Trump's Final 100 days
Quote: GWAEI personally think the pay of a doctor is the problem. I run a medical billing company. I hear it all the time that doctors whining that their revenue is down. I feel that people in the medical profession make way too much money which drives up medical and insurance costs. Doctors should be doctors to help people and not to become super wealthy.
Right now the current systems are good for me professionally but suck ass for me personally.
Why can't they do both? Generally, they undergo very long educations and have a very little margin for error. They are generally the brightest and should command large salaries.
There are actual drivers to increasing cost in health care - and you see this challenge in all countries: Pharmaceuticals and medical supplies are getting more expensive because they treat more things successfully (for example cancer treatments); people are living longer which increases the cost of health care. In the case of the USA you add in all of the middle layers demanding larger pieces of the pie (hospitals, insurance companies) and you get health cost increases going well out of inflation.
The problem of course with "skinny repeal" was that it would have successfully reduced the number of insured with those insured going into higher cost pools. You need the healthy to fund the sick. You need preventative treatment (aka yearly checkups) to avoid the healthy from becoming sick. And you need catastrophic coverage in case of accidents, an undiscovered brain tumor, or an undetected disease. And you need it to be affordable in all stages of life.
Gen Kelly may have an interesting tenure if he is successful at bringing stability. Or anything.
(Is SNL back in season -- they need to do a tribute to the tenure of Scaramucci. All 10 days )
Scaramouch, scaramouch will you do the fandango
Thunderbolt and lightning, very, very frightening me
Quote: rxwineGen Kelly may have an interesting tenure if he is successful at bringing stability. Or anything.
On past form, we are soon to take another quantum leap into the absurd. The mind crushingly gasp inspiring OMG'ness of 'did that really happen'?
But first a brief interlude while we are all directed to observe trumpy's miltary and foreign policy genius.
You have to admit that the past week was pretty darned good at keeping Russia off the news cycle. But at what cost.
I see Trunpy's WH now decoupling from the GOP and eventually from the whole US political system. Question is, how much power will he take with him? Which branch of the US system will retain the ability to govern the US. Each leg is weakened as the integrity of the whole is disrupted.
That's what trumpy is doing. Destroying your entire system of government by tearing out it's integral structure. Don't be fooled into believing that this is metamorphosis into something better: It's not. It's cancer..
Quote: OnceDear
I see Trunpy's WH now decoupling from the GOP and eventually from the whole US political system.
It's all part of his plan to get kicked out of office without making it look like it was his idea. He hates being President. He never wanted to win. He just wanted the publicity.
Asked if the US would strike first, Trump's press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Monday that "all options are on the table," adding that Trump would not "broadcast" his decisions.
Well. Trumpy does always broadcast his decisions. He is so fscking predictable.
Now he has painted himself into a corner, he has to lash out. He will lash out. The costs don't come from his account. The lives aren't his. He doesn't own it and he will deny responsibility for it, because Kim Jong left him no choice.
Besides, A great distraction. The world will rally round him because it has no choice. This is a time for decisive leadership.
We are so fscked. God Bless America,
I don't see a way out of North Korea's dilemma without China and Russia's help which will involve bringing DPK onto the world stage. Coup / democratization will not happen there and I cannot see US military intervention being allowed to happen without major escalation. That's what the prayer is for. Perhaps detente will save us.
As I said, hopefully Kelly settles everything down in the executive branch and things stabilize. It seems like not much could be worse than last week but lordie, you never know.
Quote: 777To be fair to SooPoo and other healthcare professionals, they all deserve high salary for their skill and education, and it would be unfair to say the fault lies solely on SooPoo. But considering the state of our out of control healthcare cost, collectively we as a society should pause and ask this, how much is too much profit, or how little is too little profit? And what happen to the Hippocratic Oath, and what can we do to improve the ACA instead of sabotaging it?
I'm aware of many healthcare professionals who vehemently oppose Obama & the Democratic's signature ACA for fear that it will threaten their revenues and incomes (and I can't blame them for loving their family, girl friend, and to maintain their luxurious life style of golfing just like their hero, the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con man Trump). Their fear and resentment on the ACA had led many to sabotage the ACA and to oppose the Democratic party at any cost -- as evidenced by SooPoo's own admission in supporting the known racist, rapist, sexist, scam-artist, and con-man Trump because Hillary has common sense and compassion to reform the ACA.
Despite what I said I do think they deserve a high salary. Being that I am in the billing side it just makes me sick how they all game the system. Well not all but a lot. To be fair as well, all of the anesthesiologists that we bill for are among the most honest in billing. Their billing is straight foreward. Basically 1 code with x units depending on time and score. What I am talking about are all the bs add ons that docs do like smoking cessation and obesity counseling. Medicare will pay for 1 visit a year so docs will make sure it gets billed even though someone never smoked a day in their life. It is a free $19.
So anyways, besides my nonsense rant. A practice with 2 docs, 1 MA, 1 front desk should not be able to bring in 1.3 million a year. Our suboxone clincs should not be able to see 75 patients a day with 2 docs and bring in $6000 a day. The whole system is broken. Docs need to make less and people need to go less. A single payor system IMO is probably what I am in favor of all though I will probably lose my business if that happened.
