Imagine a strange conversation in which a Republican leader tells a Democratic leader, "I demand that you do something to rein in Medicare spending." The Democrat responds, "Sure, we'll create an Independent Payment Advisory Board which will help reduce costs." To which the GOP leader responds, "I'm outraged by our efforts to rein in Medicare spending."
Now imagine the strange conversation is true.
House Republicans signaled Thursday they will not follow rules in President Obama's healthcare law that were designed to speed Medicare cuts through Congress.
The House is set to vote Thursday afternoon on rules for the 113th Congress. The rules package says the House won't comply with fast-track procedures for the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB) -- a controversial cost-cutting board Republicans have long resisted.
The rules package signals that Republicans might not bring up Medicare cuts recommended by the IPAB -- blocking part of a politically controversial law, and resisting Medicare spending cuts.
So, Republicans desperately want Democrats to accept policies that curtail Medicare costs, except when Democrats actually take steps to curtail Medicare costs? Yep, that's pretty much what's happening on Capitol Hill.
As Ed Kilgore explained, "What's really maddening is that IPAB -- following the overall thrust of Obamacare -- is designed to secure savings not just for Medicare but for the entire health care system by encouraging better medicine, not reductions in health coverage for seniors. It seems Republicans are only interested in health care cost containment measures or 'entitlement reform' if it comes at the expense of beneficiaries."
Quite right. The rule is crass but simple: for Republicans, entitlement savings only count if Americans receiving the benefits are forced to struggle, at least a little.
If beneficiaries aren't sacrificing, then Democrats aren't playing by the rules, and their efforts to save taxpayer money deserve to be ignored.
I realize IPAB may seem like a relatively obscure part of the larger health care law, so in case anyone needs a refresher, let's quickly recap.
As Paul Krugman explained a while back, "Arguably the most important thing we can do to limit the growth in health care costs is learning to say no; we cannot afford a system in which Medicare in particular will pay for anything, especially when that's combined with an industry structure that gives providers a strong financial incentive to engage in excessive care."
As we discussed in June, the Obama administration seeks to solve this problem through IPAB -- putting the difficult decisions in the hands of qualified medical and health care professionals, free of the political process on Capitol Hill. And why is this necessary? In large part because Congress has failed so spectacularly in its ability to make these choices on its own.
In theory, Republicans should be delighted -- we're talking about a panel tasked with cutting entitlement spending and saving money. But in this case, GOP officials say they want to lower costs and cut spending, but also oppose a panel that would lower costs and cut spending.
Entitlement "reforms" are likely to be pretty difficult given Republicans' approach.
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It's never good enough for Republicans unless average Americans are screwed by it. If it weakens the 99% or hurts them, that is the desire of the GOP.
They cannot be relegated to the dustbin of history fast enough.
The Republicans seem to either have lost their moral compass (assuming they ever had one), or are somehow suffering from collective amnesia. The debt ceiling threat is one egregious example, but the other is their criticism of Hagel, (Obama's nominee for defence secretary). They are angry because Hagel has criticized the Iraq war.
Huh. Imagine that. Why would he criticize an unnecessary, unfunded war that Bush took us into on false pretenses? Why would he criticize a war that nearly bankrupted this country; an eight year long, unpaid for war? Why would he criticize a war that killed 4,488 Americans, 1,455,590 Iraquis, and countless others in the military coalition? The number of wounded is so high I hate to post it. Now, why would he want to criticize that war??
Their other criticism of him is that he is a RINO, and has veered away from the policies held by the extreme right which has taken over the GOP; policies held sacrosanct by Lindsay Graham, Romney, Ryan, and Michele Bachmann, to name a few of the involved intellectuals.
Well, all I can say is, Mr. Hagel, welcome to mainstream America.
Ladies: both references are instances of the idiocy of the logic-free, as well as clear evidence that the hardliners mouthing such talking points are wholly-owned subsidiaries of such unAmerican and neoFascist billionaires as David and William Koch. Those guys do not care what happens to any of us as long as they get their way and can continue to make money and pollute the environment unimpeded by either the government or public opinion.
