6 ms·

In 2008, GINA was virtually unanimous in the House and Senate. What the hell has happened to this country.

by awalton 10y ago

jacquesm 10y ago
Nothing that you could not have predicted a decade ago. Once data exists it will be used, for good and for bad. Which is one reason why privacy really matters, we simply can not extrapolate to what evil uses a future bureaucracy will put our data. And you can bet that these 'wellness' programs results, especially the genetic data will be filed for future use.
Delmania 10y ago
2 things. One of the most corrupt administrations in history took control of the Oval Office, combined with one of the most ideological Congress. If it even looks like a regulation, it will be suspect. No thought, no debate. Whatever makes donors money will be done.
- astrodust 10y ago
  This is like when you see looting on television, where windows are smashed, things stolen, other stuff just thrown on the ground for no reason. Things set on fire. I don't think people realize the magnitude of the problem here. This is a Category 5 situation. They're pouring gasoline on important institutions that will take decades to rebuild, and the costs are going to be staggering.
- dexterdog 10y ago
  Is now really any different than the last 25 years?
- 67726e 10y ago
  > One of the most corrupt administrations in history took control of the Oval Office Facts or GTFO
  - Delmania 10y ago
    Ok, fine. Betsy DeVos has no qualifications for running education, and yet she is the head of the Department of Education. The only significant things she's done in this regard are a failed voucher program and contribute large donations. Scott Pruit is the head of the EPA, and organization he sued multiple times. The only qualification Tillerson has is none. He was the CEO of Exxon Mobil and made large donations. The ACA replacement plan breaks every promise Trump made and largely favors the wealthy. It's nothing more than a tax cut disguised as a health care law. We can also get into the ties with Russia, the antagonistic relationship with the media, the conflicts of interest with ihs business, the ethics violations, the outright lies and delusions. I suspect you're a Trump supporter so you've swallowed Trump hook, line, and sinker. Ergo this response is pointless.
    - dang 10y ago
      HN is a bad place for partisan battle, so please don't comment like this here, and especially please don't make it personal, like you did at the end there.
  - dang 10y ago
    We ban accounts that post uncivilly and/or unsubstantively, so please stop commenting like this.
- koolba 10y ago
  The basis for making genetic info fair game started under Obama under the guise of wellness information. If you're going to blame someone start with him.
djrogers 10y ago
What has happened is that a clickbait inflammatory article was written. GINA already had an exception for wellness programs, this bill appears to just change the incentives allowed.
- jacquesm 10y ago
  > GINA already had an exception for wellness programs, this bill appears to just change the incentives allowed. Completely reversing the meaning of the word 'voluntary'. Yes, the title is clickbait but the situation is a bit more serious than you make it seem.
  - koolba 10y ago
    Oh it's voluntary. You can choose to pay more if you value your privacy! See we gave people a choice!
tzs 10y ago
Between 2008 and now, the Republican party was taken over by its most extreme members. Many things that would have been solidly advocated by Republicans then are now out of the question. Just compare the 2008 Republican Party platform [1] to where they stand today. A couple things that illustrate just how different the 2008 GOP was compared to today. On climate change: > Because Republicans believe that solutions to the risk of global climate change will be found in the ingenuity of the American people, we propose a Climate Prize for scientists who solve the challenges of climate change. Honoraria of many millions of dollars would be a small price for technological developments that eliminate our need for gas-powered cars or abate atmospheric carbon. There are several other mentions of climate change in the 2008 platform. To the extent that dealing with climate change and economic growth are at odds, they wanted a balance close to growth than Democrats did (and do), but they knew that climate change did have to be dealt with. On renewable energy: > Alternate power sources must enter the mainstream. The technology behind solar energy has improved significantly in recent years, and the commercial development of wind power promises major benefits both in costs and in environmental protection. Republicans support these and other alternative energy sources, including geothermal and hydropower, and anticipate technological developments that will increase their economic viability. We therefore advocate a long-term energy tax credit equally applicable to all renewable power sources. If you want to get banned from /r/republican, just wait until the next time cap and trade comes up, and someone says that it is a socialist liberal democrat commie approach, and point out that Ronald Reagan used it for the phaseout of leaded gasoline, and the first Bush used it for reducing the emissions responsible for acid rain, with overwhelming support from Republicans in Congress...and you will likely get banned from that subreddit for advocating anti-republican positions. Yup...RONALD REAGAN is anti-republican in today's GOP. (Well, his policies are...they never miss a chance to praise him or claim to be like him). [1] http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78545 http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78545
- koolba 10y ago
  Democrats opened the door to your employer checking on your "wellness". "Are you going to the gym? Did you sneak a cigarette in on Friday night? Did you have a chili dog or a salad for lunch)? Oh you won't tell us? Don't worry you don't have to. Okay we'll just slap a surcharge on your health insurance!"

