Thompson: Cut Medicare benefits for the wealthy

[babylonsister]

I know no one really cares, but thought this was interesting coming from any rethug~

Thompson: Cut Medicare benefits for the wealthy
By Margaret Talev | McClatchy Newspapers

* Posted on Wednesday, October 17, 2007


WASHINGTON — Republican presidential candidate Fred Thompson on Wednesday proposed cutting Medicare benefits for wealthy Americans as part of a larger commitment to bringing government spending under control.

The former Tennessee senator's remarks in a luncheon speech to the fiscally conservative Club for Growth followed another one of his controversial campaign proposals — indexing the growth of Social Security benefits to goods rather than to wages. Studies have suggested that such a shift in calculating cost-of-living increases could mean that today's young workers would get one-fourth to one-half lower benefits at retirement than if the current formula remained in place.

Together, the two proposals underscore that Thompson is making gaining control of spending on Medicare and Social Security benefits a foundation of his presidential campaign. While experts agree that both programs face fiscal challenges, solving the problems by proposing to trim benefits is politically risky.

more...

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/20593.html

[SharonAnn]

1. Wow, that'll upset his base - "the haves and the have-mores".

[liberaldemocrat7]

2. I propose this, Tax the wealthy through higher income and capital gains taxes.

The RepubliKLAN party wants to means test every social program and also privatize them.

I say no.

[rinsd]

3. Anyone have figures for income breakdowns for MediCare users?

[hedda_foil]

4. This is a standard Repub ploy

They know they can't get rid of Medicare and SS all at once because they're too popular. Instead, the strategy is to get them turned into "entitlements" so the bulk (or all) of benefits go to the the poor. Then they beat up on "cheats" who don't deserve the entitlements they're getting (ie the Frost family and SCHIP or Reagan's Cadillac driving welfare queen)in order to devalue the need for the entitlements as a whole. So they cut benefits or eligible recipients even more, rinse and repeat until the programs are either 100% corporatied or completely gone.

[Demit]

5. Correct. It would make it look like a welfare program if all Americans weren't covered equally.

[tsuki]

16. You win the thread. nt

[Nimrod2005]

6. Perfect, leading by example? Why should the super rich get govt. help? with anything?

[ikojo]

7. I am a big time class warrior and could not DISAGREE

with this more. Medicare is popular primarily because of its universal nature. There is no "shame" associated with receiving Medicare benefits. If the "wealthy" are excluded then it will not be long before Medicare is viewed as another welfare program to be cut.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

8. Exactly

He's very sly... The easiest way to undermine public support for Social Security or Medicare or any form of national health care is to characterize it as welfare, something that is given, as opposed to insurance or an entitlement that is earned...

[Clark2008]

19. I kept telling DU that he was "smarter" than he appears, but, no

many here wouldn't believe me.

I know the man... he's not a dullard.

Of course, I disagree with him on practically everything, but he's not an idiot.

[doc03]

9. Define wealthy?

[RC]

10. Any one making more that $50,000 a year?

[doc03]

14. I make more than $50000 a year and I am

certainly not wealthy. In order to make that much I have worked shift work in a steel mill for 37 years, work all Saturdays and Sundays and have been exposed to every hazardous chemical in existence and shouldn't get Medicare. Come to think of it many of us never make it to 65 to receive Medicare anyway.

[doc03]

15. I heard a statistic on a radio talk show a couple days ago

that only 25% of American workers make more than $16 an hour and have health insurance benefits. I guess if this is true and you make $50000 a year with health insurance benefits many people would consider you wealthy.

[BootinUp]

23. How do we get them to vote?

the ones without I mean.

[doc03]

24. I would say get all the corporate money (bribes) out of

our elections. The only way we could do that is elect someone like Kucinich and he declare himself King like * has and a veto proof Democratic congress. One thing for sure Hillary Clinton ain't going to do it.

[OHdem10]

11. Yes take the rich out of the pool--this was Regans trick

Only working people want these programs--let them pay for them.
This is why he cut SS Deductions off at such a low point.

Any thing to destroy that FDR, lBJ Safety Net.

To the average Joe hearing Thompson make the comment--sounds good.
Democrats have got to explain to make things work you have to
have everyone in the pool to get the funds necessary.

[greymattermom]

12. well think about the Bills

At 2500/day for ordinary hospital care, no one will be rich if medicare benefits are cut. Well, maybe Bill Gates...

[Imagevision]

13. Too bad Thompson can't use his tv lighting because he looks gross without it as he

walks on stage holding hands with that girl who appears to be his grand-daughter

[Supersedeas]

17. odd, so little coverage of this stance by the Media darling -- Tweety's Gary Cooper crush

[SergeyDovlatov]

18. That is a start. Then he will cut medicare benefits fot the middle class. Then for the poor

[Felix Mala]

20. What's he got against Nancy Reagan?

[DemocratSinceBirth]

21. That's Usually Part Of The Argument Against Universal l Health Care

It goes like this...

Why should Bill Gates get "free" health care?

[BootinUp]

22. See Ya Freddie. You were not supposed to touch that rail.

The SS proposal will never fly.