GOP Divided Over Pushing Reform of Social Security

[UpInArms]

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-social7dec07,1,4486642.story?coll=la-headlines-nation (registration required)

WASHINGTON — The White House and congressional Republicans, who will join in triumph Monday when President Bush signs a landmark overhaul of Medicare, are at odds over how hard to push now for reform of government's other major program for the elderly, Social Security.

In his reelection campaign next year, Bush is expected to make a new pitch for his long-shunned plan to shore up the financially shaky retirement system by allowing workers to divert some of their Social Security taxes to personal investment accounts.

<snip>

"I hope Bush doesn't utter one word about it," said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.). "There may be a few conservatives in our party who support , but the vast majority … would say, 'Please do not talk about it.' "

...more...

not talking about it to the public does not mean that these people will not be planning in secret meetings to destroy further the safety net of our country

[jpgray]

1. Every Dem who voted for that Medicare nonsense receives my eternal ire

SS reform will be the DEATH of this moron's campaign--any *conscious* thinking American will tell him where to stick it. I do fear that many of the boomers and those of my generation will be thinking: "I'll never see it anyway, why not do the personal account?" The New Deal should NOT just be swept away by this dumbass.

[BJ]

2. If I lived in California...

If I lived and voted in California I'd certainly think the nominally "Liberal" Diane Feinstein has some explaining to do.

[Mel]

3. let em'

Their bringing up privatizing Social Security will bite them on the bum! Read the below and see why Yes I do agree with you UpinArms they will try to ram this through behind closed doors. This time though I hope the people storm those closed doors!


<snip>White House officials have told Republican allies that Bush wants to campaign on reforming Social Security in order to build his political authority for undertaking such an ambitious project in his second term.

"The administration intends to introduce Social Security reform in a way that, when they get reelected, he will be able to say this is a mandate to allow us to do certain reforms," said Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform and an administration ally on the issue.</snip>



As the people learn more of what they did with medicare and what a sweet heart of a deal the corporatists got and how Seniors got the shaft, they won't be able to buy medigap?! Now tell me why would anyone trust Republicans to do the right thing when it comes to SS!?

We will see more pieces of news like this come out about this medicare mess it will not reflect well at all on Republicans nor any Dem that voted for it!

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=68&ncid=716&e=16&u=/nyt/20031206/ts_nyt/medicareplanfordrugcostsbarsinsurance

Medicare Plan for Drug Costs Bars Insurance
Sat Dec 6, 2:34 PM ET By ROBERT PEAR The New York Times

WASHINGTON, Dec. 6 Medicare beneficiaries will not be allowed to buy insurance to cover their share of prescription drug costs under the new Medicare bill to be signed on Monday by President Bush (news - web sites), the legislation says.

Millions of Medicare beneficiaries have bought private insurance to fill gaps in Medicare. But a little-noticed provision of the legislation prohibits the sale of any Medigap policy that would help pay drug costs after Jan. 1, 2006, when the new Medicare drug benefit becomes available.

This is one of many surprises awaiting beneficiaries, who will find big gaps in the drug benefit and might want private insurance to plug the holes just as they buy insurance to supplement Medicare coverage of doctors' services and hospital care. <snip>

Under the standard Medicare drug benefit, the beneficiary would be responsible for a $250 deductible, 25 percent of drug costs from $251 to $2,250 and all of the next $2,850 in drug costs. Private Medigap policies could not cover any of those costs. <snip>

But if a beneficiary bought drugs not listed on the formulary, the bill says, those costs would not be counted toward the $3,600 limit.<snip>

[papau]

4. DU Discusion of Medicare Drug you pay 4020 of 5520 "benefit"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=117&topic_id=1538