Schumer: Medicare benefit cuts are off the table

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By Sahil Kapur

WASHINGTON – A key Senate Democrat said Monday that his party is willing to make a deal on reducing Medicare expenses but drew a hard line in the sand on benefit cuts as part of the debt limit negotiations.

"We're not going to go along with any cuts to beneficiaries that Republicans want," Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democrats' top liaison for policy and messaging, told reporters on a conference call. "Our goal is to preserve Medicare as it is and to strengthen it for future generations."

The New York Democrat said his party is more than willing to slow the growth of Medicare payouts with reforms such as negotiating drug prices, modifying delivery systems, and cutting waste and fraud. But he was skeptical that Republicans would go along with them.

"They're really not interested in strengthening Medicare," Schumer said. "They want to end it."

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/06/06/schumer-medicare-benefit-cuts-are-off-the-table/

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

1. Tweener statement, imho.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

2. How FUCKING long did that take?

NY 24, nonstop polling news, and more, and finally, the message begins to seep through?

At least they are beginning to get the message. I hope.

[ClarkUSA]

4. President Obama said this awhile back already. In a WH meeting last week, he reaffirmed it to Dems.

"Obama’s plan does not call for any major changes to the Medicare program, including raising the eligibility age. Nor does he propose any reductions to Social Security benefits." http://www.thestate.com/2011/04/14/1777781/obama-proposes-cuts-but-not-to.html

There's an OP in GDP about the WH meeting. That's why Senator Schumer is saying this now.

[xchrom]

3. let's hope so. nt