Genuine Praise for President Bush
I will give President Bush credit when credit is due. Yesterday the White House launched their new prescription drug benefit. I have to say that I was pretty surprised since Republicans always lecture me about the benefits of limited government.
President Bush said in his speech: "[Medicare] was a system that was kind of stuck in the past, and I'll tell you why. Medicare would pay for heart surgery, but not a dime for the drugs that could prevent the heart surgeries from being needed in the first place. It would pay $28,000 for ulcer surgery, but not $500 for the prescription drugs that could prevent the ulcer from occurring in the first place. "
"That's not a modern system, that's an antiquated system. And not only that, it was costing the taxpayers more money than necessary. It seems like to me it makes fiscal sense to say, let's spend the $500 to prevent the $28,000 from being needed. It's a wise use of your money, it seems like to me. But we weren't doing it that way."
No words that so truly embody what it means to be a Democrat have ever come out of the President's mouth. Preach on brother!!! Just like the extra $500 per student in public schools helps to insure that we won't be spending $28,000 a year on prison. Just like the extra $500 per child on after school programs like "Head Start" helps insure that they won't be selling $28,000 of methamphetamine when they turn 19.
I'll end with more of the President: "In other words, it's a comprehensive piece of legislation. And it's a good one. It's a good one. I know that you wept, like many of us wept when we heard stories about people having to choose between food or medicine. Those days are gone because of this Medicare legislation. (Applause.)"
He wept. Applause indeed.
By Kyle - 8/30/2005
9 Comments:
Here are some fun facts from the press release:
+ Medicare beneficiaries in almost every state will be able to choose plans that have a premium of less than $20 per month. In addition, some plans will have zero deductibles or deductibles lower than $250 annually
+ Medicare will help pay for the costs of good retiree drug coverage from a former employer or union to help keep retiree coverage secure.
+ About one-third of seniors will be eligible for a Medicare drug benefit... Co-payments will amount to no more than $5 for most seniors... more than 95 percent of their drug bills will be covered. No senior will ever again have to choose between paying for their drugs and paying for other basic necessities like food and rent.
"He wept. Applause indeed."
Great. Great. Great.
a big give away to the drug industry. many problems with this plan. no credit is due. "its better than mothing.." - thats not good enough for me. don't have time to explain....later
tim
AND THE BOOMERS SCORE BIG AGAIN!!
I love this. The "ME" generation once again turns to the government to solve problems that they weren't so interseted in solving when they were younger.
I'm sure my generation will be able to extract even more wealth from our childrens paychecks, and with all the recent medical advances, maybe we can rip off our children's children too!!
This is politics plain and simple. Limitted government just isn't getting the vote these days; turns out it's way easier to spend other peoples money to solve social problems.
well jeff, even though i don't agree with the way it was done, you really believe nothing should be done? we should just let old people die in pain? you don't believe that, i think - so what is your solution, not your complaint?
Tim, I understand your skepticism, but I do say that something is better than nothing. President Clinton can fix the legislation in 2009.
Jeff, I agree with you. This is the largest entitlement program in the history of the United States government since Social Security. It could have been done much more cost effectively as Tim would point out if he had the time.
Where is the outrage from you limited government conservatives?
Jeff, I have a question for you in the libertarian in you in the hurricane post...
I was outraged and said it was terrible back when. Good idea, terrible bill.
from all i have heard, its appears to be a big drug company giveaway, but the idea is decent.
the thing is, it doesnt allow the medicare administrators to negotiate with drug companies.....so the biggest purchaser of drugs has no bargaining power. this is, of course, 1) absurd and 2) a giveaway to the drug companies.
This may be the worst post I have ever written for this site.
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