Obama and GOP bicker over doctors' Medicare pay

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By CHARLES BABINGTON

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama is asking Republican lawmakers to approve billions of dollars in new spending to avert a scheduled 21 percent cut in payments to doctors who treat Medicare patients.

If GOP senators don't allow the stalled proposal to pass, some doctors will stop treating Medicare recipients, Obama said in his weekly radio and Internet address Saturday.

The Senate's top Republican, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, said his party wants to avoid reducing physicians' fees, but do it without adding to the deficit - meaning spending cuts elsewhere.

The president noted that since 2003, Congresses led by Democrats and by Republicans alike have blocked similar proposed cuts in doctors' reimbursement rates. But now, he said, Republicans are "willing to walk away from the needs of our doctors and our seniors."

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20100612/D9G9QG080.html

[BrklynLiberal]

1. F*ck 'em. Let the repukes block it and let them take the blame as well..!!!

PLS STOP trying this endless, useless, pointless, pandering to the repukes. They just laugh their asses off at these attempts at "bipartisanship". To them it is just a sign of weakness.

[Donnachaidh]

8. Let them block it and then BROADCAST far and Wide WHO blocked it

Simple shit really - make the teabaggers realize who it is who is messing with their medicare.

[BrklynLiberal]

10. Exactly!!! The repukes want to play..let them pay!!!

[katmondoo]

2. The same sociopaths that gave us Medicare Part D

The prime purpose of the Republican party is to destroy 80% of Americans. Make us suffer and die whether young or old. Only the elite shall survive with a decent quality of life.

[jmowreader]

6. They can't destroy 80 percent of Americans...

if they did that, who would cut their grass, do their nails, clean their homes and cook their food? You don't think rich people do any of that, do you?

[Synicus Maximus]

3. Why is he asking them for anything? I was under the impression

that we controlled both houses of congress.

[BrklynLiberal]

11. DUH!! I thought so as well....

[Dr.Phool]

4. Take a defense contract out of each of their states or districts.

Big ones, and tell the people WHY. You want cost cutting? You got it babby!

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Fine, Buy one less fighter jet from McDonnell Douglas.

[wordpix]

15. +1

[CountAllVotes]

7. msg. to Pres. Obama

You Sir have something called the bully pulpit.

I suggest you use it!

NOW.

:dem: :kick:

[rasputin1952]

9. They could save a lot more...

by getting us out of the wars they got us into...there's real deficit reduction.

Canceling the F-35 $388 billion would be another step forward as well...:hi:

[Frances]

12. Bicker?!!!

I hate how AP trivializes something so important to doctors and seniors.

[eppur_se_muova]

13. Oh, NOW they're so concerned about the deficit.

Like no one cared when Reagan unleased the red ink, or W exploded the deficit by cutting taxes for the rich. Hypocrites.

[ProgressiveVictory]

14. we should pay them what they want. they are the ones who help us when we get sick!