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Although our insurance is not through the ACA, reading through the last few pages of this thread prompted me to check out some info, and, although it sounds like it has been helpful in many cases, the original statements concerning keeping your health plan and doctors should probably never have been made. Perhaps people were misled on that point, and that might account for the frustration many have–per PolitiFact:

http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2013/dec/12/lie-year-if-you-like-your-health-care-plan-keep-it/

That said, although we all know health insurance in one form or another is essential, if our politicians can’t solve the wealth gap/inequality issue for millions of people in this country going forward (which I don’t believe they can) the issues of the ACA, and just about every other issue being discussed in these campaigns will pale in comparison–per Scientific American:

“The average American believes that the richest fifth of the population own 59% of the wealth and that the bottom 40% own 9%. The reality is strikingly different. The top 20% of US households own more than 84% of the wealth, and the bottom 40% combine for a paltry 0.3%. The Walton family, for example, has more wealth than 42% of American families combined.”

As I said in another post, taking a look at the status of the wealth gap in America four or five years from now will clearly reveal if campaign promises being made now have really changed the lives of the majority of the population in any meaningful way. It should be interesting to see what happens.

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[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=flyer] those who are being duped into voting for, what will most likely be proven to be empty promises, will become the victims of their own ignorance. That said, everyone is certainly free to believe whatever they want to believe.[/quote]

Let see how disappointment will look like….. The “victims of their own ignorance” are more likely people who want to return to the past. For example banning gay marriage, or abortion, or repealing Obama care.

Gay marriage, and abortion and Obamacare are here to stay with no chance of going back… Maybe a little on abortion in some states. On economics, some deficit spending, and not a balanced budget, is the consensus. A debt level at a portion of the economy is healthy. Nobody, not even Trump will deport unauthorized residents.
Those are all dead end issues that will lead to disappointment on the right.

For progressives, however, there is a path forward. Universal health care with some form of single payer, combined with private health insurance choices, will happen. It’s just a matter of time. Gay marriage will become part of the fabric of American life, etc… On social issues, public opinion is progressive. We will move ahead sooner or later.

Conservatives have fought so many issues in vain, only to fold eventually (universal suffrage, social security, civil rights, Vietnam, Iraq, etc…) All that does is retard progress and cause human suffering.

For progressives who embrace a changing world, there is path forward. We just want to move faster. The slow pace of change is disappointing… but optimism and hope are always there. Sunny ways, my friends, sunny ways.

Edit: I should add Cuba to the list of success/disappointment.
Obama’s trip to Cuba is a great success for progressives. For years we were disappointed, but because we kept hope alive, and continued to support the right course of action, we were nicely rewarded. Still a lot to be done. And so sad that people suffered for decades because of stubbornness and intransigence.[/quote]

Understand how the resolution of the issues mentioned above could be considered interesting, positive and progressive to some, but, the point of my posts concern the 90% of the population (one of the largest percentages in history) who are currently dividing 25% of the wealth (vs. the top 10% who hold 75% of the wealth) in this country who may be seeking a political savior who will magically hand them the lives they desire on every level–especially financially–and how that relates to the current campaigns. This type of extreme inequality is the stuff of which revolutions have been made.

Since optimism doesn’t cover things like tuition, a mortgage or retirement etc.–imo, they may be very disappointed to find their lives–with regard to these issues–the core essentials of life–will not change much, if at all, and may become worse (since wealth inequality is predicted to increase in the coming decades)–during the term(s)of any future administration.

Imo, the acid test will come when we see how the wealth gap numbers look four or five years from now. These numbers should clearly tell us if the promises, campaign rhetoric, expectations, dreams, or anything else we may want to call them have actually become reality for those who have pinned their hopes on politicians.

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I realize others have stated they disagree, but, personally, I see bs and chaos on both sides. The few times I’ve tuned in to listen to either party speak, I’ve heard raving, ranting and promises made that only a fool would believe could actually be accomplished in reality–given the involvement of the three branches of government–vs. a monarchy–which the candidates appear to believe exists in the US.

