Democratic Candidates' responses to the final GOP Medicare Bill

[La_Serpiente]

John Edwards

http://edwards.senate.gov/press/2003/1117-pr.html

WASHINGTON - Senator John Edwards on Monday said he opposes an eleventh-hour deal negotiated behind closed doors on Medicare legislation.

"You can practically hear the celebrations at the HMOs and drug companies because of this prescription drug bill," Senator Edwards said.

Howard Dean

http://blog.deanforamerica.com/archives/002301.html

Statement by Governor Dean on Prescription Drug Bill
BALTIMORE--Governor Howard Dean, M.D., issued the following statement today:

"The Republican Medicare drug bill is a real-life HMO: Huge Missed Opportunity. Instead of taking this opportunity to come together and provide a meaningful drug benefit seniors can count on, Republicans and the White House have put the interests of the drug industry and HMOs ahead of the best interests of older Americans.

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Wesley Clark

http://clark04.com/press/release/082/

General Clark Opposes Medicare Bill
Little Rock - Wes Clark today announced his opposition to the Medicare bill."The bill coming out of Congress violates the basic principle of the Hippocratic oath -- do no harm," Clark said.

"The bill does nothing to curb the spiraling cost of prescription drugs. It amounts to a give-away to the HMOs. If the bill is not altered, two to three million seniors would be dropped from their current prescription drugs plans. Millions more would be forced into HMOs."

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Dennis Kucinich

http://www.house.gov/apps/list/press/oh10_kucinich/031113cdcmedicare.html

Kucinich: Mr. President, Sending The CDC
Director To Cleveland Will Not Fool Seniors

Republican Medicare Privatization Plan Will Hurt Seniors

As part of an all out campaign by the Bush Administration to sell their plan to privatize Medicare, Dr. Gerberding, Director of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), will visit Middleburg Heights today.

Congressman Dennis J. Kucinich (D-OH) issued the following statement on Dr. Gerberding’s visit:

“The seniors of Ohio will not be fooled by political spin. The so-called Medicare ‘reform’ bill being promoted today by CDC Director Gerberding is nothing but a vein attempt to privatize Medicare. This bill will do nothing to help seniors who are in desperate need of a real Medicare drug benefit.

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John Kerry

-No Comment. He also did not vote on the Senate bill back in June.
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=108&session=1&vote=00262

Dick Gephardt

-No Comment. He also did not vote on the measure in the House, but this was because the House leadership pulled a fast one on them. That was the night of the debates, and Delay called for a vote on that night. The measure passed by one vote.

http://clerk.house.gov/cgi-bin/vote.exe?year=2003&rollnumber=359

Joe Liberman

-No comment, although he has hinted that he could support the bill.

Carolyn Mosley Braun

No comment, althouh she probably would oppose it.

Al Sharpton

No comment, although he probably would oppose it.

[joanski01]

1. If Joe Lieberman ends up

voting for this bill, he'd better start kissing his butt good-bye. I can't understand why Max Bacus and John Breaux would OK this bill. Do they care more about their short-lived time in the Senate than they do about the seniors of America?

[AnnitaR]

2. Where will the madness end??

I cannot tell you guys how depressed I am tonight. Everytime I watch the news I see yet another way that evil Chimp is ruining this country. My parents (dad 70, mom 69) literally had tears in their eyes when I was explaining to them what this bill would mean for them. Then when I told them that even the AARP is rolling over and playing dead for the evil Chimp... I just hope our candidates work hard to explain why this bill is wrong. I hope they don't allow the right to portray them of not wanting a presription drug benefit, just because they think this bill is wrong.

I don't know... I just see my country being destroyed bit by bit before my very eyes and it's becoming almost too much to bear. What will we have left when this evil man and his people are through? It's almost impossible to wrap your mind around how much has changed since our beloved Bill was in charge. This must be torture for him too.

:cry:

[La_Serpiente]

3. Yeah, it's terrible

Hopefully, more people will actually open their eyes to the madness unfurling.