Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End Medicare

[Whoa_Nelly]

Source: TPM Media, LLC

The GOP continued its bloody walk into the Medicare buzzsaw Wednesday, when 40 out of 47 Senate Republicans voted in support of the House GOP budget, and its plan to phase out and privatize the popular entitlement program.

The test vote failed by a vote of 57-40. But the roll call illustrates that Medicare privatization -- along with deep cuts to Medicaid and other social services -- remains the consensus position of the GOP despite the growing political backlash against them.

Voting with all of the Democrats against debating the plan were Sens. Scott Brown (R-MA), Olympia Snowe (R-ME) -- both 2012 incumbents -- along with Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Lisa Murkowski (R-AK). Rand Paul (R-KY) voted against it because it wasn't radical enough.

Sens. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Pat Roberts (R-KS), and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) did not vote.

Read more: http://dscc.me/4by3

[Mz Pip]

1. and now we have our ads for 2012!

You asked for it. You got it. Bend over GOP.

[jaysunb]

2. Brilliant framing

"Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End Medicare"

Wish the MSM would do it like this. :evilfrown:

[Iliyah]

8. plus

they want to end the department of education, department of energy, ssi, medicaid and medi-cal, obsolutely no regulations for business and banks, keep low wage jobs in America and send the other jobs overseas, don't want manufacturing "made in America", only want the commoners to pay taxes, no minimum wages, fend for yourself when it comes to health care and if you can't afford it who cares, if you have an pre-existing condition eff you and who cares, voucher for schools which will not coverage the actual books but you will be forced to learn y'know TX style(they are erasing what actually happened in America's history and putting in what they want you to learn) so you can be brainwashed; Dems, other religions and others that don't think exactly like them are EVIL and should be kicked out of the country because they are unpatriotic; no civil rights, no gays rights, no women rights; women will be forced to have babies even when raped, etc.

Because the gopers are "We the Corporations"

[cheapdate]

9. Tell it! n/t

[rpannier]

10. There is only one of those positions held by the republikkans I agree with

the dept of education. I'd merge it back with Health and Human Service and go back to HEW

Over the last decade the Department of Education has been a feeding trough for one idiotic educational idea after another. It has become the opportunity for Bush cronies to make big money by cornering the market on testing, materials, etc and in this administration it has been a change for the Broad's, Gates' and others to control how billions of dollars are spent.

[Amonester]

17. And if you live in one of the tornado-alley red states, and...

your house gets blown away due to climate change, tough luck earthlings, you're on your own, suckeRs:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=385x586513

[rpannier]

39. Yep

They'll be happy to cut one or more of the benefits people in the area (and across the country) are receiving so Joplin can get help this one time.
Kind of like extending unemployment insurance

[Enthusiast]

18. They will also have us in another war

if they can manage to take back power. This one will be more expensive than the others because it will be with Iran or Pakistan

[Name removed]

24. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Stuckinthebush]

36. Wow. That's just beautiful

"sick poor people are not american! they are commie enemies of the state. god bless."

Please, please, please let's get this slogan to the GOP.

Oh, and close your mouth, we can hear you breath.

[eridani]

86. Somebody up there forgetting a sarcasm icon? n/t

[hfojvt]

68. you left out massive tax cuts for the rich

New ones were part of this Ryan plan, which is an odd feature for a plan that is so worried about the deficit and debt. Well, tax cuts for the rich, and then also, unspecified tax increases for the poor and middle class.

[Rosa Luxemburg]

3. What's with you Chuck not voting?

[truth2power]

25. Yes, I'd like to know that, too. Hope someone can answer it. n/t

edit> typo. It's early.

[defendandprotect]

52. Would like to know ... but wasn't Schumer trying to cut $1 billion out of Medicare?

[PatrynXX]

65. don't pay attention to George Carlin

where he figured if he didn't vote, he wouldn't be blamed for anything that goes wrong. ha. welcome to WI...

and clearly the New York race woulda been close but there was this Tea Party spoiler in there and the Dem won.

[lovuian]

4. Well there you have it old folks

Republicans want to take your health insurance away from you

I can hear the Republican party completely falling apart

[RebelOne]

82. Well, I could fall in the classification of "old folks."

I am on Medicare and to my understanding, it will not affect those who are already receiving it. Just those who are under 55 years old, so should it happen, I am not worried.

