October 3, 2019

Trump's executive order has some stealth provisions that would blow up Medicare as we know it

https://twitter.com/TopherSpiro/status/1179850904318742528



This provision would spike the cost of Medicare. Because premiums are linked to cost, premiums would skyrocket for seniors.

(b) The Secretary, in consultation with the Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, shall submit to the President, through the Assistants to the President for Domestic and Economic Policy, a report within 180 days from the date of this order that identifies approaches to modify Medicare FFS payments to more closely reflect the prices paid for services in MA and the commercial insurance market, to encourage more robust price competition, and otherwise to inject market pricing into Medicare FFS reimbursement.


This provision is a fancy way of saying Medicare privatization. This is Paul Ryan's old plan. Learn more here: https://americanprogress.org/issues/healthcare/reports/2011/12/16/10822/the-inherent-flaws-in-medicare-premium-support/


(b) The Secretary shall study and, within 180 days of the date of this order, recommend approaches to transition toward true market-based pricing in the FFS Medicare program. The Secretary shall submit the results of this study to the President through the Assistants to the President for Domestic and Economic Policy.

Note this stuff can probably be done under existing statutory authorities, if they decide to proceed. Scary stuff.

https://twitter.com/TopherSpiro/status/1179882376488521729


If Democrats can't focus and weaponize this, god help us. We eviscerated Romney when he proposed Medicare privatization.

October 3, 2019

Ali Velshi said about 15 minutes ago that Trump is going to sign an EO on Medicare

Can he privatize it with an executive order?

October 2, 2019

Trump just imposed tariffs on EU countries : 25% tax on French wine and Scotch whiskey

https://twitter.com/davidshepardson/status/1179499985378975744


Full list : https://ustr.gov/sites/default/files/enforcement/301Investigations/EU_Large_Civil_Aircraft_Final_Product_List.pdf


Breaking: US imposing 25% on French wine, single-malt Scotch whisky as part of response to EU aircraft subsides



Also, olives, sweaters, anoraks , butter and all kinds of cheese: Edam, Gouda, Pecorino. Swiss, Stilton, Cheddar.

October 2, 2019

There were Trump hotel envelopes in the packet Raskin had from State IG

https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1179500366821351424


By
@FridaGhitis
, CNN: "Raskin says there are Trump Hotel envelopes in the packet of disinformation and conspiracy theories [the IG brought to Congress]—which [packet] is of 'mysterious provenance.' There may be misconduct by Pompeo. The packet may have come from the White House."



This is nuts.

October 2, 2019

A Finnish reporter just asked Trump what "favors" he's going to ask of the Finnish President

Trump went off on another rant. The Finnish don't play.

October 1, 2019

Trump wanted to shoot migrants in the legs and a snake-filled moat on the border-NYT

Shoot Them in the Legs, Trump Suggested: Inside His Border War

WASHINGTON — The Oval Office meeting this past March began, as so many had, with President Trump fuming about migrants. But this time he had a solution. As White House advisers listened astonished, he ordered them to shut down the entire 2,000-mile border with Mexico — by noon the next day.

The advisers feared the president’s edict would trap American tourists in Mexico, strand children at schools on both sides of the border and create an economic meltdown in two countries. Yet they also knew how much the president’s zeal to stop immigration had sent him lurching for solutions, one more extreme than the next.

Privately, the president had often talked about fortifying a border wall with a water-filled trench, stocked with snakes or alligators, prompting aides to seek a cost estimate. He wanted the wall electrified, with spikes on top that could pierce human flesh. After publicly suggesting that soldiers shoot migrants if they threw rocks, the president backed off when his staff told him that was illegal. But later in a meeting, aides recalled, he suggested that they shoot migrants in the legs to slow them down. That’s not allowed either, they told him.

“The president was frustrated and I think he took that moment to hit the reset button,” said Thomas D. Homan, who had served as Mr. Trump’s acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, recalling that week in March. “The president wanted it to be fixed quickly.”

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/01/us/politics/trump-border-wars.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

October 1, 2019

US manufacturing now has two consecutive months of decline

https://twitter.com/OMGno2trump/status/1179080898307874816


Just for the record: US manufacturing now has two consecutive quarters of decline. Two quarters of decline is definition of recession. US manufacturing is now in recession.
- it's not the Fed
- Fed rates are at historic lows
- the Fed can't fix tariffs
- #ItsTheTariffsStupid

October 1, 2019

Trump's blaming Jay Powell and the Fed again for his bad CNBC poll numbers

https://twitter.com/RealPressSecBot/status/117904367427914547

https://twitter.com/NumbersMuncher/status/1179038487657381889

CNBC poll: Trump approval on his handling on the economy plunges 13 net points to 42-50 (was 48-43), marking only the second time Trump has been underwater on the economy.

Impeachment is taking up the headlines, but voters losing confidence in the economy is a big deal for 2020






Whoops! Trump or the WH deleted the official statement from the WH trashing Powell, that's why the link doesn't work.

October 1, 2019

BOOM! Trump approval rating down to 37% in new CNBC poll

https://twitter.com/NumbersMuncher/status/1179037149502562304

CNBC poll: Trump job approval drops six net points to 37-53, the lowest approval of his presidency in CNBC polling.


https://twitter.com/NumbersMuncher/status/1179038487657381889

CNBC poll: Trump approval on his handling on the economy plunges 13 net points to 42-50 (was 48-43), marking only the second time Trump has been underwater on the economy.

Impeachment is taking up the headlines, but voters losing confidence in the economy is a big deal for 2020.





CNBC usually has him higher than other polls so can't wait to see others!