Dubya, Heal Thyself (Yeah, Right)

Just had this communication with a good friend (which ties into the SOTU address tomorrow), so...

Subject: Bush Explains Medicare Drug Bill

Bush Explains Medicare Drug Bill -- Verbatim Quote

Submitted on 2005-12-13 16:35:14

WOMAN IN AUDIENCE: 'I don't really understand. How is it the new plan going to fix the problem?'

Verbatim response (PRESIDENT BUSH):

'Because the -- all which is on the table begins to address the big cost drivers. For example, how benefits are calculated, for example, is on the table. Whether or not benefits rise based upon wage increases or price increases. There's a series of parts of the formula that are being considered. And when you couple that, those different cost drivers, affecting those -- changing those with personal accounts, the idea is to get what has been promised more likely to be -- or closer delivered to that has been promised. Does that make any sense to you? It's kind of muddled. Look, there's a series of things that cause the -- like, for example, benefits are calculated based upon the increase! of wages, as opposed to the increase of prices. Some have suggested that we calculate -- the benefits will rise based upon inflation, supposed to wage increases. There is a reform that would help solve the red if that were put into effect. In other words, how fast benefits grow, how fast the promised benefits grow, if those -- if that growth is affected, it will help on the red.'

My response...

He could say this in front of an audience in Kansas and they wouldn't be smart enough to do anything but applaud. He could do the same thing in front of an audience of our service people and they wouldn't have any choice but to do the same thing.

My guess (and I don't need to know this because it's none of my business) is that, after you pay whatever deductible or out-of-pocket charge for office visits, coverage, etc.you have to pay, you may not have enough to put into a "personal account" (I can tell you right now that we don't). If we did, it certainly wouldn't be enough to cover our care by itself.

The Repugs are counting on the fact that too many people who are working now aren't going to try and imagine what their health care costs are going to be after their employers refuse to pick up any portion of the tab any more (which has already happened for some people, I would guess - and unfortunately, their cynical calculations could be right). I wish, for example, people who support Dubya would listen to my mom (83) tell them what she has to pay out of pocket for health care and just try to imagine what it will be like when they get to that point (about $229 a month for her).

We need some form of nationalized, single-payer program, and Dubya's scheme will do absolutely nothing to get us to that point. He wants fewer people paying into Medicare/Medicaid so the entitlement can be small enough that it will default (part of Grover Norquist's scheme to reduce government to the point "where you can drown it in the bathtub"). That's the ugly truth that he's trying to hide from us in his typically idiotic fashion.

Will you be tuning in tomorrow?

I won't.