Now,do we all understand why the RX section of Medicare was delayed to '06

[SoCalDem]

The Huge $700M+ figures were known way back when *² "pushed" for this dumb ass bill.. He knew it when he got congress to "start" with those silly plastic cards that allowed 10-25% off drugs that manufacturers conveniently raised 20-40% during the "quiet-time" before the bill passed.

AARP's approval of the whole plan, which was surreptitiously low-balled at UNDER $400M lulled the old folks into thinking that they were FINALLY getting something good.

You know what they say about things that seem "too good to be true".

IT WAS ALL ABOUT GETTING VOTES.....NOT DRUGS FOR SICK OLD PEOPLE...

If you all recall, the "talk" about it started before the '02 elections.... Of course those tax-cutting,Medicare RX-supporting republicans who got elected "knew" that their "boss" would look out for them,if they supported his Medicare bill.

Of course when the bill actually passed, there was misunderstandings galore about why the "main provisions" of the bill would not take effect until 2006, but we all know why now don't we? It's never going to happen.

The first glimmer of how much this was really going to cost came out in hearings when one of the "insiders" leaked information about how they KNEW before the bill even came to a vote, how much more the bill would cost...They deliberately LIED about the real cost in order to get it passed...(they knew there would be little REAL expense in the early years anyway because of the "cards"...and they would "fix" it later)...

It's time for the FIX now... The cards will be IT....


*² is now doing his Briar Patch technique. He's blustering and speechifyiing.. "Don't TOUCH that RX provision"...so he will still be the "good guy" while he has conveniently dumped the funding nightmare fully into the laps of congress.. The budget has been cut to the bone, we are BROKE, and there is no way we can really fund this behemoth, and he knows it... but HE will emerge as the "poor beleaguered president" who TRIED so hard to help the seniors".. It will be the "tightfisted, obstructionist democrats who would not allow the oldsters to have their meds"..

This was the plan from the get-go..

In business it's called bait & switch, and it's even illegal in most places, but in government it's called "getting votes"..

I think that one of the reasons the administration was never that worried about explaining all the intricacies built into the program, is that they knew it would never GET to Stage Two, so it didn't matter how "fuzzy" their explanations were. *² isn't running again, so he doesn't have to worry about disgruntled voters. There are 3 more years until the next presidential election...(plenty of time to cook up the next vote-getting scheme)

The administration got what they wanted..

more republicans in two consecutive elections
their drug company pals got their huge price increases in advance of the "product roll-out
the AARP's support of the initial bill cost them membership, and further divided their organization

and did what the seniors get ??

plastic cards (which were already available in abundance because they were crap)

and promises of future "big benefits" (which will never materialize now)

So now prices are even higher than when we started down this road, we cannot possibly fund this expense, and the only losers are everyone except for the administration who instigated this whole scheme.

[papau]

1. a little less than half the money is a gift to Drug Co's - so it was easy

to raise funds for the 04 campaign,

The actual cost of the "benefit" may well be under $400 over 10 yrs.

[SoCalDem]

4. I guess when enough "oldies" have passed on, it will be "affordable"

Maybe that's his real plan.. Stall long enough, and it becomes "unnecessary".

[happynewyear]

2. self-delete

<eom>

[SoCalDem]

3. Because they never intended for seniors to GET any benefit

The drug companys got their cash in the front end to "set up" their fantastic little scam, so they already GOT theirs.. You are right,, the cards they ballyhooed so much were crap, so most seniors took a pass on them...waiting til '06 when the "real benefits" kicked in..

But now we all know they will NEVER happen.

This admin knew it would never happen...that's why they made the seniors wait..

It's the Wimpy RX Plan..

"I will gladly pay you Tuesday for the hamburger I will eat today "..

Our federal government gave the republicans the money, the votes, and now they are NOT going to pay...