.

Payroll tax deferral: Employers allowed to defer payment of their share of Social Security payroll tax – half until next year and the other half until 2022. Payment of payroll tax revenue deferred by this proposal would be replaced by general revenue and transferred to the trust fund.}

At least under Trump our representatives used a means to keep fully funding the programs. The bottom line today is a net loss. However, I'll also argue that neither side is considerate to inflation cost that have been rising off the charts during either administration. Which are going to provide a heavier toll in months to come.

[ncpssm.org]

{During the nation’s recovery from the 2007- 2009 Great Recession, and Troubled Asset Relief Program bailouts, Social Security and Medicare became frequent targets of deficit cut negotiations. Deficit plans included proposals to reduce annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) by tying it to the more slowly – growing chained consumer price index. The Budget Control Act of 2011 led to automatic 2% annual Medicare cuts on payments to providers. “That cut affected all Medicare providers, including hospitals, doctors, nursing staff,” Johnson observes. “These are very same providers that are now so dangerously strained by the coronavirus pandemic.”}

I don't recall Obama receiving much flack when the issue was on his court.

[seniorsleague.org]

{First, the only people who pay these taxes are people who still have their jobs and their earnings. With millions unemployed it can be argued that it would make more sense to increase deficit spending by providing help directly to those who don't have any earnings––the unemployed.}

While the vast majority of the cares act has benefited corporations and the ruling class, we have been left with limited assistance. Unless you have children, which families are raking in the money still. It's all ass backwards! The underlining point which I think should be pertinent is {federal government}.

[forbes.com]

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