Attack on Medicare added to TPP Fast Track bill

[marmar]

Senate Democrats Work with Republicans to Throw Medicare Under the Bus as Part of TPP Fast Track Sausage-Making

Posted on May 17, 2015 by Lambert Strether
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.


I got an email blast on Medicare and TPP from Democracy for America, so I immediately discounted it because DFA, and besides, there wasn’t any linky goodness, but then I thought “This could be really bad,” so I looked into it. Here’s the paragraph in question from DFA:

There’s a big — brand new — attack on Medicare that’s just been added in the Senate to the Fast Track bill for the TPP. The bill would cut a whopping $700 million from Medicare, hurting seniors who need access to health care.

That’s right, Republicans insisted on cutting Medicare spending to pay for a Trade Adjustment Assistance program that Democrats got added to the bill in order to support workers who lost their jobs due to trade deals like the TPP.

This would be execrable sausage-making for both Democrats and Republicans. For Democrats, Medicare is one of the remaining reasons to think they’re committed to social insurance; and for Republicans, their base — remember “Keep your government hands off my Medicare”? — skews old.

So my questions are:

1) Has Trade Adjustment Assistance been added to the TPP Fast Track bill?

2) Has $700 million been cut from Medicare as a result?

3) Does Trade Adjustment Assistance serve any public purpose? ...................(more)

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/05/senate-democrats-work-with-republicans-throw-medicare-under-the-bus-part-tpp-fast-track-sausage-making.html

[tridim]

1. President Obama will NEVER let this happen. Period.

Thankfully he is in control, and not the Republicans, whom many on DU want to control trade.

[marmar]

2. No offense, but that's just delusional at this point.

[tridim]

4. What is? That Obama is in control?

And what "point" are you talking about? What is special about this point in time that would lead you to believe that the President is not in control? Republican spin?

[marmar]

6. I just think it's extremely naive to think he would "never let that happen"

...... he's in lockstep with the Republicans on this. Mitch McConnell just gave him fawning praise in the TPP negotiations.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

3. How would he stop it?

Will he veto TPP because of a detail?

Maybe if the repukes load it up with some more stuff, like anti-immigration language and anti-abortion language ... maybe that would cause a veto.

[tridim]

5. If it guts medicare the President will veto.

He is the good guy, not the bad guy.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Medicare can be reduced without "gutting"

Allow medicare to negotiate drug prices (haha, fat chance of that)

Beef up the means testing, increase price of medicare based on income. (better chance)

I think he really, really wants TPP, for some unknown reason.