Questions for Tonight's Democratic Debate

15 October 2019, 08:16 AM

From Axios' panel of experts.

On foreign policy:

Do you still consider Turkey a U.S. ally?
Would you keep President Trump's tariffs on China in place until Beijing made the sorts of fundamental changes Trump has called for?
On health care:

You've all criticized drug companies and insurance companies, but the single biggest chunk of U.S. health care spending goes to hospitals — about $1 trillion a year. Is that too much? How will you cut it?
On immigration:

What do you think should be done with migrants who cross the border without papers and who have yet to go through an asylum or other legal immigration process?
On energy and climate:

How much of your climate plan could you implement without help from Congress?
On tech:

Should Facebook accept political advertising?
What’s the appropriate way for the government to use facial recognition technology?
On the economy:

Would you re-appoint Jerome Powell as Fed chair?
The U.S. pension system is underfunded by trillions of dollars. The deficit between what retirees are owed and the money available has already started draining state budgets. What would you do to solve this problem?

15 October 2019, 09:19 AM

rontuner

I'm troubled by the hospital question. It seems diversionary and leading...

"Pay no attention to profits in the insurance and pharmacy industries, how will you cut spending to the systems that take care of patients?"

15 October 2019, 09:21 AM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by rontuner:
I'm troubled by the hospital question. It seems diversionary and leading...

"Pay no attention to profits in the insurance and pharmacy industries, how will you cut spending to the systems that take care of patients?"

You don't think pharmacy takes care of patients? Or out-of-hospital doctors?

I think the point is, we've all focused extensively on insurance and pharma, but hospitals are still the biggest number. What about that?

15 October 2019, 10:39 AM

Nina

And beyond the question about what to do with undocumented who have already crossed the border, perhaps ask something about what type of comprehensive immigration reform would they propose... not just dealing with undocumented people crossing the border, but the whole shebang.

15 October 2019, 10:54 AM

rontuner

quote:
Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
quote:
Originally posted by rontuner:
I'm troubled by the hospital question. It seems diversionary and leading...

"Pay no attention to profits in the insurance and pharmacy industries, how will you cut spending to the systems that take care of patients?"

You don't think pharmacy takes care of patients? Or out-of-hospital doctors?

I think the point is, we've all focused extensively on insurance and pharma, but hospitals are still the biggest number. What about that?

No, pharma supplies medicines that doctors prescribe to take care of patients...

Yes, hospitals are the biggest number, but only a part of the picture. More information is needed - how much of that number is for ER room care - how much of those ER visits could be better served somewhere else? How much of the whole number is for end of life care - are there better choices for those patients? But leading the question away from looking at the whole system seems to indicate a bias to focus on cutting in a specific area of the whole.

15 October 2019, 10:55 AM

rontuner

quote:
Originally posted by rontuner:
quote:
Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
quote:
Originally posted by rontuner:
I'm troubled by the hospital question. It seems diversionary and leading...

"Pay no attention to profits in the insurance and pharmacy industries, how will you cut spending to the systems that take care of patients?"

You don't think pharmacy takes care of patients? Or out-of-hospital doctors?

I think the point is, we've all focused extensively on insurance and pharma, but hospitals are still the biggest number. What about that?

No, pharma supplies medicines that doctors prescribe while taking care of patients...

Yes, hospitals are the biggest number, but only a part of the picture. More information is needed - how much of that number is for ER room care - how much of those ER visits could be better served somewhere else? How much of the whole number is for end of life care - are there better choices for those patients? But leading the question away from looking at the whole system seems to indicate a bias to focus on cutting in a specific area of the whole.

15 October 2019, 02:51 PM

AdagioM

quote:
Originally posted by QuirtEvans:

On health care:

You've all criticized drug companies and insurance companies, but the single biggest chunk of U.S. health care spending goes to hospitals — about $1 trillion a year. Is that too much? How will you cut it?

This assumes that the answer to “Is that too much?” is “yes.” That shouldn’t be assumed.

15 October 2019, 04:07 PM

Steve Miller

quote:
Originally posted by rontuner:
quote:
Originally posted by QuirtEvans:
quote:
Originally posted by rontuner:
I'm troubled by the hospital question. It seems diversionary and leading...

"Pay no attention to profits in the insurance and pharmacy industries, how will you cut spending to the systems that take care of patients?"

You don't think pharmacy takes care of patients? Or out-of-hospital doctors?

I think the point is, we've all focused extensively on insurance and pharma, but hospitals are still the biggest number. What about that?

No, pharma supplies medicines that doctors prescribe to take care of patients...

Yes, hospitals are the biggest number, but only a part of the picture. More information is needed - how much of that number is for ER room care - how much of those ER visits could be better served somewhere else? How much of the whole number is for end of life care - are there better choices for those patients? But leading the question away from looking at the whole system seems to indicate a bias to focus on cutting in a specific area of the whole.

I’d also want to hear opinions on why so many rural hospitals are closing and if there is a plan to deal with that.

15 October 2019, 07:20 PM

Daniel

Do you have a link, Quirt?

15 October 2019, 07:59 PM

Mikhailoh

Stephen Kruiser gives the post-debate recap (ahead of the debate)

1. Orange man bad
2. Free government money tree
3. Impeach and stuff
4. Tulsi looks totes fab
5. Medicare for all because Obamacare sucked but wait no it was awesome we just need something more awesome omg we're all going to die
6. Seriously though, Tulsi

15 October 2019, 08:11 PM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by Daniel:
Do you have a link, Quirt?

As I said, it’s on Axios.

15 October 2019, 09:07 PM

QuirtEvans

quote:
Originally posted by Mikhailoh:
Stephen Kruiser gives the post-debate recap (ahead of the debate)

1. Orange man bad
2. Free government money tree
3. Impeach and stuff
4. Tulsi looks totes fab
5. Medicare for all because Obamacare sucked but wait no it was awesome we just need something more awesome omg we're all going to die
6. Seriously though, Tulsi

Point #5 = wrong.

Buttigieg had the best zinger of the night. Warren refused to answer whether she'd raise taxes on the middle class ... she just kept saying that costs would go down for the middle class, but never mentioned taxes. The answer, of course, is that total costs would go down, but taxes are part of total costs, and they might go up while other things go down more. But she didn't want to say it.

Buttigieg: you have a plan for everything ... except that.

Klobuchar: the American people deserve to know where you're gonna send the invoice.

16 October 2019, 04:20 AM

Daniel

quote:
Originally posted by Mikhailoh:
Stephen Kruiser gives the post-debate recap (ahead of the debate)

1. Orange man bad
2. Free government money tree
3. Impeach and stuff
4. Tulsi looks totes fab
5. Medicare for all because Obamacare sucked but wait no it was awesome we just need something more awesome omg we're all going to die
6. Seriously though, Tulsi

16 October 2019, 11:17 AM

Nina

What did everyone think of the debate last night? I can't get past how geezerly Biden and Sanders look. I thought Elizabeth Warren held her own, and was surprised she didn't get more attacks than she did. I remain impressed with Buttigieg, and thought Klobuchar did well. Didn't even realize Tulsi was still in it.