AZTheta, I hope the palliative care is effective. Best wishes.

Say it again, PB! Preach! If this isn’t the truth, I don’t know what is. Our society is REAL effed up.

Tell me you never watch Law & Order without telling me you never watch Law & Order.

Also, I worked in insurance for 11 years and this may offend someone, but it is the slimiest, shadiest, old boy networkiest industry I've ever encountered and full of creeps and snakes. That being said murder is not the answer and solves nothing.

I’m so sorry, AZTheta. Whatever you do, please don’t give up!

Oh gawd! Please don’t get me started on this crap!

NOT THAT I'M ADVOCATING FOR MURDER. I'm just looking at this in the context of history.

But here is where I am here. The entire system, from the courts to the legislature has been captured by the big money. If your insurance doesn't cover your healthcare, hospitals have a 'your money or your life' business relationship with you and as they are no longer not-for-profit, they have a duty to shareholders to capture as much of your wealth as they are able. That's what's expected.

So you go in for a simple MRI and they send you a bill for $20K and the insurance company denies your claim. Do you get to say that was an unreasonable amount? Does someone prosecute the hospital for extortion? Nope. They get a judgment and garnish your accounts. You have pretty much no recourse outside of bankruptcy. There's no defense to a civil claim for something costing too much. It costs whatever the system says it costs and if that's 20x more than the provider down the street? Too bad.

The entire system is set up to protect this extortion racket. The only people who can change it are bought and paid for by the industry.

So outside of violence, what recourse does the little guy have?

And I disagree that murder solves nothing. It clearly had an impact on BCBS Anthem's consideration of a new policy in denying claims for anesthesia beyond certain time limits on procedures.

And bigger picture, throughout history, when you've had oppressive systems where the people had no recourse, violence has always been the answer. And not only has it been the answer, it's often been effective at producing change--not always good change, but it does produce change.

This whole bit is a warning shot. Let's see whether the industry thinks qu'ils mangent de la brioche is a good answer.

Right. That part of the system isn't "broken." It's working exactly as intended.

This! I agree, Kevin. 💯

I think it's super hilarious that the talking heads in the media are droning on and on about how violence never solves anything when they're living in a country which was founded by a violent revolution.

lol
Yep. I mean, ultimately, whether violence solves anything really depends on the situation, perspective, and long-term consequences. So, you are absolutely right.

CG just wants somebody to get rid of Trump, that’s why she’s agreeing Lol!

Yes, I do want him gone (by any means necessary), but that’s not why I was agreeing. I agreed with Kevin, because history suggests that sustainable solutions to problems, whether personal, social, or political, come from understanding, dialogue, and cooperation — meaning that non-violent approaches, like diplomacy, negotiation, and civil resistance, have shown the potential to resolve conflicts more effectively and ethically in the long run.

But there are situations where violence is argued as necessary — self-defense, defense of others, and then there’s also liberation, and other reasons behind it. The bottom line is that it’s sometimes necessary, particularly in self-defense or to prevent greater harm. I just think it should be a last resort, with careful consideration of the long-term consequences and potential alternatives. So, it’s not a matter of if you agree with it or not, but whether it aligns with the values and goals you seek to uphold.