HOUSE PASSES MEDICARE DRUG BILL

fox news ^ | Nov 23, 2003

[RobFromGa]

WASHINGTON

[The Old Hoosier]

They must have promised Richard Burr a lot of help in his Senate election campaign.

[StriperSniper]

It's bizarre how the precise elements that make this bill worth considering are the provisions the Democrats are dead set against.

Nothing bizarre about it, If you saw the Marxist attack Durban was leveling on it. It is entirely predictable, they are plain and simply Marxists.

[Consort]

What do we have here? Bushbots and RINOs vs Clinton Conservatives and Disruptors, with the Moderates watching both sides. It looks like history might repeat itself if the Clinton Conservatives turn against Bush like they turned against his father — and we all get stabbed in the back, including the misguided perps themselves. The Conservative Death Wish is alive and well. Will Rush be part of it again?

Clinton Conservatives: "We don't need no stinkin' Perot. We'll screw up the country without him"

[Badray]

"Where are his rabid supporters on this. They may not be defending this..."

Ooops! Spoke too soon. They will even defend this.

When Free Republic(ans) support incrmental Hillary Care, do we stand a chance of keeping a Free Republic?

[texastoo]

What is Senator Frist saying? I can only imagine how utterly happy he is with this bill.

Senator Frist's family owns HCA, Hospital Corporation of America. HCA owns 190 hospitals and 80 surgery centers. They own hospitals in 23 states plus England and Switzerland. Check their stock on the New York stock exchange as it increased Friday and will probably increase Monday.

With the $1 billion guaranteed to go for illegal immigrants in this bill, it is a win, win for the large hospital corporations. HCA owns a large hospital in McAllen, Texas.

Again, Americans will be forced to pay more and the illegals will get free health care.

[StriperSniper]

What is Senator Frist saying?

I only saw the last couple questions, none were memorable. It looks like the vote will be sometime on Monday is all I got out of it, I had been watching Marlin fishing on ESPN. ;-)

The Senate is in session now on C-SPAN2, Reed of RI speaking(boring).

[T. Jefferson]

First, after 9/11 he creates a whole new bureaucracy with the "Office of Homeland Security".

List for us all the successful attacks on US soil since this office was created.

Then he pushes through the so-called "Patriot Act" that does more to trample on the individual rights of citizens than it does to quell illegal aliens from entering this country.

List the top 5 ways your rights have been trampled. Thanks.

[WOSG]

Well I remember when Reagan (the greatest POTUS in my lifetime) was criticized again and gain by the perpetual whiner conservative class while he was in office. Reagan was for big government because he didn't abolish one agency and even expanded some. Reagan was a closet one worlder who packed his cabinet with same. stole freedom by the of the banking laws passed. Reagan stole freedoms/liberties by signing certain banking secrecy laws and issuing certain executive orders. Reagan was a socialist because of the big spending/deficits. Etc, etc., whine, whine, whine. The same losers who now call themselves things like "Reagan Renaissance" or "Regan Man", were the very same ones promising not to vote for Reagan the different reasons mentioned above.

There is a lot of truth to what you say. For one, remember the "Greenspan commission" and the social security "deal" back in 1983/1984 ... that saved Social Security for another 20 years. This bill on medicare is like that one, although this one has some more Conservative market-reform elements that the social security bill didnt have - and that had a payroll tax *hike*!!

Considering that this bill is more conservative than drug benefit bills that previously passed the House in previous Congresses, and considering that Bush had already *promised* a prescription drug benefit, it could have been worse for conservatives. I am not saying I like the bill, but I am saying we (conservatives) did better than we might have in this process.

[WOSG]

"Do you fully understand the consequences of this? Seniors who currently have coverage may very likely end up with worse coverage than they currently enjoy. Profit margins of pharma companies will be negatively impacted, and as a result less money will be available to reinvest in R&D. Major long-term damage to pharmaceutical innovation will be the legacy of this bill. (Not to mention more income redistribution)"

OTOH, the Democrats say that this bill is a huge giveaway to the pharma companies and protects their pocketbooks. That was one of their reasons against the bill. They wanted to force drug prices down through various govt coercive means. hmm.

[WOSG]

"Are you a self confessed Bush Bot? Are you criticizing him now? Where are his rabid supporters on this."

His point is that there are no "rabid supporters" on FR for expanding Government spending. Even the (few) supporters of this bill mainly support it because of the conservative reform elements in it. Others like me, support those elements but on balance dont think they justify this expansion of spending.

Government spends too much, taxes too much, and regulates too much already.

You'll need to find another website if you want to debate rabid supporters of the prescription drug benefit.
Maybe AARP has a board. LOL.

[texastoo]

"List for us all the successful attacks on US soil since this office was created."

Since the Mexican consulate was caught after the fact of arranging 200 MEs to slip into the country, we will have to wait and see. These MEs probably need their drivers license first before an attack. Doesn't Homeland security have something to do with our borders??????

[The Westerner]

Makes you scratch your head and wonder who to vote for next time, doesn't it? With friends like this...

[AmericaUnited]

Just what is your point?!

Why can't we at least have a frank exchange of opinions, and not mask that exchange by suggesting that those of us... are somehow being alamists, or hysterical.

Please read with better comprehension skills. That would help "the frank exchange of opinions" most of all.

My point was very clear. I'm sick and tired of the whiners who always threaten to take their ball and go home, and in doing so helping the enemy. And those who just perpetually whine/criticize everyone.

[AmericaUnited]

P.S. I think this bill is an abomination. There, happy now?

[CWOJackson]

Most of those you mention never have played ball with this President and never had any intention to anyway. They use the same threats on everything the President does.

[texastoo]

I talked to a senior last week who was against this bill. He said that in addition to their Medicare premium, all SS recipients will have to pay an extra $35 a month. He said his medicine bill is from $200 to $250 a year. Therefore, he will not receive any benefits as he will have to pay for his own medicine plus the $35/mo. To receive benefits, the expense of the medicine must be much higher.

[Impy]

Wow all 435 members voted. That doesn't happen often.

[NittanyLion]

If he had the 60 votes, he would filibuster

Huh?

Only 41 votes are needed to sustain a filibuster.

[NittanyLion]

It's about re-electing our President. Nothing else matters to our national security.

Is it your position that Bush would not be reelected unless this bill was passed?

[NittanyLion]

OTOH, the Democrats say that this bill is a huge giveaway to the pharma companies and protects their pocketbooks.

As usual, the Democrats are wrong. This bill will hurt pharma companies' profit margins.