Quote: 777What should be the “fair” salary & benefit for anesthesiologist
Essentially you are correct. My point is the real world result of the precipitous drop would be a mass exodus from the profession by those who don't absolutely need to work any more (me, for example) but due to the high compensation choose to keep working. And that exodus would result in long wait times for surgery.
I am responsible for your very life when you are under the knife; I would be happy to tie my compensation to 10% of the 15th best NFL quarterback, or 10% of the WSOP main event champ, etc.....
Last thing I want him doing is worrying about repaying his student loans.
Quote: SOOPOOEssentially you are correct. My point is the real world result of the precipitous drop would be a mass exodus from the profession by those who don't absolutely need to work any more (me, for example) but due to the high compensation choose to keep working. And that exodus would result in long wait times for surgery.
I am responsible for your very life when you are under the knife; I would be happy to tie my compensation to 10% of the 15th best NFL quarterback, or 10% of the WSOP main event champ, etc.....
If you brought in the kind of revenue NFL QBs do, you might have an argument.
I don't begrudge Doctors their earnings. I just think its absurd that they play the poverty card- if they cut my rates, we will all retire, or how Obama care was going to lead to a shortage of trained Doctors.
Seven years in, has their been a massive wave of retirement? Are medical schools lowering their standards?
Would the world standby and let China invade it to depose the punk? anyone think South Korea wants China on its border?
Would China be willing to allow a unified Korea, with its own nuclear arsenal and 30,000 US troops?
Does China or South Korea want to deal with the millions of potential refugees that even a lightning fast war would produce?
But Donald is going to handle it. Anyone filled with confidence? Tired of winning yet?
How anyone can still support this lying fraud is beyond me.
Quote: sixsistersAn Anesthesiologist does not merely have your life is in his hands. You are DEAD for all practical purposes till he brings you back.
Last thing I want him doing is worrying about repaying his student loans.
I think the last thing you want him doing is being intoxicated. Doctors worry all of the time about other things beside how to repay their student loans. And why are doctors in a special group of people who shouldn't have to worry about their student loans? By that logic we should pay pilots 1,000,000 a year because they have thousands of passengers' life in their hands. But in fact, pilots on regional aircraft make less than 40k. So I would take away the analogy between lifesaving capability and pay. It's a non-sequitor as we can find plenty of professions that are responsible for life-saving and their pay is widely divergent.
Quote: boymimboI think the last thing you want him doing is being intoxicated. Doctors worry all of the time about other things beside how to repay their student loans. And why are doctors in a special group of people who shouldn't have to worry about their student loans? By that logic we should pay pilots 1,000,000 a year because they have thousands of passengers' life in their hands. But in fact, pilots on regional aircraft make less than 40k. So I would take away the analogy between lifesaving capability and pay. It's a non-sequitor as we can find plenty of professions that are responsible for life-saving and their pay is widely divergent.
EMT's start at around $10/hr
Quote: SOOPOOEssentially you are correct. My point is the real world result of the precipitous drop would be a mass exodus from the profession by those who don't absolutely need to work any more (me, for example) but due to the high compensation choose to keep working. And that exodus would result in long wait times for surgery.
I am responsible for your very life when you are under the knife; I would be happy to tie my compensation to 10% of the 15th best NFL quarterback, or 10% of the WSOP main event champ, etc.....
And applying your logic, you are way over paid.
Using your logic, I recommend two other professions where you can make as much or much more money. Have you ever thought of becoming a bus driver or a babysitter? How many patients were under your knife for the past 27 years, and compare that to the lives of thousands of commuters in the hand of each bus driver on a daily or weekly basis? Do the math. Please make a career change now, ASAP and be a bus driver. And if you are not good enough to obtain a commercial driver license, you can have a career in babysitting where the lives of young innocent infants and children are literally in your hands.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS748US748&q=babysitter+abuses+child+video&oq=baby+sitter+abuse&gs_l=psy-ab.1.3.0j0i22i10i30k1l3.1717759.1724685.0.1727588.17.17.0.0.0.0.86.1056.17.17.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.17.1049...0i67k1j0i131k1j0i10k1.NBKTDlH-s48
As I’ve stated earlier, big change to status quo can lead to big disruption, but the disruption is temporary and in time it will revert back to normal, or the “old” normal became history, and in its place will be the “new” normal. Look at our history of labor strikes – NFL, NBA, MLB (both referee and player), PATCO, UAW, ALPA, USPS, UPS, Fed-EX and many other national and regional strikes -- they all caused big disruptions, havocs and inconveniences, but only temporary. Look at the most recent Spirit Airline pilot small 'strike" back in May, there were disruptions, inconveniences, and soooooooo loooooong waiting lines. And whatever happened to those long lines now? Workers just like you or any other professional trades have the right to stand up and demand fair compensations and humane treatments, but that is not the main point here. The main point here is if you & your colleagues just simply quit, retire, or die while playing golf, there are hundreds of other anesthesiologist anxiously waiting to fill those positions, and with time any big disruption will return to its old normalcy, or the old normalcy will be replaced with the new normal.
