GOP Conservatives Fault Medicare Bill

[Judi Lynn]

November 19, 2003

THE NATION
GOP Conservatives Fault Medicare Bill
Party leaders try to sway their disgruntled right wing, which complains that the compromise fails to cut costs and spur private competition.

By Janet Hook, Times Staff Writer


WASHINGTON — While President Bush and Republican leaders hail emerging Medicare legislation as a landmark accomplishment for the party, many in its most conservative ranks are cringing at the effort to provide a costly new prescription drug benefit.

A small but potentially crucial band of embittered conservatives says that the compromise crafted by GOP leaders does too little to introduce private-sector competition into health care for the elderly and to control the program's burgeoning costs.

Unless more concessions are made as leaders apply the finishing touches, conservative critics say, the bill will squander a once-in-a-generation opportunity to fundamentally change a program that is on the path to insolvency when baby boomers retire.

That means House Republican leaders are grappling with the opposite problem confronting their Senate counterparts. Party leaders in the Senate worry about a filibuster by liberal Democrats who believe the bill provides too little for the elderly. (snip/...)

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-medicare19nov19,1,4033671.story?coll=la-headlines-nation

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[dusty64]

1. Strange bedfellows.

Whatever it takes this attempt to ruin Medicare MUST stop. Democrats and rightwingers can do it if they work together, their reason certainly is not the same but the goal is.

[dusty64]

2. Also aarp is going

full bore FOR the gutting of Medicare despite the wishes of its members. I know this is an older story, but the opposition within is finally getting some exposure. Wait till they discover novelli is also backing the rightwing plan to gut Social Security, this ought to be interesting.

AARP Ad Blitz to Back GOP Medicare Plan
Tue Nov 18,10:55 AM ET

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent

WASHINGTON - The AARP is leaving a $7 million imprint on prescription drug legislation in an advertising campaign that delights Republicans who crafted the bill and dismays Democrats who oppose it.




The group's backing is "the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval when it comes to seniors' issues," House Speaker Dennis Hastert said Monday as the 35 million-member AARP announced its support, then backed it up with plans to air commercials.


John Rother, policy director at AARP, said the organization would spend $7 million over three days beginning Wednesday, including nationwide cable television advertising and commercials aired on stations in selected portions of the country. He said the advertising campaign would continue if the bill hadn't been brought to a vote by Friday.


Other seniors organizations have announced their opposition to the measure, including the National Committee to Preserve Social Security (news - web sites), the Alliance for retired Americans and Families USA.


But thus far, neither they nor the AFL-CIO, which also opposes the measure, has disclosed plans to air advertising on the subject. And with votes in the House and Senate only days away, it was not clear whether these groups or other opponents would weigh in.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=512&ncid=1278&e=10&u=/ap/20031118/ap_on_go_co/medicare_aarp

[dusty64]

3. Kick.

:kick: