Funny thing is , during his off the rails speech in Pennsylvania the other day , in the ‘shithole countries’ segment , he said that the only thing Somalis were good at was hijacking boats.
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I’m wondering if Switzerland and Norway will make steps to join the EU to counter some of this?
Canada is also quite divided, we are just lucky now that the US can’t pick one target and stick with it.
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Doubt that will happen (I think our Swiss and Norwegian posters would probably agree), nor would it change that much in regards to what we’re talking about.
Also, not everything has to be done within EU (as an organisation) realms.
I think too often people use EU as a short-hand for everything Europe.
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I just think as a bloc, trading and defence negotiations will be in stronger position. The UK had to renegotiate bad deals for themselves after leaving the EU, for example.
From my time in Basel, half of my Swiss friends won’t want to join the EU, and the other half will - much like Brexit, but my circles tend to be very liberal. My point is that it’s a new world order and even the blind can see it now, so who knows. Québécois gave Canada a new Liberal PM wasn’t on before Trump the 2nd. May be the Swiss will save the EU (j/k of course)?
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Yes, but I did so on purpose today (because I am really not only speaking about the union per see, but the continent, certainly at least EFTA countries and the UK). But I otherwise agree with you, many use the terms wrong and for sure, many of the problems must be solved on state levels.
States rights. Don’t Tread on Me.
[Insert other dishonest, meaningless bullshit slogan the right has ever used to justify their awfulness on any given position]
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Yeah, they are all going in pretty hard
https://x.com/RonFilipkowski/status/1999201783860564468
The Times are Vulgar these days
https://x.com/Tatarigami_UA/status/1998986477553045854
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So wait…it’s not dirty when Texas does it FOR Trump’s benefit but it’s dirty when Indiana does it to Trump’s detriment.
New definition of “dirty”
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Remember though, the standard GOP argument is that Obama was so mean to Romney (someone who stuck his feet in the birtherism waters but didnt have the heart for it) that it necessitated them turning to someone like Trump
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It isn’t even Indiana doing it to Trump’s detriment. Indiana is hardly a bastion of progressive politics. They are simply refusing to gerrymander their electoral map to create an even larger GOP advantage than that which is already there.
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I wish health insurance plans were capped at $14k!
I just bought health insurance for 2026 and the family plan I purchased - a middling silver plan for a family of four, with a $12,600 deductible - which will be the amount we pay on top of the premiums as we go - will cost me $2,225 in insurance premiums per month!
I just paid for January as you have to pay a month in advance.
The sooner America switches to a single payer system, in the style of the NHS, the better.
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Exactly. I live here and know a couple of the state politicians. Indiana is mostly a red state, but there is a sense among the majority of people here that to redraw the map is foul play. Most people I know, red or blue, don’t want it, and that stance seems fairly healthy and above party politics.
Hence Trump and Vance are intervening.
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So , all in all , it could cost you nearly 40k , is that right ?
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The jump from individual plans to family plays are outrageous, both in deductibles and premiums. Mrs Limie works for herself so has been on pretty crappy plans from the ACA marketplace the last few years, so at my last job we were really happy to see they offered family plans for unmarried couples. The numbers just didnt make sense though. Even with the company subsidies you get from employer based coverage our combined cost when going through the company for us as a couple was WAY higher than if we got it separately.
It is so much better than it used to be, but it is still so incredibly broken a system.
These clowns. I guess when you dont know any actual law, its impossible to tell if you have a terrible case
https://x.com/kylegriffin1/status/1999212678074532027?s=20
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Yes, that is right.
My premiums are $2,225 per month = $26,700
The deductible is $12,600 per annum.
For the uninitiated, the deductible is the part I pay every time I access health care. See a doctor? It comes with a co-pay of x dollars. See a specialist? Even more. Visit the Emergency room? Even more. Stay in the hospital overnight? Even more. Etc.
The plan I have comes with an annual maximum out of pocket expense of $16,800 - which is on top of the monthly premiums.
In 2025, because I had a stay in the hospital, and because my son is diabetes type 1 and that comes with a certain level of medical care, we easily hit our maximum out of pocket expense as a family. If the same or similar happens in 2026, we will be paying over $43k for health care.
To my mind I don’t really know why there isn’t massive civil unrest in the country, just over health care. It is far too expensive.
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But think of the tax benefit!
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The Indiana Senate just defeated redistricting, voting 31-19 against House Bill 1032.
Well done Indiana!
21 Senate Republicans voted against the bill
19 Senate Republicans voted for the bill
All 10 Senate Democrats voted against the bill
Even with all the pressure from Trump and Vance, 21 State Republicans stood strong.
Lots is wrong in America, obviously, but this is a good thing, hot off the press, as the vote just happened.
Trump’s ire will now be directed at Indiana for going against his will. Federal funding is going to get whacked. My hope is it will help more Republicans veer away from him, as he is a transactional, mafiosa type of leader, horrible in any number of ways, and even Republicans should not be doing business with him.
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