The presciption drug/medicare bill will pass the Senate

[demsRus]

The pragmatic Dems will kick and scream and fight for every dime and consideration they can get for the people. The turncoat Dems will say little if anything. But in the end, the bill will pass, as it should. I agree that it is not much and even counter beneficial in many respects but it is a start.

Do I support the bill? Of course not. It really is a sham. But would I vote for it after exhausting all efforts to strengthen it for my constituency? Probably. It is, after all, a start and the American people want prescription drug coverage for seniors. In fact, I think the vast majority want full healthcare for everybody. But a majority of the vast majority doesn't vote informatively on the issues and many don't vote at all.

[madfloridian]

1. They will be voting against their constituents.

That is not right.

Did you hear Bob Graham read through the terms of the bill until 2010? If you did, and if you still think something is better than nothing, then you do not care about the seniors in this country.

It is a horribly nasty bill with provisions that do not even make sense.

Hogwash on the better than nothing stuff.

[demsRus]

4. So you don't like the bill?

As I said, I don't either. But Democrats and pukes alike are insisting on a prescription drug bill. This is what we have after years of negotiating. Both parties gain in the passage of it. It will be up to the sacrificial lambs to cover their own tails through spin and other political strategies. It's still called politics.

[madfloridian]

11. Whatever.

Whatever. I don't care anymore. It is all over but the shouting anyway.

[markus]

13. Negotiating? Do you mean Haster and Frist?

The whole problem with the damned Energy and Medicare bills is that they are pure GOP, with a little Breaux and Bachus throw in at the end.

[demsRus]

19. Are you saying that the Democrats had no exposure

to these bills before they were brought to the floor for final consideration?

[0007]

21. Not much, most of this bill was done behind closed doors,

in fact the dems got the package a few days before it came to the floor.

[Atman]

2. You are wrong

It is only "a start" in privitizing the Medicare program, the upper income seniors will drop out, that will raise the rates for lower income, who really don't receive shit anyway because it will cost them $30 a month to get a crummy ass 15% discount on their $100 worth of meds...you do the math.

This bill SUCKS. It benefits NO ONE except BIG PHARMS.

[1songbird]

3. No, Seniors will get the shortend of the stick

on this. I don't think it's right in any form to ban Seniors from getting their drugs in Canada and other places that offer cheaper drugs. This is what this bill does and it sucks. Our greedy Corps. can take advantage of free trade and send our jobs overseas but our Seniors who need cheaper drugs can't participate in trade with our neighbor Canada. This is utter crap :(

[demsRus]

5. The hypocrisy and irony in puke mindset and policy is utterly astounding

But back to the original statement. The bill will pass as utterly crappy as it is.

[1songbird]

6. Yes unfortunately it will because there now 9 or 10

democrats supporting this piece of crap legislation!

[demsRus]

9. The passage of this bill takes only a simple majority

It would pass without Democratic help. And the Dems know it. Some of them, unfortunately, have majority constituencies that are DEMANDING the passage of ANY bill. It is still called politics.

[1songbird]

12. I was hoping for a filabuster

I find it hard to believe that seniors are asking for this bill.

[demsRus]

14. I didn't say they were asking for THIS bill

They are demanding action on Medicare reform and a Presciption drug benefit. This is it. It is all the pols have to vote on after years of fighting about it. This is where we are and this is where it's at. Now, it's only about winning or losing political capital. That's what all the debate at this point serves to do. The pols have nothing left to do at this point but delay the vote or simply to vote or table the legislation. I'll guarantee you this bill will not be tabled. I'll further the quarantee by stating that it will pass. As frustrating as it is, it's what we have to deal with.

[terrisel]

10. Start of the New Slavery

Forcing citizens to buy only from the high priced US firms is a a reprise of the "Company Store". Remember that song of Tennessee Ernie Ford: "St Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store".

The Company Store phenomenon was slavery for white workers and their families. They worked for the company, got paid in scrip that could only be used to purchase goods from the company store, at incredibly high profits. They were essentailly slaves to the company...sometimes they had to buy on credit and then could never leave their low pay jobs.

How much do you pay in Medicare Tax--are you paying it to enrich the CEOs and board members of private corporations ? That is what this bill does. It takes our tax money and hands it to private outfits-sort of like using eminent domain to take someone's house and give it to Walmart cheap.

