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[-] disguy_ovahea@lemmy.world 122 points 5 months ago

This happened two years ago. They needed to win with a 60 vote margin. It didn’t pass.

https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/house-insulin-prices/

[-] Dempf@lemmy.zip 12 points 5 months ago

The bill didn't need to pass with a 60 vote margin. The House is simple majority, and it passed the house. It's a little murky to me what happened next, but it seems like the Democrats were arguing that it could be treated as budget reconciliation in the Senate, only needing simple majority. However, the parliamentarian said it's not budget reconciliation, and so it would have needed 60 votes total in the Senate to get past the filibuster, which it didn't have.

Then, strangely, the Senate amended the entire title and text of the bill and turned it into a general appropriations bill, which passed both houses and became law, but with the entire original text of the bill struck.

Maybe someone a little more familiar than me with the machinations of government can fill in some of the gaps of what exactly happened and why. My point is, you're right that it didn't pass, but neither house of Congress requires a 60 vote margin. The Senate requires 60 votes total for a bill to be filibuster proof.

[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 9 points 5 months ago

The Senate has a de facto requirement for a 60 vote margin because Republicans will, without fail, use the filibuster to block any bill that doesn't sufficiently own the libs. (I was gonna say any bill they don't like, but they'll even block their own bills if Democrats decide to support it.)

[-] Hugh_Jeggs@lemm.ee 112 points 5 months ago

"This is corruption"

"This is lobbying"

No, it's FUCKING EVIL

Those people are evil enough to put money ahead of the health of other humans

And if you stand by and watch people doing evil things and just say "Well, it's lobbying" you're a wretched coward

[-] rambling_lunatic@sh.itjust.works 18 points 5 months ago

It's all of the above, comrade

[-] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 6 points 5 months ago

It's worse. They put money above the life of other humans. Type 1 diabetics literally cannot live without insulin.... Not for very long at least (days at most).

And it's not a nice death either. Anyone who has seen, first hand, the effects of diabetic ketoacidosis, can confirm.

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[-] Timii@biglemmowski.win 83 points 5 months ago

Republicans Republicans is triggering my paranoia and OCD

[-] Skua@kbin.earth 25 points 5 months ago

It's like one of those things that goes:

I bet that you're not reading this very carefully. You almost certainly won't even notice the the mistake in it at first.

Except they fucked up where to put the line break

[-] Karyoplasma@discuss.tchncs.de 14 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

That's called chunking. Basically, you don't read every word in a sentence you just process units, or chunks, that you are familiar with, in this case "the mistake". The first the is in a different chunk than the one right next to "mistake" and since that chunk is not restricting or altering proper resolution (based on your expectation), it gets scrapped at the end of processing the text.

Another culminating factor that makes it hard to spot the duplicate has something to do with eyesight. Essentially, our eyes have 2 modi: fixation and sacchades. Fixation is the standard modus and the optical nerve sends the stimuli to the brain uninterruptedly. Since the duplicates are at the end and the beginning of the next line, you have to move your eyes a longer distance to keep reading; you are performing a so-called sacchade. In order to prevent blurry sight and nausea stemming thereof when you move your eyes to another focal point (same principle like a blurry image from moving a camera while taking a picture), the optical nerve stops sending pictures to the brain during the movement. Upon reaching your new focal point, the brain backfills your memory of the travel time with the first picture it receives from the new position. This masking is called chronostasis because a very noticeable occurrence of this is that the time seems to stop for a brief moment when looking at a clock and the first second feels way longer than the following ones.

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[-] BossDj@lemm.ee 61 points 5 months ago

Republicans

"The government shouldn't control anything"

"The government needs to ban abortion people tho"

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[-] carl_dungeon@lemmy.world 41 points 5 months ago

Republicans are the fucking worst, prove me wrong

[-] DogPeePoo@lemm.ee 22 points 5 months ago

They want everyone poor and pregnant

[-] Clinicallydepressedpoochie@lemmy.world 28 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Vance says, "how can you trust people without kids. They aren't invested in americas future."

Mother fucker, my dad will vote for that ticket and I'm telling you he does not give a shit about me or america.

I have to live here with all you evil assholes. Why would I want to bring a kid into this?

[-] DogPeePoo@lemm.ee 21 points 5 months ago

We have sitting members of Congress who raped and sex trafficked children. The Supreme Court is bought and paid for.

America is no longer viewed as a respectable nation, just a big bully corporate oligarchy infiltrated by Russian money.

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[-] some_guy@lemmy.sdf.org 28 points 5 months ago

Repubs convincing working-class people that they're on their side is the biggest con of my lifetime. I don't know how they managed that, but it's insanely wrong. Wait, now I remember. It's all about hating the same people. That's all that matters.

[-] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 28 points 5 months ago

I'm a school bus driver and we're unionized (Teamsters) yet most of my co-workers are Trump supporters. We even have a few lesbians and they're still trumpers. You're right: the one thing they have in common is that they all really hate black people.

[-] niktemadur@lemmy.world 27 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I'm going to vote for the party that actively seems to want me and my family to suffer, because that's what mAkEs 'MuRiCa GrAtE aGiN!

