Baucus: “We cannot cut the deficit at the expense of veterans, seniors...and hard-working families."

[jefferson_dem]

I'm no huge fan of Baucus (he dropped the healthcare reform ball like a bush leaguer) but neither am I prepared to say he'll be a total sell out. I hope I'm not proven wrong. Remember, after serving on Simpson-Bowles, he rejected the final proposal, announcing that “we cannot cut the deficit at the expense of veterans, seniors, ranchers, farmers and hard-working families.” His statement below provides some clues on where he might be headed.

Baucus Opposes Debt Commission Cuts that Discriminate Against Montana, Rural States
Senator to Vote against Anti-Rural Cuts that Hurt Seniors, Veterans, Agriculture, Natural Resources
Posted: Thursday, December 2, 2010

Washington, DC) - Montana's Senior U.S. Senator Max Baucus today strongly opposed recommendations to raise the retirement age for Social Security and cut funding for veterans, agriculture and natural resources released by the co-chairs of the Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. Baucus, who was appointed to serve as a congressional representative on the commission in February, called the reforms anti-rural and said he will oppose them when the Commission votes this Friday.

"I want to thank the Commission Co-Chairs, Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson for their service to our country. Reducing the debt is not an easy task, and I have the utmost respect and appreciation for the time, care and effort they have put into this task.

"Our mounting federal debt is a serious concern that we must address. I am committed to finding real solutions. That's why I have led the charge to end wasteful subsidies to insurance companies and crack down on loopholes in our tax code that allow big corporations to hide money offshore. And at the same time, I'm fighting to help small businesses with tax cuts to grow our economy and hire new workers. But the Deficit Commission recommendations paint a big red target on rural America, and I won't support anything that puts the debt burden on the backs of Montanans and other rural states, while others get a free pass.

"The Deficit Commission recommendations would cut pensions for military members, lower Social Security payments, raise the retirement age and limit Medicare benefits. Cuts like that hit rural America the hardest because we proudly have more veterans and seniors than most other states.

"The Deficit Commission recommendations would raise taxes on gas by 15 cents a gallon, which would hurt folks in rural states like Montana where we often have to travel long distances in the course of one day. The recommendations would cut $10 billion from farm programs Montana depends on and raise electricity rates in rural areas. And they would redirect Montana coal tax dollars used for cleanup on abandoned mine land to states like Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

"At the same time, the Commission recommendations do not take any aggressive steps to crack down on corporations that hide their money overseas to avoid paying their taxes.

"I have studied the Deficit Commission recommendations at length - and I can tell you they are wrong for Montana and wrong for rural communities across the country. Reducing our federal deficit is imperative, but we cannot cut the deficit at the expense of veterans, seniors, ranchers, farmers and hard-working families. Instead, we need to look for common-sense ways to help businesses create jobs and grow our economy. These recommendations are wrong for our state, they are wrong for our country, and I simply can't support them," Baucus said.

Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform co-chairs Erskine Bowles and Alan Simpson released initial recommendations November 10, 2010, and the final revised recommendations yesterday December 1, 2010. The recommendations released today include cuts to a number of programs that are important to Montanans.

Cuts to Seniors

■The recommendations would turn Medicare into a voucher program, which would limit the cost of care seniors are allowed to receive to a predetermined amount instead of covering all medical needs the way it does today.

■The recommendations would raise the age of normal retirementin the Social Security programto68 in 2040 andto 69 in 2075, which would result in benefit cuts for all new retirees. The recommendationswould also raise the early retirement age to 63 in 2040 and 64 in 2075. These twosets of changes hurt folks who have poor health or work in physically demanding jobs like farming, ranching and construction

■The recommendations would reduce Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) in Social Security and other Federal programs, which help folks living on fixed incomes keep up with the cost of inflation. In addition to Social Security,the programs withCOLA cuts would also include Military retirement, Civil Service retirement, veterans' benefits,SupplementalSecurityIncome and Railroad Retirement benefits.

