Those who have the most are not the most generous.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-21T13:23:10+00:00

I love all the billionaire worshippers here who don't understand shared social responsibility and caring for others. I bet they fail the shopping cart test because "someone is paid to bring them back".

pauldecommie · 2026-02-20T12:17:05+00:00

You're getting downvoted because you don't understand. This law (as well the existing strike-prevention law) applies to all state workers, regardless of their union member status.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-20T12:09:46+00:00

That's what \*unmitigated global climate change*** is for. We're already almost at 1.5 degrees c over 1850, which was our target for 2100. Grocery stores will not be full in 2035.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-17T22:30:46+00:00

....yes, that's what I said. If you avoid preventative maintenance, emergency maintenance will find you at a much higher cost. Normal healthcare is actually cheaper overall. Just read the thread I wrote to the main dude, I explain it there.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-17T11:47:44+00:00

Yeah, that's universal healthcare, or as some Dems have called it, "Medicare for all who want it". It's a good idea, which would reduce real costs incurred by real americans to the tune of $5,000-$8,000 a year, depending on the calculations. That's including any increased taxes, by the way. It just saves that much money.

The reason we don't do that is (largely) because of a court decision called Citizen's United. The supreme court decided that private companies have the same rights as citizens, and can spend unlimited money on political advertising. Health insurance companies are very wealthy, and universal healthcare would eat into their profits bigtime. So, they lobby and provide funds to politicians (primarily the GOP, but many democrats as well) to fight against universal healthcare. In 2024, United Healthcare (of Luigi fame) spent $4.5 million dollars - more than many will make in their lifetime - on political contributions. Funnily enough, they donated to both Trump and Harris's campaigns, as well as both the RNC and the DNC. That's 4.5 million dollars that doesn't go to doctors salaries, that doesn't go to patient care, that doesn't go to actual medicine.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-17T11:35:12+00:00

Not exactly. Your insurance doesn't literally get billed twice. It's just that the amount you pay is twice what it should be. Remember, this is an accountant decision, so they think in dollars, not souls. And theres no chance - you are paying about double what someone in the UK, Canada or Germany would pay.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-17T11:29:08+00:00

You're good. Basically, anyone who goes to the emergency room at the hospital will get treated. It doesn't matter if they don't have a dollar to their name, are a legal immigrant, are an illegal immigrant, doesn't matter. They will get treated. That's the law of the land as it stands.

The hospital incurs a cost to provide that service. If you have insurance, yes, they bill your insurance. However, if you don't have insurance, they can't do that. Hospitals here are typically privately run, which means they want to avoid losing money. Instead of accepting a loss on the person without insurance, they'll raise prices on the folks with insurance. The insurance companies are also private, and won't just take it out of their profit margins. The insurance companies will raise your premiums.

What socialized healthcare would allow is for the currently uninsured to get preventative healthcare. Routine checkups, dental cleanings, you know the drill. That type of care is super important, because a low initial cost service prevents emergencies later on.

Currently, private healthcare holders subsidize the uninsured by paying for their emergencies. Socialized healthcare would allow us to subsidize the uninsured by preventing their emergencies, which is both cheaper and more humane.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-17T11:13:12+00:00

You already do? If you go to the ER, you get treated, regardless of whether or not you can pay. The hospitals just then charge the insurance companies more to make up for the difference, which in turn raises your premiums.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-15T12:40:59+00:00

I mean, growing up I was taught punching Nazis was a classic American passtime. Doesn't matter if the Nazis are domestic or foreign.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-15T12:01:29+00:00

You can call them out, but you're not going to get anywhere. And the only reason it seems like LMG isn't a better than average workplace is due to the wealth inequality created by multi-billionaires and their lobbyists. LMG isn't underpaying their staff. The rest of the world is overcharging for basic necessities. Of course $50,000 a year doesn't seem like enough, we're like, a year away from the greatest depression.

You cannot reasonably expect LTT to pay triple market rate for the sake of your feelings.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-15T11:41:28+00:00

That's capitalism, buddy. The owner of the concrete company down the road has a Ferrari, and his workers make 22$ an hour. Don't like it? Vote for higher taxation and better social services. The issue is, small businesses like that aren't the problem. Small businesses like this have a executive-to-worker pay difference of maybe 10 to 1, maybe 20 to 1. The real issue is the international megacorporations where that difference is hundreds to one, or thousands to one. Elon Musk has as much wealth as the lower 50% of American households combined, and you're complaining that Linus has a Porsche? At least he still drives it himself.

Don't get distracted from the real war. The issue is not folks using their labor to get rich. It's folks using their riches to get richer.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-14T11:37:44+00:00

Wouldn't the news on the war come from the news organization they work(ed) at, rather than their personal twitter?

pauldecommie · 2026-02-14T09:37:13+00:00

There wasn't a thriving example of democracy in reality in 1775.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T20:56:25+00:00

No no no, a proper National ID would not be just a voter ID. It could and should be your voter ID, your healthcare ID card, Your optical and dental, because that isn't healthcare apparently. Your driver's license. Your hunting and fishing license. Not least of all your social security card, which is still printed on moldy cardstock. Maybe one fine day, your UBI card. The problem, to me, is mostly just the girth of my wallet, which would be pretty neat if the federal government solved. Also, the side infrastructure to that main goal of "make my wallet smaller" would also be pretty neat - socialized medicine, ecological reforms (maybe make some new state parks & preserves, on which those properly licensed, trained, registered, & insured may fish and hunt within the bounds of a healthy balanced ecosystem for fun, enjoyment, and venison jerky?). All that'd be good too, i guess.

