Debt

[Howey]

I'm fine with some spending cuts as long as their tied in to the end of oil and farm subsidies, end of corporate tax loopholes, and a rise in individual tax rate for the super rich.

I know some of my HuffPo friends read this, but really...the President?

President Barack Obama and Congress are shifting from short-term budget concerns to debates over the nation's long-term economic future, and everything - from Medicare and Medicaid cuts to tax hikes for the wealthy - is on the table.

In addition to calling for higher taxes for those earning more than $250,000 per year, the Wall Street Journal reports that the president has his sights on "changing parts of the tax code he thinks benefit the wealthy."

Good. While we're at it, Mr. President, let's get rid of Medicare Part D, those pesky subsidies, and get the hell outta Iraq and Afghanistan. Totally.

[ekg]

I kinda want the oil before we leave iraq..

sorry, Trump makes a point..

I also want us to stop subsidizing uni-healthcare for iraq and Afghanistan.. sorry, guys, you can pay for your own..

I don't think we need to raise taxes on the $250K income as much as we need to raise them for those making $1million a year..and more for the ones making 2,3,6,20 times that..

This is going to be one hell of a fight that's for sure.

[Howey]

I also want us to stop subsidizing uni-healthcare for iraq and Afghanistan.. sorry, guys, you can pay for your own..

WTF? I didn't know!

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2010/03/20/843547/-Flashback:-Universal-health-carefor-Iraq

President Bush and first lady Laura Bush have a vision for health care in Iraq in which all mothers-to-be receive prenatal care, childhood mortality rates plummet and every person has access to virtually free treatment and medicine through an extensive network of 1,400 renovated hospitals and clinics.
 It is a vision that will cost U.S. taxpayers almost $2 billion in the first 18 months, an amount some lawmakers say is too steep, especially when a growing number of Americans cannot afford medical care.
 "I certainly understand the need for health care in Iraq," said Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), who tried unsuccessfully Tuesday to shift $5 billion from Iraqi assistance to domestic education, health and construction projects. "This administration has a sense of urgency in Iraq that I don't see here at home. We see hospitals closing and the number of uninsured going up, and yet we don't see any sense of urgency from this administration."

BUT WE CAN'T GIVE UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE TO OUR OWN?

Screw those effin towelheads.

I don't think we need to raise taxes on the $250K income as much as we need to raise them for those making $1million a year..and more for the ones making 2,3,6,20 times that..

I can live with that...but are you sure you've got your numbers right???   

[uselesslegs]

It'll be a fight alright...but in our current system...no representation without payolaization.

[lil mike]

Good. While we're at it, Mr. President, let's get rid of Medicare Part D, those pesky subsidies, and get the hell outta Iraq and Afghanistan. Totally.

We are close to having an accord.  I want to get rid of Medicare Part D too (for the left, it's a Bush plan therefore tainted - it can't be saved only eliminated).  Iraq we are getting out of anyway, although someone is having second thoughts:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110410/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_us_iraq_second_thoughts

Pentagon's second thoughts on Iraq withdrawal


Eight months shy of its deadline for pulling the last American soldier from Iraq and closing the door on an 8-year war, the Pentagon is having second thoughts.

Reluctant to say it publicly, officials fear a final pullout in December could create a security vacuum, offering an opportunity for power grabs by antagonists in an unresolved and simmering Arab-Kurd dispute, a weakened but still active al-Qaida or even an adventurous neighbor such as Iran.

The U.S. wants to keep perhaps several thousand troops in Iraq, not to engage in combat but to guard against an unraveling of a still-fragile peace. This was made clear during Defense Secretary Robert Gates' visit Thursday and Friday in which he and the top U.S. commander in Iraq talked up the prospect of an extended U.S. stay.



As for Afghanistan, I thought you were a supporter of that war?

It'll be a fight alright...but in our current system...no representation without payolaization.

That should be on a monument somewhere.

[Howey]

As for Afghanistan, I thought you were a supporter of that war?

Not since I joined the Rethink Afghanistan organization last year...