Cuts to Troops and Veterans

■The recommendations would create a federal workforce entitlement task force to cut billions of dollars from military health and retirement programs.

■The recommendations would cut the government workforce by 10 percent without providing a firewall to protect the workforce of the Veterans Administration when implementing these cuts. Montana has the second highest rate of veterans per capita in the country. Thousands of young Montana veterans are returning home and depending on these staff to provide medical care and job services at VA run hospitals and Vet Centers.

...

http://baucus.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=244

[xocet]

1. He will be a sell-out when push comes to shove. n/t

[Historic NY]

2. Try the rich, rich corporations that pay nothing, thats where the money is...

hell even Willie Sutton knew that.

[montanacowboy]

3. He is my Senator

he caves to corporate interests every time - he will sell out

[Armstead]

4. Goitta hope for the best. I'm less worried about SS and Medicaid than about...

...what is going to happen to "discretionary spending." Those little things like aid to the poor, education, public services, etc.

A lot of damage can be done there

[CakeGrrl]

5. The pressure from his constituents and Murray/Kerry will be high

Murray is a champion of Veterans' benefits, and Medicare/Medicaid/SS are gong to be near and dear to his state's demographic.

[Vinnie From Indy]

6. LOL! Baucus is a leopard whose spots are known. He ain't changing them now.

He is a poison pill. There isn't even a fig leaf big enough to hide that fact.

[eridani]

7. He cares a hell of a lot more about farm subsidies than about Social Security n/t

[w4rma]

8. He needs to be as far removed from any Super Congress as possible. (nt)

[bvar22]

9. Putting some video clips in the can for the coming campaign season.

He'll hold these up and say,
"SEE! I'm really working for you!",

...but when the cameras are turned off, Baucus is one of the first to line up and sell out.
Corrupt, DLC Blue Dog, through & through.





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[FrenchieCat]

10. Concrete information.....

Max Baucus votes on Health Care

Voted NO on the Ryan Budget: Medicare choice, tax & spending cuts. (May 2011)
Voted YES on regulating tobacco as a drug. (Jun 2009)
Voted YES on expanding the Children's Health Insurance Program. (Jan 2009)
Voted YES on overriding veto on expansion of Medicare. (Jul 2008)
Voted NO on means-testing to determine Medicare Part D premium. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on allowing tribal Indians to opt out of federal healthcare. (Feb 2008)
Voted YES on adding 2 to 4 million children to SCHIP eligibility. (Nov 2007)
Voted YES on requiring negotiated Rx prices for Medicare part D. (Apr 2007)
Voted NO on limiting medical liability lawsuits to $250,000. (May 2006)
Voted YES on expanding enrollment period for Medicare Part D. (Feb 2006)
Voted YES on increasing Medicaid rebate for producing generics. (Nov 2005)
Voted NO on negotiating bulk purchases for Medicare prescription drug. (Mar 2005)
Voted YES on $40 billion per year for limited Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Jun 2003)
Voted YES on allowing reimportation of Rx drugs from Canada. (Jul 2002)
Voted YES on allowing patients to sue HMOs & collect punitive damages. (Jun 2001)
Voted NO on funding GOP version of Medicare prescription drug benefit. (Apr 2001)
Voted YES on including prescription drugs under Medicare. (Jun 2000)
Voted NO on limiting self-employment health deduction. (Jul 1999)
Voted YES on increasing tobacco restrictions. (Jun 1998)
Voted YES on Medicare means-testing. (Jun 1997)
Voted YES on blocking medical savings acounts. (Apr 1996)
Establish "report cards" on HMO quality of care. (Aug 2000)
Invest funds to alleviate the nursing shortage. (Apr 2001)
Rated 75% by APHA, indicating a pro-public health record. (Dec 2003)
Include mental health services under Medicare. (Jun 2008)
Collect data on birth defects and present to the public. (Apr 1998)

http://www.ontheissues.org/senate/Max_Baucus.htm

[Cali_Democrat]

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