Medicare Revamp Exposes Divisions Within GOP

The Wall Street Journal:

Newt Gingrich's dismissal of the House Republican plan to overhaul Medicare provoked a rebuttal from the proposal's author, Rep. Paul Ryan, highlighting a split in the party over how hard to push a priority for the House GOP majority.

Read the whole story: The Wall Street Journal

Comments

[julieJgoldengay]

09:21 PM on 05/17/2011

He's an Elitist...
In A,
Sheep Suit.

[SDindependent]

09:04 PM on 05/17/2011

Is there a republican that can explain the value add an insurance company brings to your health care......... you give as much as 40 percent of every insurance dollar to whatever the insurance company thinks is a legitimate business expense (one exec at 1B bonus). If you don't like the way they deny you a procedure, there is not one think you are going to do to that exec. If it were a single pay (medicare for all) system and you didn't like the way it was run, you can vote the SOB's out. Again, what is the value added benefit insurance companies bring to your health care?

[rgilley]

05:34 PM on 05/17/2011

Republicans have always whinned about the deficit whenever there is a Democrat in the WH. Yet what do we hear from these hypocrytes when they are in power totally for 6 out of 8 years and transfering America's wealth with massive tax cuts and subsidies THIS!

"Reagan proved deficits don't matter," Vice President Cheney said in 2002 when pushing for a fresh round of tax cuts.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/the-progress-report/the-bush-deficit_b_169475.html

And what was the results of these 6 out of 8 years of Republican control THIS!

Closing The Book On The Bush Legacy
So the summary page on the economic experience of average Americans under the past two presidents would look like this:

Under Clinton, the median income increased 14 per cent. Under Bush it declined 4.2 per cent.

Under Clinton the total number of Americans in poverty declined 16.9 per cent; under Bush it increased 26.1 per cent.

Under Clinton the number of children in poverty declined 24.2 per cent; under Bush it increased by 21.4 per cent.

Under Clinton, the number of Americans without health insurance, remained essentially even (down six-tenths of one per cent); under Bush it increased by 20.6 per cent.

Adding Ronald Reagan's record to the comparison fills in the picture from another angle.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2009/09/closing-the-book-on-the-bush-legacy/26402/

Republicans despise facts eh?

[yodawg91]

04:36 PM on 05/17/2011

Just want to point out that this is like the five billionth time that HP used this picture of Paul Ryan. Lol can we get different pictures?

[ArkayMI]

08:30 PM on 05/17/2011

I happen to like this picture. Why can't you :-)

[Nikuman]

09:03 PM on 05/17/2011

Tired of his version of airport men's room face?

[dfranz]

04:32 PM on 05/17/2011

Without a doubt the Repubs never expected the backlash they are receiving with their attempt to destroy Medicare as we know it. Too late! Now everyone's on record and will be hit over the head for it continually until the election. They were so excited about what their compatriots were doing in Wisconsin, Michigan, New Jersey and Indianna that they didn't take the time to see that it was the equivilent of quicksand. Now they are stuck and no vines to grab onto. heh, heh

[crayola 08b]

02:46 PM on 05/17/2011

that photo is just beggin' for a caption contest.

[connie o]

01:47 PM on 05/17/2011

Yea that's right Paul, Newt threw you and all of the other Republican Reps under the bus. After you get voted out of office next November, you are now well known enough to make the big bucks at FOX news.

[rgilley]

05:36 PM on 05/17/2011

And the same Fox sheeple will follow unquestionably without ever fact checking a word they say.
"Stupid is as stupid does" ) Forrest)

[datenutloaf]

01:43 PM on 05/17/2011

Ahhhhhh

I finally figured it out.

The TeaPubs are so anxious for all to experience the promised Xian 'AfterLife, that they want to aid and abet the timely demise of the elderly..... It's the Go$pel of Pro$perity at work.

Ble$$ their hearts..... or whatever they call it.

[Awake-and-Sing]

12:58 PM on 05/17/2011

The great conservative LIE is that Medicare (and Social Security) need to dismantled and destroyed under the mask of "deficit reduction".

Here are three things that could be done to strengthen their long-term finances:

(1) Allow the government to use its massive purchasing power to negotiate and bargain down pharmaceutical prices, like any other large purchaser.

(2) Allow anyone under 65 who wants the option of buying into Medicare as the ultimate public option alternative to for-profit corporate insurance.

(3) Lift the cap on FICA tax so that Donald Trump pays at least the same rate as his maid.

The Republican proposal (and it's not just Ryan's because nearly EVERY House Republican voted for it) doesn't just harm older people. It harms people of every age.

People under 65 will be faced with the moral dilemma of either saving for retirement, a down payment on a house, and children's education OR helping to pay their parent's/grandparent's medical bills to keep them from living in squalor or dying prematurely because they didn't get the health care or medications they need.

The Republican proposal to kill Medicare impoverishes everyone except the top 2% as conservative policies are always designed to do.

[connie o]

01:50 PM on 05/17/2011

f&f. You nailed that one - especially #2. I don't understand why people don't see that Medicare for all is the answer to our healthcare problems.

[ArkayMI]

08:32 PM on 05/17/2011

As someone else pointed out, the current medicare is a high risk pool. Opening up the medicare for those in their 30s and 40s who want to pay a premium will reduce costs and make it more than solvent.

[roxette]

04:39 PM on 05/17/2011

F & f I agree also with # 2.

[hang319]

12:32 PM on 05/17/2011

I know it's purposely done, but that photo ... ick!

[dmsdzinr]

12:31 PM on 05/17/2011

America, REMEMBER that during any and all debate there is a HUGE Difference between breaking words and using broken words.

[Monday Morning]

12:17 PM on 05/17/2011

Stop It! Ryan's Big Lie Insults our Intelligence.
I do get frustrated with the media coverage of conservatives sometimes...like now.

http://democurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2011/05/stop-it-ryans-big-lie-insults-our.html

[Jacquie Hamilton]

12:16 PM on 05/17/2011

What's with the accompanying picture? Has the Rapture come early?

[datenutloaf]

01:37 PM on 05/17/2011

It's the TeaPublican Rupture.......

They're praying for the rapture because they've dug themselves so deep in the muck they see no way out........

[llm228]

12:16 PM on 05/17/2011

LEAVE MEDICARE ALONE ! TAX ALL types of CHURCHES.
Help divide the Republican politicians as much as possible,
since they all have 'inflated ego's" working off the backs of
hard working, yet starving Americans.

[datenutloaf]

01:38 PM on 05/17/2011

I like TAX ALL CHurches!

[MosesDidItBest]

12:15 PM on 05/17/2011

Let's not forget that when it passed the house it was Ryan who suggested if the senate did not vote on it within a specific time frame it should automatically become law.

And how many terms has he served in the house, 3?

Incredible.

The head of the house budget committee, scary stuff from an allegedly experienced lawmaker.

[connie o]

01:52 PM on 05/17/2011

It's just another case of the constitutional conservatives trying to usurp the constitution.