[Oboogie]

"The constitution's immutable!"

"Prohibition."

See also "slavery"

I wonder what it says in US dictionaries next to the word "Amendment"? It clearly has a different meaning to that understood in British English.

[Bones McCoy]

The boss of an American Medical Insurance business has been gunned down in Manhattan

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cnv3dnm64vlo

He started at UnitedHealthcare - the largest private insurer in the US - in 2004 and was named chief executive in 2021. Last year he made $10.2m.

In May he was named in a lawsuit filed by a pension fund, alleging fraud and illegal insider trading.


There isn't mych sympathy on the social media I've visited.

[Watchman]

For once one could almost become a conspiracy theorist

[The Weeping Angel]

I wouldn't be shocked if the killer turns out to be a loony.

[Watchman]

The prevailing theory seems to be, a “victim” of UHC’s intransigence in meeting claims

[Crabcakes]

I wouldn't be shocked if the killer turns out to be a loony.

Looks like it’s anything but the random loony. Based on the eyewitness reporting, this is a professional hit carried out with exceptional precision. The shooter had a suppressor, knew exactly who he was going for and what his movements were, was calm and methodical in the act - even clearing a jam in his gun before firing again, was utterly disinterested in other people in range, and had a planned and successful escape route.

And he fired 3 shots, and the casings recovered had a message on them that were the title of a book on insurance firms refusing to pay out on claims.

While this is absolutely horrific in terms of the act, it appears to be someone has decided that there needs to be consequences for something - and we may never know exactly what, though can make an educated guess from the victim’s job and the message left - and had the means to make them happen.

[Bones McCoy]

There's a danger of flying down a rabbithole over the shooting.
And I'm all sure that we'll all stress our opposition to murder.

But the philosophical coverage of consequences is ongoing.

The "anglo saxon economies" have demonstrated increasing examples of "wealth grants immunity".
Some will respond with edgelord talk like "Rule 303 still applies".

[The Weeping Angel]

So he was a Bernie bro radicalised into violence.

[Crabcakes]

So he was a Bernie bro radicalised into violence.

Whoever did the killing was almost certainly not the one who wanted the killing to happen, just someone who was willing to carry it out.

He calmly walked away. He was seen making a call on a burner phone (recovered) just before the shooting. He wasn’t bothered by anyone else. He wasn’t fazed by a gun jam. He had an escape plan so had no desire to be caught and wasn’t thinking on the hoof after something opportunistic. None of these facts are disputed and all have been established already.

I suspect this is someone hired by someone else who either (a) had a friend or relative who was shafted by some sort of heavy-handed insurance denial and subsequently died or was put through some severe financial and medical hardship, or (b) the message planted on the shell casings was deliberately done to suggest (a) as a theory but the real reason is related to the antitrust issues he was under investigation for.

Either way, whoever did the hiring clearly has the contacts and finance to hire someone who knows what they’re doing as opposed to some edgy guy from a local bar who doesn’t like big business and owns a few guns.

[Bones McCoy]

[Philip Marlow]

The jokes I’ve seen have varied wildly in terms of taste and inventiveness…and this is where I find what passes for my better nature clashing with my politics. Every human life is a precious and unique flower, but if you dedicate yours to the immiseration of the sick and dying for money then you can hardly expect universal mourning as your portion.

[Crabcakes]

As ever with things like this involving people whose day to day life involves work that many of us would find morally troubling, there are 3 levels.

1. It’s appalling that someone was killed.
2. It’s a tragedy that a wife is now a widow and 2 children have lost their father.
3. It’s also true that Brian Thompson engaged in what appear to be corrupt business practices, and openly pursued blocking payment of policies that his customers trusted the firm to cover them for - and he particularly targeted the disabled and the elderly. As such it’s understandable that many people may struggle to show as much empathy as they might do for someone else.

[Bones McCoy]

The people wo say "We only need to make one example" are sagely nodding



The context being:

They wouldn't cover anaesthetic extension top-up if surgery overran.

[Bones McCoy]

At least we learned one thing,

Bicycle is the most efficient method to travel around Manhattan.

[Samanfur]

The jokes I’ve seen have varied wildly in terms of taste and inventiveness…and this is where I find what passes for my better nature clashing with my politics. Every human life is a precious and unique flower, but if you dedicate yours to the immiseration of the sick and dying for money then you can hardly expect universal mourning as your portion.

As I saw someone say online yesterday:

[The Weeping Angel]

The jokes I’ve seen have varied wildly in terms of taste and inventiveness…and this is where I find what passes for my better nature clashing with my politics. Every human life is a precious and unique flower, but if you dedicate yours to the immiseration of the sick and dying for money then you can hardly expect universal mourning as your portion.

As I saw someone say online yesterday:

A lot of online American leftists are really just borderline sociopaths.

[Andy McDandy]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ken_McElroy

McCloud's parents initially opposed the relationship, but after McElroy burned their house down and shot the family dog, they begrudgingly agreed to the marriage.

No man is an island, but some men are fucking landfill sites.

And because history repeats itself, first as tragedy and then as farce:

When Trena's parents were away, McElroy went to their home, where once again he burned the house down and shot the McClouds' new dog.

[Bones McCoy]

Time will tell us which moves the gun debate most.
* 400 Schoolkids.
* One CEO.


It's like one of those Trolley problem cartoon spoofs.

[Youngian]

Not the first businessman of Thompson's calibre to be plugged by a hit man. A long list of suspects for the police to plough through.

[Andy McDandy]

Every death is a tragedy.

Thing is, some are Hamlet, and others are a song by Steps.