Medicare bill may have just lost Bush his base voters and the election

[59millionmorons]

Listening to Hannity's listeners today, leaves me with no doubt that Bush may lose his base. They are now saying they wont vote for Bush in 2004. Even Hannity is pissed.

[Racenut20]

1. I doubt that, but it would be a Godsend

[jono]

2. Really?

Why is Hannity not supporting it?

[mlawson]

3. Well, the Dems HAVE to keep talking about the downside

of the bill. After all, it doesn't take effect immediately, and many voters will forget all about it, until the bush regime campaigns on the supposed UPside next year. We CAN NOT have milquetoast Dems ignore this!! This bill is a two-edged sword, and it can cut our legs off if we aren't careful!

[quinnox]

4. I doubt it is that dramatic but

it is interesting. I heard that the hard right conservatives are unhappy about this because it is a bloated government program, and is too expensive. And we all know how they hate big social programs.

I read an article which had a similiar take, it said that the republicans are so worried over losing their majority, that they decided to pass the "other sides" legislation to show how moderate they are.

It is ironic, because a lot of Dems were against this medicare bill anyway.

[madfloridian]

7. It will very dramatic as more find out what the bill is about.

Many seniors are just learning, and they are feeling betrayed.

[Malva Zebrina]

8. bloated government program?

I see it as a privatized corporate scam and I see it as perfectly attuned to the fascism Bush has introduced into this country since he was appointed by the Supreme Court to run, at his pleasure, roughshod over his own citizens in favor of riding high with his corporate buddies. To think that my own representatives voted to give away my fragile health care issues to a private HMO, who could care less, and would most likely charge me more for having a pre-existing disease that would, horrors, cost them money and put their bottom line in jeapardy, is , to me, a crime.

[wryter2000]

5. Interesting

I hope you're right.

Maybe there's some point to listening to the wingnuts, after all.

[Doomsayer13]

6. Libs and Cons don't like it for different reasons

Liberals don't like it becuase it is an unconcienable waste of the taxpayers money by pretty much subsidizing pharmecudical companies while not directly helping the seniors at all. We don't think the bill goes far enough, and it goes in a completely wrong headed direction. It's like trying to feed yourself through your ass.

Conservatives don't like it because it's a massive governmental expenditure and small government conservatives and ardent free capitalists think it's contrary to what they think the role of government should be and that there shouldn't even be a bill at all. Thus this bill may serve to depress the anti-government conservative part of the Bush base.

It's a tenuous alliance. If you look at the roll call votes, you have people like Graham of South Carolina, Hagel of Nebraska, Gregg and Sununu of New Hampshire, and other conservatives voting with liberals on this one, for different reasons of course.

[terrisel]

9. The Right is Split on Medicare

I believe that some are concerned about it being a big spending social program, but many others are angry because they are counting on medicare being there for them-they believed Bush's lies, and many are angry about the corporate giveaways.

I think a lot of Republicans are beginning to see that the Republican leadership has different objectives than they have.

[newyawker99]

10. I am locking this.

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Please feel free to repost with the profanity.


NYer99
DU Moderator