In the past, I have - with tongue firmly in cheek - suggested that we could rid ourselves of all of our problems by selling Mars to the Kochs as their own to exploit and pollute to their hardened hearts' content. I would add the stipulation that they and whatever staff they need to operate their commercial empire emigrate to their new feifdom and not return. Perhaps it is time to consider this remedy seriously.
I think it all makes sense if bigotry is the driving force.
Carolinaladywithfan, Why don't we just send them to Mars? And send the damnable T-Party with them.
Miss India: I'd vote for that option! ;D
I think both these are wrong because for the statements to be true would mean the GOP is aware the 99% are actual people, not some abstract, and that the GOPper is able to feel something for those people.
I am convinced the GOP, as a collective and many times individually, fail on both counts.
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President Obama and John Boehner were heading to the golf course last summer. Obama was driving. Boehner said "Hey, I know a shortcut to the club. Take a right at the next light."
At the next light, Obama obliged and took a right turn.
Boehner screamed, "Where the hell are you going?!?!"
How dare anyone try to take the #1 right wing demmagogue issue away... the nerve...
Oh, c'mon. This is not difficult. Republicans don't care about saving money. They care about killing Medicare. If they can prevent Democrats/Obama/Medicare from saving money without cutting benefits, they get to blather on about Medicare costs so that they can demand actual CUTS to Medicare benefits. And the Villager press is there for Republicans as always.
Medicare, social security, and Medicaid are the three things Republicans hate the most. Since the 1940's they have been trying to undo the New Deal, which helped seniors pull themselves out of dire poverty; which enabled them to live without depending on their grown children and which gave them dignity as they approached their final years.
This same crowd wants to expand an already inflated military/defence budget on things no one needs. Obama wants to streamline the defence budget and update and modernize our military. They will kick and scream like thwarted toddlers over this, while kicking and screaming over the entitlements which help millions and millions of people every day, year in and year out.
Why does anyone, even themselves, consider Republicans relevant in the year 2013?
But India , you act as if Ryan and Romney , and their deeply serious pals , were just in a mindless partisan lip service pursuance of a deeply held wish to obliterate the New Deal .
Tut tut tut ...
The rock ribbed foundation of the pursuit of a fiscally balanced America is perfectly weighed in , as the unanimous Republican support attests , The , sacré bleu , Ryan Budget .
Why I believe that between plantation and secession jokes , the Democrats are just as mean spirited as an intentionally double talking budget presentation that employed a 700 billion $ medicare saving at the same time righteously excoriating the sneaky Obama , and his dratted use of the same . One that was otherwise , as if , never presented as a serious address and working plan providing action , any action , to meet the pressures of realigning a settled government pension . A plan , sadly adopted over the heads of virtuous capital interests , a plan already paid for by Americans since the thirties , but as a goad to narrow partisan boilerplate .
How ? ...
How Could you ? (off stage , sniffle) ...
Sigh ...
Sacré bleu , indeed .
Not unlike voter ID laws, anything that hurts democrats en masse might make them vote less.
Stupid is as stupid does.
The thing that pisses me off most about these war-loving draft dodgers is how before Obama, they claimed the presidency as patriotic sacrosanct. Now they denigrate the President at every turn.
#4.2 FRP,
Please forgive me, but I honestly don't understand what you are saying. I've read it three times and still do not get it. Could you elaborate...or, perhaps, un-elaborate? I am not being smart, I really do not understand.
they want to cut the enpolyers matching contributions
@DWIA, should have read your comment before posting mine. You're 100% correct, sir.
the republicans deserve to be ignored. they're not even trying to make sense. they are children...NO, wait....they're teenagers who passed social studies and think they know how to run a country.
I think Jon Stewart said: The Tea Party is a political party based or founded on a forth graders understanding of American History.
I think Stewart was giving the Baggers too much educational credit.
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they are playing the stupidest game that @!$%#s play when they want to annoy you into frustration and then complain that you're the one who needs help and is wrong. i've been the victim of that scenario way too many times.
I had three teenagers myself. I see your point. Not one of them saw the world the same way once they actually grew up.
