Gingrich rallies support for House Medicare vote

[onehandle]

WASHINGTON, Nov 19 (Reuters) - With former House Speaker Newt Gingrich on hand to boost morale and calm the fiscal fears of conservatives, U.S. House Republicans Wednesday drummed up support for a Medicare reform bill that could come up for a vote as soon as Friday.

Gingrich made Medicare reform a key plank of his Republican revolution in the mid-1990s, igniting a debate that continues to this day about the future of the popular but expensive health program for America's elderly.

Several Republican House members said preliminary budget estimates, expected to be finalized later Wednesday, show the bill came in slightly under the $400 billion 10-year limit. They expect House-Senate negotiators to formally approve the bill late Wednesday.

snip...

Some outraged AARP members were planning a protest outside the group's Washington headquarters Wednesday, threatening to burn their AARP membership cards.

Many business groups are also backing the bill, while Consumers Union, Families USA and the AFL-CIO are opposing it as doing more harm than good.

http://www.forbes.com/home_europe/newswire/2003/11/19/rtr1153585.html

[GainesT1958]

1. Well, it ought to be obvious to everyone...

BUT those Repubs led into that chamber by him...ANYTHING supported by Newt has GOT to be REALLY, REALLY BAD for the rest of us!x(

Just remember the "Contract on America" to recall why...:eyes:

B-)

[JI7]

2. it's the same crap all over again

as blm mentioned in the other thread about how republicans took over congress at a time when oj was the big news. they are doing it again. the big news is jackson, peterson, kobe etc while this REAL news with what republicans are doing is being ignored.

[Tempest]

3. Is this why AARP supports the bill?

http://www.centerforamericanprogress.org/site/pp.asp?cid={E9245FE4-9A2B-43C7-A521-5D6FF2E06E03}&bin_id={D4279185-2138-4D60-8557-E26508FD8C13}

"Critics say AARP, which formally unveiled its new headquarters building in downtown Washington last month, has softened its earlier militancy because it is preoccupied with its profit-making enterprises, including $100 million in earnings from the sale of insurance, mostly Medicare supplemental policies."
- Newsday, 10/21/2000

"AARP's receives more than $100 million in revenue from health insurers."
- Denver Post, 5/21/96

"Critics suggest that AARP's substantial profits from the sales of Medigap and other insurance policies, drug company advertising in its magazines, and investment schemes conflict with its interests on behalf of seniors...AARP President William Novelli acknowledged complaints from members that AARP has been too timid in the political battles to defend Medicare and Social Security. He conceded that AARP has pulled its punches since right-wing groups and members of Congress criticized it as too liberal - Newsday, 2/19/02

"AARP's pharmacy service is part of its insurance sales operation which generated $101 million in revenue last year - 17 percent of the organization's total budget." - Capitol News Service, 8/15/02

"AARP receives millions of dollars from UnitedHealthcare, a national health insurance firm based in Minnesota." - Milwaukee Journal
Sentinel, 2/24/01

[sendero]

4. There ya go...

... if Gingrich is for it, I'm against it :)

[Triana]

5. AARP CEO Novelli...wrote preface to Newt's book...

From BuzzFlash:

...

Mr. Novelli claims he has his AARP seniors in the bag for the GOP. But is being an enthusiastic supporter of Newt Gingrich's wing nut healthcare plan for America doing the best for seniors?

Novelli is such a fan of Gingrich that he wrote a preface to Newt's babbling right wing treatise on how to destroy the healthcare safety net for seniors and other Americans: "Saving Lives & Saving Money." This is what Novelli said in praise of Gingrich's book:

...


http://www.buzzflash.com/analysis/03/11/ana03307.html

My mom and brother are writing seething letters to AARP cancelling their membership...I'm sure they are not alone.

[trogdor]

6. Somebody needs to buy him a double shot...

...of STFU!

[0007]

7. The medicare program is a bad program when ya' se Newt hanging round......

Medicare and Social Security is a burr up Newt's ass.

[dusty64]

8. Oh boy newtie crawling

out from under his rock for this one. Were he and novelli hand in hand for the photop?

[ignatius]

9. Good God, that lizard needs to crawl away once and for all. If he is in

favor then you know it is a screw job for most Americans.

I am 52 and joined AARP last yar but I am cancelling and demanding my money back. I am sure they won't give a shit, but it will make me feel a whole lot better.

[leesa]

10. Why would anyone listen to this proven loser???

One of my favorite lines on the Daily Show was when John Stewart was flattering Gingrich about his knowledge of politics and political maneuvering, then when he was all puffed up, asked him to give us some advice as to how we could get the Republicans out of power. Newt jumps like a bolt of electricity goes through him and says, "Oh, No. You don't want to do that!" Funny guy.