If it passes we need a tax revolt movement to stop paying-because there will be no benefits when you retire-the money and the promises will be gone to the same place our budget surplus went when GWB stole his way into Washington.

Call 'em up and burn their ears with your rendition of the the Company
Store, and tell 'em you are not a slave your a citizen with the right to buy where you want to buy--not some corporate CEO's ensured profit center.

on edit-corrected name of Ford. Thanks to poster.

[1songbird]

15. The analogy fits very well

It is a transfer of our treasury to private hands in the worst way, at the expense of our seniors. I've decided to drastically curtail my spending. I am sick of helping to feed a system where I have no voice. I will select specific companies to do business with only. I'm open to suggestions on good companies that have democratic principles.

[asjr]

16. medicare

I am one of those seniors who gets the shaft. We will lose in 2004. The Repub machine is too large. By the way it was Tennessee Ernie Ford. I miss him.

[1songbird]

18. Don't forget that David slew Goliath with one single stone

[demsRus]

17. Don't forget 30 year mortgages and credit cards. They serve the same

purposes in the "New Slavery" analogy.

[MasonJar]

7. Patty Murray

Patty Murray on C-Span reamed the bill with specific data. Poor seniors who cannot afford the expensive drugs they need will be screwed. After 2200 dollars they will have to pay until 3600 dollars. Meanwhile they still pay the premiums even though they will be getting no benefits. They will not allow the government to negotiate for less expensive drugs or allow drugs from Canada. This is pure drug company welfare...insurance companies too, of course.

[whathappened]

8. the only thing i can see

about this bill , it will be a set up for there great plan, the big corperations, to drop all insurance coveages to all there employee's because , as they will say , jr. has come up with a plan that will cover ya all in the future , so ya don't need us to pay for your plan anymore , now don't this sound like something they mite be thinking up in there empty heads

[Marlie]

20. This will almost secure Bush's election

He and the Republicans will take credit for this sham of a bill
which will not be in effect until 2006. When people realize how
truly terrible this bill is, they will have long forgotten who
rammed this bill into force. Bush and the Republicans will come out
smelling like roses in the meantime. People who support this bill
should hang their heads in shame but by 2006, they will be long
forgotten. The Bushies and pubs are counting on it. At long last,
Prescription Drug Coverage for the Elderly - the majority will be
fooled into thinking it's a good thing and just how hard our dear
President fought for them. God, I could throw up.

[Snellius]

22. You give 'em a quarter and get back a dime and think you won

The prescription drug bill is Karl Rove's trick to so dominate political power no one will notice what they are taking away with one hand while the other holds out a helping hand. It's profoundly dishonest both in policy and in the way it is being rushed and rammed through before anyone knows what's going on. Why, for example, does it not go into effect until 2006, when it looks like, pass or not, there probably won't be anything left?

[grasswire]

23. plenty of conservatives...

...over in freerepublic land are rooting for Dems to win this one. They're hopping mad about a new entitlement.

[Snellius]

25. Freepers might be right. This may be Bush's MedIraq

Rove thinks he's going to steal the issue, thinking they're doing what Clinton did with welfare, but they may end up with another "mission accomplished" they wish they had never begun. If Bush is smarter than everyone thought, Rove is dumber. So far they seem to have pissed off more seniors than they've pleased.

[demsRus]

24. It's next to impossible to educate ppl on basic political

and policy differences between D's and R's. This is a bait and switch game for sure. Educating the masses about that WILL be impossible.

[terrisel]

26. Discounts-15% of What???? Higher prices for everyone.

The discounts mean nothing. The prices will be raised for the rest of us to cover the supposed discounts.

I don't think it is good to be defeatist on this. The fact is there is no point in paying the medicare payroll tax if this bill passes and that is where we need to join with seniors and make a stand.

We need a tax revolt. If a true tax revolt is started on this issue, you are going to see a lot of scared politicians and corporate execs, and maybe even millionaire heath providers,

What we need to call for at a minimum is:
1. an end to the medicare tax-if they are gutting traditional medicare we need to stop paying for it now-let's not throw our money down a hole.
2. financing the bill for current beneficiaries out of the general tax fund-maybe we can cut enough fat from the Pentagon to pay for it.
3. ability to purchase medicines from other countries-they may want our business.
If the bill no longer provides the benefits, we can no longer pay the tax.

You know, there comes a point where the benefits of government services are just not worth the costs. We are being crushed by the weight of military spending, corporate agricultural subsidies, and payroll taxes.