Republicans need to grow up. I, personally, don't even see them as teenagers. I think that gives them too much credit. I see them as kicking and screaming, thwarted toddlers, wanting something which would harm them, like watching TV at midnight.
I'll bet that the "silver spoon" can be statistically shown to retard maturity.
Note, I speled the above on the first whak wit no misstakes!!! Kaloo kalaaaA
William, India, Toddlers or teenagers, Meh, either way ...
They are like children. Children have all the answers but don't even understand the questions.
And Luz, "Silver Spoons" do tend to keep reality at bay, thus inhibiting the experience required to understand the questions.
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Two words represent how the baggers' plan to gut food stamps and medicare; 'soylent green'.
OT -
CT - Great Cloud Atlas use of that phrase .
ET -
Nomoremagicalthinking,
Where have I heard that term? It rings a bell: soylent green. Is that a movie?
If corporations are "people", what does that make soylent green...
Good grief! We haven't even gotten to the part where all the candidates for IPAB are subject to Senate confirmation, most after being suggested in the first place by House and Senate leaders.
Don Taylor: Why don't House Republicans replace IPAB with Paul Ryan's proposed boards?
GOTP totally proving how reckless, feckless, irresponsible and treasonous to the 98% in their allegiance to the 2% of the American people they really, really are!
Steve, I wish this article was on the front page of every newspaper in America. Would it be OK to reprint it and send it in as an editorial? How do I give you credit without running the risk of it being refused?
Maybe this could be a good avenue for all of us to get the truth out?
Howard Dean says the single most important thing to do is pay doctors by the patient, not by the procedure.
I don't think it's the doctors as much as it is the $20,000/night stays in the hospital.
Cash can work sometimes ...
If you adopt the correct view of the Republican party -- that it exists solely to funnel money to the people who fund it -- then it all makes sense. Republicans are not interested in reducing costs; they couldn't care less what Mary and Joe America pay for health care. Ineffective treatment? That's another way of saying "massive profits" for whoever is selling that ineffective treatment. Note some of the top contributors to the Romney campaign:
I doubt that there's a single product sold by any of these companies that would stand up to any reasonable scientific scrutiny as to its effectiveness, but that has never been a concern for Republicans. They are only interested in their ability to make money, by whatever means, and the IPAB would directly interfere with that.
Rex Maughan - Mormon
David Lisonbee - Mormon
Steve Lund - Mormon
Frank VanderSloot - Mormon
It should not surprise anyone that Mormons would support the campaign of a fellow Mormon. They would probably have done so if Romney were a Communist.
For crying out loud. For the life of me, I don't understand why this is so difficult to grasp. When Republicans say they want cuts to entitlements, they're really saying, "we want Democrats to eliminate the program". Everything else is a charade.
They don't really want to save money at all on Medicare, at least not in the short term. They want it to be able to say Obamacare added to the deficit, even if they are the ones ensuring that happens.
Then they'll try and kill them both with an ax.
only acceptable if beneficiaries are made to struggle: That assumes that we are not already struggling.
We seem to be afraid to research where the lack of tax money is bleeding, who is not paying their real share, never mind their fair share. It is bleeding offshore from super pacs and hidden in secret bank accounts. The hateful congress is making the middle class, the poor and seniors bear the brunt of all the tax increases. We know this and we still hide our heads and put them deep in the sand. We let it happen rear after year while the very rich hide money that should be taxed and they have the audacity to pretend to be good citizens. I remember reading that Thomas Jefferson said that when you pay your elected officials, you have corruption. Even he didn’t envision the scale of the corruption and how the very rich have cornered their entitlements. We need to correct this now or we all, the extreme right include, will be slaves to the corruption. We could settle the national debt right now, in this moments if we curtail entitlements for shipping jobs overseas, allowing money that should be taxed but is hidden in the Caymans and dodgy loopholes closed and so on and so forth.. Untold billions a year are siphoned offshore. They would settle the tax problem.
Well, I would like to say that whatever changes they are making to medicare policies then it should be subjected to benefit people and they should get good medicare benefits from it.
I would like to say that changes are welcome but it should be like it must give good medicare benefits to people.