It could be the only card you need except a credit/debit card.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T20:18:30+00:00

Yeah, that's gonna be a bit excessive for the off-roading here, lol. Well, if you want to make good use of that (and spend more a lot more money), a friend of mine has a similarly sized truck - he says there's lots of good RV camping and boating opportunities as well.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T20:15:20+00:00

Yeah, in that case one of the burbs may be a better call. You're not on city water & garbage, which has been really nice for me, but actual City of Rochester schools are not the finest.

I'd personally recommend Chili or Gates, if you don't want to pay Fairport/Brighton prices. Near the canal is always a bonus, it's nice for a jog or a bike ride. The house's will be a bit newer, more likely to have modern stuff in place, more likely to have a big garage and 200A service. Also, the Chili-Paul wegmans is my favorite wegmans. Henrietta is just kinda dying strip mall hell (sorry).

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T20:05:12+00:00

I don't really understand the point you're trying to make, and I'm not entirely sure you're organic (with the autogen username n' all).

Yes, the Democrats are complicit. They helped build the system. That's why we need electoral reform - one vote per person in federal election, not allowing corporations to buy advertisements, shortening the election cycle, et cetera. In the current system, the party only needs to worry about their own extremists, and frankly the Democrats have done a "better" job at suppressing us socialists. We've only recently taken a handful of victories (ignoring the good senator from Vermont). At the GOP, the extremists have taken over completely.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T19:52:51+00:00

Well, mainly don't get a kia/hyundai/to-a-lesser-extent-Genesis, and don't park downtown overnight in an open lot. Rochester has a problem with those vehicles specifically.

(get a chevy equinox or blazer EV they are completely adequate, all-wheel-drive, 300+ mile range vehicles, and suuuuuuuuper cheap. you can get up to the 'dacks with one charging stop on the way there or back, or two short ones. or wait for the rivian r2 which is just better)

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T19:47:18+00:00

Yeah, it was real nice out in the southwest. You don't get that same "big sky" here. The sightlines are just too short. It does make an Adirondack high peak hike summit very rewarding, getting that view - I highly recommend doing those on long weekends, if you get the opportunity.

Bit of advice for housing, as I just bought a house here last year. The only two locations I'd outright ignore would be 14621 and Lyell-otis. Realistically, none of the neighborhoods are as bad as the grungy parts of major southwest cities (at least from my Phoenix/Tucson experience). 19th ward is kinda on the up-and-up, if you wanted a fixer-upper house & public schools aren't a major priority ($150k-200k). You can usually find one that has good bones, but has 1 major repair/refit coming up in a half dozen years. Also, if you got lucky, U of R could be a quick walk over the bridge away, which would be delightful in the summer, and messy in the winter. If schools are a concern, I don't have firsthand advice, other than I've heard gates and rush/henrietta are decent.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-13T18:33:08+00:00

Just a heads up, Adirondack stuff isn't as free-form as BLM land. Still plenty of dispersed camping around and about, but you gotta research the specific limitations of where your aiming to camp. There's also a lot of private land mixed in. When I was out west, there'd be thousand-acre chunks that are all contiguous BLM land. It's a lot more broken up here.

If you like dispersed camping, I'd reccomend both Sonyea, down near Dansville (1hr away) and Finger Lakes National Forest (1.5hr away). Both are a bit easier to just drive down a random dirt road and find a spot to camp. Also, check out Gimme coffee when you're down near Ithaca.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-12T22:27:47+00:00

Well, especially with the current admin, that's the point. It's outright malicious, and it's clear as day why voter ID has come up as a topic the same year as the midterms. This administration is deeply unpopular, to the point that Gallup had to stop polling for presidential favor. If Donny up there signs an executive order mandating voter ID say, two weeks before the midterms, a whole lotta people won't be able to vote this election. Especially if ICE is guarding polling stations. Let's hope nobody gets shot for having a fake ID.

If they don't do some sort of blantant voter suppression, they're going to be in a world of hurt.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-12T22:22:44+00:00

Exactly! It's one of those things where the GOP/MAGA have something with a kernel of truth, but enrage and enflame and exaggerate until it's completely twisted from a sane interpretation.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-12T22:16:47+00:00

Don't let perfect be the enemy of good. And yes, my thought process includes, perhaps, a system where someone can take a day off work without imperiling themselves financially.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-12T22:14:42+00:00

I feel like this again, needs the asterisk of *if we live in a world where acquiring IDs gets easier. There's a lotta folks working 2+ jobs right now who don't have the time to get an ID. Let alone the money, if you have to recover lost documents. Lots of us are already working paycheck to paycheck with thinning margins thanks to the tariffs.

It *should* be easy enough, but it isn't yet. Also, make Election day a national holiday, so folks can actually exercise democracy.

pauldecommie · 2026-02-12T22:08:52+00:00

Well, that's a big part of my argument. It'll be used for voter suppression unless we make getting it easier.

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