Lott casts key vote to save Medicare bill he opposes

Associated Press ^ | 11-24-03 | MARK SHERMAN

[Oldeconomybuyer]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cast aside as leader by his colleagues, Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss., was the man Republicans needed Monday to clear the path to approving the Medicare prescription drug bill that he opposes.

At stake was not just the $395 billion bill, which Democrats were attempting to halt with procedural roadblocks, but also the political prestige of Lott's successor as Republican leader, Tennessee surgeon Bill Frist.

[45Auto]

Other than slamming the RATs at their own game, can you tell me why this is a good thing for conservatives, Repubos, and the country in general?

[thoughtomator]

And proves why he was an awful leader to begin with... zero principles.

[NittanyLion]

Obviously not much has changed. Lott's still a spineless coward.

[45Auto]

Medicare has been on the verge of bankruptcy for years; benefits have been cut, my medicare tax quota has been increased (along with that other montrosity, social security), and more and more people are being forced to lose some of their life-long health insurance which they got through the companies they worked for when they become eligible for medicare. The paperwork for seniors has therefore doubled as private health care plans exist for them only to cover what medicare does not. My mother struggled with the whole rotten system for decades before she died. In settling her estate, I had a lot of paper work to do relative to her health care.

So now the morons have just bumped up the cost of this insanity by nearly half a trillion bucks - and this only for what, the first year? This added entitlement will only hasten the inevitable collapse of the whole rotten system. Maybe that's the silver lining.

[Pukin Dog]

Maybe Trent Lott was reminded of all the reasons that Republicans did not go to bat for him when he was in trouble, and suggested that now was the time to start earning a reputation for actually helping the Republican side?

[bourbon]

(((MS PING)))

[FirstPrinciple]

Only two Republicans - Hagel and McCain, voted nay. What has happened to the GOP? This is totally maddening. I cannot believe I was cheering on Ted Kennedy this afternoon. I hope these spineless, gutless, vote-buying, senior-bottom-kissing, RINOs lose big time the next time they are up for election. I will send them a cute letter when I receive their fund-raising letter in the mail.

[deport]

Vote Summary

Question: On the Motion (Motion To Waive CBA RE: H. R. 1 - Conference Report )
Vote Number:	458	Vote Date:	November 24, 2003, 03:21 PM
Required For Majority:	3/5	Vote Result:	Motion Agreed to
Measure Number:	H.R. 1 (Importation Drugs bill )
Measure Title:	An act to amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to provide for a voluntary prescription drug benefit under the medicare program and to strengthen and improve the medicare program, and for other purposes.

Vote Counts:	YEAs	61
	NAYs	39

---

Grouped By Vote Position

YEAs ---61
Alexander (R-TN) Allard (R-CO) Allen (R-VA) Baucus (D-MT) Bennett (R-UT) Bond (R-MO) Breaux (D-LA) Brownback (R-KS) Bunning (R-KY) Burns (R-MT) Campbell (R-CO) Carper (D-DE) Chafee (R-RI) Chambliss (R-GA) Cochran (R-MS) Coleman (R-MN) Collins (R-ME) Conrad (D-ND) Cornyn (R-TX) Craig (R-ID) Crapo (R-ID)	DeWine (R-OH) Dole (R-NC) Domenici (R-NM) Dorgan (D-ND) Ensign (R-NV) Enzi (R-WY) Feinstein (D-CA) Fitzgerald (R-IL) Frist (R-TN) Graham (R-SC) Grassley (R-IA) Gregg (R-NH) Hatch (R-UT) Hutchison (R-TX) Inhofe (R-OK) Jeffords (I-VT) Kyl (R-AZ) Landrieu (D-LA) Lincoln (D-AR) Lott (R-MS) Lugar (R-IN)	McConnell (R-KY) Miller (D-GA) Murkowski (R-AK) Nelson (D-NE) Nickles (R-OK) Roberts (R-KS) Santorum (R-PA) Sessions (R-AL) Shelby (R-AL) Smith (R-OR) Snowe (R-ME) Specter (R-PA) Stevens (R-AK) Sununu (R-NH) Talent (R-MO) Thomas (R-WY) Voinovich (R-OH) Warner (R-VA) Wyden (D-OR)

NAYs ---39
Akaka (D-HI) Bayh (D-IN) Biden (D-DE) Bingaman (D-NM) Boxer (D-CA) Byrd (D-WV) Cantwell (D-WA) Clinton (D-NY) Corzine (D-NJ) Daschle (D-SD) Dayton (D-MN) Dodd (D-CT) Durbin (D-IL)	Edwards (D-NC) Feingold (D-WI) Graham (D-FL) Hagel (R-NE) Harkin (D-IA) Hollings (D-SC) Inouye (D-HI) Johnson (D-SD) Kennedy (D-MA) Kerry (D-MA) Kohl (D-WI) Lautenberg (D-NJ) Leahy (D-VT)	Levin (D-MI) Lieberman (D-CT) McCain (R-AZ) Mikulski (D-MD) Murray (D-WA) Nelson (D-FL) Pryor (D-AR) Reed (D-RI) Reid (D-NV) Rockefeller (D-WV) Sarbanes (D-MD) Schumer (D-NY) Stabenow (D-MI)

[NittanyLion]

Yes, at a federal level the GOP will not be receiving my money or activism. I've got better things to do with my time/money than spend it on people who stab me in the back.