Do you really think you are invincible and irreplaceable? Are you that arrogant? And please don’t attempt the “I am responsible for your very life when you are under the knife…" on your hero, the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con-man Trump because if you do, your hero will consider you as a big piece of poo poo just like the way he treats his other employees in the WH. And speaking of arrogant, SooPoo, poo poo, and Trump in the same sentence, let me end this message with a quote from Anthony “the Mooch" Scaramucci, a friend and a formal employee of the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con-man Trump, and please take this as a friendly advice from me to you:
“There are three stages on the barometer of arrogance, confidence, over-confidence and arrogance. You have to be in the zone of overconfidence at the efficient frontier right before arrogance. Once you become arrogant, you become a very big turnoff to the people around you.”
Quote: 777And applying your logic, you are way over paid.
Using your logic, I recommend two other professions where you can make as much or much more money. Have you ever thought of becoming a bus driver or a babysitter? How many patients were under your knife for the past 27 years, and compare that to the lives of thousands of commuters in the hand of each bus driver on a daily or weekly basis? Do the math. Please make a career change now, ASAP and be a bus driver. And if you are not good enough to obtain a commercial driver license, you can have a career in babysitting where the lives of young innocent infants and children are literally in your hands.
https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS748US748&q=babysitter+abuses+child+video&oq=baby+sitter+abuse&gs_l=psy-ab.1.3.0j0i22i10i30k1l3.1717759.1724685.0.1727588.17.17.0.0.0.0.86.1056.17.17.0....0...1.1.64.psy-ab..0.17.1049...0i67k1j0i131k1j0i10k1.NBKTDlH-s48
As I’ve stated earlier, big change to status quo can lead to big disruption, but the disruption is temporary and in time it will revert back to normal, or the “old” normal became history, and in its place will be the “new” normal. Look at our history of labor strikes – NFL, NBA, MLB (both referee and player), PATCO, UAW, ALPA, USPS, UPS, Fed-EX and many other national and regional strikes -- they all caused big disruptions, havocs and inconveniences, but only temporary. Look at the most recent Spirit Airline pilot small 'strike" back in May, there were disruptions, inconveniences, and soooooooo loooooong waiting lines. And whatever happened to those long lines now? Workers just like you or any other professional trades have the right to stand up and demand fair compensations and humane treatments, but that is not the main point here. The main point here is if you & your colleagues just simply quit, retire, or die while playing golf, there are hundreds of other anesthesiologist anxiously waiting to fill those positions, and with time any big disruption will return to its old normalcy, or the old normalcy will be replaced with the new normal.
Do you really think you are invincible and irreplaceable? Are you that arrogant? And please don’t attempt the “I am responsible for your very life when you are under the knife…" on your hero, the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con-man Trump because if you do, your hero will consider you as a big piece of poo poo just like the way he treats his other employees in the WH. And speaking of arrogant, SooPoo, poo poo, and Trump in the same sentence, let me end this message with a quote from Anthony “the Mooch" Scaramucci, a friend and a formal employee of the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con-man Trump, and please take this as a friendly advice from me to you:
“There are three stages on the barometer of arrogance, confidence, over-confidence and arrogance. You have to be in the zone of overconfidence at the efficient frontier right before arrogance. Once you become arrogant, you become a very big turnoff to the people around you.”
Speaking of crossing lines: this whole screed is ridiculously insulting to SOOPOO. You are on the razor-thin edge of a nuke, but technically within the rules due to phrasing; I had to read it twice to not Martingale you out of here. Back off, and I remind you that SOOPOO has said numerous times to you that he is NOT a Trump supporter.
Quote: BozAnd that's the rub. I have no clue of your age, your situation or the choices you have made in life. BUT and the big but is, what you are getting is coming at the expense of others paying more. My insurance in the past 3 years has went from less than $600 a month to over $1600 a month. This is with a $6000 deductible for both my wife and I. Of course we are paying for coverages we don't need and would be far better off with a major medical policy with a $25000 deductible for $300 a month and the ability to tax free save the difference.
But Obama didn't want it that way, this was just part of plan to "spread the wealth" around. Like you said about Trump, he truly was a piece of shit and still is.
Do a google image search on health care costs per capita and you will find dozens of charts that all look like this.
These don't include the expenses caused by bankruptcies, divorce, homelessness or children growing up in worse situations. Nor the unpaid labor of navigating insurance.
You're paying extra for corporate profits (under plans offered by either party), not so poor kids can see doctors, if that makes you feel better.
Puts the Dems in a bad position. Pelosi and the DNC are getting blasted by the Huff Post and other far left fringe sites because they are willing to accept Anti Abortion candidates who they think can win.
Even with all the missteps Trump has made, the left still has its problems with working Americans. But they do understand that and it's why they work so hard to keep people on the government dole.