Or,

I'm going to not vote and let in the party that actively seems to want me and my family to suffer, because... bOtH pArTiEs ArE tHe SaMe... LoL?

Two flip sides of the same political weak minds, both subjugated by abusive right-wing propaganda.

[-] UnderpantsWeevil@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

Democrats in 2008: "If you vote for us, we'll cap the price of Insulin at $35/mo"

Democrats in 2018: "No, for real, this time we're going to do it."

Democrats in 2024: "Its happening, we promise. We just need a majority in Congress."

Democrats in 2032: "Do you want $35/mo insulin or not? Then JUST VOTE!"

Listen, I get it. Trump's a fascist and he's going to shit all over the country if he wins this year. But can we stop it with the Lucy-and-the-Football shit, where we all pretend neoliberals are going to do literally anything that undermines profits for the pharmaceutical industry? Ya'll needed the Bush Administration to get Medicare Plan D because the Clintonites fumbled the bag so badly. Obama endorsed legislation delivering bigger cuts to Medicare and Social Security than his GOP counterparts ffs. Democrats in the House Majority deliberately fought to keep Eli Lilly as an exclusive provider of insulin back in 2014.

This isn't the party of universal health care. It isn't even the party of cheaper health care.

[-] lolcatnip@reddthat.com 13 points 5 months ago

Do you not remember the clusterfuck that led to the Affordable Care Act? It was most certainly the best they could do at the time, and because the vote margin was so razor thin and Republicans were all in on stopping it, it had to be watered down a lot to appease one asshat on the Democratic side: Joe Lieberman. 95% of the Democrats were trying to pass a bill that would have, among many other things, made insulin much easier to get, but they were derailed by one traitor and every single Republican. What exactly is the logic of blaming Democrats for that?

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[-] Lightor@lemmy.world 7 points 5 months ago

It's sure as shit the party of protecting health rights and at least proposing these things. I'll take that over the alternative.

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[-] lobut@lemmy.ca 25 points 5 months ago

It's an older story but it's important to bring up though because there's a lot of "Do nothing democrat" BS that's coming up repeatedly.

[-] MystikIncarnate@lemmy.ca 22 points 5 months ago

I can already hear the arguments ringing in my head. This is a matter that is near and dear to my heart. As a disclaimer, I'm Canadian, if the USA doesn't want cheap insulin, I can't really do anything to stop that.

With all that being said, I have a family member who is a type 1 diabetic. I have experienced the following, ignorant, argument from enough people that I'm pretty sure those that voted against this, at least in part, believe. Diabetes is a self inflicted condition that you can cure with proper diet and exercise. While that argument could be true for some portion of type 2 diabetes, it is wholly untrue for T1D. I won't speculate on how many people are in that scenario with type 2, so I'll focus on my main argument.

Type 1 diabetes, sometimes also referred to as juvenile diabetes, isn't exclusive to young people. It's diagnosed young, which gives it the "juvenile" title. Type 2 is generally a problem that comes with age (and sometimes obesity), so it's referred to as "adult" diabetes. I'll point out these "titles" only apply to when you are likely to be diagnosed with it and have nothing to do with how long you'll have it. Type 1 is typically caused by the pancreas being unable to function. Sometimes there's a little function, but in general, it's an issue with the pancreas itself, which will not heal. The cause of the dysfunction is varied and not relevant to the point, but genetics, disease, injury, etc, can all play a role in it. The fact is, the pancreas does not, and will never, operate correctly. For a T1D, the only "diet" that can keep their condition in check is essentially starvation, resulting in death, which would arguably cure the disease. You can't be unwell if you're dead.

People with T1D didn't ask for it, they didn't do anything that gave them the condition. They can't do anything that relieves the condition. They are obligated to take insulin, or die. Shit choice if you ask me. Forcing diabetics to essentially pay to live is cruel, at the same time, producing a medical/pharmaceutical grade substance costs money and someone has to pay for it. Limiting the cost of insulin to a reasonable amount that can adequately cover the costs of production is the compromise. So those who are unemployed and/or underpaid can still afford to live.

Insulin for type 2 diabetics, which usually comes as a pill, whereas type 1 generally needs an injection, can be the exception if you're hellbent on "punishing" those that "do it to themselves", but even for that, you'll get an argument from me. There's a gap in knowledge for what is proper nutrition, and how to take care of yourself in such a way that you won't end up obese. Many people who can take care of themselves, learned these traits at home. A nontrivial amount of the population didn't get this same education and think that fast food is good food, or at least adequate; or that frozen is a good alternative to fresh, since fresh doesn't really keep very long, which can be true for some things, but I assure you that buying a 1KG frozen lasagna that feeds 4, isn't a good, singular meal for one person.

I'm not here to lecture anyone on diet and nutrition, I'm only trying to point out that the misconceptions about what is good or healthy for you to eat, are very common. The education system hasn't done anything to fix this. Not really. I was taught the food pyramid, which, I believe, at the time, it was not considered a good guide on nutrition, at the very least. It's basically speculation from the 70s that's essentially pseudo science. Learning and having good nutrition is kind of a joke at this point, at least when it comes to public education. Add that to the fact that almost everything that's made is laced, injected, or otherwise coated in sugars, and you get a recipe for obesity and eventually type 2 diabetes. I'm certain a nontrivial number of type 2 diabetics didn't learn about proper nutrition until they became diabetic. At that point, changing your eating habits for the better, isn't an easy task.

So, I would argue that for many type 2 sufferers, they're simply a product of a system (that we designed) which failed them. They were not taught, nor given the required knowledge to adequately avoid contracting the disorder.

IMO, anyone against a cap on insulin is either poorly informed, or cruel. If you know how and why both types of diabetes exists, then you're cruel if you don't want a cap on the prices. If you don't, you need education to learn about it and why, for many, it's not really a choice.

I'll add the disclaimer that I'm sure there are those out there that are type 2 diabetics who knew all along and essentially did it to themselves. I will only say this about it: there's no reasonable way to have them monetarily pay for their choices, without significantly and negatively impacting those who did not have a choice in the matter.

[-] RidderSport@feddit.org 11 points 5 months ago

And even to those that did it to themselves. Why would you want to financially ruin or straight up killing people for making mistakes? That,is simply sadistic and very much unchristian of the so outspoken Christians of the GOP

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[-] Clbull@lemmy.world 21 points 5 months ago

Both sides suck, but at least the Democrats don't want to turn America into an ultra-capitalist evangelical dictatorship and a white ethnostate.

[-] nifty@lemmy.world 20 points 5 months ago

Gotta preserve those family values of inter-generational diabetes and related diseases

[-] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 11 points 5 months ago

It builds character!

[-] Jeanschyso@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

Ok but who are those 11 that voted correctly?

[-] snooggums@midwest.social 22 points 5 months ago

Probably some of ones with diabetes or a family member who has diabetes since Republicans only care about things that affect them personally.

[-] Eiim 15 points 5 months ago

Apparently it ended up being 12. You can look them up here:

  • Don Bacon, Nebraska
  • Brian Fitzpatrick, Pennsylvania
  • Andy Harris, Maryland
  • Jaime Herrula Beutler, Washington
  • Richard Hudson, North Carolina
  • John Kakto, New York
  • Nicole Malliotakis, New York
  • Daniel Meuser, Pennsylvania
  • Mariannette Miller-Meeks, Iowa
  • Bill Posey, Florida
  • Christopher H. Smith, New Jersey
  • Frederick Stephen Upton, Michigan
[-] Eiim 8 points 5 months ago

This is from 2022. It's worth noting that in this vote it was bundled with a Marijuana decriminalization bill, which is probably why the Republicans voted against it.

[-] Rampsquatch@sh.itjust.works 37 points 5 months ago

So they voted against 2 things that would have been good for the working class.

[-] snooggums@midwest.social 18 points 5 months ago

That soubds like an excuse as they regularly vote against any kind of regulation that would help the average person. They voted against the ACA, remember?

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[-] can@sh.itjust.works 16 points 5 months ago

What a piss poor justification. They don't want to help sick people or get tax money?

[-] Mio@feddit.nu 8 points 5 months ago

Keep the price low for medic and increase the tax on sugar.

[-] Vigge93@lemmy.world 12 points 5 months ago

Not all diabetes is caused by excess sugar intake

[-] nexguy@lemmy.world 11 points 5 months ago

Diabetes is simply not caused by excess sugar intake. People still keep parroting this misinformation and probably always will.

[-] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

Being overweight (BMI 25 to 30) doubles your chances of becoming a Type II diabetic. Being obese (BMI 30+) basically guarantees you'll become a Type II diabetic. Excess sugar intake will make you overweight or obese, so it's hardly misinformation parroting to say that excess sugar intake causes diabetes, even though a) there are other ways to become overweight besides excess sugar intake, b) it's possible to get Type II diabetes without being overweight, and c) not all diabetics are Type II.

[-] nexguy@lemmy.world 9 points 5 months ago

People with high metabolism and high sugar intake are highly unlikely to develops diabetes. High sugar intake is not a cause of diabetes. Might as well say hamburgers or not walking causes diabetes as those are exactly as accurate as saying sugar causes it.

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[-] StoneGender 8 points 5 months ago

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/06/04/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-new-actions-to-secure-the-border/ Biden has the most funding and strictest punishments for the border in us history. Just because Republicans are evil doesn't mean Democrats aren't. Both parties are upholding the colonist American government, that has persecuted poc and indigenous peoples especially. Vote for Harris but don't be fooled into thinking either party will make this country better.

[-] zarkanian@sh.itjust.works 8 points 5 months ago

Harris isn't Biden, though. What's her position on the border?

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[-] PriorityMotif@lemmy.world 6 points 5 months ago

One side is less corrupt than the other. We're still stuck with two bad choices. One is extremely bad, the other is just passively bad and tries to work and compromise with the extremely bad side for no discernable reason.

We're allowed to criticize politicians even if we vote for them. We don't have to like them just because they're the only option.

It's like asking if I'd like to wipe my ass with single ply or sixty grit sandpaper.

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this post was submitted on 28 Jul 2024
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