Breaking: FT & $700 M cuts to Medicare in exchange for "promise" to remove MC cuts later?

[Faryn Balyncd]

Last edited Thu Jun 11, 2015, 10:50 AM - Edit history (2)

In today's email from Democracy for America:

It's happening. On Friday, the House of Representatives is going to vote on the Fast Track bill for the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Before they vote, Admiral Ackbar from Star Wars has an important and infamous warning that you need to give to your Representative:





Here's how the trap works. Last Saturday, we explained how the Fast Track bill includes a whopping $700 million cut to Medicare, in order to pay for Trade Adjustment Assistance to help those who lose their jobs due to foreign trade.

According to reports, some House Democrats have cut a deal with Paul Ryan and the Republicans. The terms of the deal stink: Democrats have to vote for the Fast Track bill, including the $700 million cut to Medicare, in exchange for a vague promise to remove the Medicare cuts at a later date.

Democrats would go on record as voting for a Medicare cut -- and Republicans would attack those Democrats for doing so at the 2016 election. How can Democrats avoid this trap? It's simple: they just have to vote NO on Fast Track.

That's where Democracy for America members like you come in. With the Fast Track vote happening on Friday, we have less than 24 hours to stop it and save Medicare from huge cuts. We need you to drop what you're doing right now and call your member of Congress to tell them not to fall into the trap: Vote NO on Fast Track.



Fighting the Medicare cuts may also be our best hope of stopping the Fast Track bill itself. As Greg Sargent explained in the Washington Post last week, removing the Medicare cuts might alienate more Republicans and jeopardize passage of Fast Track.

If the House refuses to cut Medicare and finds another way to pay for aid to workers who lost their jobs to foreign trade, then they will have to reconcile their bill with the Senate version that includes the Medicare cuts. Paul Ryan has said that won't work and would kill Fast Track. That's fine by us.

In short, not only is fighting the Medicare cuts a good thing to do in itself -- it could also be a good way to stop the Fast Track bill.

The vote is almost here. There's no time to lose. Call your member of Congress today and tell them not to fall into the trap: Vote NO on Fast Track.

Thank you for helping Democrats avoid this awful trap that would hurt seniors, workers, and their own re-election chances.

- Robert Cruickshank,
Democracy for America

[onecaliberal]

1. Rotten stinking evil corporate mother fuckers.

Don't anyone tell me democrats aren't as dangerous as republicans. They are one in the same. Republicans are Never going to allow for the restoration of those cuts. Democrats know but think we're all stupid enough to believe it. People WILL DIE because of this. But hey it doesn't affect them so who give a damn. This country is so fucked.

[truebrit71]

4. I don't think they're evil, I think they're fucking morons..

Republicans never keep their promises....Have they never seen a Peanuts cartoon strip?

Idiots.

[onecaliberal]

10. It's beyond willful stupidity. I don't buy them being that ignorant, or stupid.

It's a bought and paid for evil corporatist.

[bvar22]

35. Except for Rick Perry.

He is willfully stupid, and likes it.

[erronis]

12. They're not morons when it comes to looking at their bank account.

[project_bluebook]

34. They have a disease

its called greed and its spreading throughout the US. Our economy. society is one big ponzi scheme where everything flows to the very top. This cannot last forever and will not end well.

[CrispyQ]

36. It's a global disease, but the US is in the stratosphere.

You are right that it will not end well.

[randome]

2. I doubt that 'according to reports' is very reliable.

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Don't ever underestimate the long-term effects of a good night's sleep.[/center][/font][hr]

[Faryn Balyncd]

6. So do you suggest waiting to hear from the talking heads on the Friday night "news"?

[randome]

8. Or someone who goes on the record as saying this will occur.

Rumors are too often promoted as 'news' and this one doesn't sound very likely to me.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Don't ever underestimate the long-term effects of a good night's sleep.[/center][/font][hr]

[Faryn Balyncd]

40. Yeah. There's a summary that you can apply to read Saturday!

And we can read about the restoration in a few months, too!

[StarzGuy]

32. I'm on Medicare now and my representative is already a no vote...

...I only hope that she isn't swayed by money to flip flop on this important vote. She's not running again for the house but is going to run for the Senate now held by that turd McCain.
I will once again voice my opposition to Fast trap (track) and any cuts to Medicare.

[brentspeak]

48. I doubt that any of your opinions are reliable. n/t

[mindem]

3. In other words,

they are openly admitting that there is going to be a substantial loss of American jobs to the point of needing a $700,000,000 offset taken from health care. It's a win-win situation isn't it? What hideous leadership this county is being subjected to.