Quote: beachbumbabsQuote: 777Do you really think you are invincible and irreplaceable? Are you that arrogant? And please don’t attempt the “I am responsible for your very life when you are under the knife…" on your hero, the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con-man Trump because if you do, your hero will consider you as a big piece of poo poo just like the way he treats his other employees in the WH. And speaking of arrogant, SooPoo, poo poo, and Trump in the same sentence, let me end this message with a quote from Anthony “the Mooch" Scaramucci, a friend and a formal employee of the racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con-man Trump, and please take this as a friendly advice from me to you:
“There are three stages on the barometer of arrogance, confidence, over-confidence and arrogance. You have to be in the zone of overconfidence at the efficient frontier right before arrogance. Once you become arrogant, you become a very big turnoff to the people around you.”
Speaking of crossing lines: this whole screed is ridiculously insulting to SOOPOO. You are on the razor-thin edge of a nuke, but technically within the rules due to phrasing; I had to read it twice to not Martingale you out of here. Back off, and I remind you that SOOPOO has said numerous times to you that he is NOT a Trump supporter.
He definitely called SOOPOO arrogant, "Are you really that arrogant?" Insulting others and trolling are both against the rules. That post is plainly and technically both insulting and trolling, particularly the quoted part. Not to mention the nuclear option:
"Nuclear option: Finally, if the site administrators feel that a member is so disruptive to the site, even while abiding by the rules above, a 'nuclear option' may be invoked to permanently ban the offender. This will be used sparingly for only the worst of trolls. (Added 2/20/11)"
This isn't the first time 777 has acted like this and he has been suspended multiple times for being disruptive.
Technically, your life is in the hands of anyone you ever come into (in?) contact with. My electrician might mess up a wire which will cause a fire at night when I'm sleeping and I'll die.
Quote: RSHe definitely called SOOPOO arrogant, "Are you really that arrogant?" Insulting others and trolling are both against the rules. That post is plainly and technically both insulting and trolling, particularly the quoted part. Not to mention the nuclear option:
"Nuclear option: Finally, if the site administrators feel that a member is so disruptive to the site, even while abiding by the rules above, a 'nuclear option' may be invoked to permanently ban the offender. This will be used sparingly for only the worst of trolls. (Added 2/20/11)"
This isn't the first time 777 has acted like this and he has been suspended multiple times for being disruptive.
Don't we already have another thread where people can whine about how the moderators do their jobs??
Quote: ams288Don't we already have another thread where people can whine about how the moderators do their jobs??
Yeah, but it's on a whole different site. It "died" though. Maybe it needed Obamacare. 😉
Quote: RigondeauxOn the other side, I still find it incredible that people think a Russian guy meeting with Donald Trump's nephew or whatever is some huge threat to the fabric of our country, but it's totally OK that big banks, pharma, arms dealers, etc. completely own the political process and make direct, personal payments to politicians for millions of dollars. Not even campaign contributions, but totally legal, personal payments, right into their personal checking account. That's not America. That's not even Mexico.
I see two biggest flaws in our political system that will destroy our democracy:
1. Gerrymandering
2. Campaign finance and lobbying process.
Quote: RSThere is a significant difference between a surgeon/anesthesiologist and a baby sitter or bus driver when it comes to "your life is in their hands". Take a random 20 year old with no bus driving experience and put him behind the wheel -- the passengers are probably going to be ok. Have him do surgery on someone and the patient's dead.
Technically, your life is in the hands of anyone you ever come into (in?) contact with. My electrician might mess up a wire which will cause a fire at night when I'm sleeping and I'll die.
Since I don't read all the posts/messages and I assume you may have not seen or read some of my other replies to SooPoo regarding the compensation & benefit discussion, so in fairness to you, the misunderstanding discussing below has nothing to do with your reading comprehension (it is entirely possible that I may have misinterpreted SooPoo's and your replies, and you can blame it on my lack of reading comprehension, and I'm o.k. with that. Calling arrogant when you see appropriate is fine with me too).
Now, let me give a quick recap of our "debate" so you have a better understanding of the issue at hand. In my other replies, which I am assuming that you did not read, I talked in general term about the skill & alternate skill, the market force, the competition, each individual life’s circumstance regarding the touchy issue of salary compensation, and I also did defend SooPoo’s higher pay structures on the basis of skill and education. But when SooPoo attempted to justify his compensation based solely on the "under the knife" premise, and the tone of his “your life is in my hands” sounds arrogant to me. Does that sound arrogant to you? Did I say anything about SooPoo’s lack of intelligent or lack of reading comprehension? Why are you so sensitive about the term “arrogant”? Arrogant can be described as being over-confident. Is "over-confident" bad thing? Is “arrogant” now an insulting adjective here on WoV? What’s next? Opinionated? Sensitive? (The racist, rapist, sexist, scam artist and con man Trump definitely is offended by those labels placed on him, but I believe he is fine with or even embrace the "arrogant" label).
I hope everything is now clear as black and white to you, so now we can further discuss the "under the knife” logic brought up by SooPoo himself.
Let’s be absolutely clear, when only SooPoo’s solely "under the knife" standard is applied, SooPoo is vastly overpaid when compared to bus driver's "your life is in my hands" responsibility. If you were to apply SooPoo’s 10%-15% of NFL salary structure, and then combine that with SooPoo's patients/year vs. a bus driver’s riders/year, would you rather be an anesthesiologist or a bus driver? Do the math, and apply the same principle to babysitter, electrician, waiter …? And why waiter? Have you ever heard of norovirus, e-coli, spitting on food’s vengeance ... and what would be an appropriate tipping percentage if SooPoo's "under the knife" factor is taken into consideration? Do the math!
I can take being called arrogant even though I think I am not. What is most annoying about your posts about me is the continual reference to me as a Trump supporter. So now lets set the record straight. I am embarrassed that he is our President. I believe the country is better off with him as President than it would have been with HRC as President. But that is because his general ideas are more conservative, and require individual responsibility, and let people be less dependent on the Federal Government. And I am with him on secure borders..... not specifically on a must have wall that he sees.
I do not disagree with you on the extreme long term, that if anesthesiologist salaries were sharply curtailed there would still eventually be some who would go into the profession, but the short term effect would be devastating to our health care system, as there would be a huge exodus immediately.
Quote: SOOPOO
I do not disagree with you on the extreme long term, that if anesthesiologist salaries were sharply curtailed there would still eventually be some who would go into the profession, but the short term effect would be devastating to our health care system, as there would be a huge exodus immediately.
I agree with this 100%, and usually stay out of these threads, but I have a bunch of politically-charged (but still gambling) articles coming out soon both here and LCB.
Anyway, I am not calling earning a salary as a doctor entitlement, so please don't misunderstand my point...but I'm going to compare it to entitlements.
What everyone should think about is the fact that the only thing more difficult than granting entitlements is taking the entitlements away once they have been granted. We see this as eliminating Medicaid expansions has been a major hang-up (even on the political right) when it comes to the right's efforts to R&R ObamaCare. If something was given and then you take it away, you can bet your bottom dollar you're not making any friends out of the people you take it away from.
So, why the comparison?
I think SOOPOO is absolutely right. The entire infrastructure (figuratively speaking) of the medical industry, as far as relates staff, relies on an influx of people entering the industry that is mostly relative to the number of people leaving the industry PLUS the increased demand due to an increasing number of people who need medical care. We know that number is increasing because the average age of people is increasing as is expected lifespan. The Median Age is up almost eight years since just the 1960's.
Therefore, the country really cannot afford the exodus that SOOPOO speaks of from a care standpoint.
Again, salaries are not an entitlement, but the similarity is in that they are difficult to take away or reduce. If you have medical professionals who have been practicing for decades and are rock solid professionals who have kept up with things in terms of continuing studies (independently or otherwise) how do you expect them to respond to having salaries and/or permissible fees drastically reduced (or reduced at all) overnight? Pretty simple. The ones who are financially able to do so are going to retire, and pretty much all at once.
Imagine getting paid a certain salary that you have become accustomed to for several years and then having it cut by any percentage whatsoever when your skills, responsibilities and workload have not diminished at all. I'd either switch industries (or specialty), reduce my workload or quit working altogether if I could afford to do so. Who wouldn't?
I think that we have so many good doctors because we offer among the best schooling and among the best opportunities, from an earning standpoint. I don't know what the specific numbers are, but certainly we are in the top 25%, or better, in both regards, I would like to think.
When I'm on the operating table, I'd really prefer to have one of the most skilled people possible working on keeping me alive. Even as a self-described Libertarian-Socialist, if we have to pay great money for that to happen, (collectively or individually) I'm all for it.
Quit? So they prefer a 100% cut to a 20% one?
Not give it their full effort? I certainly hope not.
Move to another country? Good luck with that.
Quote: GWAEDespite what I said I do think they deserve a high salary. Being that I am in the billing side it just makes me sick how they all game the system... What I am talking about are all the bs add ons that docs do like smoking cessation and obesity counseling. Medicare will pay for 1 visit a year so docs will make sure it gets billed even though someone never smoked a day in their life. It is a free $19.
It worse than even that. I noticed a $20 charge for "counseling". I asked what for and they said it was because I smoked. Next time I talked to the doc and he asked, I told him I loved it, wasn't quitting, and to stop asking. He said he had to. Several arguments and visits later, I've got it down to "Smoke?" "Yup." BUT IT STILL COSTS ME $20. I want no help, I have no issues, I flat out demand they stop, yet every time I go they say one word and nick my Jackson anyway.
Not that this has anything to do with the cluster in question; I just needed to yell a bit.
I'm not sure how much standardization there is in medical equipment, but that can be a big factor in cost. A hospital buys the latest greatest device but they get locked into non-standard disposables. This is intentional by the company, but doesn't do the consumer any good as far as cost because it shuts out competitive similar disposables.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-linked-fox-news-163716658.html
In a nutshell, a PI hired by the family is suing Fox News for stating that he said things he never said, as part of a plan to distract from Russian involvement in the election.
Texts exist to show Trump approved the false narrative and requested the story be published as soon as possible, but now the producers are saying the texts were part of a long involved joke.
A wealthy Trump supporter and a Fox News producer conspired to run a fake story about the death of a Democratic National Committee staffer while the White House looked on, a lawsuit has alleged.
