Steve Benen: Cantor Rejects Plan to Spend Less on Health Care (Specifically, Rx drugs)

[flpoljunkie]

July 15, 2011

Cantor rejects plan to spend less on health care
By Steve Benen

Eric Cantor would love to reduce health care costs, right? Wrong.

An on-again, off-again proposal that forces pharmaceutical companies to essentially discount drugs for Medicare’s poorest seniors is back on-again — despite fierce opposition from the drug lobby and one of their staunchest defenders, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor.

The pairing of Cantor and the powerful Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association could prove more than enough to squelch the White House-endorsed proposal, which has emerged as one of many divisive concerns among President Barack Obama and congressional leaders who are trying to hammer out a deal to cut federal spending and extend the nation’s debt limit.

The conventional wisdom is that Republicans are desperate to reduce the deficit and debt, but we know that’s not true — GOP officials won’t even consider a penny of additional revenue, even if it helps bring the budget closer to balance. The conventional wisdom also tells us Republicans love cutting spending, but this isn’t quite right, either — GOP leaders only like cutting certain kinds of spending, based on who’ll benefit (and who won’t).

more...

http://www.washingtonmonthly.com/political-animal/2011_07/cantor_rejects_plan_to_spend_l030889.php

[polichick]

1. self-delete :/

[Supersedeas]

2. the truth behind Pubbie priorities