Boehner stands by GOP Medicare overhaul plan

[TomCADem]

Source: LA Times

As congressional negotiators met with Vice President Biden to begin deficit-reduction talks Thursday, House Speaker John Boehner refused to back away from the Republican proposal to privatize Medicare and make other changes to the nation’s health entitlement programs.

Top Republican lawmakers have acknowledged that the party’s proposal to change Medicare for the next generation of seniors is unlikely to gain ground with President Obama and the Democratic-controlled Senate. But Boehner insisted Thursday that all options remained on the table as negotiations were underway on a budget strategy that could win bipartisan support alongside an increase in the nation’s $14.3-trillion debt limit.

“When it comes to increasing the debt limit and the need for reductions in spending, nothing is off the table -- except raising taxes,” Boehner told reporters.

Boehner acknowledged the “political realities we face” in trying to pass the GOP plan to privatize Medicare and shift Medicaid costs to the states, as proposed in the 2012 budget by Rep. Paul Ryan, the Republican chairman of the House Budget Committee. That proposal passed the House last month on a party line vote.


Read more: http://www.latimes.com/news/politics/la-pn-boehner-medicare-20110505,0,4046028.story?track=rss&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+latimes%2Fnews%2Fpolitics+%28L.A.+Times+-+Politics%29

[Swede Atlanta]

1. Privatizing Medicare is DOA and Boner-boy knows it.....

The American people may be dumb but not stupid. They are not going to go with a plan to radically change Medicare. So Orangeman needs to get a clue.

[Historic NY]

2. Boner is sticking with Ryan......He Johnnie Boy wheres the damn jobs.

[deacon]

3. Our 2012 bumper sticker - "Save Medicare Vote For Democrats" n/t

[and-justice-for-all]

4. That is what pukes do, the wrong thing..nt

[andym]

5. "Medicare for None" seems to be more popular with the GOP

than "Medicare for All" is with the Democratic party.

[russspeakeasy]

6. Mr. Boner is a slow learner. He should go on a roadtrip with Ryan.

[Nossida]

7. I dare say

It is long past time the American People
demand that these Vestal Virgins in the
Congress are required to pay for their
own Medical Insurance. These Life Long
Congressional Oligarchs receive the very
best of everything from the Tax Payers
Purse. It is long overdue to stop these
Congressional Entitlement Programs for
Congress members. How about some here call
their Congress Critter and demand they
introduce a Bill to end the Congressional
Free-ride. Most of them are People of
Means. No Congress Member should receive
what can only be considered Tax Payer
Funded Healthcare, until every single
American Citizen is granted the very same
Right, and Benefits. We know the majority
of them consider themselves Nobility. Take
the Congressional fringe benefits away
from them, and perhaps the lack of rarefied
air will clear their minds.


And if the Economy is so very bad, why
has there been not 1 layoff of Federal
Employees? They are paid from the US
Treasury, and then treat American Citizens
as beggars. Someone in the Main Stream
needs to bring these things up and pursue
it until the imbalance is addressed. the
American People are told we must make
sacrifices, let the members of the
Congressional Country Club lead by example.