The post-Dobbs outlook hasn’t just affected the care people can receive, it’s also changed where physicians choose to work, especially if they’re in states where they can be criminally prosecuted for performing abortions. This will undoubtedly also trickle down to whether many medical students will choose against entering the field of women's reproductive healthcare. This does not only relate to abortion healthcare, but it will encompass women's healthcare overall, including maternal healthcare.
"Abortion restrictions, combined with the challenges of practicing in rural areas, threaten to expand so-called 'maternal care deserts,' said Dr. Amy Domeyer-Klenske, who chairs the Wisconsin section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists."
How is it that anti-abortion activists have such an intense lack of understanding of the disasters they are creating in that they dare to label themselves as "pro-life"?
It is not really about abortion, it is about power and control. They want ways to keep the population frightened and cowed so that they ran exploit the population, take all the money for themselves, and float off in their big yachts while four states go under water, and six more get consumed by wild fires. The MAGA Party is another word of sociopaths and cruelty.
Because they are so silo'd into their single issue obsession, that they simply do not care what other mayhem is set loose as a result. Unless and until it affects a loved one. And even then, it might be "Oh, well.....God's Will". Sickening.
My biggest takeaway from all of this is how little people know or understand about pregnancy. There is always a cute baby with a hair bow. No one discusses the risks to mother and child, the unintended consequences of unintended pregnancies, the emotional and economic impact on families and society. I never learned about any of this when I was young and I never thought to ask. The more women and children die from lack of appropriate healthcare, the clearer this will become. But that increased awareness will not bring back the dead.
You're absolutely tight. Even here in Southern California it's difficult to find a gynecologist. I can't imagine what it would be like if an abortion ban were passed.
I've said it before: If the anti-choice folks really wanted to reduce abortions, they would be pounding the pavement, armed with contraceptives and beg and plead with all women of childbearing age that they encounter to accept and use these products. Yet they refuse to lift a finger to promote contraception and in fact want to outlaw it. This is the ultimate form of hypocrisy!
Trump writes Biden's advertising every day. Just repeat snippets of his most recent screeds. Within a 7-10 day period, he has a very good chance of alienating almost every demographic. The crazy talk just needs to be curated and re-broadcast to the right target audiences. That's the key. Spend a great deal of the campaign money buying air time on the critical and turnable state like Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and, I wish, Florida, Ohio, and Michigan.
There was an election recently (yesterday?) in upstate NY. It was a blue district, and predictions were that the Dem would win by 9 points. He won by 36.
Thank you for this news, Barrytre, and Coleen. I did a mere 20 'postcards to voters' for Kennedy and wondered what difference it could make. Thank heavens for all the others who contributed more extensively of their time and attention to this effort. And, I need to remember that seemingly insignificant actions can be part of something far greater than we may know.
Trump's Gilead. It's drawing closer. I think Gov DeSantis and his hard right colleagues will find, over time, that they have taken the first steps in a twofer: ruining the University of Florida system, and threatening the economy. They have taken a foundational step for women to reconsider the wisdom of living in Florida: Florida's heretofore remarkable population and economic growth strikes me as having been put fundamentally (no pun intended) at risk. After all, will not what they have passed have a huge and adverse impact on 18 year old girls? Would a smart girl from the Northeast or the Midwest or the Far West want to risk her own life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness just to attend college where there are palm trees?
Yes, and may I say, just incidentally, that I have never understood the big deal. They provide no shade, they accumulate ugly, fire-prone dead fronds, and they're not very attractive. I say this as a native Angeleno. I could easily do without them.
I'm not sure that I understand either, but it seems to work for a lot of people. Some of them used to produce dates, but I have no idea if they still do.
Would a smart girl from the Northeast or the Midwest or the Far West want to risk her own life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness just to participate in the festivities of Spring Break under those palm trees? With so much statewide animus directed at women and girls, why would ANY sane female visit there, much less live there?
The ruination of the University of Florida system will drag down the support systems for those universities - the attendant shopping, dining, housing and other aspects of living in a university community. Who wants to opt for four years of expensive misery? Not smart kids, I would guess.
