What does a TRUMP presidency look like?

[jimmy olsen]

A private email account! How dastardly!

LOCK HIM UP!
http://edition.cnn.com/2017/09/28/politics/jared-kushner-personal-email-account-senate-intelligence/index.html

[The Brain]

I remember hearing years ago that US cancer patients had better survival statistics than Swedish patients. The reason put forward was that Americans get more care since the majority of Swedish patients get treatment under the public system which means treatment is rationed (less so for cancer than for hips and similar, but still noticeable).

[Malthus]

Canada is smaller, but is the population as a whole really appreciably poorer? GDP per capita is lower, but that's due to the super rich skewing the numbers. Median income is almost the same.

When you are discussing the availability of truly top-end medical care, the presence of a group of super-wealthy - although small in absolute numbers - matters a lot.

Canada simply lacks the same mass of very wealthy people able to afford to keep the absolute best in talent, facilities and research located here on their own dime.

In terms of public health care paid for by the government out of tax dollars, the absolute best in care isn't affordable on a cost per quality of life improved per year basis: much smaller outlays in terms of cheaper types of care demonstrate a much greater level of overall improvement in the health of the population. This is exactly why the Canadian health insurance system, despite having less money spent on it on a per-capita basis, achieves better overall results than the US system - again, despite the fact that the US health system has the most talented professionals probably in the world, the best technology, etc. The Canadian system spends less money, but spends it on things that matter more in terms of improving the overall health of the population (even aside from the drain in the US system that goes to administration).

In short, healthcare is one area where a greater degree of socialism appears to produce better results - assuming the "results" you are looking at is the overall health of the population. 

Unfortunately, seeking the greatest, most cost-effective improvement means a certain degree of triage and rationing. As BB has noted, those with life-threatening conditions get immediate service, while those with "mere" quality of life issues are more likely to have to wait. Plus, the "gurus" of the profession are more likely to migrate to the US, where the super-wealthy can afford to pay them more than the stingy (or frugal) public plan.

Fact is though that the Canadian "public" system is riddled with "private" options (the extent of which varies greatly by province), so depending on the procedure in question, there are ways of paying to avoid having to wait - but with some procedures that isn't possible. Hip replacements are one that get discussed a lot. 

It seems like the best solution would be to have a more rational two-tier system available (in Canada, there is two tiers in effect, but very spotty and ad-hoc: it exists for some things and not for others). The reason Canada doesn't is that the guardians of the public system are convinced that allowing a fully-fledged two-tier system would inevitably degrade the public system.   

[viper37]

Has anyone ever gone to PR for dental care? I think that is a thing. I need a crown. Dentists says it is $1300. Cheaper to fly to PR once they rebuild it and get it done there?

Mexico has some Canadian&American trained doctors&dentists.

So less than 0.2%?

Do you think people travel to the US for a flu?

It is estimated that in 2017:

    103,100 Canadian men will be diagnosed with cancer and 42,600 men will die from cancer.
    103,200 Canadian women will be diagnosed with cancer and 38,200 women will die from cancer.
    On average, 565 Canadians will be diagnosed with cancer every day.
    On average, 221 Canadians will die from cancer every day.

206 000 people by year get diagnosed from a cancer.

if 63 000 people per year go to the US to seek treatment, that means somewhere around 25-30% of people with serious life threatening diseased go to the US to seek medical treatment, if we assume that some of those going to the US do so for treatments other than cancer.  Generally speaking, the system is very quick to treat people with heart diseases, so I doubt these ones go to the US.  Some rare genetic diseases have experimental treatment in the US, but they're not in the thousands.  If you need dialysis, chances are you can't climb on an airplane and travel to Florida.

Also, some people go to Cuba for their healthcare need.  It's a fraction of the costs of the US.  Mexico has some good dentists too.

YOu're muddying the waters by bringing up cancer.

The problem with waiting lists in Canada doesn't really come up for cancer.  Cancer is a potentially fatal disease and the docs up here will jump on it FAST.  And if you're going to the US for cancer treatment the government is likely paying for it.  Mrs B remembers spending time in Minneapolis as a kid because she was a bone marrow donor for her brother who had leukemia, and I can guarantee you that her family wasn't paying out of pocket for that.

