GOP Will Propose Eliminating Medicare, Replacing it With Voucher-Like "Subsidies"

Ryan's bill will never pass the senate as it is. If so the president will veto it, but another battle ahead.

Or, at least, increase everyone's benefits to match yours. Thanks, savvy7.

Pianorama, we all need to be yelling this at the top of our lungs, at: rallies, town hall meetings, anyplace these pols are politicking. Get in their faces and let 'em know we've had it, and we're not going to listen politely to the b.s. anymore.

We all have our own and unique modus operandi, so to speak. My health is too fragile at this time to be on the front lines so I do my part by tweeting, posting on facebook, connecting others to links that are relevant and appropriate and in general, supporting others to do the right thing and giving my wise (smile) counsel. But I've learned to not waste my breath.

Hear, hear!!

Hope you're right and thanks for providing their transpo!

What makes you women think you're supposed to have "dignity"? You're supposed to have babies growing up to be their soldiers. Like your ancestors before you did and were glad to do so btw. Has that changed? I missed the memo then.

I was one of the few who refused to go die in their wars and they stripped the dignity out of the wood on my car dash. So now the same is being done to you.

There ya go then! They still hold all the reins 40+ years later.

Glad to hear you say this. Some young 'uns care only about shopping, drinking, etc. It's always been that way. But there have also always been the ones who study the world, try to understand it, try to help it. You are part of that group and you are clearly up to the task. Go bravely--it'll be required.

That and corporate profit is the whole idea.

They cared about it last year. Don't you remember the Tea Partiers getting the elderly all riled over Medicare? I guess what they really meant was: "Leave it alone so we can trash it next year"

From what I've been seeing the original tea party wasn't far right thinking people but they have let the far right take over and they now have put into power the wrong people. The people in power now don't care about the country, they only want Obama out at all costs. Their mind set is like that Pastor in Florida, their showing their power and not worried about what happens because of it. We may have a civil war because of their stupidity.

Such a shame, but true.

Sounds pretty heartless to me. Thanks for your comment, oldbanjo.

The next civil war will not be north against the south; it will be poor against the rich. http://blog.buzzflash.com/node/12567

If the Congressman had no Health Ins they might not want this, I have health ins and this year I got Medicare but most people I know have only Medicare. It will be the poor and elderly against the rich. The looser will be the whole country.

Sad but true.

Bush started the unfunded wars. He gave welfare tax cuts to the very rich and ran the country into this huge debt. Granted we should get the Hell out of there but lets put the economic blame right where it belongs BUSH and THE REPUBLICANS! After they made the huge debt mess they want to mop it up with the poor, old, and middle class. We need mass recall elections.

uhhhh no. the republicans are hardly the only blame. the justifiable war in iraq was started with support from both parties and a world wide coalition. afghanistan is another matter, we never should have gone in there. we should have known better after they kicked russia's ass a few years back. obama made afghanistan his personal quagmire pushing his support for that mess throughout his campaign. it is now his and his alone. and now the millions spent on the libyan fiasco. thats two obama quagmires to bushes one so dont start blaming the repubs for the countries and the worlds messes, the dems have their hands dirty as well. plenty of bi-partisan blame to go around beautiful and its long past time to quit blaming bush, obama's been in charge for nearly 2 1/2 years now. peace

I'm sorry, but you can't blame Obama for trying to finish what Bush started.
You can't just back out of a war because the president changes.
The truth is, every time we have a Republican president, we have a war of some kind.
They give in easily to the military industrial complex.
With the new proposed GOP spending cuts, how many cuts are they making to the pentagon/military?
I'll give you a hint. They're proposing possible government week long shut-downs because of the deficit. The GOP has pushed forward a bill that keeps enough money to keep the Pentagon open.
They fund the wars fist and foremost.

You're on the side of Greed and War, and you're as blind to it as a deer caught in headlights.

but he promissssed...Obama’s reelection campaign is already in full mode. Obama has the liberal media selling him in the image of Ronald Reagan. Now we have his wife, Michelle, out their telling lies in the hopes of getting her hubby reelected. Michelle told NBC’s Matt Lauer that her husband has kept ‘kept every single promise he made.’

