No free pass for Medicare recipients in debt talks

[xchrom]

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_DEBT_SHOWDOWN_HEALTH_CARE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2011-07-09-09-00-54

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A debt-busting deal on the scale that President Barack Obama and House Speaker John Boehner are seeking all but guarantees that people on Medicare would feel at least some of the pain.

Low-income people on Medicaid wouldn't escape totally, either. If a deal ultimately leads to overhauling taxes, workers and their families could be on the hook also, facing potential limits on the tax-free status of job-based health insurance.

Health care is a main ingredient on both the spending and tax sides of the elusive agreement that Obama and Boehner, R-Ohio, are trying to reach.

The president has scheduled a meeting Sunday with congressional leaders to keep pushing for a compromise that would reduce future deficits in exchange for lifting the $14.3 trillion cap on the national debt. Action is needed so the government can keep paying its bills beyond Aug. 2.

[still_one]

1. No free pass for President Obama if he sells out Medicare and Social Security. /nt

[ProfessionalLeftist]

3. Exactly. He may not draw that line, but *I* will!

Prepared to write in Bernie Sanders in 2012. I've had it with President Cave-Man.

[rurallib]

5. the dilemma is - do you want a Pres. Bachmann?

what a fucking choice.
I would opt for choice #3 - move to Canada - if it wasn't for Mrs. Lib.

[still_one]

7. Bachman won't get the repuke nomination, it will be Romney or huntsman

And the real question is there a difference in between them

[newfie11]

2. If this happens I am done

How much taxes are the rich going to cough up.The difference between Obama and the repigs is getting more narrow by the day.

The main reason for my not leaving the country was medicare but that seems to be changing.

[ProfessionalLeftist]

4. 85 - 15% seems to be the going ratio

85 percent cuts from the poor/middle-class and 15% 'revenue raisers' from the repigs.

Sound fair? It doesn't to me. Pfft.

[TheKentuckian]

8. The 15% mostly finding its way to the poor and middle class.

Regressive usage taxes, park fees, and whatever little digging and nasty little revenue streams they can sucker our weeble wobbles into believing they can sell as "compromise".

[slipslidingaway]

6. knr n/t