The Republicans' Poison Pill

[Carla in Ca]

Another good article from the LAT, which examines this debacle...er...reform of Medicare's drug program. Partner it with the OP-ED posted by Zippy890 and you have, in my opinion, a one-two punch; this issue, if the Dems will get on it, will divide the GOP and insure House seats in November for us.

<http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-oe-chait22jan22,0,6055747.column?coll=la-util-opinion-sunday>


Medicare's drug benefit program is so corrupt, bungled and partisan that it could be just the thing for what ails the Democrats.


FOR THE LAST few weeks, Democrats in Washington have been thrashing about in search of some way to make the Republican corruption scandals relevant to the broader public. Meanwhile, the public seems much more concerned about the Medicare prescription drug plan, which, with its horror stories of bureaucratic bungling, has turned out to be the Hurricane Katrina of entitlement programs.

It's the corruption! It's the Medicare drug plan! Wait a second — is it me, or did the answer to the Democrats' dilemma just fall right into their lap?

ADVERTISEMENT

The Medicare drug plan is the perfect issue for Democrats to run on. It perfectly encapsulates the corruption of Republican Washington, and it's a concrete thing that voters can relate to. Running on this issue makes so much sense that naturally the Democrats won't do it.

EDITED BY ADMIN: COPYRIGHT

[ClassWarrior]

1. K&R

NGU.

[ClassWarrior]

2. /

[Carla in Ca]

3. Thanks, ClassWarrior

We need to hit them from all sides, with all their incompetence and corruption. One a day, one a week. Just keep the hits coming.

[neverforget]

4. If the Democrats can't capitalize on this fiasco, then there is no hope.

Excellent article. K & R.

[Carla in Ca]

5. You got it!

That is exactly right. I want the Dems to stop focusing on the 'issue of the day'. Stop reacting to the latest headlines...make the headlines!

[autorank]

6. Carla, you nailed it. We can help the seniors and their 75% can help us.

I helped my mother-in-law select a plan just before the January deadline.

It took me 20 minutes to get accustomed enough to the web page and process to go forward and I've been using online systems since 1980!

My mother-in-law would never have completed this online, never.

The choices are really misleading. You get a set of options. There was eactly one sensible plan for her area, Humana, but there were about 90 choices. Amazing!

I'd like to know how many seniors were able to sign up. That figure should be available.

Let's all write letters to our representatives to see if we can get an answer.

Enjoy! RECOMMENDED

[nicknameless]

7. Excellent

The painful truth of this rip-off is starting to hit home -- even with some of the most brain-dead rethugs.

Nominated!

[lostnfound]

8. K&R. And people who can least afford it will lose the most later on.

Helped a retiree friend understand paperwork he just got from his former employer.

His policy is 'at least as good as Medicare' so he will keep it and will not risk higher premiums later. He's lucky. He's "well-off" and well-taken care of in a way that 95% of retirees are not.

But the paperwork said that IF his policy wasn't 'at least as good as Medicare' or he didn't have a policy at all, he would have to sign up NOW to a Medicare plan OR ELSE -- say, if he isn't able to afford it until later -- he will have to pay higher premiums if and when he signs up later.

So effectively, the lower classes who can't afford any premium today -- unemployed, for example, or those struggling to recover from Katrina or from the widespread layoffs -- have to pay a penalty if and when they are able to somehow find a way to afford it later. Not just a one-time penalty, but a penalty for the rest of their lives.

For the crime of not having been able to afford to sign up to anything today.

[NJmaverick]

9. You would think Dr. Dean would be all over this issue

I don't understand why they haven't really done anything.

[Carla in Ca]

10. Yes, this is THE issue for him as well,

or so you would think. I emailed him telling him to bombard the media with this. This should also be a DU Activist Corp item.

Thanks for all the recommends. This will affect so many, many of us soon if it hasn't already. The LAT had a great article today about a couple trying to get their medicine at a pharmacy. Very sad.

We have a first-class ass leading this country into third-world status. God help us.