Let’s look at this giant lie, shall we?

Obama promised not to raise taxes on anyone who made below $250,000. The first week Obama was in office, he raised “sin taxes”on alcohol, tobacco, ammo and firearms to pay for his extension of SCHIP. Then you can add all the taxes imposed by the ObamaCare law and one can see that Michelle is as big of a liar as her husband is.

We must not forget about Obama’s promise to close down Gitmo by the end of his first year in office. As I recall, Gitmo is still open for business.

We can’t forget about how Obama promised to keep unemployment below 8% if his $862 billion dollar stimulus was passed. I guess Michelle doesn’t know we’ve experienced 22 straight months of 9% plus unemployment. This ties directly to those promises of “shovel-ready jobs.” Then Obama admitted, after wasting billions of taxpayer dollars, there are no such things as shovel-ready jobs.

How about Obama’s Iraq promise? Obama promised to withdraw all U.S. troops in his first year. As of 2011, we still have 50,000 troops inside Iraq. What about Afghanistan? Instead of withdrawal, Obama did a troop surge. Anyone want to bet the troops will still be there at the end of July 2011? This is when Obama promised to withdraw all U.S. troops.

I guess Michelle forgot about Obama’s promise to put the health care debate on CSPAN. It never happened.

How about Obama’s promise that his ObamaCare bill will lower medical costs and insurance premiums. He even promised that people would save $2500/yr thanks to his health care takeover. As we all know, the Chief Actuary, Richard Foster, said ObamaCare raises medical costs and insurance premiums. The same Chief Actuary also said everyone would not get to keep their health insurance plans. Another broken Obama promise.

How about that Obama promise to go line-by-line through each bill to cut wasteful spending? Obama and his Democratic party have only set the records for deficits in 2009 and 2010.

How about Obama’s promise not to hire lobbyists? That was a laugh riot as Obama hired lobbyist before he even stepped foot into the Oval Office.

As one can see, Michelle lies as much as her husband. Some people will say anything to get their husband reelected. Lying seems to be a Obama trait.

greed and war crosses all party lines if you want to be honest...World War I: Woodrow Wilson, Democratic...World War II: Franklin D. Roosevelt, Democratic...
Korean war (1950-54): Harry S. Truman, Democrat...
Vietnam War: Lyndon B. Johnson, Democratic...Grenada: Ronald Reagan, Republican...Panama, Persian Gulf War Operation Restoring Freedom: George HW Bush, Republican...
Bosnia, Kosovo and Iraq: Bill Clinton, Democratic Party...Afghanistan and Iraq: George W. Bush...i didnt mention them all just the modern ones, look it up yourself...
Final Score: Democrats: 16
Republicans: 10

About 6 minutes into Rachel Maddow's broadcast, the Republicans are blaming Obama for the BP oil spill: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/#42424683

Shame on them. He must have went out and blew the rig up.

no worse than obamacare. out of control spending on a system that has already been proven broken elsewhere

Funny, the system wasn't broken before the GOP got their hands on it.

the idea before implementation was broken. long before the gop had a chance to even attempt to improve upon it.

You know, Mitt Romney created ObamaCare in his home state.
Now he's running against the idea that he created. LOL
You Retardlicans. Anything to get elected.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Massachusetts_health_care_reform

LOL - Idiots. Don't even know your elephant's ass from a hole in the ground.

dont blame me, i'm not a big mitt fan. but hey its a failure in massachusetts why should we see the same failure on the federal level? and dude, all candidates both left and right will say whatever it takes to get elected. when are you lefty's gonna accept that your candidates are just as dirty as the ones on the right?

I have Medicare and it's worthless trash. Put the money back in your pocket and escape while you can. Besides it doesn't pay for dental care so right now I have a jawbone infection from a bad tooth and a dentist says he needs $2800.00 to remove it.

Ever had a good recurring jaw infection. Try having it with Medicare ~and Humana on top of the Medicare~ and everybody to a man standing there saying it isn't their responsibility while you lay dying in pain.

