And I'm not sure what you mean by fascism. Do you mean a democratically-elected right-wing government?
#6 | POSTED BY MADBOMBER

Germany, 1933. A democratically-elected right-wing government.

"I think the same thing could happen in the US as well"

Could happen?
Did happen.

In USA, Bill Clinton won the presidency with a sliver of a plurality. He then went on to implement extreme left-wing political policies, which drove voters, and even entire parties, into the hands of the Christian right.

That's how you'd describe it.

That's fine.
So long as the party in power obeys the constitution and stays within its bounds, the system is working the way it should. Left, right, or otherwise.
#12 | POSTED BY MADBOMBER

"1933 was a pivotal year for Hitler and the Nazi Party. Traditionally, the leader of the party who held the most seats in the Reichstag was appointed Chancellor. However, President Paul von Hindenburg was hesitant to appoint Hitler as chancellor. Following several backroom negotiations " which included industrialists, Hindenburg's son, the former chancellor Franz von Papen, and Hitler " Hindenburg acquiesced and on 30 January 1933, he formally appointed Adolf Hitler as Germany's new chancellor. Although he was chancellor, Hitler was not yet an absolute dictator.

The groundwork for the Nazi dictatorship was laid when the Reichstag was set on fire in February. Believing the communists were behind the arson, Hitler convinced Paul von Hindenburg to pass the Reichstag Fire Decree, which severely curtailed the liberties and rights of German citizens. Using the decree, Hitler began eliminating his political opponents. In Hitler's eyes the decree was insufficient and he proposed the Enabling Act of 1933. This law gave the German government the power to override individual rights prescribed by the constitution. The law also gave the Chancellor (Hitler) emergency powers to pass and enforce laws without parliamentary oversight. The Enabling Act was passed in March and by April, Hitler held de facto dictatorial powers and used them to order the construction of the first Nazi concentration camp at Dachau for communists and other political opponents. Hitler's rise to power was completed in August 1934 when President Paul von Hindenburg died. Hitler merged the Chancellorship with the Presidency and became the Fhrer of Germany." --wikipedia

That's fine.
--MadBomber

"The ones favorable to progressive causes are not going to vote for politicians that are running on reparations and bathroom use issues if they're not financially stable or feel unsafe in their communities."

JPW, that's the precept behind Republican economic policy: Keep the boot on the poors neck.

A bad economy on Main Street is why Main Street can't afford to concern itself with luxuries like Social Justice.

Even as Wall Street champions Social Justice and ESG.

"Most people are perfectly happy with their healthcare. 91% of men and 82% of women said they are happy with their plans."

That doesn't mean they wouldn't trade them in for something better.

I like my Subaru but if I could get a new one at half price, why wouldn't I?

"Most people recieve healthcare as a benefit of employment."

Not on planet earth they don't.

"Most people would like that. But at the same time, would they (you) be happy to trade your Subaru for a bus pass, if a bus pass meant that more people had access to free transportation?"

We Americans are the ones who get the bus pass, dummy.

"Who should the Dems have nominated, if not HRC?"

Biden. That would have been in keeping with tradition where the VP who did eight years with a very good President earned his shot at the big chair.

Democrats exhibited hubris when they thought they could follow up the first Black President with the first Woman President.

They also miscalculated how misogyny has arguably a stronger foothold in society than racism. Evidence being the black man won, while the white woman lost. But perhaps a white woman could have won. Just not right after the black man.

"USans have access to what might be the highest quality healhtcare in the world."

Not really.
Few Americans can afford, or have access to, the highest quality care.

And you're also off the mark looking at "quality of care."
What you should be looking at is "quality of outcomes."

"Like the $400 billion 'we' just coughed up so people didn't have to pay their student loans anymore?"

You either believe economic stimulus works, or you don't.
However, only one of those beliefs is correct.

"Or could it be that main street simply considers most apsects of 'social justice' to be nonsense?"

But this doesn't explain why nearly all the top companies have embraced it.
Prior to George Floyd's murder, 15% of Fortune 500 companies had a Chief Diversity Officer.
After the Civil Rights Riots of 2020, 80% of Fortune 500 companies have a Chief Diversity Officer.

(Source: My Chief Diversity Officer.)
What's your source? It's your feelings. The hurt ones.

"This is not stimulus...this is a handout."

Dumb and wrong -- and I mean dumb and wrong even by your standards.

"What I care about is timely care in a personalized environment."

I think that's ultimately what everyone cares about.

"I don't want to wait three weeks for a free MRI becasuse doing so means that someone else can also get a free MRI. I'd rather have the option to pay."

I'm okay with that. The specialist I saw yesterday, his schedule wasn't open any sooner if I was willing to put cash on the barrelhead.

So we don't have that currently in America, is the point I'm making. So your point is kind of not a good one. I mean unless you're talking about Michael Jackson having his own personal doctor or something. That's not a sensible deciding point for thinking about how to provision health care for the people.

The other point I'll make is, there still needs to be the option of the free, MRI three weeks later.

Access to health care shouldn't be gated by turning 26, being employed, or turning 65, or any other Byzantine reason we've concocted.

Not addressing these fundamental structural flaws is why our health care costs so much. I think anyone who understands the basics of business can see how our "system" is laughably inefficient at achieving the goal of the best health for the most people at the lowest cost -- a term that in health care I like to call "Value."

It's not suited to Capitalism. Which is why the military keeps it as such an effective recruitment tool. They've even recruited MadBomber to tell us our health care system is the best in the world. Makes you wonder why he doesn't use it.

I don't see much Dems pandering to progressives.

I see a whole lot of Progressives who think the Democrats should be way more progressive.

Unlike the other party, the center holds.

That being said, Democrats can't stop the gun violence, because gun control can't happen under the Second Amendment. Despite widespread public support for gun control, Democrats refuse to take the L on guns. Largely because of the aforementioned public support for gun control is a winning issue at the pols for them, but it's a road to nowhere. Republicans know it, and keep facilitating more gun violence, so people get fed up with crime and vote for a Tough On Crime guy like Trump.

"I'm Asian, my family's Asian. If I have to worry about just stepping out to run an errand, I think that's a huge problem and I can't live in a city like that," she said.
"We Are All Roof Koreans Now." (she didn't really say that)

"Appointments are normally 3-4 weeks out if you try and book them, which is almost always too long."

How is that too long? I have colonoscopy in six weeks. Why would I need it sooner?

It's so hard to get an appointment you just go to the ER. Lots of people do that. For $75 or whatever your ER copay is, you get seen "now" meaning within a few hours if you're not really having an emergency.

This is exactly what you said you want in health care, right? Paying more for immediate access.

"But they come at a cost."

Ours costs way too much.

Do you actually believe returning a health care company's capital to investors is a better use of said capital, than expenditure on providing health care?

"Because you're a soccer player who twisted an ankle, or a cheerleader who landed wrong after a stunt."

Go to ER, follow up, they should be able to expedite a follow up appointment after an ER visit.

I wait two to four months to see the specialists I want, vs. a few days to see whoever's available if I'm willing to drive there. I think that's pretty common in America. I have top tier health insurance.