David, I have no hard evidence to back this up, but I think Trump's "under-performance" vs. most of the pre-primary polls is due to GOP women giving lip-service to supporting Trump in public but voting against him in the privacy of the voting booth.
I just hope it carries through to November. I think it will IF we all do the hard work of informing people of the consequences of another Trump administration.
Your opening statement that"Republicans, the media, and the pollsters are underestimating the alarm and urgency that a strong majority of Americans feel about the GOP assault on reproductive freedom" is spot-on. Pundits in Ohio did not feel the sense of urgency Ohioans felt for our special election in 2023 which was a referendum on women's healthcare and reproductive rights and the measure passed with an overwhelming majority. Even with the confusing language Republican lawmakers inserted into this bill where"Yes" was actually"No", voters here were energized and came out to vote in staggering numbers and therein lies the theme that I predict is going to happen in 2024.I am guardedly optimistic that women and those who care for them are going to speak very loudly on this ongoing assault on female bodily autonomy.If women's reproductive liberty and healthcare can win in ruby red Ohio, it can win anywhere.
"Even with the confusing language Republican lawmakers inserted into this bill where"Yes" was actually"No", voters here were energized and came out to vote in staggering numbers..."
Frank LaRose did his darnedest to muddy the waters, but all the phone banks and postcard campaigns into OH and door-knocking on the ground in OH did the job to combat the GOP's best efforts! I know I wrote a boat-load of postcards for both the August and Nov. elections.
✍️Postcards to Swing States has begun sign-ups for their postcard program. They provide FREE postcards with beautiful designs! Key states include many with abortion bans including: FL, AZ, TX, NC +++
Hi Kathy, I just got my postcards for NC. Really eyecatching postcards with the choice of 3 short, non-partisan GOTV messages. Our local Indivisible chapter along with the county Dem groups are all publicizing this effort.
I just need to complete a stack of postcards for the NC House candidate running to replace the turncoat who flipped for (D) to (R) and gave the GOP the veto-proof supermajority that allowed them to push the abortion ban through.
1. Harris was in Florida because the abusive abortion law just went into effect. It was all over the local news...except for the Miami Herald, Spanish language El Herald and las noticias.
2. In honor of the event, FB6, Fadems and other groups sent 100,000 texts to nonregistered Floridians re abortion. FT 6 has added Florida to its targeted states. Besides abortion, marijuana is on the ballot. https://www.fieldteam6.org/
3. Robert, I sent you an email that bounces, that lays out the history of the SSI program.
RE: The Inflation Reduction Act and Medicare Part D
I am one of the millions of Medicare folks who are and will be saving tens of thousands of dollars each because of one of the features in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that enabled Medicare to negotiate prescription costs, placed caps on yearly out-of-pocket expenses and limited the amount that insurance premiums can be raised. Not hyperbole, as JB would say.
I'll share my actual numbers, if you're interested. For 2024 the cost for my prescription would have been $14,134.83 / month (Pfizer's list price charge) - $169,617.96 / year. With my Part D insurance coverage and the negotiated adjustment, my out-of-pocket costs went to $3,324.98 / month - $39,399.76 / year. It's now $0 (!!!) from April on, with my $545 deductible met and the Part D catastrophic cap being satisfied. Not just for that drug, but also for two additional prescriptions that have been added to my list.
After the insulin cost containment was implemented, ten additional high-cost drugs were added to the negotiation lists to take effect in 2023 and 2024. It's scheduled to continue that way each year until 2027.
Also, "CBO estimates that the drug pricing provisions in the law will reduce the federal deficit by $237 billion over 10 years (2022-2031)" kff.org
I genuinely fear what will happen if Biden and the Dems lose control of this. If a person on Medicare who is (or might someday be) dealing with any number of serious medical issues requiring this level of pharmaceuticals has no other reason to support the re-election of the Biden administration, what has been accomplished through just this piece of the Inflation Reduction Act alone should have earned their vote.
