# Uber Just Stuck a Knife in the Republican Party’s Heart



## arto71 (Sep 20, 2014)

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/11/uber-just-stuck-a-knife-in-the-gops-heart.html


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## grUBBER (Sep 11, 2014)

Or Obama's old fashioned thermometer in their rectum


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

arto71 said:


> http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/11/uber-just-stuck-a-knife-in-the-gops-heart.html


I think he made the point many opposed to ACA have made. Short term gain for some, long term loss for others.

As for this "entrepreneur" schtick, is anyone still buying that? I know there are a FEW who are making enough bank to be actually running their own business, but they are the exception, not the rule. Travis K. Will $hit himself if no more than half of the "partners" pursue true entrepreneurial goals, because they will take good riders, and drivers with them.


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## uberdc/Virginia (Sep 14, 2014)

I might have to quit uber because uber does not offer insurance. Only regular jobs seem to offer insurance.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

uberdc/Virginia said:


> I might have to quit uber because uber does not offer insurance. Only regular jobs seem to offer insurance.


The fallacy is that these new "entrepreneurial " opportunities pay you well enough that you buy your own insurance. It is a pity they are destroying the HSA's, which would have been an excellent health savings plan for younger and healthier people. The fact that they had to destroy that in order to pass this speaks volumes about the end game:-(


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## sliksock (Apr 18, 2014)

Tx rides said:


> I think he made the point many opposed to ACA have made. Short term gain for some, long term loss for others.


How exactly is having health insurance when you didn't before a "short term" gain? Because it is inevitable that the Republicans will take it from you first chance they get, perhaps?


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

sliksock said:


> How exactly is having health insurance when you didn't before a "short term" gain? Because it is inevitable that the Republicans will take it from you first chance they get, perhaps?


Because it is a short-term gain if this system cannot sustain this. In many cases, you have people who have never had health insurance before who have pre-existing conditions.they have never paid into the system for treatments, they enter the system with given expenses which exceed what they pay into the system. Ultimately, healthier people will have to foot that bill. As the wealthier, healthier people have higher expenses and less access to premium care, they will start paying for private care, further depleting the system.


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## Samename (Oct 31, 2014)

I can see this is going to be a political pissing match. But I would point out that here in California, if you drive Uber fulltime, you will have very little or no declared income after you write off the .56 cents a mile. With no income you qualify for medicaid? I know with my declared income of $20k a year my health insurance is $90 a month (after state and federal subsidy) and thats a really good PPO with $500 annual deductible.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Tx rides said:


> Because it is a short-term gain if this system cannot sustain this. In many cases, you have people who have never had health insurance before who have pre-existing conditions.they have never paid into the system for treatments, they enter the system with given expenses which exceed what they pay into the system. Ultimately, healthier people will have to foot that bill. As the wealthier, healthier people have higher expenses and less access to premium care, they will start paying for private care, further depleting the system.


The current healthcare model is unsustainable. US citizens and the government are in blatant denial. The system as it is is setup for a huge collapse.

It is financially beyond justifications to spend more on a persons 'end of life' healthcare bill for more than a person made in earnings in their entire lifetime. I would shudder to see the statistics overall. I do know in my Dad's case that more was spent on his end of life healthcare than what he made in earnings for his entire life. And I know huge numbers of others who had the same situation.

This can not logically continue.

*The health industry is another area that is in sore need of competitive DISRUPTION but it is unable to do so because of governmental/regulatory capture and what amounts to large corp monopolies promoted by the government.*


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

This doesn't surprise me one bit. Kalanick and the people he brings into Uber, are Romney and Chris Christie style Republicans. Keep in mind that Obamacare was their baby as much as it was Obama's.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Samename said:


> I can see this is going to be a political pissing match. But I would point out that here in California, if you drive Uber fulltime, you will have very little or no declared income after you write off the .56 cents a mile. With no income you qualify for medicaid? I know with my declared income of $20k a year my health insurance is $90 a month (after state and federal subsidy) and thats a really good PPO with $500 annual deductible.


Well I for one have no interest in a political pissing match on a forum about transportation

I will say this: the fact that you only have affordable care because of low income sort of makes my point about short-term gain for some. I know few people who want to stay at a low income so they have cheap healthcare.
I do get a little concerned about the "sharing economy" some are touting, because it seems to rely on government care and less disposable assets.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

scrurbscrud said:


> The current healthcare model is unsustainable. US citizens and the government are in blatant denial. The system as it is is setup for a huge collapse.
> 
> It is financially beyond justifications to spend more on a persons 'end of life' healthcare bill for more than a person made in earnings in their entire lifetime. I would shudder to see the statistics overall. I do know in my Dad's case that more was spent on his end of life healthcare than what he made in earnings for his entire life. And I know huge numbers of others who had the same situation.
> 
> ...


