Sen. Bernie Sanders said expansions to medicare are 'not coming out' of spending bill, contradicting

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Business Insider

Sen. Bernie Sanders said a Medicare expansion of dental, vision, and hearing coverage will remain a part of the spending package, contradicting remarks made by President Joe Biden earlier this week.

"The expansion of Medicare to cover dental, hearing, and vision is one of the most popular and important provisions in the entire reconciliation bill. It's what the American people want. It's not coming out," Sanders said in a tweet Saturday.

Earlier this week, Biden leaned towards scaling down the initial $3.5 trillion spending package to between $1.75-$1.9 trillion.

During a CNN Town Hall Thursday, Biden said it would be a "reach" for the Medicare expansion to be included in the spending bill.



Read more: https://www.businessinsider.com/sanders-says-medicare-expansions-arent-coming-out-of-spending-bill-2021-10

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Full title of article: Sen. Bernie Sanders said expansions to medicare are 'not coming out' of spending bill, contradicting Biden

Link to tweet

[dweller]

1. I'll hold that line

with Bernie freakin Sanders …

✌🏻

[PoliticAverse]

3. How long do you hold onto it if it is holding up the bill passing?

November 2022?

[ColinC]

4. The more that is stripped, the more likely nothing would be better

And we run on it, and wait till we have the votes to pass a good bill. Truth is, there is no reason to take those provisions out, as no crucial votes depend on doing it. They can likely make the cuts elsewhere.

[PoliticAverse]

6. Joe Manchin has already indicated he wants the financing for the current Medicare program shored up

before there would be any expansion of the program.

I would consider him a "crucial vote", and his recent "how about ZERO" comment during negotiations on the bill does not bode well.

[ColinC]

8. Link?

I don't recall him trying to Target Medicare quite yet. Although it's wouldn't surprise me. The zero comment is just suggesting that he would rather kill the bill then pass anything substantive. Which seems where this whole negotiation might be headed. But at the end of the day,Dems need to make clear that they are for the most part united and only one or two votes killed it. Not the other way around.

[PoliticAverse]

10. See...

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/manchin-questions-medicare-expansion-backs-cutting-drug-prices/ar-AAOL5UZ

From Sept 23rd...

(Bloomberg) -- Senator Joe Manchin said Thursday he doesn’t support expanding Medicare benefits without first addressing the program’s long-term solvency, again putting him at odds with Senator Bernie Sanders and other key liberals as they negotiate President Joe Biden’s economic agenda.

Asked about Democrats’ plans to expand benefits for dental, vision and hearing in the upcoming budget reconciliation bill, the West Virginia Democrat pointed to the program’s long-term financial problems instead.

“I will say this about Medicare. We need to stabilize it. By 2026, you understand, the trust fund is going to be insolvent,” he said. “That means there’s going to be an awful lot of cuts to a lot of people who depend on the Medicare they’re getting today. I want to make sure that we are stabilizing what we have before we start going down this expansion.”

[Mawspam2]

11. We are no longer fighting any wars, and yet...

...nobody seems to have a problem spend MORE on the military.

The current spending bill is 1.5T over 10 years.
Military spending is 12T over 10 years.

I think we could cut back 1T of military spending to do right by the American people.

[riversedge]

12. If only folks would listen to reason.

[PoliticAverse]

13. Good luck with that. Congress gave Biden more money for the military that he requested even. n/t

[McKim]

21. You Got that Right!

You got that one right....I want to see this all over the MSM whenever the Right Wing complains about us having dental and vision coverage as "too expensive!"

[manicdem]

37. Top issue

Democrats have to push the issue of drawing down the military and it's budget. Money cut from the military could easily pay for everything that we want. This should be part of next year's elections push.

[FBaggins]

14. From more recently

In a town hall last week, Biden publicly discussed Manchin and Sinema's opposition to the Medicare expansion, as well as Sinema's resistance to increasing tax rates on corporations and high-income individuals.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.politico.com/amp/news/2021/10/24/biden-manchin-delaware-at-critical-juncture-516941

This could lead to an interesting (if unfortunate) irony if Sanders decides to go with the “better off with nothing” strategy. He recently pointed out that he too was one senator in a 50/50 senate… but he couldn’t hold the president’s decision on Medicare hostage.

[ColinC]

15. It's hard to say what's best

Pass a watered down reconciliation bill with some good things but nothing that radically benefits the middle and working class or is noticable in most ways, run on it and the prospect of further adding to it if we win more seats, or pass nothing and run on the prospect of passing something major with a true majority. . At this point doing nothing legislatively but consistently taking back the federal courts in the next year seems like a good enough prize without a major bill.