[historylovr]

5. It's certainly win-win for our overlords.

[KoKo]

7. Recommend!

[Buns_of_Fire]

9. I have no doubt the $700 million would be cut. I have PLENTY of doubt it would ever be restored.

And for that matter, I don't believe for a second that the bulk of the so-called "Trade Adjustment Assistance" would go to help those displaced, either.

For that matter, if this monstrosity is supposed to CREATE jobs, why do they feel a need to put in a provision for displaced workers in the first place?

[erronis]

13. Bingo: If it's supposed to CREATE jobs, why have a provision for displaced workers?

[Enthusiast]

45. It would never be restored. Yeah, if it's supposed to create jobs why is this provision necessary?

The truth is, it isn't going to create jobs. We are going to lose hundreds of thousands of jobs.

[bullwinkle428]

11. This is disgusting. Republicans are going to absolutely use this as the centerpiece

of their 2016 Congressional campaigns.

[LiberalArkie]

15. I believe you are 100% correct.

[Enthusiast]

47. They are going to say, "Democrats cut Medicare."

They have done it before.

[kelliekat44]

14. Didin't Dems already fall for something like this concerning welfare reforms under Clinton? nt

[LiberalArkie]

16. And the Dems still claim that removing people from aid for housing and child care and putting

them to work at 2 minimum wage jobs and now have to pay for chid care and housing out of that money is classified as "Getting people off welfare into jobs"

All to make points with the right-wing. That sure worked didn't it Bill?

[WinkyDink]

28. Depends on what the meaning of "worked" is. HE was re-elected. HIS WIFE might be elected.

[WinkyDink]

27. I don't remember that as any kind of trade or future-promise; just a flat-out change.

[Punx]

17. Trade Adjustment Assistance

Is like offering to pay for your medical care after your arm has been chopped off. The lucky ones may end up with a fully functioning appendage, but many won't.

And we are going to borrow from your future health care money to pay for it.

[99th_Monkey]

20. +100 nt

[Populist_Prole]

43. Well put.

To them it's not somebody's livelihood in the balance, but a math equation to be glossed over in macro terms. It's also admitting what they've previously denied: A loss of working class employment due to labor arbitrage abroad.

[Omaha Steve]

18. Thanks for posting

K&R!

[sorefeet]

19. Can they smell the

pitch forks yet??

[They_Live]

21. oh like the money borrowed from Social Security

for endless war that was never paid back?

[Recursion]

22. Well, that's a shit sandwich. It also suggests Ryan has a higher nosecount than I've heard

That or he's bluffing.

[OnyxCollie]

23. We'll fix it later!

[WinkyDink]

26. We'll read it later, too! And best hold our very opinions, as well, "UNTIL IT'S THE LAAAAAAW!!"

[jalan48]

24. What's wrong with these ass wipes? It's time we elect some radical left Democrats.

Let Democrats like these folks join the Republican Party and let's get our two party system back.

[Scuba]

39. + Eighty Gazillion

[WinkyDink]

25. OMG. It's all hopeless. Fa$$$$t Track is in like Flynn; who's trying to kid whom here?

[Autumn]

29. Joke? Because only a fucking idiot will believe that the republicans will remove the Medicare cuts

at a later date. If any Dems go through with this they can kiss their jobs goodbye and a lot of the party members.

[1monster]

30. Then big pharmacy will suffer as Medicare will no longer be able to pay for

those $599 a month drugs that delay and relieve the symtoms of degenerative illnesses. They might deserve it, but not the people who depend on Medicare.

Those who have not yet retired will no longer be able to work w/o the meds. They will need more medical care as opportunistic illnesses set in and be unable to afford it and they will die sooner.

Alan Grayson said it right: The Republican health care plan is don't get sick. And if you do get sick, die quickly.

Why not just reject the TPP. Then we don't have to worry about trade adjustment assistance for those who lose their jobs due to foreign trade?

It's a win/win proposition... people keep their jobs and their medicare benefits. The only ones who don't get what they want will be the corporations who are mostly multinationals and owe no loyalty or fellow feeling to any nation or people but themselves.

It's time to tell Washington that they work for us, not the multi-nationals even if they have been purchased by the m-n. Those jobs are bestowed by the people, not by big money. And it is also time for the people to remember that, too.

