The View from the Meadow

Observations of the Passing Scene

Political and Social Commentary by Dave Satre

Does Bush Care About Medicare?

Or is He Just Chasing Elderly Votes?

The Medicare Reform Bill, a key element in Bush's re-election campaign, is causing increasing concern from both the government and the public.

Richard Foster, the government's top Medicare cost analyst, claims he was ordered under threat of termination by his boss, Thomas Scully, to withhold information from Congress that showed unfavorable cost estimates for the Medicare prescription drug bill. The bill passed the House by a single vote. It was hotly contested and would have failed to pass if the real costs were known.

Foster estimated the costs at $100 billion more than the $400 billion stated in the bill. Less than a month after the bill passed the president's budget director raised the official estimate by $100 billion. An amazing coincidence? No, merely more lies and manipulation by the administration.

There are reports that House Republican leaders abused Congressional rules in order to force party members to vote for the bill. A primary concern is the fact that the vote for the bill was kept open for almost three hours, the normal voting period is just 15 minutes, while the Republicans applied the pressure on party members.

There are also allegations of threats and bribery that are currently under investigation by the House ethics committee.

The Bush administration also spent millions of tax dollars on TV ads touting the Medicare reform law and also apparently promoting Bush’s re-election campaign. The General Accounting Office is investigating the ads to determine whether they constitute illegal political propaganda.

The media generally reported the Bush claims favorably and it appeared as though something positive was accomplished for Medicare recipients, including a limited, low-cost drug prescription program that is not currently available through Medicare.

Closer examination, however, shows an ulterior motive on The Regime’s part. The people will have to opt for an HMO, instead of the Medicare program, to receive the benefit. This appears to be part of The Regime’s agenda to support insurance companies and the drug industry.

The Medicare bill is also a key element in Bush’s re-election campaign effort to usurp a major issue from the Democrats and gain support from the elderly, especially in such key states as Florida.

Polls show that the majority of Americans are now displeased with the Medicare bill and this could be a real problem for the administration. It’s just one of many problems facing The Regime as the result of their constant lies, distortions and recent investigations into their manipulation and suppression of scientific research in order to promote their political goals.

Now that the smoke has cleared and the President is making an almost daily claim of helping Medicare recipients, Bush and Company is raising the montly medicare premium by 17.5 percent. This is the largest Medicare increase in history and affects 42 million elderly and disabled recipients.

IRAQ CASUALTIES

American Casualties are Rapidly Approaching the 600 mark!

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We Need a Regime Change --- in Washington