Rod Wheeler, the detective cited in Fox News' controversial story about the fatal shooting of DNC staffer Seth Rich, has filed suit against the company for allegedly fabricating his quotes and pressuring him to push a false narrative.
“According to the complaint … Fox News was working with the Trump administration to disseminate fake news in order to distract the public from Russia's alleged attempts to influence our country's presidential election,” Mr Wheeler’s attorney, Douglas Wigdor, said in a statement.
Mr Wheeler was Fox News' prime source for a story claiming Mr Rich may have been murdered for releasing unflattering DNC emails to Wikileaks. According to the suit, however, Mr Wheeler never found evidence to support this.
Instead, Fox News producer Malia Zimmerman and prominent Trump donor Ed Butowsky pressured him to say so – even taking him to a meeting with then-White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer – in an effort to detract attention from the Russia investigation.
"Not to add any more pressure but the president just read the article,” Mr Butowsky allegedly texted Mr Wheeler shortly before the article was published. “He wants the article out immediately. It's now all up to you."
Quote: billryanIf Doctors are so specially trained, and I believe they are, if confronted with a twenty percent salary cut, what would they do?
Quit? So they prefer a 100% cut to a 20% one?
Not give it their full effort? I certainly hope not.
Move to another country? Good luck with that.
As I've already stated, I'm referring to the doctors who have the financial stability that they could retire, live comfortably, and just be done with it. Alternatively, they could cut their caseload down and essentially be part-time (relatively speaking) compared to what they are doing. I'm not saying that they would all necessarily quit entirely.
I mean, look, you have doctors who are a year or two (or maybe even a couple more) from the age at which they planned to retire, anyway. Do you not see how they might look at a decrease in pay as basically an insult? They could be at the point where retirement would not make a huge impact on their lives. Hell, maybe they take the Social Security benefit earlier than they absolutely have to (but still within the time they can) which can be over $2,000/month.
I'm just saying that if you look at it industry-wide, the stability of the whole thing is predicated upon slightly more doctors going into specialties than there are retiring from their specialties. Do you know why you move several states for a Specialist position and not to be a cashier at Wal-Mart? It's because there are plenty of cashiers at Wal-Mart, don't need to move halfway across the country for that job.
Position opened, position filled almost immediately. I don't even know how seriously it would impact your big cities, other than perhaps skill levels at specialty hospitals and the like, but just look at surgeons and what not at Regional and/or Rural hospitals. How is that going to go when you have an Ears/Nose/Throat guy with an effective range of x square miles who takes early retirement and nobody wants his job because he makes less than the big city guys, anyway? Now people have to drive God-Knows-How-Far and wait Cod-Knows-How-Long for a simple tonsillectomy.
Any disruption to the labor-demand and labor-supply equilibrium is not desirable in an industry where lives legitimately hang in the balance. For one example, how many Pediatric Gastroenterologists do you suppose that there are? Do you even want to risk a handful of highly trained specialists in that field potentially hanging up the stethoscope in even a substantial geographical region? I know we had one qualified to do surgery in a particular city two hours away when my son was born, but he went to St. Louis, the next nearest one was three hours plus away from that location...what does that tell you? Then you factor in increased caseloads...it'd be a mess.
Quote: billryanIf Doctors are so specially trained, and I believe they are, if confronted with a twenty percent salary cut, what would they do?
Quit? So they prefer a 100% cut to a 20% one?
Not give it their full effort? I certainly hope not.
Move to another country? Good luck with that.
I guess I'm not even remotely qualified to answer this, not being a doctor and all, but I will anyway. If I was making $200,000 a year, and got a 20% pay cut, I wouldn't even notice it. That's more money than I even know what to do with. I just feel like if a 20% pay cut on a six-figure salary is life-shattering to someone, they aren't exactly the most financially savvy person to begin with. Worst case scenario, okay, move into a slightly smaller house. If you can survive on $200,000 a year, you can survive on $160,000 a year.
Quote: Mission146I agree with this 100%, and usually stay out of these threads, but I have a bunch of politically-charged (but still gambling) articles coming out soon both here and LCB.
Anyway, I am not calling earning a salary as a doctor entitlement, so please don't misunderstand my point...but I'm going to compare it to entitlements.
What everyone should think about is the fact that the only thing more difficult than granting entitlements is taking the entitlements away once they have been granted. We see this as eliminating Medicaid expansions has been a major hang-up (even on the political right) when it comes to the right's efforts to R&R ObamaCare. If something was given and then you take it away, you can bet your bottom dollar you're not making any friends out of the people you take it away from.
So, why the comparison?
I think SOOPOO is absolutely right. The entire infrastructure (figuratively speaking) of the medical industry, as far as relates staff, relies on an influx of people entering the industry that is mostly relative to the number of people leaving the industry PLUS the increased demand due to an increasing number of people who need medical care. We know that number is increasing because the average age of people is increasing as is expected lifespan. The Median Age is up almost eight years since just the 1960's.
Therefore, the country really cannot afford the exodus that SOOPOO speaks of from a care standpoint.
