Posted on 12/08/2003 12:25:37 PM PST by snopercod
That's why I said that you were "embellishing". If you had said, this law does "less than desired amounts" to reduce government, that would be one thing, but saying that it does "nothing" is easily disprovable.
The Medicare Reform law has half a dozen Privatization options, any one of which, if taken to its full potential, could greatly reduce the size of government. Likewise, ushering in *preventative* medicine in place of the ancient Medicare insistence upon surgery and other reactive care is likewise a financial improvement with great potential.
At the very least, the Medical Savings Accounts in this new law give yet one more tax cut to Americans, a fine way of reducing government by starving the beast.
Thus, your argument is diminished by your repeated insistence upon using hyperbole that can so easily be disproved. Does "nothing" to reduce government, you claim?! Oh please.
Moreover, the cost may be a legitimate target, but the figures being tossed around are not the values authorized in this law. The Medicare Reform law only authorizes $39.5 Billion, flat rate, per year for each of ten years.
That's roughly $10 per month per American.
There's absolutely no evidence that says, spending $400 billion on this new Medicare PDP will lead to a privatization of the system.
Just got done listening to conservative Rep.John Shadegg of Arizona. He said "all the reforms went out the window" and that we could have assisted the elderly poor and seniors with catastrophic healthcare costs, without it costing $400 billion in unfunded mandates.
Shadegg is right, of course. But you'll never convince the centrist RINO's and wishy-washy moderates. They all support and enjoy paying for BIG GOVERNMENT.
However, you are dead wrong on this issue and I've not engaged in any hyperbole. You're distorting the facts. Period.
>>>That's why I said that you were "embellishing". If you had said, this law does "less than desired amounts" to reduce government, that would be one thing, but saying that it does "nothing" is easily disprovable.
There is no up side to spending $400 billion in unfunded mandates. Especially when that $400 billion, will soon turn into $800 billion to $1.2 trillion, or more! I don't understand why you and others have such a hard time grasping the reality of the facts, as they exist. You do not spend $400 billion to reduce the size of government. That pure sophistry!
Many of the aspects of privatization that are contained in this new Medicare bill, are extremely limited in range and scope. The Heritage Foundation clearly spells this out in their analysis. I just got done listening to Arizona Rep. John Shadegg and he said and I quote, "the reforms went out the window". Shadegg said, we could have created a program that assisted the elderly poor and helped out seniors with catastrophic healthcare costs, without spending $400 billion in unfunded mandates.
You really need to wake up and get with the program.
You are still doing it. You are still resorting to hyperbole rather than sticking to facts.
This particular Medicare Reform law authorizes $39.5 Billion per year for ten years. That's it. Any additional funds would have to come from *additional* legislation.
So don't tell me about Trillion Dollar cost estimates because such guesses (to be kind) aren't law, but rather *are* hyperbole.
Moreover, the clear, obvious upside to the $39.5 Billion Dollar cost is that we get an additional tax cut in the form of Medical Savings Accounts in addition to no fewer than 6 Privatization options for Medicare.
That's enormous "up side," and yet more evidence that contrasts with your hyperbole.
You won't give President Bush credit for killing the Kyoto Treaty even in theory?!
Do you ever stop to listen to yourself. The rabid partisans on lp.org are more fair and open minded than you.
Look, if you want *me* to do your homework for you by presenting evidence of a Clinton XO that enforced the non-ratified Kyoto Treaty, then you will have to commit to giving President Bush credit for killing it upon seeing such proof.
If you won't make that commitment, then I would be wasting my time with you. In which case, you can go do that homework on your own.
Nope. That's not worth it to me.
If you want me to do your homework for you, then you are going to have to fully commit to giving Bush full credit for killing Kyoto.
Aside from abolishing the CETA program, I can't think of one government program that has been done away with in the last 40-years. Can you?
>>>Moreover, the clear, obvious upside to the $39.5 Billion Dollar cost is that we get an additional tax cut in the form of Medical Savings Accounts in addition to no fewer than 6 Privatization options for Medicare.
The devil is in the details. I'm not opposed to reform of Medicare, but there is little reform in this new package. First you have to get seniors to accept the options offered in Medicare. They will not be easily or readily accepted. When seniors see that they'd be better off staying under the government run healthcare coverage, they might choose not to buy into some private option that costs them more and gives them less in the long run.
In addition, Democrats know this is only the beginning and they look forward to expanding Medicare and prescription drug coverage under the bureaucratic umbrella of the federal government, paid for by the Americxan taxpayers. Since the GOP created this new bloated entitlement program, I doubt they'll be willing to stop the charge to increase the size and scope of Medicare in the future.
Your feelings are correct. There is an automatic tax increase built into this bill. When costs go up, witholding taxes go up for the younger generation.
The "greatest generation" is turning out to be the "greediest generation".
The AARP supported this for two reasons: 1. It will line their corporate pockets, and 2. It will be a giant step toward full socialization of our medical industry.
See the post just above this one.
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