In 2008, GINA was virtually unanimous in the House and Senate. What the hell has happened to this country.

by awalton 10y ago

In 2008, GINA was virtually unanimous in the House and Senate. What the hell has happened to this country.

Nothing that you could not have predicted a decade ago. Once data exists it will be used, for good and for bad. Which is one reason why privacy really matters, we simply can not extrapolate to what evil uses a future bureaucracy will put our data. And you can bet that these 'wellness' programs results, especially the genetic data will be filed for future use.

Delmania 10y ago

2 things. One of the most corrupt administrations in history took control of the Oval Office, combined with one of the most ideological Congress. If it even looks like a regulation, it will be suspect. No thought, no debate. Whatever makes donors money will be done.

astrodust 10y ago
This is like when you see looting on television, where windows are smashed, things stolen, other stuff just thrown on the ground for no reason. Things set on fire. I don't think people realize the magnitude of the problem here. This is a Category 5 situation. They're pouring gasoline on important institutions that will take decades to rebuild, and the costs are going to be staggering.
dexterdog 10y ago
Is now really any different than the last 25 years?
67726e 10y ago
> One of the most corrupt administrations in history took control of the Oval Office Facts or GTFO
- Delmania 10y ago
  Ok, fine. Betsy DeVos has no qualifications for running education, and yet she is the head of the Department of Education. The only significant things she's done in this regard are a failed voucher program and contribute large donations. Scott Pruit is the head of the EPA, and organization he sued multiple times. The only qualification Tillerson has is none. He was the CEO of Exxon Mobil and made large donations. The ACA replacement plan breaks every promise Trump made and largely favors the wealthy. It's nothing more than a tax cut disguised as a health care law. We can also get into the ties with Russia, the antagonistic relationship with the media, the conflicts of interest with ihs business, the ethics violations, the outright lies and delusions. I suspect you're a Trump supporter so you've swallowed Trump hook, line, and sinker. Ergo this response is pointless.
  - dang 10y ago
    HN is a bad place for partisan battle, so please don't comment like this here, and especially please don't make it personal, like you did at the end there.
- dang 10y ago
  We ban accounts that post uncivilly and/or unsubstantively, so please stop commenting like this.
koolba 10y ago
The basis for making genetic info fair game started under Obama under the guise of wellness information. If you're going to blame someone start with him.

djrogers 10y ago

What has happened is that a clickbait inflammatory article was written. GINA already had an exception for wellness programs, this bill appears to just change the incentives allowed.

jacquesm 10y ago
> GINA already had an exception for wellness programs, this bill appears to just change the incentives allowed. Completely reversing the meaning of the word 'voluntary'. Yes, the title is clickbait but the situation is a bit more serious than you make it seem.
- koolba 10y ago
  Oh it's voluntary. You can choose to pay more if you value your privacy! See we gave people a choice!

tzs 10y ago

Between 2008 and now, the Republican party was taken over by its most extreme members. Many things that would have been solidly advocated by Republicans then are now out of the question. Just compare the 2008 Republican Party platform [1] to where they stand today. A couple things that illustrate just how different the 2008 GOP was compared to today. On climate change: > Because Republicans believe that solutions to the risk of global climate change will be found in the ingenuity of the American people, we propose a Climate Prize for scientists who solve the challenges of climate change. Honoraria of many millions of dollars would be a small price for technological developments that eliminate our need for gas-powered cars or abate atmospheric carbon. There are several other mentions of climate change in the 2008 platform. To the extent that dealing with climate change and economic growth are at odds, they wanted a balance close to growth than Democrats did (and do), but they knew that climate change did have to be dealt with. On renewable energy: > Alternate power sources must enter the mainstream. The technology behind solar energy has improved significantly in recent years, and the commercial development of wind power promises major benefits both in costs and in environmental protection. Republicans support these and other alternative energy sources, including geothermal and hydropower, and anticipate technological developments that will increase their economic viability. We therefore advocate a long-term energy tax credit equally applicable to all renewable power sources. If you want to get banned from /r/republican, just wait until the next time cap and trade comes up, and someone says that it is a socialist liberal democrat commie approach, and point out that Ronald Reagan used it for the phaseout of leaded gasoline, and the first Bush used it for reducing the emissions responsible for acid rain, with overwhelming support from Republicans in Congress...and you will likely get banned from that subreddit for advocating anti-republican positions. Yup...RONALD REAGAN is anti-republican in today's GOP. (Well, his policies are...they never miss a chance to praise him or claim to be like him). [1] http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78545 http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=78545

koolba 10y ago
Democrats opened the door to your employer checking on your "wellness". "Are you going to the gym? Did you sneak a cigarette in on Friday night? Did you have a chili dog or a salad for lunch)? Oh you won't tell us? Don't worry you don't have to. Okay we'll just slap a surcharge on your health insurance!"