[11th Earl of Mar]

Lott still has no balls.

At least Ted Kennedy has pricipal.

[FirstPrinciple]

At a national level, conservatism is dead. Hell, even at the state level we see that there are only a handful of House Republicans and not one in the Senate. How did the GOP get to become the stupid party?

[mrmeyer]

They got there by compromising their principles.

[reformed_democrat]

can you tell me why this is a good thing for conservatives

Because it allows for the privatization of Medicare for the upcoming generation of workers.

Also, Medical Savings Accounts will allow us to keep $5,000 per year tax free to spend on health care. If you spend it, fine, if you don't spend it, it rolls over and remains tax free until it is used for medical expenses. This will be a huge boon to small business owners who can't afford to pay the exorbitant premiums for health care, yet, under the current system, can't afford to set money aside.

[putupon]

[MichiganConservative]

I'm just trying to figure out how this is Constitutional.

[thoughtomator]

That would be fine, if he didn't choose a GOP betrayal of its base as the time to start going to bat for the GOP.

The GOP did go to bat for Lott... until the impeachment outrage where Lott took the lead in orchestrating a harmless farce where should have been the trial of President Clinton.

He had how many years of acting like a Democrat double-agent and we are supposed to go to bat for him now?

[LasVegasMac]

Cast aside as leader by his colleagues, Sen. Trent Lott, R-Miss

You were fired, you spineless dolt.

Finally, Lott walked slowly up to the front of the Senate, pointed his thumb up without fanfare -- the 60th vote -- and walked briskly out of the chamber.

You are still spineless - without a moral compass - you could not spell "principal", let alone act like you knew what your supposed to do with them.

Thanks, Tommy D Sen. Lott (of nothing).

LVM

[thoughtomator]

For the first time in memory both my Senators - Clinton and Schumer - voted correctly. For all the wrong reasons, I'm sure, but still I feel the thrill of representation in the Senate, however fleeting!

[thoughtomator]

"principle" ;)

[nicmarlo]

CongressmanBillybob wrote an article showing that this article was FALSE REPORTING on the MEDICARE VOTE

[lodwick]

Jackasses all.

What a joke on those of us who pay taxes.

Bend over, America, once more.

(And No, there's no vaseline for ya.)

Grin, and bear it.

[woofie]

Can a bill that Teddy Kennedy hates be all bad?

[Lancey Howard]

I'm just trying to figure out how this is Constitutional.

The last time the Constitution was seen, FDR had just wiped his rear-end with it and flushed it down the toilet.

[LasVegasMac]

Oh, I see - you have one of the new spell checkers! :)

DOH!

Thanks.

LVM

[Congressman Billybob]

My article was about the false reporting of the House vote on the Medicare bill. It was not about the Senate vote that was yet to come when the bill squeaked through the House.

John / Billybob

[q_an_a]

good comment. lott may have been the worst leader to ever hold that title. lbj, john mansfield, these men knew how to lead. lott wanted new make up artists for his tv time and a little pork for his home town. pretty low on the list of priorities.

[nicmarlo]

oops...sorry CB....

[rmmcdaniell]

So now the morons have just bumped up the cost of this insanity by nearly half a trillion bucks - and this only for what, the first year? This added entitlement will only hasten the inevitable collapse of the whole rotten system. Maybe that's the silver lining.

Fat chance, I read this qoute somewhere here on FR and I believe it to be the truth.

(not exact)

"The domestic legacy of the Bush administration will be temporary tax cuts followed by permanent tax increases as a result of his permanent spending increases."

[petitfour]

Lott called the bill "terrible," an extravagance in a time of budget deficits, and left no doubt he would vote against it. But before he walked onto the Senate floor Monday afternoon, Bush administration lobbyists spoke to him privately to persuade Lott to vote with the president to overcome Democratic resistance.

I wonder what methods of persuasion the Bush admin lobbyists used.

[nicmarlo]

I guess I was thinking about the name "Mark Sherman," whom you did mention in your article.....and he when I saw he wrote this one....

[Pukin Dog]

You folks against this bill are missing the boat. Medicare is a dead duck now. This is not a betrayal of Conservatives, this is just like making sausage. Sometimes, you might not like to watch it being done, but you sure as hell want some when it's all over.

[Jorge]

I saw Newt give a good argument in support of this Medicare bill on FOX the other day. Very convincing.

[what's up]

Yes, the plan rocks. Not to mention you can invest that $5000 and watch it grow if you do not have to spend it on health care.

We will be enthusiastically in on this plan.

[Uncle Miltie]

Trent "In the hiney, please" Lott.

[Uncle Miltie]

Bingo. I'm a Conservative, not a Republican.

Protectionism: Steel, lumber, bras, etc.
Kennedyesque Education Policy
Drug Entitlements for the old rich paid for by the young poor.