Pass the word. I've been amazed how few people are aware of this.
Wow, Angela ! Thank you, I will be sharing your story.📣
I will be eligible for Medicare next month.🤸♂️ I have an expensive, high-deductible plan.This year, because the Inflation Reduction Act mandated I not pay over a certain % of my income for my premium, I received a subsidy that reduced my premium to my COBRA level of four years ago.Truly inflation-reducing. Thank you ,Team Biden !!💙
I am going to share your post with my friends on FB, if you don't mind. This is very helpful (and personal) information that will reach a number of folks who deal with costly medical issues.
"When pundits are forced to explain why they were wrong in their predictions about the 2024 elections" I like this sentence. Besides the anger, they are underestimating the firehose volume of grassroots energy that is now being funnelled into these important races.
The late, great Harry Nilsson, on his album, "The Point", sang a little ditty "Won't you please send me a lifeline". Every word that comes out of Donald Trump's mouth is a lifeline for Joe Biden, who actually is not in need of any. He is doing his own work, and then some, with Kamala Harris, the new Harry Truman, poised and ready to take charge, should time and tide not wait for Mr. Biden. As of now, though, I can see Joseph Robinette Biden reaching the age of 86, in fine fettle.
Today’s Edition is loaded with comments and platform statements made by Trump that should alarm every American voter. What Trump stated was well covered by the media but what was missing was the connection to average voters and what it means to the day in the life of an average citizen. Recent polls have indicated that when presented with factual information about his platform and comments voters are less likely to vote for him. The example mentioned about how to talk to people regarding Biden and Gaza is an example
of what we all need to do in our own small way to get the messages out. Letters to the editors of your local paper is one of many things you can do to. We need to keep pushing the facts about the Republican platform.
I would recommend two PoliticsGirl shows talking about Project 2025 and Agenda 47. Even if you think it is too much to forward to others, it is good background for educating us hyper-engaged voters to have better ammunition.
Thanks for providing Nadler’s reaction to this absurd antisemitism bill that passed the House. Our side needs to THINK about how it will react to politically inspired attempts to divide us. Instead we’re panicked into passing some ridiculous garbage concocted by the likes of Elise Stefanie. As a Jew, I do not accept being lectured about anti-semitism by the likes of Donald Trump and Stefanik and the rest of the GOP who have been making a living off it for years! Shame on us for folding so quickly. This goes way beyond clearing campus encampments in support of Gaza.
My only hope here is that some other story drowns this out. And I suppose that this is their response to our side’s pounding wedges into their coalition over abortion. Still, as ever, I want to see Dems showing more backbone.
The post-Dobbs outlook hasn’t just affected the care people can receive, it’s also changed where physicians choose to work, especially if they’re in states where they can be criminally prosecuted for performing abortions. This will undoubtedly also trickle down to whether many medical students will choose against entering the field of women's reproductive healthcare. This does not only relate to abortion healthcare, but it will encompass women's healthcare overall, including maternal healthcare.
"Abortion restrictions, combined with the challenges of practicing in rural areas, threaten to expand so-called 'maternal care deserts,' said Dr. Amy Domeyer-Klenske, who chairs the Wisconsin section of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists."
How is it that anti-abortion activists have such an intense lack of understanding of the disasters they are creating in that they dare to label themselves as "pro-life"?
https://apnews.com/article/dobbs-anniversary-roe-v-wade-abortion-obgyn-699263284cced4bd421bc83207678816
Every male needs to see forced birth as their issue as well. It should be obvious why.
Few pregnancies did not include a male. Every father needs to care about the health and rights of his sons and daughters.
No one ought to insist that unwanted babies be forced to be born.
In the old days there was much talk about paternity suits. Are men, today, being required to take responsibility for childbirths they caused?
It is not really about abortion, it is about power and control. They want ways to keep the population frightened and cowed so that they ran exploit the population, take all the money for themselves, and float off in their big yachts while four states go under water, and six more get consumed by wild fires. The MAGA Party is another word of sociopaths and cruelty.