Pandering to the masses has become an art form in this election beyond anything I’ve ever seen in my lifetime, and those who are being duped into voting for, what will most likely be proven to be empty promises, will become the victims of their own ignorance. That said, everyone is certainly free to believe whatever they want to believe.

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[quote=svelte][quote=flyer]What is going on politically doesn’t really surprise me, when you realize 75% of the financial wealth in this country is held by the top 10 percent of households, with the bottom 25% divided among the remaining 90 percent.

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I’m confused. Are you saying it makes sense that people are angry about the concentration of wealth among a few individuals, so it follows that they would rally around a reported billionaire notorious for bully business practices?[/quote]

Not at all. I’m saying that it doesn’t surprise me that, based upon the inequality of wealth in this country, perhaps the desperation of 90% of the population has led them to look for a political savior–which possibly explains the level of chaos and bs we are witnessing in the political arena on– both the right and the left.

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What is going on politically doesn’t really surprise me, when you realize 75% of the financial wealth in this country is held by the top 10 percent of households, with the bottom 25% divided among the remaining 90 percent.

It has been stated that we would have to go back to the Gilded Age to see this level of wealth inequality:

“The unequal distribution of wealth remained high during this period. From 1860 to 1900, the wealthiest 2% of American households owned more than a third of the nation’s wealth, while the top 10% owned roughly three fourths of it. The bottom 40% had no wealth at all. In terms of property, the wealthiest 1% owned 51%, while the bottom 44% claimed 1.1%.”

And it’s claiming more lives each year–even in the top 10 percent–should financial anchors be lost for whatever reasons.

I’m well aware that the core of these inequalities runs deep, as has been discussed, and it makes sense to try to resolve these issues, but, since this gap only seems to be increasing, imo, the sad part of the political hype being sold on both sides, is that, contrary to the promises being made, there is no quick fix, and very few people will see any meaningful changes in the outcome of their lives over the next decades–regardless of who is elected.

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Be sure to plan way ahead and check with all of the marinas/yacht clubs you might be interested in–in fact, visit them if you can. In San Diego, most have waiting lists, and can be expensive, so research is key.

As long-time residents of San Diego, we prefer keeping our home, with our boats at a club, but that’s just us. Living exclusively on a boat works out very well for many people.

Here’s an article I’ve sent friends who are considering living on a boat in San Diego that you might find interesting:

http://www.businessinsider.com/couple-took-out-a-mortgage-on-a-boat-instead-of-buying-a-house-2015-5

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Although I haven’t experienced what is being discussed here (discrimination against minorities, or whites, families who don’t empower and support their own, jealously of others who are perceived to be more successful, etc., etc.) I still find it really sad to see so much metastatic anger tearing our country–and people–apart–especially since there doesn’t seem to be any clear solution in sight.

Hopefully, people will somehow find a way to come together and work things out before they waste their short lives in misery.

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[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=no_such_reality][quote=scaredyclassic]

Agree.

I was wrong for thinking trump was entertaining.

It is not funny anymore.

The republicans need to shut him down. Just change the rules and put someone not insane and preferably not Cruz on the ticket. Screw trump.[/quote]

No. America desperately needs Trump. The disenfranchisement, the resentment, has metastasized into full blown cancer and the people haven’t realized it.

Pushing it under at this point will make it worse going forward.

What America needs, is for Trump to be the nominee and for decent Americans to give him the pummeling he deserves and not just pummel, but give the embarrassing exposure that he needs.

Suppressing it will not make this cancer go away, it will make it stronger the next time it rises, which will be rapid. Literally, next election cycle.

No, the American people really need to see Trump and what he’s doing for what it is and to that they’re getting hijacked by the cancer and need to eradicate it.

Perhaps we’ll get lucky and one party will collapse and we’ll end up with a fight in one majority party between extremists and moderates.

