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Senate approves Syria, anti-BDS[*] bill
The Senate passed legislation on Thursday breaking with President Trump's Syria policy. Senators voted 77-23 to send the legislation to the House that includes a provision warning Trump against a "precipitous" withdrawal of troops from Syria and Afghanistan. It also asks the administration to certify that certain conditions have been met "for the enduring defeat of al Qaeda and ISIS before initiating any significant withdrawal of United States forces from Syria or Afghanistan."
[...] In addition to the Syria amendment, the bill also included sanctions against the Syrian government, increased support for Israel and Jordan and a provision that would let states penalize businesses that take part in boycotts or divestments of Israel.
Both the Syria amendment and the anti-BDS provisions sparked division among Democrats. [...] Democrats had raised First Amendment concerns about the anti-BDS provision, which splintered most of the party's 2020 contenders and caucus leadership. "While I do not support the BDS movement, we must defend every American's constitutional right to engage in political activity. It is clear to me that this bill would violate Americans' First Amendment rights," Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) said in a statement last week.
[*] BDS: boycott, divestment and sanctions.
Also at NYT.
See also: Is the Anti-BDS Bill Constitutional? Yes, But...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @08:04PM (6 children)
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @09:03PM (5 children)
Ah yes, let us cave to the idiocy of the masses. There is widespread support for universal healthcare and it doesn't help to lie about the taxes. The best way to sell it is to mandate that all medical benefit programs currently being paid by businesses will take that money and give it directly to employees. That would mitigate some of the financial impact.
"Besides, everyone knows that the tax monies will be misused, and when it comes to the healthcare, you will get a bandaid on your broken leg and sent home."
riiiiight
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @09:38PM (4 children)
Let's not forget that the money we pay to insurance companies (At least those of us 'lucky' enough to even be able to afford even that!) is already horribly misused. We pay insane amounts of money and get private death panels, where insurance companies will try to wiggle out of paying for life-saving medical procedures so that they can save a few bucks, which endangers lives and/or forces people into massive debt. We pay insane amounts of money and get inadequate care, where many important medical procedures and medications are simply not covered at all. We pay insane amounts of money, only for a relatively small fraction (compared to medicare) of it to go towards actual healthcare.
We can't afford to do single payer? No, we can't afford not to do single payer. Pretty much every study shows that we would net save money in the long run with single payer over the current system.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @10:34PM (1 child)
I'm in WA State an self-employed. There are fewer companies to choose from and prices keep rising and benefits keep falling. I'm paying near $1400/mo for the crappiest HSA plan out there -- if I do use a doctor, I just get a full bill for it several weeks later. It's the most useless waste of money.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @10:34PM
That's for me and my wife, but still, 700 each for nothing is a real scam.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @10:42PM (1 child)
Everything you described is caused by intervention into the healthcare market. More intervention is not the solution. Ending the intervention is the solution.
(Score: 2, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday February 07 2019, @10:54PM
And if you believe that I've got a fancy new stent for sale to help bridge that cholesterol blockage before you die!