Again, salaries are not an entitlement, but the similarity is in that they are difficult to take away or reduce. If you have medical professionals who have been practicing for decades and are rock solid professionals who have kept up with things in terms of continuing studies (independently or otherwise) how do you expect them to respond to having salaries and/or permissible fees drastically reduced (or reduced at all) overnight? Pretty simple. The ones who are financially able to do so are going to retire, and pretty much all at once.
Imagine getting paid a certain salary that you have become accustomed to for several years and then having it cut by any percentage whatsoever when your skills, responsibilities and workload have not diminished at all. I'd either switch industries (or specialty), reduce my workload or quit working altogether if I could afford to do so. Who wouldn't?
I think that we have so many good doctors because we offer among the best schooling and among the best opportunities, from an earning standpoint. I don't know what the specific numbers are, but certainly we are in the top 25%, or better, in both regards, I would like to think.
When I'm on the operating table, I'd really prefer to have one of the most skilled people possible working on keeping me alive. Even as a self-described Libertarian-Socialist, if we have to pay great money for that to happen, (collectively or individually) I'm all for it.
I think you under-estimate’s society uncanny ability to adapt and adjust whether it is for better or worse. And often time, we either voluntarily or involuntary accept short term pain for long term benefit. We went through many wars, labor-management conflicts, and numerous man-made and nature disasters (earthquake, hurricane, flood, oil spills, depression, financial crisis…) that brought big disruptions and inconveniences to our daily lives. And for better or worse, we survived all these undesirable or catastrophic events. Perhaps there were not happy endings to everyone in every situations, but we were able to adjust and adapt and moved on our lives just fine.
Since you brought up salary “entitlement” issue, let me point to few events in the past where there were big disruptions to the worker salary: At one point the airline industry was in a big financial crisis, pilots’ salaries and pensions were drastically reduced. The UAW of the big three (GM, Ford, Chrysler) were very powerful back then and consequently their members were very highly compensated, and not so long ago all big three were bankrupted or near bankrupted. And lastly, the unprecedented dismissal of PATCO by Regan.
And look at the situations now, airline industry is now thriving, and I’m guessing pilot salary is now back to the normal level (or better ???) adjusted for inflation, the big three is doing well amid fierce completion from foreign manufacturers, and due to competition and union busting regulations, I’m guessing UAW’s member inflation adjusted salary is much lower now, and our airport infrastructure is still the best in the world. Although not everyone is happy, but we survived and adapted to these disruptive events very well, don’t you think? And let's not forget that all these workers are highly skilled and highly trained.
If the airline pilots went through hell and survived, the UAW’s inflation adjusted salary is not as high as it used to be, but they survived, and the air traffic profession is still in big demand and they survived, then I don’t understand why are you so much concern about SooPoo’s golf time?
And here is the bottom-line, whatever SooPoo and his colleagues decisions are, the society will adjust and adapt accordingly as we have successfully done before.
Also:
Quote:Coming into med school, I assumed most accepted students likely came from good schools and probably had a lot of parental and community support in order to get as far as they had in life. The degree—and magnitude—to which this is true surprised me, though. According to the most recent statistics collected by the organization that regulates American medical schools, almost 60% of incoming students in 2005 came from families whose incomes were in the top quintile of American households
http://www.signature-reads.com/2017/07/top-surprises-med-school-told-doctor/
Seems like some people may have extra hurdles just to compete for medical school positions.
Quote: rxwinePerhaps instead of pumping money into paying for medical care, the government should pump money into turning out more doctors -- making sure the attrition rate at med schools is immediately filled by new applicants. This is not lowering standards, but simply making sure there is zero lag time for students. Even coming up with flexible plans not to wait an entire year before starting new classes. I'm am not sure if simply expanding to more training would increase the output without sacrificing quality. But as long as you don't drop standards, but give more people opportunity.
Or, say, work on lowering the cost of education, so that a doctor doesn't need to make $350k just to eat.
Quote: gamerfreakOr, say, work on lowering the cost of education, so that a doctor doesn't need to make $350k just to eat.
This reminds me of when just before my second kid was born. The doctor one day was joking about paying all of his school loans all while driving a $60,000 vehicle.
Quote: IbeatyouracesThis reminds me of when just before my second kid was born. The doctor one day was joking about paying all of his school loans all while driving a $60,000 vehicle.
poor guy probably only had the basic options on his Mercedes
Quote: IbeatyouracesThe doctor one day was joking about paying all of his school loans all while driving a $60,000 vehicle.
The average doctor graduates with a student debt of between $167,000-$183,000.
The average first year resident makes $52,000 a year.
After 8 years of residency, it's up to $66,000.
If you live an even halfway modest lifestyle, a big chunk of that debt can be gone after eight years of residency. Once you hit a six-figure salary, you should be able to make short work of any remaining debt in no time.
The problem is, like in your example, doctors are driving around in $60,000 cars instead of buying a helluva nice used car for $8,000-$10,000 and putting the remaining $50,000 towards student loans.
Quote: TigerWuThe average doctor graduates with a student debt of between $167,000-$183,000.
The average first year resident makes $52,000 a year.
After 8 years of residency, it's up to $66,000.