Unfortunately, Hillary makes this less likely, IMHO as she represents the status quo that is leaving 90% of our country behind.[/quote]

We need “sunny ways” not “angry ways”.
Follow Canadian politics a little. They are facing the same issues we are with globalization, changing demographics, etc… They have chosen “sunny ways” in a landslide.[/quote]

FIH, our family has always subscribed to “sunny ways,” and agree that’s definitely the way to go in life. Even though anger can be justified in many cases, imo, life is too short to waste being an angry person or country.

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I understand everyone’s POV–even if I don’t agree–and it is laughable to think that anyone feels they are in a position to determine who is “right” and who is “wrong”–especially when it comes to perceptions.

Sadly, even after the election is over, many–whomever they may turn out to be–will find that doing what they thought was “right” won’t really make much difference in the outcome of their lives.

Personally, I just can’t imagine putting my destiny or the destiny of my family into the hands of any politician, as millions seem to be doing in this election.

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[quote=FlyerInHi][quote=flyer]
It’s sad to watch all of the conflict fueled by selling these empty
promises–again, on both sides–paired with the desperation of so many people who actually believe any politician can change their lives in any meaningful way.[/quote]

Why do you feel the necessity to add “on both sides”. All that does is enable extremists by saying there’s an equivalent opposite side.

Come on, we are taking about Trump here. He’s been disavowed by the last 2 Republican nominees — John Mc Cain and Mitt Romney. There is no equivalent on the democratic side.[/quote]

I added “both sides,” because, as others who have posted have also mentioned, many of us clearly see the qualities you so abhor (caged or otherwise) in other candidates, as well as Trump.

The desperation of the masses (on both sides) to crown a political savior is unlike anything I have seen in my lifetime, and clearly illustrates how hopeless millions of people feel about life.

Blatant empty promises are now, more than ever, the lifeblood of most campaigns, and the electorate mere pawns in a game that, at its core, has little, if anything to do with sincere intentions of changing the destinies of most Americans.

Sadly, most will find, after the fact, that their lives were not transformed as promised, and the cycle will begin again.

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Imo, per usual, all of the candidates are selling promises to the masses upon which they can’t deliver–and the masses on both sides of the spectrum are buying into the rhetoric in spades. This definitely speaks to a level of desperation in this country beyond any I’ve ever seen in my lifetime.

Granted, individual politicians can affect change by minute degree, but nothing close to the magnitude of the promises that are being made, when you take the system of checks and balances among the three branches of government into consideration. People must have forgotten we don’t live under the rule of monarchy.

It’s sad to watch all of the conflict fueled by selling these empty
promises–again, on both sides–paired with the desperation of so many people who actually believe any politician can change their lives in any meaningful way.

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Yeah, but it’s fun chichi, and some of the elder generation of Brits we know (the parents of our friends) are quite authentically represented.

When Downton first arrived on the scene–it was a hot topic at the film festivals we attend all over the world–and not in a good way.

In our case, my wife would never mention how much she’s enjoyed it to her peers in the film business, so it’s simply been a secret guilty pleasure.

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We’ve always been interested in a wide range of film, TV, and stage productions, and were actually surprised by how much we enjoyed Downton.

We’re in Europe almost every year, and even friends we visit in England love it. You can visit Highclere Castle if you plan to be in the “hood.” It’s about an hour and a half from London.

Also, if you liked Downton, you might want to check these out–Upstairs, Downstairs–Brideshead Revisited–A Room With a View–The Remains of the Day.

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As BG said, we’ve had some friends and family who have sold property in around a week in some very exclusive areas recently to all cash buyers, and the homes were never listed on the MLS.

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For us, given the nature of politics, it usually boils down to voting for the candidates we consider to be the best of the worst. In this case, that’s going to be a real challenge.

Fortunately, yet, contrary to mystical political mythology, many of us will continue to live the lives we want to live, regardless of who is elected.

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