The problem is more ailments that are not fatal, but cause lingering pain and discomfort.  The waiting list for a lot of joint surgeries is painfully long.

http://beta.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/768504/cancer-liste-attente-chirurgie-quebec

La cible du gouvernement du Québec prévoit que les chirurgies oncologiques doivent être réalisées à l'intérieur de 28 jours. Dans la Capitale-Nationale, 544 patients sont en attente d'une telle opération. La cible n'est pas respectée pour 218 d'entre eux, soit 40 %. Dans Chaudières-Appalaches, le délai n'est pas respecté pour 21 % des patients.

Rough translation:
The Government of Quebec's target is that cancer surgery must be done within 28days.  In the National capital area, 544 patients are waiting for such an operation.  The target isn't reached for 218 among them, or 40%.  In Chaudières-Appalaches (note: south-shore of the St-Lawrence in front of Quebec area, extending south toward the Maine border, east up to 140km, west by about 40km), the delays are not respected for 21% of the patients.


That's for 2016.

It seems Alberta has the same problem:
http://beta.radio-canada.ca/nouvelle/776019/attente-chirurgies-cancer-sante-services-alberta
70 days waiting for an emergency cancer surgery.

For the entire Quebec, it's about 61-63% of all surgery done in the 4 weeks mandated time:
http://www.ledevoir.com/societe/sante/504504/chirurgies-et-cancer-les-delais-toujours-pas-respectes

Le cas de Montréal, dit-il, est particulièrement alarmant. « Ce sont près de 4 patients sur 10 qui ne sont pas opérés dans le délai ciblé de 28 jours. C'est énorme.

The case of Montreal, says he, his particularly alarming.  "We have close to 4 patients on 10 who do not have surgery within the target delay of 28days.  It's huge. 

[garbon]

Librarians getting feisty.

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2017/sep/29/melania-trump-dr-seuss-books-rejected-massachusetts-school-librarian

Melania Trump book donation rejected by school librarian

A school librarian has declared that she would not like a selection of Dr Seuss classics here, there or anywhere, after refusing books donated by Melania Trump.

Trump had sent a collection of 10 Seuss books, including The Cat in the Hat and Green Eggs and Ham, to schools across the country to mark National Read a Book Day. One school in each state, identified by the US department of education as having achieved high standards of excellence, received a package along with a letter signed by the first lady telling pupils that "the key to achieving your dreams begins with learning to read".

But Liz Phipps Soeiro, an award-winning school librarian at Cambridgeport elementary school in Massachusetts, turned down the offer, saying that her school has no need for the books. In a letter posted on the Horn Book site, she suggested that Trump should send the books to schools with fewer resources.

"Why not go out of your way to gift books to underfunded and underprivileged communities that continue to be marginalised and maligned by policies put in place by Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos?" Phipps Soeiro asked. "Why not reflect on those 'high standards of excellence' beyond only what the numbers suggest? Secretary DeVos would do well to scaffold and lift schools instead of punishing them with closures and slashed budgets."

The librarian, who won School Library Journal's hero of family outreach award last month, went on to criticise Trump's choice of books. "You may not be aware of this, but Dr Seuss is a bit of a cliche, a tired and worn ambassador for children's literature," she wrote, adding that "another fact that many people are unaware of is that Dr Seuss's illustrations are steeped in racist propaganda, caricatures, and harmful stereotypes". According to Phipps Soeiro, Seuss's artwork in books such as If I Ran a Zoo contains "racist mockery".

"I am honoured that you recognized my students and our school. I can think of no better gift for children than books; it was a wonderful gesture, if one that could have been better thought out," she wrote, sending Trump a list of 10 alternative books "that I hope will offer you a window into the lives of the many children affected by the policies of your husband's administration". Among them are Auntie Yang's Great Soybean Picnic by Ginnie and Beth Lo, which looks at the homesickness of immigrants, and Edwidge Danticat's Mama's Nightingale, in which a Haitian American child's mother is imprisoned for having no papers. Phipps Soeiro said she hoped the titles would help Trump see "the beautiful resilience of children who stand up to racism and oppression and for social justice and reform".