Let me ask you...Do you support Bush's universal healthcare for the Iraqi's and Afghans?

[ekg]

Not since I joined the Rethink Afghanistan organization last year...


Let me ask you...Do you support Bush's universal healthcare for the Iraqi's and Afghans?

eh, it's in the Iraqis Constitution..

Article 31 of the Iraqi Constitution,

Article 31 reads:

"First: Every citizen has the right to health care. The State shall maintain public health and provide the means of prevention and treatment by building different types of hospitals and health institutions.

Second: Individuals and entities have the right to build hospitals, clinics,or private health care centers under the supervision of the State, and this shall be regulated by law."

wait, didn't we write their Constitution?

funny..

no really, you have to admit.. it's funny. We can't get it here because it's just so damn evil and against God, but when Bush wants to write a whole new Constitution, he puts it in..

[lil mike]

Not since I joined the Rethink Afghanistan organization last year...


Let me ask you...Do you support Bush's universal healthcare for the Iraqi's and Afghans?

Rethink Afghanistan... last year you say?  Your timing is excellent.

And no, I don't support Bush's universal healthcare for Iraqi's and Afghans. 

[lil mike]

eh, it's in the Iraqis Constitution..
wait, didn't we write their Constitution?

funny..

no really, you have to admit.. it's funny. We can't get it here because it's just so damn evil and against God, but when Bush wants to write a whole new Constitution, he puts it in..

Did we write their constitution? That's the first I've heard of that.  I thought they wrote it themselves.  If you've a source to that I'd be interested.

[Howey]

Who cares who wrote their Constitution?

We're still paying for their universal healthcare while we have people dying because they don't have coverage!

And seriously, what insurance company is going to give insurance to 70 year olds when Medicare is done away with?

[lil mike]

Who cares who wrote their Constitution?

We're still paying for their universal healthcare while we have people dying because they don't have coverage!

And seriously, what insurance company is going to give insurance to 70 year olds when Medicare is done away with?

During all my reading during the Obamacare debate, I read somewhere that before Medicare 50% of over 65 year olds had health insurance.   That seems low by current standards but by 1965 standards that seem really high to me.  Of course, Medicare pretty much destroyed the over 65 health insurance market.  Currently it only exists in supplemental programs and left over retiree programs.

But I assume one could be regrown in the same way Medicare Advantage created an elderly insurance market and Medicare Part D created  many different private RX plans.

I'm curious to hear what the Prez rolls out tomorrow.

[Howey]

During all my reading during the Obamacare debate, I read somewhere that before Medicare 50% of over 65 year olds had health insurance.

I'd like to see a source for that, please.

[lil mike]

I'd like to see a source for that, please.

Me too, that's why I specifically said that I read it, but I can't recall where it came from.

[Howey]

Me too, that's why I specifically said that I read it, but I can't recall where it came from.

Oh, goodie! Just like Iceman, if we want to make a spurious claim all we have to do now is say "I read somewhere..."!

I read somewhere that way back when instead of selling health insurance to old people the insurors sold them death insurance to make sure they had a fancy funeral!


hmmm....that may be a good idea for a newly rejuvenated business if your guys keep it up.

[lil mike]

Oh, goodie! Just like Iceman, if we want to make a spurious claim all we have to do now is say "I read somewhere..."!

I read somewhere that way back when instead of selling health insurance to old people the insurors sold them death insurance to make sure they had a fancy funeral!


hmmm....that may be a good idea for a newly rejuvenated business if your guys keep it up.

I specifically said that I read it.  And that I can't recall where it came from, so no, I'm not using it as an argument since I can't source it or it's otherwise easy to prove.  I can say that to your question, "And seriously, what insurance company is going to give insurance to 70 year olds when Medicare is done away with?"  Is that big pharma is doing that right now with medicare part D.  There are lots of prescription drug plans in competition for that market. 


So you really already know the answer.  But that's not even the most important question.  When we can no longer borrow to fund our debt, and run out of money for medicare payments, how will old medicare recipients get medical care when the government is unable to reimburse medical providers for care?

THAT is the question you ought to be thinking about.