Bush Signs $400 Billion Prescription Drug Program Into Law: Bush Is A BIG GOVERNMENT Republican

December.8,2003

[Valentine_W]

I honestly don't know enough about the minutia of the legislation to have a good opinion, what aspects of the bill didn't they like?

[rintense]

Possibly, but it is ultimately putting the responsibility on results, not giving more money to hope to get results. I don't think anyone expects every aspect of every bill to be agreeable. But, you have to learn to walk before you can run. And these small steps only make bigger ones possible in the future. Sorry, I guess I'm too much of an optimist. Having taught in public schools, I know that there are some good ones, but the vast majority need major help- and need to be held accountable.

[NittanyLion]

Apparently the additional bureaucracy that goes with writing and receiving grants is a huge problem. In addition, some of the testing requirements are evidently unrealistic. I've been told that school districts are bound by so many other mandates/regulations, the expectation that they can improve test scores absent a loosening of other restrictions is not realistic. Hard to argue with that...if a business was forced to use the same employees they always have, at the same pay, and with the same incentive/disciplinary leeway, what could you really expect to change? What I've heard is that the entire system needs an overhaul, and mandating outputs while disallowing change to inputs is not getting the job done.

To be honest I don't know enough to provide an educated opinion on it (hence the abundance of qualifiers in my statement), but the people I've spoke with are not your stereotypical lazy public educators.

[Valentine_W]

I can see where you are coming from. In many ways, the incentive to educate oneself comes from one's upbringing as a child. It seems that many children who are driven to excell in school do so because of their parents' encouragement or pressure to do so. For me, it is hard to see a group of children strive to learn when education just is not an important value in their family life. Perhaps that is me just being a cynic, but it would be in many ways, unfair to punish teachers for the failures of their students, especially if their classroom does not have the will or incentive to learn.

[Valentine_W]

Perhaps the appropriate over-haul would be for a complete system of school-choice programs across the country.

[NittanyLion]

Yep. It's a theory with which I initially disagreed completely, but I'm beginning to see the merits. Private schools can control what students are allowed in; public schools cannot. Often they're a function of changing demographics as much as anything. If a pharma company relocates its HQ down the street, you may see your scores go way up even if the quality of education goes way down. When industry has closed up and left town, and average income is way down, just the opposite occurs.

[NittanyLion]

You got it...at least from my relatively uninformed standpoint.

[FirstPrinciple]

Hey it took only 19 of them to wreak havoc. It is the for the 0.0001% that we need to seal our borders.

[FirstPrinciple]

Which one?

[FirstPrinciple]

It is all about incentives. The cost of prescription drug coverage will no doubt increase in the future, more so because govt will pour in tons of money in it. As premiums rise, companies will cut off prescription drug benefits and force seniors into medicare plans. Just wait till the next miracle drug comes out. The present financing plan will break apart because now every senior would demand this new drug. The voluntary aspect will die within the next 10 years. I have heard that companies have already started doing so.

If Bush was serious about real Medicare reform, he would introduce medical savings account for younger workers right away, where young workers can put money and invest for future healthcare needs. Also, for needy seniors give tax-breaks to pharmaceutical companies in the amount that they donate free drugs to poor seniors. That way, govt doesn't directly affect the price of drugs and only allows the companies to deduct whatever is the market price of the drug. But, I am not sure this would have been popular for his re-election chances which politicians always worry about.

[Miss Marple]

Medical savings accounts are in this bill. They are available to all workers whose employers have a high deductible.

My husband's company will be offering them.

I would prefer that they were available to all, but at least this is a first step.

[Valentine_W]

The Center for American Progress; Podesta's brain-child and Soros's new project.

[Valentine_W]

"Now I could care less what you think"

Well, that at least means that you do care, at least marginally. I care about the ramifications of this legislation and did not like the way in which it came to pass Congress. That being said, not all is lost, but you already know that. Like you, I do not think it is wise to totally give up on the Bush Administration for decisions such as this; I actually think that Bush will do a lot of great things in his second term. Unlike you though, I will openly disagree with the President when he signs bills I disagree with.

[FirstPrinciple]

Oh geez. Where do I sign up?

[Valentine_W]

It's a miserable organization. Your name actually reminded me of the organization, mainly because Podesta started the organization first, and was then running around, telling the media that they would fully define their agenda after they decided what their principles were! It was hilarious to listen to, most think-tanks start based on principles of some sort, but not Podesta's brain-child--he has not a clue what principles are.

Interestingly enough, Soros gave the think-tank an initial $10 million grant.

[FirstPrinciple]

I think everyone should start a lunatic left-wing think tank so we can drain off the resources from the left quickly.

[Valentine_W]

Soro's supply of money seems almost never-ending. If you do not know a lot about him, look him up. Fortune magazine had a good article on him about a month ago--the man has tentacles all over the world. He funds everything from candidates, to think-tanks, to insurgent rebel groups in Europe.

[ladyinred]

Yes, he did promise this. I don't know if people listened to his campaign speeches. This is not a surprise.

[Howlin]

We interrupt this thread to alert you to breaking news that Ozzy Osburne has been in a serious car accident.

More to come.

[onyx]

No way. Where? In Beverly Hills?