[lark]

84. Don't feel too safe

If the Repugs get in power, they could end disability Medicare etc. and you would be screwed too.

[somone]

5. Smart move

Yeah, Medicare privatization and Medicaid cuts are just this country needs. Assholes.

[whoneedstickets]

6. Their infamous party discipline and loyalty has backfired...

..and led them off a cliff.

[louis-t]

71. Mike Steele is all over tv screaming

"PREMIUM SUPPPPPORT!!!PREMIUM SUPPPPORT!1!11"

[MrScorpio]

7. The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Let's get them all in front of a camera defending what they just did

[applegrove]

11. Private health care is not as efficient (cost effective) as public health care. Health care will

just cost more if Ryan's plan ever is enacted. And people will have less.

[Enthusiast]

19. Even Republicans and Teabaggers know that.

Few working class constituents of either party want to replace medicare with private insurance. Even brain dead Teabaggers know insurance is a pure rip off.

[obxhead]

80. Yes, but all those tax dollars can be given to the wealthy

instead of providing health care for the elderly.

[Grassy Knoll]

12. .

[FarLeftFist]

13. RED MEAT!

Right-Wing Social Engineering.

[plumbob]

14. Good! Now they have no clothes.

Hang 'em high!

[divine_truine]

15. Attention! seniors who voted republican-teabagger during the last election...

the republican party will throw you over the cliff if they believe you are not paying attention! a vote for a filthy repuke is a vote to abolish the safety net we all contributed into for decades. for republicans in the house to propose such a radically insane budget (while enjoying taxpayer-funded healthcare for the rest of their miserable lives including family members!) is the lowest! paul ryan the koch whore has alot of nerve to go whining to the 'liberal' media (blaming democrats for demogoguing their plan to destroy medicare & ssi OMFG!) is just too rich for words! shameful republicans lying and misrepresenting the facts to their constituents at every turn! Now you see their true colors! for those who still vote republican and not caring about their appalling voting record i have no sympathy for you!

VOTE 4 A DEMOCRAT IN NOV. 2012!

someone please ask pres. obama to recess-apppoint elizabeth warren! and make it snappy!

[Enthusiast]

20. "VOTE 4 A DEMOCRAT IN NOV. 2012!"

Just make sure they aren't a corporatist is sheep's clothing.

[paparush]

31. That's the hard part, isn't it.

[Blasphemer]

16. Not radical enough? Really Rand?? Geesh... nt

[No Elephants]

21. They'll frame this as voting to improve Medicare.

[chervilant]

83. This

is already happening, over at that bastion of fair and balanced reporting (I couldn't even stomach the whole clip).

[lark]

85. Already doing that

and guess what, for once 'muricans aren't falling for the bs. This one they understand. Repugs have over-estimated the studipidy of we the people and are starting to pay a price.

[wordpix]

90. they're already doing it - the meme is "we have to change it to save it"

[salin]

26. that's the cover... but I would guess

he was also voting to make sure he wasn't voting against his own medical practice's financial interests.

[LibDemAlways]

51. Rand won't be happy until there is no safety net or government

program that aids anyone anywhere. He's strictly of the survival of the fittest mentality and would rather march the poor, sick, and elderly off a cliff than offer a penny in help.

[JDPriestly]

22. If Medicare did not exist, someone would have to invent it.

At the same time, Americans, especially elderly Americans, need to be educated on the alternatives they face at the end of life.

Each person must decide how long he or she would want to be placed on life support, how long he or she would want to have dialysis, what kinds of invasive procedures he or she would want to endure just to have a life that may not be of acceptable quality.

Most Americans don't think about these things until it is too late. And then family members make the decisions for their loved ones. And very often those decisions are based on fear or guilt or simply confusion about what the dying person would want. This needs to change.

We need a national conversation about end-of-life decisions. Do you really want to lie inert and helpless in a bid with a tube down your throat for months and months on end just because no one wants to let you go? I know what I want. Each person has to make this decision for him- or herself.

[No Elephants]

23. How did Reid manage to avoid a filibuster and get this to a vote?

Hmmm.