Anbesol isn't exactly cheap either at $8.00 a small bottle. When the pain gets so bad it takes 6 hours for Anbesol to work you know you've fought with the Devil.

Spray some gasoline mist on Medicare AND Humana suits me real fine. Burn Baby, oh baby show me some flames.

Not that any doctors give a damn but technically any infection near the brain is considered to be very dangerous and deserving of immediate treatment.

Medicare doesn't give a damn about a person's critical need for immediate treatment. Especially after the old lion gets past 50 years of age the American male is toast in their postem popups. hahaha You'll find out buddy, you'll all find out soon.

When the bureaucracy tank finds you in Tianenman Square USA. That big emblazoned emblem on the front says Medicare. Read it while you die.

They also knew that Medicare would create a vast new public dependence on the federal government for financial security in old age, continuing the pattern set by Social Security in 1935. Senator Mundt (R., S.D.) described it as "another step toward destroying the independence and self-reliance in America which is the last best hope of individual freedom for all mankind" (U.S. Cong. Rec.-Senate 9 July 1965: 16122). Moreover, legislators knew that Medicare would take money from the poor and middle classes to subsidize the rich. Senator Gordon Allott (R., Colo.) described it to the Senate as a "program of 'Robin Hood in reverse'" that showed "complete disregard for need in disbursement" and represented a "giant step" toward making "every citizen as dependent as possible on his Government for his every need" (U.S. Cong. Rec.-Senate 8 July 1965: 15935).

But they also knew that Medicare would serve their political interests. As majority leader Rep. Carl B. Albert (D., Okla.) told his colleagues on the House floor, H.R. 6675 "is a bill which in my opinion will serve well those of us who support it, politically and otherwise, through the years" (U.S. Cong. Rec.-House 8 April 1965: 7435). Or, as Rep. Phillip Burton (D., Calif.) more crassly expressed it, "This bill is going to put into the pockets of my fellow Californians some $213 million its first year ... All in all our fair State and its people in the first year will be favored to the tune of some $550 million, a not modest sum" (U.S. Cong. Rec.-House 8 April 1965: 7429). Without doubt, the Social Security Amendments of 1965 were "so drafted that quite a bit of honey [had] been placed under the beehive in order to attract the bees" (U.S. Cong. Rec.-Senate 9 July 1965: 16071). It is clear that government officials often take deliberate steps to increase the information costs to private citizens (and to each other) of accurately perceiving measures that change the scope of government authority. For instance, titles of bills often imply laudable objectives inconsistent with legislation's full impact--as exemplified recently by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a significant part of which jeopardizes private medical practice as well as the privacy of people's personal medical records. In such a case, how many see beyond the language of "portability" and "accountability"? All manner of political misrepresentation falls into the information cost manipulation category.

It is equally clear that government officials often take deliberate steps to increase agreement and enforcement costs to private citizens of taking collective political action on measures that change the scope of government authority. For instance, when government officials spread the costs of a measure while concentrating its benefits, when they pursue incremental strategies for political change, when they tie controversial measures to more popular legislative proposals, when they differentially burden third political parties, and when they alter the locus of decisionmaking authority so as to shift the transaction-cost burden of changing the government's role, they increase the costs to private citizens of taking collective action to resist proposed changes in government authority.http://www.cato.org/pubs/journal/cj16n3-3.html

i see it as taking care of our elders not dependence on the federal government for financial security in old age, it's sicking to me that we give corporate welfare then they want to screw our elderly

used to be family's took care of their own and still do in many countries. grandpa would grow old and die in the loving company of family at home. americans are too selfish and self centered wanting to squander their money on toys and vacations rather than support an elderly and or ailing family member. if we can pass off our responsibilities to the government, who will gladly provide us with free everything to garner enough votes to win the next election then most will do so. it is a rare official indeed who passes any legislation based on alruistic tendencies. i agree that there is a need to support those who are incapable of taking care of themselves but a whole lot of tax money would be saved if family, local communities, and churchs stepped in.

and it used to be that you only needed one person instead of two to make enough for a household but not these days. i'm a nurse and i work in a nursing facility and a majority of those people are there not because the family doesn't want to take care of them but they just don't have the time or capabilities to do so. the people i see at work couldn't be at home with dementia, alzheimer and those without family with medical problems. it's not like every person who gets Medicare is in a nursing home there are those who live a full life at home.

and thats where medicaid and medicare should be spent. but i still believe that in more cases than not family could care if they chose to. we have become a nation of uncaring self centered people. more people are concerned with animal rights than the rights of the unborn. i work one full time and two part time jobs so my wife can be a stay at home mom. it can be done, folks just choose the selfish route.