If it weren't for a small delayed tax cut and the War on Terror, I'd think this was a Democrat Administration.

I'm thinking Club for Growth. Are there any better Conservative funding vehicles out there?

[reformed_democrat]

Yes, the plan rocks. Not to mention you can invest that $5000 and watch it grow if you do not have to spend it on health care.

Its a wonderment to me how many on FR don't get that.

Ah, well. They'll benefit from it anyway, in spite of themselves.

[alwaysconservative]

Bump to your posts #32, #33, and #34! This is REFORM of Medicare in a way that helps small business!

[cinFLA]

Other than slamming the RATs at their own game, can you tell me why this is a good thing for conservatives, Repubos, and the country in general?

Just the fact that Ted Kennedy hates it so much is good enough for me.

[Republic If You Can Keep It]

Its a wonderment to me how many on FR don't get that.

We get it.

We also oppose socialism.

[dixiechick2000]

Thanks for the ping, bourbon.

I'm a babysitting fool this week, and am completely out of the loop on this. This thread will allow me to catch up.

[Pukin Dog]

No you dont get it.

Think of this bill as a big cow, getting fattened up for the slaughterhouse. The Congress have given private providers a target to shoot for pricewise. In 5 years, seniors will leave Medicaid, because they will find better plans in the private sector. Then, Medicaid will WITHER ON THE VINE.

[MichiganConservative]

Maybe this is part 1 of the plan to completely eliminate government involvement in health care. Understanding how Newt Gingrich was savaged for his "wither on the vine" comments years ago, I can understand why people would want to keep it under wraps. But I haven't heard that.

What bothers me is the notion that I have to get permission from Nanny Government to use $5000 for health care, etc. Where's this money coming from? Is this from the government? Or is this my money? If it comes from the government, it's been plundered from someone else and there's the bureaucracy that get's their share. If it's my money, I'm sick of the paternalistic tendencies of Nanny Government telling me how I can or should spend my money.

The reform I want to see for Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security is me getting the hell out of all three forever in every way, shape, and form. All they are are ways for Congressional Parasites to keep power over the slaves.

I know, I'm an ungrateful slave who's getting uppity. I should just go away and be thankful for what Nanny Government allows me to do and what they allow me to keep.

[Wild Irish Rogue]

" Because it allows for the privatization of Medicare for the upcoming generation of workers.

Also, Medical Savings Accounts will allow us to keep $5,000 per year tax free to spend on health care"

This benefit alone is worth cheering about.I wonder how many who are opposed to the Medicare reform, realize how much of their elderly relatives' health care is subsidized by the top 5% of taxpayers,the elderly themselves,hospitals and physicians? There is nothing preventing those angry about this bill from opting out of Medicare and encouraging their elderly relatives to opt out.But,they must be prepared to help Grandma and Grandpa pay their medical bills.If Grandma needs a 50,000 heart operation and can only pay for 10,000 of that-the rest of the family has to be prepared to step up and chip in-even if it means forgoing the new boat and the summer trip to Disneyland.If enough of the younger generation decides to privately subsidize the health care of the seniors in their family, who are unable to pay their medical bills(and that means the full freight,not the discounted Medicare rates),Medicare,as we know it,will wither and die. And once Medicare shrivels to the most indigent,there must be a concomitant income tax reduction and FICA elimination for all taxpayers,in addition to medical savings accounts.The 50 somethings and younger should be preparing for either the bankruptcy or elimination of Medicare and adjusting their fiscal planning to reflect this eventuality.

[doug from upland]

It did more than slam the RATS. I agree that all of this big government nonsense is bad for the country. What is of overwhelming importance, however, is the re-election of the man who recognizes evil and calls it what it is. The damage done to this nation if a DemocRAT is elected in the next election is incalculable. Bush and the GOP have managed to take the issue away from RATS. The AARP came sided with a Republican president. That is stunning. Now, if another 20% of blacks get off the RAT plantation, and we just manage to secure about 20% of the illegal votes, we'll be in good shape for '04.

[michaelt]

So Kennedy really has a reason to want to kill this bill?

It isn't just out of spite for Bush?

I just don't know what to believe on this bill, and I don't have time now to look at it - but is the bottom line something for Grandma (prescription drugs), and something for the future (privatization, MSAs)?? Not a totally bad bill but not totally good either?

[rivercat]

Other than slamming the RATs at their own game, can you tell me why this is a good thing for conservatives, Repubos, and the country in general?

It's not! In fact, if we don't start threatening to NOT vote for Bush next year, it's only going to get worse. At this point, I'm seriously considering voting for some obscure, conservative, third-party candidate. The Pubbies are letting us down, big time.

[michaelt]

Doug, if the Republicans got 20% of the black vote and 20% of the dead vote they would win every contested election out there.

[what's up]

I agree with you. But this is a first step...and it's a huge one...in communicating to the millions who don't "get it" that it's our money.

Anyway, the $5000 will greatly help us next year.

[Jorge]

Just the fact that Ted Kennedy hates it so much is good enough for me.

Yes. I think Ted Kennedy needs to "wither on the vine" a little more.