[bowens43]

31. thanks obama you fucked us again

[Gloria]

33. Just called my so-called rep, Tea Party ass Steve Pearce

Supposedly undecided, which I told the guy I didn't believe, based on his record. Medicare cuts in this deal would be right up his alley. I asked if they wanted to kill us all...While I was on the phone I also said that the entire party didn't care about workers and with regard to women, the GOP hated them and were nothing but ABUSERS.

F...the bastard

[MFrohike]

41. An idea

Jeff Sessions is EXTREMELY hostile to the TPP. Find something he's said or written and send them the link. If you have to convince a wingnut, who better than another wingnut?

[CrispyQ]

37. Once they take it away, they will never give it back.

woo_me_with_science said it best here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026231217#post3

K&R Yep, that's certainly the "lesser of two evils" scam
that corporatists in both parties keep using on us.

Red vs. Blue = Oligarchy Theater for the masses.

Mass spying on Americans? Both parties support it.
Handing the internet to corporations? Both parties support it.
Austerity for the masses? Both parties support it.
Cutting social safety nets? Both parties support it.
Corporatists in the cabinet? Both parties support it.
Tolling our interstate highways? Both parties support it.
Corporate education policy? Both parties support it.
Bank bailouts? Both parties support it.
Ignoring the trillions stashed overseas? Both parties support it.
Trans-Pacific Job/Wage Killing Secret Agreement? Both parties support it.
TISA corporate overlord agreement? Both parties support it.
Drilling and fracking? Both parties support it.
Wars on medical marijuana instead of corrupt banks? Both parties support it.
Deregulation of the food industry? Both parties support it.
GMO's? Both parties support it.
Privatization of the TVA? Both parties support it.
Immunity for telecoms? Both parties support it.
"Looking forward" and letting war criminals off the hook? Both parties support it.
Deciding torturers are patriots? Both parties support it.
Militarized police and assaults on protesters? Both parties support it.
Indefinite detention? Both parties support it.
Drone wars and kill lists? Both parties support it.
Targeting of journalists and whistleblowers? Both parties support it.
Private prisons replacing public prisons? Both parties support it.
Unions? Both parties view them with contempt.
Trillion dollar increase in nuclear weapons. Both parties support it.
New war in Iraq. Both parties support it.
New war in Syria. Both parties support it.
Carpet bombing of captive population in Gaza. Both parties support it.
Selling off swaths of the Gulf of Mexico for drilling? Both parties support it.
Drilling along the Atlantic Coast? Both parties support it.

BUT, we are reminded by sneering corporate Democrats, Republicans will do all of this to us, too, PLUS inflict transvaginal ultrasounds!

What a vicious scam by both parties to justify relentless, predatory evil. To demand that we vote for our own sellout and exploitation and the dismantling of our democracy itself.

You know what I've decided? At a certain point it becomes necessary to say no to deliberate evil. To refuse to bow to the scam and the manipulation and refuse to endorse evil, period. *Even* when it is waving its claws and protesting that there's even scarier evil over there.

What a vicious scam by both parties to justify relentless, predatory evil. To demand that we vote for our own sellout and exploitation and the dismantling of our democracy itself.

I don't know if Bernie can win or not. I've always been for the Underdog. But if he can resonate with both red & blue stater's, then that's what we need. I think the PTB must be very afraid of him, even though they control the voting process & can flood the airwaves with ads, Bernie is a hard guy to attack. He's old & has wild hair. Big deal.

When you listen to him speak, he makes sense. When you look at his record, you see he is the real deal. Can he win? I don't know. Can he implement change? I don't know about that either. But his message resonates & maybe his campaign can get a national conversation started.

My husband told me this morning we are going to build a military base in Iraq. There goes your fucking Medicare. I can't even bring myself to go online & verify this sickening news. My blood pressure is going up just thinking about it. Another big boondoggle for the Halliburton/Cheney & all the rest who are invested in it, including a good number of our Congress, Rs & Ds alike.

I am voting for Bernie Sanders in 2016.

It's time for tough love on Wall St./MIC Minus the love.

Love the Buckaroo vid.

[truedelphi]

38. Actually, the 700 million in cuts to MediCare are chump change compared to

The Half Trillion dollars worth of cuts that were made by Obama to get the ACA passed.

(Not that I support either cut.)

[awoke_in_2003]

42. They must be complicit

because there is no way they are this stupid

[daredtowork]

44. Re: Looting the Social Security Trust Fund

And today the GOP is looking into Chained CPI and calling SSI stealth welfare to slime out of paying that back.

[Vinca]

46. Any Democrat convinced this is a good idea should be tested for drugs.

Republicans are no doubt laughing their asses off that anyone would think they'd restore Medicare funding.