That sounds pretty bad, and serious.

A heavy dose of bloodstream infection drives up blood pressure. My bp went so high Sunday that it was squeezing my body & kidneys of every drop of fluid I had.

It's like dominoes. A simple issue to fix if you had say a voucher to apply and fix it, but with a wall of rules I get blindsided down the alley bouncing off the rule wall til I get bloodied up good.

It's the American Way. Only the strong survive.

you keep making assumptions that people are uncaring self centered if a family member needs around the clock care in a nursing facility and i do think that it happens but it not as big as you think. it's nice that you have the opportunity to have your wife at home but that's not the norm for many families and it's not because they're selfish

i didnt mean to insinuate all, but certainly a good many. just looking at the degredation of our society over the last 40 or 50 years is enought to prove that.

people are living an average of 10 to 15 years longer than they did 40 to 50 years ago.

is it $2800 to remove the jaw, or the infection?
I'm glad you're so against government healthcare, which has lower rates than any private insurance. Why not just get the really fucking awesome GOP approved private health care insurance? I'm sure they pay better (if they don't screw you out of money you thought you'd get from them).

You know that you're making a case for Medicare right...not against it.
Here's the main difference between government run health care, and private health care.
The government doesn't need to make a profit. Therefore, they will give you what they can afford to give you.
Private insurance corporations NEED to turn profits. They will screw you out of money any chance they get, even if it's not legal, and you're the one who has to pay for it.
The whole health care debate started because doctors, drug, and hospital fees were so ridiculous that private insurance companies were scrambling to make a buck anywhere, and even letting people die (private insurance death panels) in the process...because to them, you're a dollar, not a person.

Get your private insurance, buy some KY Jelly, bend over, and keep taking it like a man, so that your conscious will be free that you didn't have to use any rich corporation's tax money.
When your private insurance starts charging you for things that you didn't use, can't pay for, etc, and you're going broke, who will you look to, to help you? -the Government. LOL
Wait until they say, "sorry, we don't interfere with free market health care."

I'm personally going to take a tour of all hospitals and interview people in the waiting room, find out if they vote Republican, and then laugh in their face for a good half-hour. and then, I'll explain to them that Republicans don't care if you're healthy or broke. They just want their investments in the Insurance industry to grow. You're not a citizen, you're a dollar sign.

I have Medicare and I wouldn't be here today without it. It has so far added 7 years to my life. No it doesn't pay for a dentist. I don't know what kind of dentist you go to but 2 years ago I had a jaw infection. The first thing he did was antibiotics. When all was over it cost me $450. He let me make payments. Maybe you should try another dentist and a medical doctor if the infection is that bad. Just a thought.

And there it is. Congoboy is for Socialist health care, "and thats where medicaid and medicare should be spent." -He approves.
Pwned.

"we have become a nation of uncaring self centered people." - Well Congoboy, that's because people are working harder than ever. Where before, a decent job was available to any hard working American, and paid for a house, and food on the table, now it takes two incomes to accomplish less. We have less time to do the things a human being needs to in order to take care of themselves. You're obviously not working hard enough if you have time to blog on here.
I know if I had 3 jobs, I wouldn't. -It's time you could be spending with your family.
The basic concept that people fail to grasp is this: money does not grow...period. Inflation/deflation is a device used to convince people that the money in their pocket is worth more/less than it used to. The constant trend is that Inflation always increases over time.
However, you wages do not. Wages are the same as they were 40 years ago. You don't have the buying power you used to.
In order for companies to make more money, they have to give you less. Inflation gives the illusion of a raise, while dicking you out of money. It also makes it seem like there's more money in the world, when there will always be only 100%.

