Florida Elderly Feel Let Down By Drug Benefit

[Snellius]

HOLLYWOOD, Fla., Nov. 29 — In the condominiums and on the palm-shaded beaches here, where Medicare is a frequent topic of conversation, few people expect to get much help from the new drug benefit just approved by Congress.

They express disappointment but little surprise because, they say, they never had high hopes. They say they feel they were sold out, by Republicans and AARP, which endorsed a Medicare bill drafted mainly by Republicans. But the Democrats, they say, did not fight hard enough for a better drug benefit.

"We've been waiting, waiting for this prescription drug bill to provide some relief to seniors, but it won't do much for them, not much at all," said Lorraine M. Angelotti, 72, of Fort Lauderdale. "You would have to be a major, major user of very expensive medications to get any kind of halfway decent benefit."

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/11/30/national/30VOIC.html?hp

[UrbScotty]

1. Kick

:kick:

[Cha]

2. Yeah, I hear this a lot...

"But the Democrats, they say, did not fight hard enough for a better drug benefit.'

[ninkasi]

4. I agree...

the Democrats didn't fight hard enough. This makes me so angry, that we can't even dig in and fight for a bill that would help seniors. I know this has been viewed as Bush taking away one of the Democratic goals, but it could backfire, the plan is so bad.

[joeybee12]

7. Yup, not a good sign--people are fed up with the Repukes, but don't see

an alternative.

[0007]

3. Oh goody, the smart wealthy old timmers are waking up!

Of course these were the right wing old timmers. This statement I find funny.

They say they feel they were sold out, by Republicans and AARP, which endorsed a Medicare bill drafted mainly by Republicans. But the Democrats, they say, did not fight hard enough for a better drug benefit."

But the Democrats, they say, did not fight hard enough for a better drug benefit." This is hilarious! They didn't think much of Hillary's bill either, I guess.

[wryter2000]

5. There goes FL

Get those seniors out to vote. Better yet, get them absentee ballots.

[madfloridian]

6. In a way, a lot of Republicans are hoping the Dems will save them......

So they don't have to give up their base loyalties. I've read a lot of articles about the bad old Dems, and it is like folks are challenging them...hoping they will get the guts again. I don't think the ones who are doing that realize they are hoping the same for their own party.

[SharonAnn]

8. Yes, some vote GOP here too, but want Democrats to save them.

Around here, there are a lot of retired midwestern Republicans (basically moderates) who won't vote for a Democrat. Yet, they are outraged at the environmental issues that are occurring here because the Republicans own the US Federal government. They keep complaining and I finally decided to tell them what I thought. "Their records on the environment were public knowledge. You voted for them so this must've been what you wanted. Nothing's going to change as long as they control the White House and can defeat the EPA regulations through presidential (executive) decisions. And the Republican Congress isn't going to help, either."

They usually just shut up. Maybe they'll think about it and decide that they're voting against their own self-interest, or maybe they won't. Anyway, I'm tired of the people who voted for this gang of thieves compaining about the situation and still planning to vote them back in office.