Budget opponents look to future of Medicare, Medicaid

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

Reporting from Washington— As Capitol Hill negotiators fleshed out details of last week's epic budget deal, Democrats and Republicans prepared for the next set of confrontations over federal spending, including the future of Medicare and Medicaid.

White House officials said President Obama will present his long-term debt-reduction strategy Wednesday in a speech that will include his insistence that the nation cannot afford to preserve Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.

And by the end of the week, House Republicans plan to vote on their 2012 budget blueprint, which would slash domestic spending, reduce income tax rates and start turning Medicare into a private program.

The $38-billion agreement that kept the government from shutting down at midnight Friday preserves Head Start preschool funds and the Pell Grant program for college students, the White House said Sunday night, but will reduce housing assistance and other programs in the Labor, Education and Health departments.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-budget-2012-20110411,0,4456348.story

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President Obama should listen to the people and look out his window and see who is demonstrating. Of course, it can get confusing when you have the Tea Partiers supporting the Republican budget plan and demanding, "KEEP YOUR DAMN FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HANDS OFF MY MEDICARE!!! DOWN WITH SOCIALIZED MEDICINE! KEEP MEDICARE SAFE!" Maybe the Daily Show can have some fun with the demonstrators.

[defendandprotect]

1. We need to extend Medicare to 57 years olds, then 47 -- and then to everyone!!

And move the right wing influences out of government --

Evidently campaign funds can remove the brains of our elected officials!!

[dkf]

2. Does he honestly think we can't afford just the tax cuts for the top?

We can't afford any of those cuts. Why is he playing with us?

[TomCADem]

4. Even Paul Krugman Is Not Against Extending Tax Cuts To 98%...

...its the tax cuts to the top 2 percent that really don't have significant stimulative effect despite what Paul Ryan says.

[Mojorabbit]

3. I am getting seriously worried. nt