My mom has had Medicare since 1989 (thank god Truman pushed the idea for the Great Society)

[Omaha Steve]

In the next few days we will be applying for Medicaid so she can go to assisted living. And the Tea Party wants to end this means for her to get the care she needs at age 87. Conservatives will say mom and dad didn't plan well. Dad only had a 3rd grade education because he went to work to feed his more than a dozen siblings during the great depression. My grandfather was in jail a lot. He was a bootlegger and a bigamist. The only reason dad did as well as he did with a retirement, was he was covered by a union contract. A union he never joined. A sore spot between us for years. Mom still gets insurance through dads retirement benefits. She sure as hell appreciates what the his union did for her.

On a different note I had an epidural on my neck today. I'm doing great so far. :-)

Omaha Steve

[DURHAM D]

1. Not to quibble but The Great Society belongs to LBJ. nt

[Wilms]

3. TGS is Johnson's, but others pushed as Steve indicates.

Universal health care and national health insurance were first proposed by U.S President Theodore Roosevelt. President Franklin D. Roosevelt later championed it, as did Harry S. Truman as part of his Fair Deal and many others.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialized_medicine

[DURHAM D]

4. Huh?

Why not use wiki for The Great Society instead of socialized medicine?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Society

And Steve - hope all goes well for your mother.

[Omaha Steve]

7. Truman's Medicare Card (#1)

http://www.ssa.gov/history/lbjsm.html



President Johnson signing the Medicare program into law, July 30, 1965. Shown with the President (on the right in the photo) are (left to right) Mrs. Johnson; former President Harry Truman; Vice-President Hubert Humphrey; and Mrs. Truman. Photo courtesy of LBJ Presidential Library.

At the bill-signing ceremony President Johnson enrolled President Truman as the first Medicare beneficiary and presented him with the first Medicare card. This is President Truman's application for the optional Part B medical care coverage, which President Johnson signed as a witness. SSA History Archives.

[Creideiki]

9. Wait. Johnson "pushed"?

You mean Johnson didn't sit back and say, "Well, it's all I could do because there are 40 Republicans in the Senate and Blanche Lincoln and Ben Nelson won't ever go for it!" Johnson didn't say, "You have to look at the reality..."

You mean...Johnson was a President?

Wow. I wonder what that would be like. Having a President fight for people doing less well than him (masculine pronoun chosen deliberately as we've only had male presidents so far, more's the pity). What a marvelous thing that would be.

[Generic Other]

2. My dad was a soldier

He never made a buck in his life. He also had to go into a home toward the end of his life. And Medicaid meant my mother could stay in their home until he died when she could no longer afford to live on her own.

She lives with me and I am glad I have the means to let her do so.

Our parents' stories are multiplied by millions in this country, Omaha Steve.

[L0oniX]

5. It's discusting that our SS and Medicare is being used in a game of politcial poker.

[nadinbrzezinski]

6. Glad you are doing well OS

and this game is disgusting, indeed.

[Omaha Steve]

8. Thanks for asking

My neck and shoulder feel much better. First time since I got hurt in last December. I had to put this off when I got MRSA.

os

[DainBramaged]

10. My Dad and brother both died before 65, will they give me their benefits? No, I'm sure.

My Mom lived to 92. Even though her last four years were downhill and the cancers spread trough her body,she would have died much sooner without her lumpectomy and chemo.


I wonder if the Tea Fuckers will take care of their own who aren't rich?


I am glad you stayed with us OS, very glad.

:hug: