Zooey wrote:

Though I wish somebody would point out that the public option means that the private insurance industries will lower their rates and improve their coverage short term while they finance politicians to gut financing for the Public Option and wear it down to the point that Americans come to believe – permanently – that the government is no good at running health insurance.

More on this.

Public option is more expensive than M4A:

Multiple studies show Medicare for All would be cheaper than public option pushed by moderates
Yale and Harvard researchers: Medicare for All reduces costs, while public option makes health care more expensive

https://www.salon.com/2020/02/22/multiple-studies-show-medicare-for-all-would-be-cheaper-than-public-option-pushed-by-moderates/?fbclid=IwAR36lZalFUKPqa8ZeDazrluiVNSN9HScIgowKcHzReBIn9Oo6WAyW1YIqdY

Andrew Brandt@AndrewBrandt
To everyone asking if I think the potential NFL CBA is a “bad” deal for the Players: it is more nuanced than that. I think the deal could be more “equitable” for both sides. And I know this: inequitable deals never are good, and the NFL does not want an inequitable deal here.

For example, why would this CBA last 10 years when the Players top out at 48.5% of revenues next year? Why not (1) a shorter deal to assess the new economics, (2) earlier opt-outs or (3) incremental gains to 49% after four years, 49.5% after six years and 50% after eight years?

Bernie’s #MedicareForAll would save about $450 billion per year: https://t.co/apzcrfDi57

If you’re Canadian, like I am, you should already get how that works.

— A Echo (@AEcho13) February 24, 2020

Back in STL for the @XFLBattleHawks game! Man the dome still brings back memories. I got chills walking on the field with the smell of football in the air! Long story short I appreciate the city that gave me my first start! #BackInTheLou pic.twitter.com/eaybIHOeIZ

— Rodger Saffold (@Rodger_Saffold) February 23, 2020

JackPMiller wrote:

We can slide either Austin Corbett or Coleman Shelton in at the Center position.

Right now those are roster names and that’s it IMO.

Blythe is an experienced NFL center. You or I have no idea whatsoever whether or not Corbett or Shelton can play NFL center.

And even if they can (and again we don’t have the first clue whether or not they can), they–and the OL–are better off sitting for a year behind Blythe.

Manda Rose*NerdGirl* Rose@Mrs_Slinky
Can you imagine getting your feelings hurt by being called a fucking centrist, but thinking poor people don’t deserve healthcare or living wages.

I guess being poor gave me some pretty thick skin, cause woooo boy

Rose mousdrvr@mousdrvr
Stop callings us centrists it’s an insult!

Ok, how about “moderate”?

No that implies we’re not progressive!

But ..

Shut up! You’re just too far left!

Raaight, so that would make you …..

Shut up!

CEOs for Bernie Man@LiberalCEO
Why is this the only primary I’ve lived through where nobody drops out after they lose 3 states in a row?

Bill de Blasio@BilldeBlasio
Listen to what @JoyAnnReid just said about a Republican consultant privately admitting to her what it would be like to take on @BernieSanders: “All things considered, I’d rather not run against a movement.” 2016 taught us: we only win by moving the people + rejecting the elites!

American healthcare system: higher cost for worse outcomes.

Group that supports keeping it as is:
Health insurance industry
Overpaid medical practitioners
Pharma companies

No other advanced economy follows the US system.
ALL have lower costs, and better healthcare outcomes pic.twitter.com/YIUMPL7O5r

— Anil (@anilvohra69) February 22, 2020

This guy has absolutely zero quit in him 👊

(via @lwproductions4) pic.twitter.com/0jaxJJKG3s

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) February 22, 2020

Geoff Schwartz@geoffschwartz
The same mistake teams continue to make with OL. Draft the unpolished athlete at OL and hope he develops with 20 padded practices before week 1

Four reasons the NFL’s CBA proposal is bad for the players

https://www.nbcsports.com/philadelphia/eagles/four-reasons-nfl-cba-proposal-bad-players-playoff-schedule

If you’re a football fan, you’ve probably read about ongoing negotiations on a new CBA between the NFLPA, which the union representing the players, and management council, which represents the 32 NFL owners.

The NFL’s current collective bargaining agreement expires after the 2020 season, but negotiations have been ongoing this offseason.

The NFLPA executive committee voted 6-5 to not recommend the current proposal to the members, so negotiations continue.

The complete proposal hasn’t been made available to the public, but enough details have leaked over the last two days to get some sense of what’s included.

The NFLPA released this fact sheet outlining key points in the CBA proposal.

And there are a lot of positives for the players. It expands pension eligibility and improves insurance benefits for retired players and raises minimum salaries, eases drug testing and reduces fines.

All good.

But there are plenty of red flags, enough that numerous high-profile players have been tweeting against the proposal.

Here are four reasons the deal as currently proposed is a bad one for the players:

1. The proposal calls for a 17-game regular-season schedule while also calling for an increase in player revenue from the current 47 to 48.5 percent. That’s about a 3.1 percent revenue increase for a 6.3 increase in games played. How is that fair? The owners are going to be raking in massive TV revenue increases, especially with the expanded playoff schedule, but the players won’t be receiving an equivalent share of that money.

2. All players under contract when the league goes to a 17-game schedule — presumably in 2021 — will be paid only $250,000 more for that 17th game game. So anybody with a base salary over $4.25 million in 2021 will essentially be taking a pay cut. The Eagles have 10 players with 2021 base salaries of at least $5 million. Carson Wentz is on the books at $15.4 million. That’s $905,882 per week based on a 17-week schedule. So his weekly salary would go down to $869,440. That’s a $36,000 pay CUT per week. He’ll essentially be making less money per week. Now multiple that pay cut by several hundred players. The NFL will be raking in billions more dollars by increasing the regular season from 256 games to 272 – and eventually more with expansion – and increasing the postseason from 11 games to 13. While essentially asking the players to earn less per week.

3. The proposal does shorten the preseason from four games to three, but there is apparently no second bye week included. So the players are being asked to play 17 regular-season games in an 18-week span in an era where the NFL loves blabbing about player safety. Add to that the likelihood of increased international travel and the wear and tear that takes on a player as the league explores more and more international games. This is just pure greed on the NFL’s part. It’s clear that everything the league says about player safety is just lip service if they are so desperate to add a 17th regular-season game in an era with increased focus on concussions, injuries and player health after football.

4. The NFL is way too eager to get a deal done now when the current CBA doesn’t expire for another year. It definitely benefits both sides to have a deal hammered out and guarantee labor peace for a decade. But you just get the feeling the owners want to get this done before the NFLPA really has a chance to digest the full proposal and its long-term financial implications for the players. The owners over the last few days have embarked on a carefully strategized PR campaign to make this proposal seem like a good one for the players and try to rush a vote through before everybody knew what the implications were. Nobody wants a strike. Nobody wants a lockout. But the players are what makes the league work. Without them there is no NFL. They deserve more than what this CBA proposal calls for.

NFL promotes 'player safety' …but players should risk brain & body for a max of $250K for a 17th game?

Ok… sure… owners should only make $250K as well, the rest of the profits should go toward lifetime health care for the players and the of funding post career benefits.

— Rich Ohrnberger (@ohrnberger) February 21, 2020