[Zambero]

54. Filibuster the "Path to Prosperity"?

It was an up-or-down vote on the budget proposal that was passed by House Republicans. For them to have filibustered their own highly touted budget plan would have made for excellent street theatre, but would not have bought much in the way of credibility, especially amongst the Teabagger element. Reid basically had them over a barrel.

[nonperson]

27. Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End

The Republican Party.

[SaveAmerica]

28. Hands off of my Medicare! We don't need governement in our healthcare!!

Wish I had a dollar for every time a Republican said this in 2009 (well, since Pres Obama was inaugurated).

[liberal N proud]

29. Heartless bastards/corporate whores

[Crowman1979]

30. Congratulations Rethuglicans! You just automatically lost the 2012 election.

[Hubert Flottz]

32. I hope they ALL come down with the Hong Kong Dong...

[Name removed]

33. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[rpannier]

40. Ummmm...Yeah

A Republican makes an effort to address a very serious problem
The only answer any Republican offers is how to stall and f*ck people over as much as possible

on edit: Yeah, your bad.

[florida08]

42. no it stifled privatizing it

Take your piety some place else. We support seniors here.

[blueclown]

44. A Republican is not making an effort to address this "problem".

They simply want to eliminate the "problem".

[katnapped]

46. Oh yes a "very serious problem"

Your CEO heroes aren't raking in enough...that's obviously a gigantic problem.

Hope you realize you're never going to be let into "the club" no matter how much you people kiss their asses

[LiberalLoner]

47. +1,000,000 n/t

[Name removed]

59. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AlbertCat]

61. facts and calculations that can be subjected to analysis.

What the hell makes you think the GOP is interested in that???? None of that makes any difference at all if one side makes up its "facts".... even if they were "not intended as factual statements". :eyes:

You try to be all "real" with "there is no utopia" statements, and then you pretend that the GOP wants to actually debate. You are full of it.

[newspeak]

70. getting rid of Little Boot's obscene tax cuts to the wealthy

would help the deficit considerably. After all, those tax cuts for approximately ten fekkin years has not created jobs, and has allowed corporations and the rich and infamous to ship that money overseas. Social Security should not even be considered as part of the budget, as it was intended to be separate and stand alone.

What I see is a bunch of corporate whores attempting to shovel more money to their corporate buddies. Profit is everything to these sociopaths. You think someone with a heart condition, cancer, is just going to go out there and get some corporate health insurance? And, since the repugs don't believe in any form of regulation, the health for profit jackals will have a feeding frenzy on those who are elderly and sick.

And, Wall Street, (the same ones who helped us into this mess) would love nothing better to get a massive injection of our social security money. I think of Ohio, Florida, where the repugs invested pension funds in sleezy corporations like Enron--and who lost? The pensioners!

For eight fekkin years of Little Boots, I watched corporations like Halliburton, KBR and other war profiteers get handed no bid contracts, with little or no accountability with OUR money. Billions missing in Iraq-our money. As they were shoveling OUR money to their friends after fabricating for war in Iraq, our infrastructure, our people were the ones taking a hit. Little Boots created homeland security, which cost us even more. We already had sufficient security mechanisms before 9/11. We just needed competent people to implement safeguards. But make no mistake THE RIGHT people are making billions (of our money) on these extreme securities (including private, corporate intel companies).

And, now after the pigs have been feeding at the trough for so many years with little or no accountability, we don't have the money for those americans who really need the assistance. Because I believe it was intended that way-so the truly greedy could privatize the shite out of everything.

You want to help businesses, then enact single payer. The US is number one in the world on health care costs. Now, I wonder why that would be? Because it has become profit over people-and yet, we are thirty seventh in the world for quality care.

When the corporations (and that includes foreign) have more influence than the plebes in this country-we, as Americans, will be powerless with no representation, no voice. We'll still be shoveling out the moolah (probably even more), because the corporations and CEOs must still make profit.

[AlbertCat]

62. At least acknowledge that Medicare and SS are not sustainable

Nonsense!

That addressing, unfortunately, requires more than immature name-calling and complete disinformation.


How about putting the $$$$ back they stole...er... "borrowed" to pay for the wars in the ME? That might help.

Again, you are pretending the US is broke, and that tax cuts and undeclared wars and bloated defense budgets are some kind of "misinformation" that don't contribute, if not CAUSE the problem.

