Where do we draw the line?????

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Now I don't want to derail this thread any further with my comments against more federally funded social programs we can not afford. I oppose paid federally funded FMLA and the majority of Biden's "build back better" proposals. A nation with 30 trillion in National debt doesn't have the money for more social programs when the current programs are on the verge of bankruptcy.
It bears mentioning that the more serious advocates of these new/expanded social programs ALSO advocate paying for them with significant tax increases. They say "tax the super rich" into the microphones but they know and we know that taxing the middle class is the only way to raise that kind of money. They do some handwaving about how these programs will "pay for themselves" by improving the economic output of the beneficiaries and thus tax receipts from them, but I think that's BS from the same sewer Republicans get their "tax cuts will pay for themselves" line.

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It bears mentioning that the more serious advocates of these new/expanded social programs ALSO advocate paying for them with significant tax increases. They say "tax the super rich" into the microphones but they know and we know that taxing the middle class is the only way to raise that kind of money. They do some handwaving about how these programs will "pay for themselves" by improving the economic output of the beneficiaries and thus tax receipts from them, but I think that's BS from the same sewer Republicans get their "tax cuts will pay for themselves" line.
Let's see what Bernie said into the microphone

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"In relation to the financing of one of his signature policy proposals, Medicare for All, Sanders was asked, "Will you raise taxes for the middle class in a Sanders administration?" He responded:

“People who have healthcare under Medicare for All will have no premiums, no deductibles, no copayments, no out-of-pocket expenses. Yes, they will pay more in taxes, but less in healthcare for what they get”"
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Jared Berstein, who's a member of the council of economic advisors, ran an article with this headline in Vox in 2019:

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The problem is that Joe and Kamala can't be honest in front of the cameras because any mention of a middle class tax hike immediately goes nuclear and is lobbed back in their faces by the GOP (due to how politically toxic the concept has become). I wish they could keep it real like my man Bernie, but OTOH Bernie can't win a national election because he doesn't play the game.
 
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There isn’t a nation on earth that follows cutthroat libertarianism to a degree that would satisfy you if you think saving months of pay while being pregnant is some form of personal responsibility.

don’t act like having a child and taking Fmla is some damn vacation… how long has it been since anyone espousing this had to take care of a newborn? If it is such an injustice go have a kid yourself to get even with the system.

I'm pretty sure I know about having a newborn as much as any person on this forum. Still don't dump ****ty cases on my partners.
 
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I stand by my comments that those who put their lives on the line every single day so we can enjoy our freedoms as spelled out in the US Constitution are indeed worthy of "special treatment." That is where I place an asterisk as it regards a special class of people without whom I can't speak freely or pursue happiness.
What I believe Blade is saying to you is,

"You don't want the truth because deep down in places you don't talk about at parties, you want me on that wall. You need me on that wall. We use words like honor, code, loyalty. We use these words as the backbone of a life spent defending something. You use them as a punchline."
 
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…Or make it more difficult to obtain contraception.
The real question in this case is do we get more dumb americans or more smart ones. Probably dumb.......
 
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Hey guys, your resident I-banker here! I think I can at least discuss this issue since it isn’t completely medicine related.

I skipped some of the mid messages, but am I missing something else? If you have time off paid / unpaid, FMLA / non FMLA, whatever it is, why are some of you guys so angry when an employee uses it? Sure I feel awkward taking a sick day (especially since all of my sick days just happen to fall on a Monday…), but that isn’t your problem, that is your employer’s problem (now I can understand if you are the employer in this scenario, but then don’t give such flexible arrangements).
 
Hey guys, your resident I-banker here! I think I can at least discuss this issue since it isn’t completely medicine related.

I skipped some of the mid messages, but am I missing something else? If you have time off paid / unpaid, FMLA / non FMLA, whatever it is, why are some of you guys so angry when an employee uses it? Sure I feel awkward taking a sick day (especially since all of my sick days just happen to fall on a Monday…), but that isn’t your problem, that is your employer’s problem (now I can understand if you are the employer in this scenario, but then don’t give such flexible arrangements).

Because what often happens in practice is that the workload is the same, but now divided amongst fewer bodies with no increase in compensation for those who are now working harder.
 
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Hey guys, your resident I-banker here! I think I can at least discuss this issue since it isn’t completely medicine related.

I skipped some of the mid messages, but am I missing something else? If you have time off paid / unpaid, FMLA / non FMLA, whatever it is, why are some of you guys so angry when an employee uses it? Sure I feel awkward taking a sick day (especially since all of my sick days just happen to fall on a Monday…), but that isn’t your problem, that is your employer’s problem (now I can understand if you are the employer in this scenario, but then don’t give such flexible arrangements).
Because in life there are two kinds of people, those who dump on others, and those who the dump lands on.
 
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Hey guys, your resident I-banker here! I think I can at least discuss this issue since it isn’t completely medicine related.

I skipped some of the mid messages, but am I missing something else? If you have time off paid / unpaid, FMLA / non FMLA, whatever it is, why are some of you guys so angry when an employee uses it? Sure I feel awkward taking a sick day (especially since all of my sick days just happen to fall on a Monday…), but that isn’t your problem, that is your employer’s problem (now I can understand if you are the employer in this scenario, but then don’t give such flexible arrangements).
Same reason you get mad when people get disability when not disabled or people milking unemployment. Because we all suffer
 
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Because what often happens in practice is that the workload is the same, but now divided amongst fewer bodies with no increase in compensation for those who are now working harder.
That last part can be dependent on compensation model. In productivity model, if someone take any sort of leave outside normal vacation allotments, the others pick up the extra work, but if you're paid based on what you produce you earn more.
 
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