"You and your husband," she said, "have a direct impact on these children's lives. Please make time to learn about and value them. I hope you share these books with your family and with kids around the country. And I encourage you to reach out to your local librarian for more recommendations."

In response, Trump's communications director described the refusal of the books as "unfortunate". "Mrs Trump intends to use her platform as first lady to help as many children as she can," said Stephanie Grisham. "She has demonstrated this in both actions and words since her husband took office, and sending books to schools across the country is but one example. Turning the gesture of sending young schoolchildren books into something divisive is unfortunate, but the first lady remains committed to her efforts on behalf of children everywhere."

Locals were split about the librarian's move, according to NBC, with some saying that Phipps Soeiro should have accepted the books, and others agreeing with her decision to reject them. "Cambridge does not need extra books," one resident told NBC Boston.

The school district said in a statement: "In this instance, the employee was not authorised to accept or reject donated books on behalf of the school or school district. We have counselled the employee on all relevant policies, including the policy against public resources being used for political purposes."

[garbon]

And Huckabee....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/huckabee-sanders-calls-trump-nfl-feud-black-white-issue-article-1.3528378

Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump's NFL feud is a 'black and white' issue

What a fumble.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday described President Trump's running feud with the NFL — which many critics have called racially motivated — as a "black and white" issue.

"I don't think there's much to clarify. It's pretty black and white there," Sanders said while trying to dismiss a reporter's questions about the racial undertones of Trump's taunts.

This came during Sanders' fourth consecutive day of clarifying Trump's stance on NFL protests.

Sanders' poor choice of words followed days of Trump insisting his NFL beef is unrelated to race.

...

[Berkut]

And Huckabee....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/huckabee-sanders-calls-trump-nfl-feud-black-white-issue-article-1.3528378

Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump's NFL feud is a 'black and white' issue

What a fumble.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday described President Trump's running feud with the NFL — which many critics have called racially motivated — as a "black and white" issue.

"I don't think there's much to clarify. It's pretty black and white there," Sanders said while trying to dismiss a reporter's questions about the racial undertones of Trump's taunts.

This came during Sanders' fourth consecutive day of clarifying Trump's stance on NFL protests.

Sanders' poor choice of words followed days of Trump insisting his NFL beef is unrelated to race.

...

Doh.

If only there were people who could, as their job, be extra professional about their choice of language and how they communicate to others.

[Eddie Teach]

That librarian needs to shut her whore mouth about Dr Seuss. 

[viper37]

And Huckabee....

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/huckabee-sanders-calls-trump-nfl-feud-black-white-issue-article-1.3528378

Sarah Huckabee Sanders says Trump's NFL feud is a 'black and white' issue

What a fumble.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Thursday described President Trump's running feud with the NFL — which many critics have called racially motivated — as a "black and white" issue.

"I don't think there's much to clarify. It's pretty black and white there," Sanders said while trying to dismiss a reporter's questions about the racial undertones of Trump's taunts.

This came during Sanders' fourth consecutive day of clarifying Trump's stance on NFL protests.

Sanders' poor choice of words followed days of Trump insisting his NFL beef is unrelated to race.

...

Really interesting choice of words

[grumbler]

That librarian needs to shut her whore mouth about Dr Seuss. 

Sh's competing with Trump to see who can say the silliest things.

[derspiess]

I think Trump vs. The Librarian sounds like a good basis for a Seuss book.  Each competing to say sillier things.

[Savonarola]

I think Trump vs. The Librarian sounds like a good basis for a Seuss book.  Each competing to say sillier things.

"Trump vs. The Librarian" sounds like a WWE championship bout.  (The librarian would be the villain of course; telling people to do lame things like read or to be quiet.)

"Mr. Trump and the Librarian" could have been on "Friday After Dark" on Cinemax back in the day.

[garbon]

And Tom Price is out.

[CountDeMoney]

And Tom Price is out.

Breaks my heart.  Next anti-vaxxer has to step up. 

[11B4V]

And Tom Price is out.

Breaks my heart.  Next anti-vaxxer has to step up.

MAN DOWN