House Republicans oppose Bush's Medicare cuts

[cal04]

President George W. Bush's plan to cut $36 billion from Medicare ran into stiff opposition on Wednesday from dozens of his fellow Republicans in the House of Representatives. The move creates doubts about getting Bush's 2007 budget through Congress -- and is another sign of growing tensions between the president and his fellow Republicans in Congress.

In another headache for Bush, a top Senate Republican said he was putting on the back burner the president's proposal to expand tax-free Health Savings Accounts, a major component of the administration's effort to reduce health care costs. Bush proposed trimming $36 billion over five years -- and $105 billion over 10 -- from Medicare, the federal health plan for America's elderly, mostly by slowing payments to hospitals, nursing homes and similar health care providers.

The plan was immediately criticized by Democrats who are likely to make health spending an issue in the November congressional elections. More than 60 House Republicans now have come out in opposition as well. "Hospitals are not just a health care safety net for their communities but also anchor local economies. They also must stand ready to respond to natural disasters, pandemic diseases and the threat of terrorism," the House Republicans wrote in a letter made public on Wednesday.

"Our hospitals are already stretching scarce resources to respond to the daily challenges of caring for all who come through their door. ... Now is not the time for further reductions," said the letter, written by Reps. John McHugh of New York and Jim Gerlach of Pennsylvania. Their letter did not rule out all Medicare cuts, and it focused on hospitals. But it does suggest that any cuts should be more modest than Bush proposed and not greatly affect hospitals. It will also make it harder for House Republican leaders, also trying to satisfy conservatives who want to slash spending, to come up with a spending blueprint that can pass.

http://go.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=11469226&src=rss/politicsNews

[dflprincess]

1. How many Republican rats

are going to be trampled to death in their haste to get off the ship?

[no_hypocrisy]

2. I'm thrilled, not just because of the subject matter of Medicare, but also

because Congress starting to act like a branch of government, independent of the executive branch. It's about time.

[driver8]

4. They are scared to death and are trying to avoid the eventual

"shit storm" that is coming due to Herr Bush.

[Warpy]

3. They're all a-skeert to start cutting what so desperately need to

be cut: the Pentagon and corporate welfare.

Both budgets are bloated beyond belief. It's time to put the brakes on the gravy train, those corporations are rich enough.

I think the grab of civil service pensions to avoid going over the debt ceiling is putting a little fear into them. What if their fat Congressional pensions are next?

[EricWhitaker]

5. funny how

It seems like the only time the oppossition is effective is when its fellow republicans making the charge. And since 99.9% of them of POS lying, greedy, hypocritical, self-righteous motherfuckers, who'd kiss bushes ass for 3 dollars...that ain't saying much about the democrats.

[EricWhitaker]

6. preface

The democrats so-called, "in charge" that is.

[CatholicEdHead]

7. They know which age group votes the most

and know they will feel their wrath.