How much do we have to put up with, until we can't take anymore. Must we work 4 jobs....5 jobs to pay for a roof over our heads, food on the table, and the basics of life.

The FreeMarket is based on Greed. Those who steal legally are rewarded with more money.
Those who do the right thing, and do what they're supposed to to survive, they're the ones who suffer.

Republicans are taking away our rights to fight for better wages. They allow companies to pay no taxes, and let people like you and I foot the bill.

Our system would be tons better, if only they enforced wage increases to keep up with actual inflation. But they don't.

What's the difference between the money produced by a voucher, and the money produced by insurance? -You're still taking money from the government.

I think that everyone wants the same things. But people get so hot blooded over politics, they forget what is important.
It's very possible to have awesome health care in this country...however, we place profits first.
Decisions in D.C. are made the same way.

I see Republicans attack teachers over their pensions but make no mention of their own.
"Members of Congress are not eligible for a pension until they reach the age of 50, but only if they've completed 20 years of service. Members are eligible at any age after completing 25 years of service or after they reach the age of 62. Please also note that Members of Congress have to serve at least 5 years to even receive a pension.

The amount of a congressperson's pension depends on the years of service and the average of the highest 3 years of his or her salary. By law, the starting amount of a Member's retirement annuity may not exceed 80% of his or her final salary.

According to the Congressional Research Service, 413 retired Members of Congress were receiving federal pensions based fully or in part on their congressional service as of Oct. 1, 2006. Of this number, 290 had retired under CSRS and were receiving an average annual pension of $60,972. A total of 123 Members had retired with service under both CSRS and FERS or with service under FERS only. Their average annual pension was $35,952 in 2006."

So they're eligible for pension after serving 5 years. A normal term for a senator is 6 years. 1 term.
Then they can draw on their pension until _______.
Not to mention all of the "secret" campaign contributions they keep.

"From 1789 to 1855, members of Congress received only a per diem (daily payment) of $6.00 while in session, except for a period from December 1815 to March 1817, when they received $1,500 a year. Members began receiving an annual salary in 1855, when they were paid $3,000 per year."

http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/uscongress/a/congresspay.htm

I'm a long gone Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.
I'm a cool rocking Daddy in the U.S.A.
Born in the U.S.A.

Yeah, you are right of course. It's all my fault. Thanks for setting me straight, my true friend.

Dentists here don't take payments, so I strongly advise you to remain where you are and stay the hell away from Roanoke Virginia if you know what's good for ya.

You wouldn't live long here. Doctors kill people like you here.

I'll remember that. Thanks! I do hope you get your infection taken care of. Painful

i agree with almost everything you said. i spend nearly all my free time with my family. i am in a position in two of my jobs that allow me computer and internet access. so its more like i'm spending partial work time and partial free time to blab on here. unfortunately it is difficult to discern the true nature of any politician, left or right. there are greedy criminals in both parties. i know the nature and motivation of most career politicians is based on personal power and what it brings as opposed to caring about the american people.

agreed but dont give the dems too much credit either, so is it time for make up sex now?

You're welcome. A man should walk around meat grinders. Only take chances on drinking from a goblet that matters. I remained here to finish the battle.

i hate to tell you, but you are no bruce springsteen (LOL)

well i cant sing, but i have other qualities that bruce cant even come close to matching.

I can sing and dance congoboy, can you????? what qualities do you have that bruce doesn't

most of it is in my pants

oh golly gee congoboy has a wee wee!!! (LMAO).

wow dude, so when you gonna graduate from the 2nd grade? i prefer to call it my dick

Oh congoboy stop, your giving me the vapors.

you lucky i did not say it was a little one (ouch)!!! do not call me dude, i am a woman. show some respect.

oh golly gee congoboy can't take a joke!!!

is that legal?

now that i know i will

i can if youre on top

Not technically but if they arrested me for it, the rainbow flags would charge.

Besides wanting to cut Medicare and Medicaid they want to make Bush tax cuts permanent. Of coarse they will have government care and a pension for the rest of there lives.

You got that, brother!

I like the cartoon, Milieu. +^d!