If you live an even halfway modest lifestyle, a big chunk of that debt can be gone after eight years of residency. Once you hit a six-figure salary, you should be able to make short work of any remaining debt in no time.
The problem is, like in your example, doctors are driving around in $60,000 cars instead of buying a helluva nice used car for $8,000-$10,000 and putting the remaining $50,000 towards student loans.
Our OB/GYN was an older gentleman. Not some young punk just out of med school.
Quote: 777I think you under-estimate’s society uncanny ability to adapt and adjust whether it is for better or worse. And often time, we either voluntarily or involuntary accept short term pain for long term benefit. We went through many wars, labor-management conflicts, and numerous man-made and nature disasters (earthquake, hurricane, flood, oil spills, depression, financial crisis…) that brought big disruptions and inconveniences to our daily lives. And for better or worse, we survived all these undesirable or catastrophic events. Perhaps there were not happy endings to everyone in every situations, but we were able to adjust and adapt and moved on our lives just fine.
Since you brought up salary “entitlement” issue, let me point to few events in the past where there were big disruptions to the worker salary: At one point the airline industry was in a big financial crisis, pilots’ salaries and pensions were drastically reduced. The UAW of the big three (GM, Ford, Chrysler) were very powerful back then and consequently their members were very highly compensated, and not so long ago all big three were bankrupted or near bankrupted. And lastly, the unprecedented dismissal of PATCO by Regan.
And look at the situations now, airline industry is now thriving, and I’m guessing pilot salary is now back to the normal level (or better ???) adjusted for inflation, the big three is doing well amid fierce completion from foreign manufacturers, and due to competition and union busting regulations, I’m guessing UAW’s member inflation adjusted salary is much lower now, and our airport infrastructure is still the best in the world. Although not everyone is happy, but we survived and adapted to these disruptive events very well, don’t you think? And let's not forget that all these workers are highly skilled and highly trained.
If the airline pilots went through hell and survived, the UAW’s inflation adjusted salary is not as high as it used to be, but they survived, and the air traffic profession is still in big demand and they survived, then I don’t understand why are you so much concern about SooPoo’s golf time?
And here is the bottom-line, whatever SooPoo and his colleagues decisions are, the society will adjust and adapt accordingly as we have successfully done before.
Re: airlines and air traffic controllers. No, airline pilots are nowhere near compensating pilots compared to 20 years ago. They forced in a B scale for much lower salaries. The last of the A scale captains are forced retirement about now.
In 1988 I met a UAL captain and we dated for about 2 years. At that time, nearly 30 years now, he was making 400k/year for 2 flights a month: 747 service nonstop LAX to Australia. Overpaid? Not when his cargo door fell off over Hawaii and he and the Captain (Al was check-riding him and flying right seat) got the airplane down in 1 piece with a 40 foot hole in the fuselage and ripped-out electronics and hydraulics. 10 died when sucked out the hole: ~300 lived.
New captains on major airlines now make about $140-150/yr. They top out around 180k. Regional captains on smaller aircraft top out around 60k. New 1st officers start at less than 12k/year. Insanely low salaries compared to what it was.
Late for dinner. I'll finish this later.
Quote: sixsistersAverage salary Anesthesiologist $240K Average Wall street Broker $224 Average training to be a broker 6 hours
Sure, the average is $224,000 when you factor in the guys pulling down $100 million.
Quote:President Trump has reportedly denounced his White House digs, telling members at his Bedminster golf club that the historic presidential residence is "a real dump."
The president made the remarks to his patrons in an effort to explain his frequent visits to his New Jersey-based golf club, Sports Illustrated reported Tuesday.
http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/trump-told-golf-club-members-that-the-white-house-is-a-real-dump/ar-AApgO0Y?li=BBmkt5R&ocid=spartanntp
Quote: IbeatyouracesOur OB/GYN was an older gentleman. Not some young punk just out of med school.
So why does he still have student loans to pay back?
Quote: TigerWuSo why does he still have student loans to pay back?
Hell if I know. This was in 2001.
Because it's stupid to dump all of your working capitol in to interest free loans. Student loan interest is a tax write off, aka they're free loans. I pay the MINIMUM and have a write off for the interest every year. Do you know what I do with the working capitol that I don't put towards my student loans? I use it for investments, such as bankroll, etc. Thus, I can make X fold more money with my working capitol instead of dumping it to a worthless cause due to the tax write off for the interest. I'll probably have student loans until I'm 40+.Quote: TigerWuSo why does he still have student loans to pay back?
Quote: RomesBecause it's stupid to dump all of your working capitol in to interest free loans.
It's even more stupid to dump working capital into a $60,000 car that instantly depreciates in value and will continue to depreciate as opposed to paying back a student loan or investing. That was my main point with regards to the doctor example given above.
Quote: RomesStudent loan interest is a tax write off, aka they're free loans.
Only if you make less than $80,000 a year ($160,000 filing jointly) and even then you can only write off up to $2,500. I have a feeling that doctor is making way more than $80,000 a year, so he's not even getting that incentive.
https://www.irs.gov/publications/p970/ch04.html