[FBaggins]

30. If that's hard for one person to decide... remember that we need unanimity on that decision

If Biden decides to take it out and even one Senator believes that we're better off with nothing... then nothing is what we're going to get.

IOW - It's the same problem that we have now, but in reverse. And both of them make it less likely that we lose seats rather than gain that true majority.

[ColinC]

31. Problem is if we want something over nothing, we need everybody to negotiate in good faith

Something that seems to have been hard to come by with manchin. This whole situation is a major $#!t salad.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

5. Damn right!! This is why Bernie is a national treasure!!

[The Magistrate]

2. When The Man's Right He's Right, Sir

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

7. Yup, he sure is!! You can ALWAYS count on Bernie to represent the less fortunate among us.

[ColinC]

9. ..

[area51]

17. +1

And Bernie's been working on getting us healthcare since the '70s, instead of taking bribes from the insurance companies to make sure our hc is the most expensive.

[George II]

19. Who is "taking bribes from insurance companies"?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

25. ∆THIS∆

[George II]

28. So we still don't know who is "taking bribes" from the healthcare industry.

[George II]

26. Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin are in Delaware right now to discuss the bill with the President.

THEY are representing the less fortunate among us.

[JoeOtterbein]

16. Taking out the Medicare expansion...

...is stupid.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

36. Will never understand it.

[George II]

39. Yes, expanding Medicare is a great idea. I'm so glad Senator Clinton proposed it years ago. And..

Last edited Sun Oct 24, 2021, 08:45 PM - Edit history (1)

...for that matter, it was a great idea when a NY Senate predecessor (republican) Jacob Javits proposed it 51 years ago:

[George II]

18. I'll wait to see what the final bill includes. If it's Biden's decision (after all, HE is President)

....to take it out of reduce it with a viable alternative, I'll go with President Biden.

Again, after all, HE is President.

[vsrazdem]

20. The last time I checked we had 3 EQUAL branches of goverment. Yes Bidin is

President, but Congress holds the pursestrings and passes laws, Biden either signs them or does not. They both need to work together to get this done.

[George II]

23. Last time I checked we had 100 Senators and 435 Representatives in Congress. The thing is...

...Biden has been working harder to get this bill passed than any of those in the Senate who could and should be working harder.

[vsrazdem]

32. I agree. I think its disgusting that 2 people can hold up something a majority of the

country wants, but unless we get a bigger majority in the senate, this is what we are going to get.

[PoliticAverse]

40. It's really 52 people. n/t

[McKim]

22. Keeping Dental and Vision in Medicare Will Win Us Elections!

If we keep Dental and Vision in Medicare it will win us the forthcoming elections for years to come! This is crucial. This is what they have in Western Europe, its called CIVILIZATION!

[CTyankee]

24. Thank you! The pukes must be wetting their shorts that this is exactly what will happen.

I'm old and need dental and vision coverage (my insurance covers a pittance). People at the end of their lives have needs that only a few can afford.

WE VOTE and will vote to get decent coverage for benefits.

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

27. Thankfully Bernie knows this... why Democrats would be smart to follow his leadership on this!!

[George II]

29. Chuck Schumer and Joe Manchin have gone up to Delaware to meet with President Biden...

....at this moment to discuss the bill. Those are the only two Senators meeting with Biden.

THAT is leadership on this.

[vsrazdem]

33. Manchin is going there to throw his weight around again. That's not leadership, its

blackmail.

[George II]

34. He's in Delaware talking to the President and Senate Leader. Call it whatever derogatory term...

...you want, but he's there working to resolve the differences on Sunday afternoon. That's leadership.

How it is "blackmail"?

[jcgoldie]

44. Leadership?

Who exactly is Manchin leading? Big coal?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

35. Manchin would do well to follow Bernie's lead.

[demosurvivor]

38. Does anyone see a problem with

two of the biggest voices on the left having such a communication problem. How are we to look united if we don't appear united. When will it finally be "about the people"?

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

41. Bernie is ALL "about the people."

[myohmy2]

42. thanks Bernie...

"It's what the American people want. It's not coming out."

...that's my Bernie...

...I know I want it and I'm an American people...

...we're all in this together...act like it...

...hang in there...

[InAbLuEsTaTe]

43. ABSO-FUCKIN-LUTELY!!