Health care savings accounts were a step forward for the future. I am still sorely disappointed with the Bush administration's lack of support of the very program they grew. They could have, should have made it a great program. They missed many opportunities to simplify this and sell it to more Americans. It was too complicated for many to understand, and that was fixable. We could have saved our system by reconditioning people to actually have a dog in the fight when they were healthy.


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

Tx rides said:


> Well I for one have no interest in a political pissing match on a forum about transportation


Oh why not, then we can move onto discussing and debating religion! lol



Tx rides said:


> I will say this: the fact that you only have affordable care because of low income sort of makes my point about short-term gain for some. I know few people who want to stay at a low income so they have cheap healthcare.
> I do get a little concerned about the "sharing economy" some are touting, because it seems to rely on government care and less disposable assets.


And that's a whole nother kettle of fish as they say. It's more about the economy and how the times they are a changing, and how politics and people are BOTH not keeping up with those changes. BTW, the failure of both to keep up with those changes, I think is only going to get worse.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Piotrowski said:


> Oh why not, then we can move onto discussing and debating religion! lol
> 
> And that's a whole nother kettle of fish as they say. It's more about the economy and how the times they are a changing, and how politics and people are BOTH not keeping up with those changes. BTW, the failure of both to keep up with those changes, I think is only going to get worse.


I should not have to keep up with this change in economy. If someone else wants to give up their own economic freedom to depend on their neighbor, I suppose that is their prerogative. But the onus is not on me to "keep up "with a policy or philosophy which does not work for me. That is no different than the Christians who tell me the "majority" of Americans are Christians so I should accept biblical law.


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Tx rides said:


> Health care savings accounts were a step forward for the future. I am still sorely disappointed with the Bush administration's lack of support of the very program they grew. They could have, should have made it a great program. They missed many opportunities to simplify this and sell it to more Americans. It was too complicated for many to understand, and that was fixable. We could have saved our system by reconditioning people to actually have a dog in the fight when they were healthy.


I think many of us are cognizant of the fact that the ACA was plain and simply a legislated gift to America Large .CORP monopolies. Just as the Dodd-Frank bill was a legislated gift to large financial corps, The anti-pollution laws are legislated gifts to large corp. energy companies and this list can be extended ad-infinitum.

It is an openly known fact that these large corporate interests actually draft our national legislation and pay for it to happen.

Pity we are so stupid.


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

Tx rides said:


> I should not have to keep up with this change in economy. If someone else wants to give up their own economic freedom to depend on their neighbor, I suppose that is their prerogative. But the onus is not on me to "keep up "with a policy or philosophy which does not work for me. That is no different than the Christians who tell me the "majority" of Americans are Christians so I should accept biblical law.


Noooo... we're talking about two different things! What you're saying I agree with you on. Charity is great and I do my part, but parasites are not good. No one has a right to live off of me unless I choose to do it. As for the last part of your comment, you're in Texas!! That's why I like going down there, the extremists in that state make Pa seem less bad!! lol


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## scrurbscrud (Sep 11, 2014)

Piotrowski said:


> Noooo... we're talking about two different things! What you're saying I agree with you on. Charity is great and I do my part, but parasites are not good. No one has a right to live off of me unless I choose to do it. As for the last part of your comment, you're in Texas!! That's why I like going down there, the extremists in that state make Pa seem less bad!! lol


Yeah, and yer the guy who will dodge social security contributions at every junction, but be standing there with your hand out when the time comes.

Social safety nets are the norm in our society. And they are primarily for people just like YOU.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Piotrowski said:


> Noooo... we're talking about two different things! What you're saying I agree with you on. Charity is great and I do my part, but parasites are not good. No one has a right to live off of me unless I choose to do it. As for the last part of your comment, you're in Texas!! That's why I like going down there, the extremists in that state make Pa seem less bad!! lol


I am not sure how we were talking about two different things. In both cases, we are talking about one group telling another to conform to their preferred lifestyle. I don't want to eradicate religion even though more and more people in this country are not religious. I don't feel the need to tell my neighbors "things are changing, keep up" to me, that is no different than the new generation telling me "this is how we want to earn an income, you need to keep up" . No, I do not have to keep up with you. We made commitments to our employees, to our customers, to our lenders. All are happy with the terms and conditions, and no one has the right to break those agreements because of their preference for a different economic future.

I am in rural Texas, and as far from an extremist as imaginable. I don't have any problems around here. There may be a lot of evangelicals here, but there are an awful lot of stubborn people too.
Truth is, there are quite a few evangelicals who also want govt to leave them alone.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Piotrowski said:


> Oh why not, then we can move onto discussing and debating religion! lol
> 
> And that's a whole nother kettle of fish as they say. It's more about the economy and how the times they are a changing, and how politics and people are BOTH not keeping up with those changes. BTW, the failure of both to keep up with those changes, I think is only going to get worse.