It is the abject cruelty of MAGA that gags me the most.
Because they are so silo'd into their single issue obsession, that they simply do not care what other mayhem is set loose as a result. Unless and until it affects a loved one. And even then, it might be "Oh, well.....God's Will". Sickening.
My biggest takeaway from all of this is how little people know or understand about pregnancy. There is always a cute baby with a hair bow. No one discusses the risks to mother and child, the unintended consequences of unintended pregnancies, the emotional and economic impact on families and society. I never learned about any of this when I was young and I never thought to ask. The more women and children die from lack of appropriate healthcare, the clearer this will become. But that increased awareness will not bring back the dead.
You're absolutely tight. Even here in Southern California it's difficult to find a gynecologist. I can't imagine what it would be like if an abortion ban were passed.
Thank you for that link . I wish everyone in America could read it.
I've said it before: If the anti-choice folks really wanted to reduce abortions, they would be pounding the pavement, armed with contraceptives and beg and plead with all women of childbearing age that they encounter to accept and use these products. Yet they refuse to lift a finger to promote contraception and in fact want to outlaw it. This is the ultimate form of hypocrisy!
Trump writes Biden's advertising every day. Just repeat snippets of his most recent screeds. Within a 7-10 day period, he has a very good chance of alienating almost every demographic. The crazy talk just needs to be curated and re-broadcast to the right target audiences. That's the key. Spend a great deal of the campaign money buying air time on the critical and turnable state like Arizona, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and, I wish, Florida, Ohio, and Michigan.
There was an election recently (yesterday?) in upstate NY. It was a blue district, and predictions were that the Dem would win by 9 points. He won by 36.
Tim Kennedy NY26 Buffalo 💙
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/04/30/tim-kennedy-wins-special-election-00155271
Thank you for this news, Barrytre, and Coleen. I did a mere 20 'postcards to voters' for Kennedy and wondered what difference it could make. Thank heavens for all the others who contributed more extensively of their time and attention to this effort. And, I need to remember that seemingly insignificant actions can be part of something far greater than we may know.
Trump's Gilead. It's drawing closer. I think Gov DeSantis and his hard right colleagues will find, over time, that they have taken the first steps in a twofer: ruining the University of Florida system, and threatening the economy. They have taken a foundational step for women to reconsider the wisdom of living in Florida: Florida's heretofore remarkable population and economic growth strikes me as having been put fundamentally (no pun intended) at risk. After all, will not what they have passed have a huge and adverse impact on 18 year old girls? Would a smart girl from the Northeast or the Midwest or the Far West want to risk her own life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness just to attend college where there are palm trees?
There are palm trees in Southern California too.
...they'll be in VT soon if we don't take climate issues more seriously!
That's the truth, and it's even money whether or not the powers that want to be will do anything.
Yes, and may I say, just incidentally, that I have never understood the big deal. They provide no shade, they accumulate ugly, fire-prone dead fronds, and they're not very attractive. I say this as a native Angeleno. I could easily do without them.
I'm not sure that I understand either, but it seems to work for a lot of people. Some of them used to produce dates, but I have no idea if they still do.
There are certain varieties that do produce fruit. I don't see them too often though.
Would a smart girl from the Northeast or the Midwest or the Far West want to risk her own life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness just to participate in the festivities of Spring Break under those palm trees? With so much statewide animus directed at women and girls, why would ANY sane female visit there, much less live there?
The ruination of the University of Florida system will drag down the support systems for those universities - the attendant shopping, dining, housing and other aspects of living in a university community. Who wants to opt for four years of expensive misery? Not smart kids, I would guess.
And Moms for Liberty will keep burning books
They have ruined tourism in the state also which has a trickle-down effect to Florida’s population.
Regarding this morning's HCR,
"Now, one out of three American women of childbearing age lives in one of the more than 20 states with abortion bans."
.
In 2020, women who voted for Trump maintained their reproductive rights.
In 2024, many women will rethink that choice and vote accordingly.
