The Medicare privatization pilot program may never be implemented

[bluestateguy]

While I vociferously opposed this Medicare drug bill, passed in the dark of night, in violation of the 15 minute time limit on recorded voting, it is entirely possible that the bill may not materialize in the way Republicans and Heritage Foundation types are hoping. The bill calls for a drug benefit program to begin in 2006, and for a pilot privatization plan in 6 selected cities in the year 2010: long after this president, and maybe even the next president, have left office. Who knows what the political landscape will look like then? There are a multitude of possibilities that could prevent the privatization experiment from ever getting off of the ground in 2010: A Democratic Administration could refuse to implement the program; a Democratic Congress and President could vote to kill the program any time between 2005 and 2010. If the privatization part of the bill is enacted, Republicans will have screwed themselves in the long run--thuogh the bill's passage in the short-run may help them--for they will have expanded a popular entitlement program, without any opening for privatization schemes.

[bluestateguy]

1. kick

:kick:

[madfloridian]

2. Even if you are right, I will not forgive anyone who votes for it.

Here is why:
They have stressed out more senior citizens than ever before with all the rhetoric. They have all lied about it, Democrats and Republicans alike.
My neighbor in her 80s cried today on the phone. She is so scared, so out of her mind with worry.

There is no excuse for this.

[WhoCountsTheVotes]

3. interesting point

Perhaps this really was just a case of the GOP wanting to get Dems on record for privatizing, of course that's hardly difficult.

[bluestateguy]

4. kick

[bluestateguy]

5. kick

:kick:

[bluestateguy]

6. kick

:kick:

This may be the silver-lining on the bill.