When I hear these billionaires talk about the "Sharing economy " I feel like I am watching Idiocrasy again.

The 1099 work force championed by all these start up companies should be a disgrace, yet there are hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions of rubes who cheer for this.

It reminds me of the old Steve Martin stick "you too can be a millionaire, And never pay taxes! First, get $1 million"


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## Piotrowski (Sep 9, 2014)

Most of my religious buds are as "leave me alone" as I am, in fact it's what we have in common. As for changing times, the collective mood and societal norms change over times (for good or fo bad) but I'm not even talking about that. I'm talking about economics ones, and what we're in now is as big a shift from an agricultural based economy to and industrial based one. This tech and information based economy hasn't even got warmed up yet. What's going to change over the next 10 to 20 years I think will blow our minds. But... the scary part is, most people are not even close to being ready for it. First you have the Government. They are so far behind the curve it's a joke. As for people, far too many are still thinking in terms of "job" or even careers. Look at it this way.... in my father's generation you worked for one company all your life. By the time he retired, it went to where you will work for several companies. From there it continued to change to where you will change careers at least once for most people. This change will only accelerate. We all have to adapt to it as we don't have a choice. The world will move on despite what any of us may think. 

One last data point in case someone doesn't get what I'm saying. Look at the term entrepreneur and how it's use has changed. Sure Kalanick and guys like him throw it around to peeps like us, it's because they both see these changes like I do, but they also no longer see themselves as just an entrepreneur. Look at the new term, these guys are now serial entrepreneurs.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Piotrowski said:


> Most of my religious buds are as "leave me alone" as I am, in fact it's what we have in common. As for changing times, the collective mood and societal norms change over times (for good or fo bad) but I'm not even talking about that. I'm talking about economics ones, and what we're in now is as big a shift from an agricultural based economy to and industrial based one. This tech and information based economy hasn't even got warmed up yet. What's going to change over the next 10 to 20 years I think will blow our minds. But... the scary part is, most people are not even close to being ready for it. First you have the Government. They are so far behind the curve it's a joke. As for people, far too many are still thinking in terms of "job" or even careers. Look at it this way.... in my father's generation you worked for one company all your life. By the time he retired, it went to where you will work for several companies. From there it continued to change to where you will change careers at least once for most people. This change will only accelerate. We all have to adapt to it as we don't have a choice. The world will move on despite what any of us may think.
> 
> One last data point in case someone doesn't get what I'm saying. Look at the term entrepreneur and how it's use has changed. Sure Kalanick and guys like him throw it around to peeps like us, it's because they both see these changes like I do, but they also no longer see themselves as just an entrepreneur. Look at the new term, these guys are now serial entrepreneurs.


What is wrong with a lifetime career?
Who decided that was a bad thing? 
And who excepted a change to the definition of entrepreneur? I did not, nor did most of the business owners I associate with. I have enjoyed a long career in the IT sector.I have seen one of the largest IT corporations go through many changes. I can certainly say that the temporary Employee status has destroyed much of the company I started with. As they adopted more of the flexible, "disruptive " technology, including social media, their focus, quality, and reputation declined. Now they do a lot of asset shifting to make their numbers.


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## Tx rides (Sep 15, 2014)

Piotrowski said:


> Most of my religious buds are as "leave me alone" as I am, in fact it's what we have in common. As for changing times, the collective mood and societal norms change over times (for good or fo bad) but I'm not even talking about that. I'm talking about economics ones, and what we're in now is as big a shift from an agricultural based economy to and industrial based one. This tech and information based economy hasn't even got warmed up yet. What's going to change over the next 10 to 20 years I think will blow our minds. But... the scary part is, most people are not even close to being ready for it. First you have the Government. They are so far behind the curve it's a joke. As for people, far too many are still thinking in terms of "job" or even careers. Look at it this way.... in my father's generation you worked for one company all your life. By the time he retired, it went to where you will work for several companies. From there it continued to change to where you will change careers at least once for most people. This change will only accelerate. We all have to adapt to it as we don't have a choice. The world will move on despite what any of us may think.
> 
> One last data point in case someone doesn't get what I'm saying. Look at the term entrepreneur and how it's use has changed. Sure Kalanick and guys like him throw it around to peeps like us, it's because they both see these changes like I do, but they also no longer see themselves as just an entrepreneur. Look at the new term, these guys are now serial entrepreneurs.


At the end of the quarter, all that matters is what did you deliver? What did it cost to deliver the product? And how much of the product did you sell, and for how much? That is no different from earlier industries such as agriculture. "Popular but free" products have no viable lifecycle. Sure, some of these IT based start ups are able to obfuscate for years before the true numbers come to light. By then, many of them have cashed in and moved on to some other brilliant IT start up.


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## fargonaz (Oct 30, 2014)

I guess he can point that ****ing finger up his ass. Seriously, who gives a shit what this asshole says? The Man... indeed.


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