David, I have no hard evidence to back this up, but I think Trump's "under-performance" vs. most of the pre-primary polls is due to GOP women giving lip-service to supporting Trump in public but voting against him in the privacy of the voting booth.
I just hope it carries through to November. I think it will IF we all do the hard work of informing people of the consequences of another Trump administration.
Thank you, Robert, for this latest lifeline you have provided tonight. I really needed it!
“Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” who were these words written for? According to the GOP no one. Thanks Robert for your daily shot of hope!
Your opening statement that"Republicans, the media, and the pollsters are underestimating the alarm and urgency that a strong majority of Americans feel about the GOP assault on reproductive freedom" is spot-on. Pundits in Ohio did not feel the sense of urgency Ohioans felt for our special election in 2023 which was a referendum on women's healthcare and reproductive rights and the measure passed with an overwhelming majority. Even with the confusing language Republican lawmakers inserted into this bill where"Yes" was actually"No", voters here were energized and came out to vote in staggering numbers and therein lies the theme that I predict is going to happen in 2024.I am guardedly optimistic that women and those who care for them are going to speak very loudly on this ongoing assault on female bodily autonomy.If women's reproductive liberty and healthcare can win in ruby red Ohio, it can win anywhere.
"Even with the confusing language Republican lawmakers inserted into this bill where"Yes" was actually"No", voters here were energized and came out to vote in staggering numbers..."
Frank LaRose did his darnedest to muddy the waters, but all the phone banks and postcard campaigns into OH and door-knocking on the ground in OH did the job to combat the GOP's best efforts! I know I wrote a boat-load of postcards for both the August and Nov. elections.
Talking points for abortion, contraception and IVF:📣
https://project2025istheocracy.substack.com/p/how-to-talk-to-your-friends-about
✍️Postcards to Swing States has begun sign-ups for their postcard program. They provide FREE postcards with beautiful designs! Key states include many with abortion bans including: FL, AZ, TX, NC +++
https://www.turnoutpac.org/postcards/
Hi Kathy, I just got my postcards for NC. Really eyecatching postcards with the choice of 3 short, non-partisan GOTV messages. Our local Indivisible chapter along with the county Dem groups are all publicizing this effort.
I just need to complete a stack of postcards for the NC House candidate running to replace the turncoat who flipped for (D) to (R) and gave the GOP the veto-proof supermajority that allowed them to push the abortion ban through.
I just signed up with them yesterday. Looking forward to writing.
1. Harris was in Florida because the abusive abortion law just went into effect. It was all over the local news...except for the Miami Herald, Spanish language El Herald and las noticias.
2. In honor of the event, FB6, Fadems and other groups sent 100,000 texts to nonregistered Floridians re abortion. FT 6 has added Florida to its targeted states. Besides abortion, marijuana is on the ballot. https://www.fieldteam6.org/
3. Robert, I sent you an email that bounces, that lays out the history of the SSI program.
Daniel, It was in Courier Newsroom’s Floricua. 📣
https://join.floricuanews.com/6559e00a/7
Estan Boricuas en todo el ustados unidos, pero no son cubanos, venezuelanos, etc. Nos hacen faltos de todo.
RE: The Inflation Reduction Act and Medicare Part D
I am one of the millions of Medicare folks who are and will be saving tens of thousands of dollars each because of one of the features in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 that enabled Medicare to negotiate prescription costs, placed caps on yearly out-of-pocket expenses and limited the amount that insurance premiums can be raised. Not hyperbole, as JB would say.
I'll share my actual numbers, if you're interested. For 2024 the cost for my prescription would have been $14,134.83 / month (Pfizer's list price charge) - $169,617.96 / year. With my Part D insurance coverage and the negotiated adjustment, my out-of-pocket costs went to $3,324.98 / month - $39,399.76 / year. It's now $0 (!!!) from April on, with my $545 deductible met and the Part D catastrophic cap being satisfied. Not just for that drug, but also for two additional prescriptions that have been added to my list.
After the insulin cost containment was implemented, ten additional high-cost drugs were added to the negotiation lists to take effect in 2023 and 2024. It's scheduled to continue that way each year until 2027.
