Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsAttack on Medicare added to TPP Fast Track bill
Senate Democrats Work with Republicans to Throw Medicare Under the Bus as Part of TPP Fast Track Sausage-Making
Posted on May 17, 2015 by Lambert Strether
By Lambert Strether of Corrente.
I got an email blast on Medicare and TPP from Democracy for America, so I immediately discounted it because DFA, and besides, there wasnt any linky goodness, but then I thought This could be really bad, so I looked into it. Heres the paragraph in question from DFA:
Theres a big brand new attack on Medicare thats just been added in the Senate to the Fast Track bill for the TPP. The bill would cut a whopping $700 million from Medicare, hurting seniors who need access to health care.
Thats right, Republicans insisted on cutting Medicare spending to pay for a Trade Adjustment Assistance program that Democrats got added to the bill in order to support workers who lost their jobs due to trade deals like the TPP.
This would be execrable sausage-making for both Democrats and Republicans. For Democrats, Medicare is one of the remaining reasons to think theyre committed to social insurance; and for Republicans, their base remember Keep your government hands off my Medicare? skews old.
So my questions are:
1) Has Trade Adjustment Assistance been added to the TPP Fast Track bill?
2) Has $700 million been cut from Medicare as a result?
3) Does Trade Adjustment Assistance serve any public purpose? ...................(more)
http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/05/senate-democrats-work-with-republicans-throw-medicare-under-the-bus-part-tpp-fast-track-sausage-making.html
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
7 replies, 759 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (9)
ReplyReply to this post
7 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Attack on Medicare added to TPP Fast Track bill (Original Post)
marmar
May 2015
OP
tridim
(45,358 posts)1. President Obama will NEVER let this happen. Period.
Thankfully he is in control, and not the Republicans, whom many on DU want to control trade.
marmar
(77,080 posts)2. No offense, but that's just delusional at this point.
tridim
(45,358 posts)4. What is? That Obama is in control?
And what "point" are you talking about? What is special about this point in time that would lead you to believe that the President is not in control? Republican spin?
marmar
(77,080 posts)6. I just think it's extremely naive to think he would "never let that happen"
...... he's in lockstep with the Republicans on this. Mitch McConnell just gave him fawning praise in the TPP negotiations.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,340 posts)3. How would he stop it?
Will he veto TPP because of a detail?
Maybe if the repukes load it up with some more stuff, like anti-immigration language and anti-abortion language ... maybe that would cause a veto.
tridim
(45,358 posts)5. If it guts medicare the President will veto.
He is the good guy, not the bad guy.
JustABozoOnThisBus
(23,340 posts)7. Medicare can be reduced without "gutting"
Allow medicare to negotiate drug prices (haha, fat chance of that)
Beef up the means testing, increase price of medicare based on income. (better chance)
I think he really, really wants TPP, for some unknown reason.