[Name removed]

72. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[newspeak]

75. I just love those who created the problem, have the solution

And that solution is to hurt those who are already swimming against the stream. Under *, more services in the military were privatized-and that privatization caused deaths and sickness to our soldiers, plus more expenditure. You want to help the deficit, then rescind Little Boot's tax cuts. Give incentives to small businesses and to corporations who create jobs here and for new innovations, especially energy.

Reenact regulations on Wall Street (that should have never been killed). And, since it is our money, I will rail all I like about them "stealing" our money. Money that could have been used for rebuilding our infrastructure, money that could be used to help those who who are hurting now in these tough economic times. Investing money to rebuild and helping those in need, actually creates more jobs and circulates the money. What I see is a repug plan that will kill more jobs and harm the most vulnerable.

[newspeak]

78. you're right; it's been debated

but, repugs love their tax breaks to some who have not sacrificed a damn dime to helping this country-some of actually exacerbated the problem.

first we can show how Little Boot's medicare bill ADDED TO THE DEFICIT while giving big pharma more profit. The medicare bill took away medicare's right to bargain with pharma for lower drug costs and disallowed people from buying from countries like Canada. You might say a captive consumer. Then there's the doughnut hole, where after a certain amount of money spent on drugs, seniors and the sick, had to pay from their own pocket. That's when my FIL, MIL would not buy there meds since they were too expensive, after all they were already paying over 700 dollars a month for secondary insurance (which they could ill afford).

Again, single payer health care would cut medical costs and businesses would not have to worry about covering health benefits for their employees.

[efhmc]

50. For repukes a serious debt problem is always

solved by taking services away from those who are poor and in need; those who are hurting; those who cannot respond with enormous amounts of campaign contributions; i.e.: RICH PEOPLE!!!That is their answer to every problem, help the rich get richer and that will fix everything.

[Historic NY]

53. Really.......

its like killing the patient to make them well again.....Were you expecting a pizza this morning.

[AlbertCat]

58. Can anyone propose an alternative?

Yes.

Get rid of tax cuts for the rich and subsidies for huge corporations and use that $$$ to HELP citizens of the country that enables them to STILL be rich as fuck even after the tax cuts and subsidies go.

And we could cut back on a few undeclared wars and maybe stop building bombers to fight the USSR and use that $$$ to improve all kinds of things here at home.


There's plenty of $$$$ in this country. We are not broke. Stop pretending we are.

[cleanhippie]

66. Pizza?

[fascisthunter]

69. Can Any Republican Think for Themselves?

Seriously ignorant and selfish.

If you think "We the People" are going to allow you pukes to give the wealthy all the power in this country, you buy yourself a boat and leave! What the fuck is wrong with you people? Are you all stupid? Or sociopaths? Because your world view and how things should be for all Americans is killing us, yourself included. You think these CEO's and rich give a shit about you? Yet you are willing to allow the rich to ammasse so much wealth that they end up having more of a say in the very Democracy they are trying to destroy? Seriously, you are either duped, a sociopath or plain stupid.

The GOP doesn't want freedom, because we know their end game is to take all power in government and use it to transfer wealth to the already meritless wealthy class. You and people like you were the ones who supported the King and Queen but turned your back on your own countrymen and women.

Republican=Fascist at this point in history.... you are NOT conservatives.

[melm00se]

34. on the other side of the coin

(and something that does not bode well for the Obama re-election campaign), President Obama's budget failed to gather any votes. It went down to defeat 0-97. While the democratic senators have a good point (that the budget proposed by Obama in February of this year has already been superceded by new plans from the White House and is therefore outdated) but the republicans will make hay over the fact that it gathered no votes.

[florida08]

35. yes that's the headline that needs repeating

Spreading fascism is the republican plan.

Simply stated, a fascist government always has one class of citizens that is considered superior (good) to another (bad) based upon race, creed or origin. It is possible to be both a republic and a fascist state. The preferred class lives in a republic while the oppressed class lives in a fascist state.
http://www.couplescompany.com/features/politics/structure3.htm

[LeftinOH]

37. Will the Democrats make use of this in next year's campaigns???

Even the most obvious (and useful) material manages to elude too many Democtratic party campaigners.