Also, "CBO estimates that the drug pricing provisions in the law will reduce the federal deficit by $237 billion over 10 years (2022-2031)" kff.org
I genuinely fear what will happen if Biden and the Dems lose control of this. If a person on Medicare who is (or might someday be) dealing with any number of serious medical issues requiring this level of pharmaceuticals has no other reason to support the re-election of the Biden administration, what has been accomplished through just this piece of the Inflation Reduction Act alone should have earned their vote.
Pass the word. I've been amazed how few people are aware of this.
For a more complete explanation:
https://www.kff.org/medicare/issue-brief/explaining-the-prescription-drug-provisions-in-the-inflation-reduction-act/#bullet03
and
AARP's slightly less detailed explanation:
https://www.aarp.org/politics-society/advocacy/info-2022/medicare-part-d-changes.html
Thanks for the personal information and for the links. This issue alone should be enough to drive voters to the polls to defeat Trump.
Wow, Angela ! Thank you, I will be sharing your story.📣
I will be eligible for Medicare next month.🤸♂️ I have an expensive, high-deductible plan.This year, because the Inflation Reduction Act mandated I not pay over a certain % of my income for my premium, I received a subsidy that reduced my premium to my COBRA level of four years ago.Truly inflation-reducing. Thank you ,Team Biden !!💙
I am going to share your post with my friends on FB, if you don't mind. This is very helpful (and personal) information that will reach a number of folks who deal with costly medical issues.
Just saw it on your fb page. It's fine.
Thanks!
Hi Ellen - Have you already posted it on fb? If not, I'd rather not be tagged by name. If you already posted it, oh well. Thanks.
"When pundits are forced to explain why they were wrong in their predictions about the 2024 elections" I like this sentence. Besides the anger, they are underestimating the firehose volume of grassroots energy that is now being funnelled into these important races.
The late, great Harry Nilsson, on his album, "The Point", sang a little ditty "Won't you please send me a lifeline". Every word that comes out of Donald Trump's mouth is a lifeline for Joe Biden, who actually is not in need of any. He is doing his own work, and then some, with Kamala Harris, the new Harry Truman, poised and ready to take charge, should time and tide not wait for Mr. Biden. As of now, though, I can see Joseph Robinette Biden reaching the age of 86, in fine fettle.
Today’s Edition is loaded with comments and platform statements made by Trump that should alarm every American voter. What Trump stated was well covered by the media but what was missing was the connection to average voters and what it means to the day in the life of an average citizen. Recent polls have indicated that when presented with factual information about his platform and comments voters are less likely to vote for him. The example mentioned about how to talk to people regarding Biden and Gaza is an example
of what we all need to do in our own small way to get the messages out. Letters to the editors of your local paper is one of many things you can do to. We need to keep pushing the facts about the Republican platform.
I would recommend two PoliticsGirl shows talking about Project 2025 and Agenda 47. Even if you think it is too much to forward to others, it is good background for educating us hyper-engaged voters to have better ammunition.
Project 2025: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPgeg_Jij8c&t=17s
Agenda 47: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW-NjxL5oUw&t=5s
Bringing strong knowledge of the US constitution - including reproductive rights - John Barrow is greatly needed on the GA Supreme Court.
Laura, I just mailed a few postcards for this campaign for FT6
Thanks for providing Nadler’s reaction to this absurd antisemitism bill that passed the House. Our side needs to THINK about how it will react to politically inspired attempts to divide us. Instead we’re panicked into passing some ridiculous garbage concocted by the likes of Elise Stefanie. As a Jew, I do not accept being lectured about anti-semitism by the likes of Donald Trump and Stefanik and the rest of the GOP who have been making a living off it for years! Shame on us for folding so quickly. This goes way beyond clearing campus encampments in support of Gaza.
My only hope here is that some other story drowns this out. And I suppose that this is their response to our side’s pounding wedges into their coalition over abortion. Still, as ever, I want to see Dems showing more backbone.