PAUL KRUGMAN: A Test for Democrats

[kevinmc]

It’s been a good Democrats, bad Democrats kind of week. The bill expanding children’s health insurance that just passed in the House makes you want to stand up and cheer. Reports that Senator Charles Schumer opposes plans to close the hedge fund tax loophole make you want to sit down and cry.

Let’s start with the good news: The House bill, which the Congressional Budget Office says would provide coverage to five million children who would otherwise be uninsured.

The bill is so good that it has Republicans spluttering. “The bill uses children as pawns,” declared Representative Pete Sessions of Texas. Yes, the Democrats are exploiting children — by providing them with health care.

The horror, the horror!

What’s especially encouraging is the way House Democrats were willing to take on the insurance companies. The bill pays for children’s health care in part by cutting subsidies to Medicare Advantage, a privatization scheme that yields big profits for insurers, but that the budget office estimates would cost taxpayers $54 billion in excess payments over the next five years.....

http://freedemocracy.blogspot.com/2007/08/paul-krugman-test-for-democrats.html

[underpants]

1. KICK and off to the greatest page

Great article.

I started a GD thread on this--it needs attention
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=389&topic_id=1503585&mesg_id=1503585

[IndyOp]

2. This part IS good - Dems stood up to health insurance companies!

What’s especially encouraging is the way House Democrats were willing to take on the insurance companies. The bill pays for children’s health care in part by cutting subsidies to Medicare Advantage, a privatization scheme that yields big profits for insurers, but that the budget office estimates would cost taxpayers $54 billion in excess payments over the next five years.

Earlier this year I worried that many Democrats would be taken in by the insurance industry’s disinformation campaign in support of its subsidies, which included the pretense that Medicare Advantage offers big benefits to minority groups. In the end, however, House Democrats refused to be rolled.

All in all, the bill is both a fine piece of legislation and a demonstration that Democrats can stand up to special interests. Happy days are here again.

:applause:

[Spiffarino]

3. We're being bombarded with ads featuring "seniors"

The ads have a lot of older folks telling us how great Medicare Advantage is and how they don't want the "politicians" to take it away. Then, right at the end for about three seconds, comes the ugly truth: "Paid for by America's Insurance Companies."

If the old people in the ad were howling, "Please don't hurt our profits! Pleeeeaaassse!" I would be more inclined to feel sympathy. At this point, I'm ready to cockpunch the first insurance executive I encounter.

Edit: K&R

[MasonJar]

4. Per usual, a great lesson on economics and ethics from Paul. He is the man!

[Doctor_J]

5. Yes, this was written Thursday

I wonder what he now thinks about yesterday's debacle. Psych up for Monday's column