[katnapped]

41. At this point I'd say flip a coin

That's your odds right there of our side actually running with it (instead of the more likely outcome of their helping Republicans out of the ditch)

[florida08]

38. was just thinking

we need a symbol or picture of some kind that we all can put under our sig lines to show our solidarity for SS and Medicare..so when people come to this sight they will see we have one voice on this. I know the smarty savvy people here can come up with one.
Not forever but for a while anyway. Too much?

[Evasporque]

43. GOP is the death party....Less Healthcare, More Weapons....nt

[raccoon]

45. I hope those who voted for these people are happy now.

I wonder how many of those who voted for them are Medicare recipients? Or maybe their relatives are?


:grr:

[Deep13]

48. Senate Republicans Vote Overwhelmingly To End Their Careers.

They grabbed that third rail and won't let go!

[Jefferson23]

49. They hate people, they really do...how can anyone with even half a brain not see it. n/t

[harun]

57. If it doesn't increase Corporate Profits they are against it.

Whether it is people or not.

[RedCloud]

55. They truly are the party of dumb and dumber.

[patrice]

56. Anti-Science, Church-State Co Privatization Scheming is OVER! nt

[backscatter712]

60. I love the GOP's propensity for shooting themselves in the foot!

THANK YOU BOEHNER AND MCCONNELL!!! :evilgrin:

[ck4829]

63. K&R

[PatrynXX]

64. Nothing like watching

Republicans stick a few M-80's between their toes and seems on both feet in front of a bunch of seniors.

Loved the Paul Ryan quote the other day. Scaring Seniors is a powerful thing. No kiddding. You've been doing it for years to get elected. Now you did it too well. Someone woke up. oops

[Blue Owl]

67. This just in: The GOP doesn't know or care about you

In fact the pro-life pro-family party of Jesus doesn't give a FLYING FUCK about you.

[MasonJar]

73. Now it is up to the Democrats not to mess up this advantage, which I am sure

they will do before long.

[MasonJar]

74. Oh! Ho! Maybe thios means Mitch McConnell is planning to

retire after his term is up. One can at least hope. He almost got beat last time. Maybe next time is the charm.

[andym]

76. Ironic that Medicare for None is more popular with the GOP

than Medicare for All is with elected Democratic party congress people.

[uberblonde]

77. Yes, and now Obama will save them.

He will embrace Medicare cuts, too, thinking that they'll owe him and support him in return.

Hah.

[efhmc]

79. Wrong.

[avebury]

81. K&R

[flamingdem]

87. Morans! All 40 of 'em he he he nt

[Firebrand Gary]

88. k&R

[Crunchy Frog]

89. I was just told by a 90 year old home health care patient,

one who is only alive because of Medicare, Medicaid, Social Security, subsidized senior housing, and food stamps, that "Obama is going to completely eliminate Medicaid, and Medicare is going to be limited to a few thousand dollars per year per person, and you will have to pay the rest out of pocket or else die."

She also told me that "Obama said he wanted to get rid of all the old people, and now he's doing it. And he said he hoped all the old people would get raptured". I told her that I didn't think Obama could possibly have said anything of the sort, and she said "But I HEARD him say it". Of course she "heard" him say it on those whacko RT wing radio programs she listens to.

I tried to tell her that all this talk about ending Medicare was coming from the Republicans, and that they seem to be making it a part of their party platform, but she wasn't having any of that.

So maybe the Republicans will be able to eliminate Medicare, and then convince the American people that it was the Democrats who did it. I personally no longer think there are any limits to the stupidity and gullibility of the American people, and I don't think there is anything that would really surprise me.

[wordpix]

91. 90 y.o's "hear" a lot of things that aren't said

My mother is 86 with Alzheimer's and "hears" all kinds of stuff.

[Crunchy Frog]

92. This one is still pretty lucid in most respects

and I've known her now for over 5 years and she's ALWAYS "heard" those sorts of things. It's coming from the whacked out RW radio.

[classysassy]

93. Thanks old republican voters

Once again you damn fools have voted against your own interest.There seem to be a vail over the eyes of the senior republicans,they are so brainwashed by the likes of Limbaugh and the clowns on hate radio they continue to vote for the the very people that care nothing for them." Hello republican ,members of congress you will be judged by your actions on that great day when the Lord come back to judge all of us.