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Medicare Bill is Sellout not Compromise -- talk.politics.misc, 18:43:28 11/25/03 Tue
From: Gandalf Grey (gandalfgrey@infectedmail.com)
Subject: Medicare Bill is Sellout not Compromise
This is the only article in this thread
View: Original Format
Newsgroups: alt.current-events.clinton.whitewater, alt.current-events.wtc.bush-knew, alt.impeach.bush, alt.politics, alt.politics.bush, alt.politics.liberalism, alt.society.liberalism, talk.politics.misc
Date: 2003-11-25 13:52:02 PST
www.graypanthers.org/graypanthers/medicare-press-rel-2003-11-21.html
For Immediate Release
November 21, 2003
Contact: Will Thomas (202) 737-6637 x 25
GRAY PANTHERS CALLS MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BILL SELLOUT NOT COMPROMISE
/Washington, D.C.//November 21, 2003///The National Gray Panthers,
representing thousands of members across the country, is united in strong
opposition to the prescription drug bill offered by the conference committee
and will work vigorously for its defeat.
"AARP does not represent all Seniors; in fact, in the case of this Medicare
reform bill, they're only representing their own corporate self-interest,"
said Will Thomas, Gray Panthers Project Director.
Gray Panthers believes that good government demands compromise as to means.
But that compromise must promote the common good. It's more than a
compromise
when one surrenders basic principles and sacrifices the fundamental promise
of guaranteeing adequate, effective health care to American Seniors. This
bill,
then, is not a compromise, but a sellout.
This misbegotten bill is a ploy to use token support for low income seniors
as bait in an insidious strategy to undermine traditional Medicare and
convert
it into a private industry using taxpayers subsidies to pay for it.
"Call it what you may, virus, poison pill, or Trojan Horse, this bill is
like
salmonella in your Thanksgiving turkey," Will Thomas said.
Gray Panthers says it is clear why the Republicans are doing this: most want
to privatize this model government program. As for AARP, it looks like
they're
doing it for the money. One estimate shows that AARP could reap profits of
over 1.5 billion dollars with their discount card and future PBM programs.
Prescription drug prices are too high. Too bad this $400 billion dollar
bill
does nothing about it. It won't prevent abuse of drug patents, but it will
prevent the government from negotiating lower drug prices. The
pharmaceutical
industry might be thankful, but purchasers face a catastrophe.
Gray Panthers believes that what we need is not only more money for
medicines, we need more medicines for the money.
Gray Panthers requests that all its members and allies call their
representative, Republican or Democratic, and tell them AARP does not
represent
them and that this bill is a sellout. Don t sell out American seniors for
tokens.
From: Gandalf Grey (gandalfgrey@infectedmail.com)
Subject: Medicare Bill is Sellout not Compromise
This is the only article in this thread
View: Original Format
Newsgroups: alt.current-events.clinton.whitewater, alt.current-events.wtc.bush-knew, alt.impeach.bush, alt.politics, alt.politics.bush, alt.politics.liberalism, alt.society.liberalism, talk.politics.misc
Date: 2003-11-25 13:52:02 PST
www.graypanthers.org/graypanthers/medicare-press-rel-2003-11-21.html
For Immediate Release
November 21, 2003
Contact: Will Thomas (202) 737-6637 x 25
GRAY PANTHERS CALLS MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BILL SELLOUT NOT COMPROMISE
/Washington, D.C.//November 21, 2003///The National Gray Panthers,
representing thousands of members across the country, is united in strong
opposition to the prescription drug bill offered by the conference committee
and will work vigorously for its defeat.
"AARP does not represent all Seniors; in fact, in the case of this Medicare
reform bill, they're only representing their own corporate self-interest,"
said Will Thomas, Gray Panthers Project Director.
Gray Panthers believes that good government demands compromise as to means.
But that compromise must promote the common good. It's more than a
compromise
when one surrenders basic principles and sacrifices the fundamental promise
of guaranteeing adequate, effective health care to American Seniors. This
bill,
then, is not a compromise, but a sellout.
This misbegotten bill is a ploy to use token support for low income seniors
as bait in an insidious strategy to undermine traditional Medicare and
convert
it into a private industry using taxpayers subsidies to pay for it.
"Call it what you may, virus, poison pill, or Trojan Horse, this bill is
like
salmonella in your Thanksgiving turkey," Will Thomas said.
Gray Panthers says it is clear why the Republicans are doing this: most want
to privatize this model government program. As for AARP, it looks like
they're
doing it for the money. One estimate shows that AARP could reap profits of
over 1.5 billion dollars with their discount card and future PBM programs.
Prescription drug prices are too high. Too bad this $400 billion dollar
bill
does nothing about it. It won't prevent abuse of drug patents, but it will
prevent the government from negotiating lower drug prices. The
pharmaceutical
industry might be thankful, but purchasers face a catastrophe.
Gray Panthers believes that what we need is not only more money for
medicines, we need more medicines for the money.
Gray Panthers requests that all its members and allies call their
representative, Republican or Democratic, and tell them AARP does not
represent
them and that this bill is a sellout. Don t sell out American seniors for
tokens.