Bush Budget Raises Cost of Medicare

AP ^ | Jan 29 | ALAN FRAM

[RightWhale]

It is not easy to make sense of the numbers floating around. Is the cost of the Pill Bill plus Medicare increases--just the increases--to be $54 billion this year? If so, contrast NASA's increase of $200 million and the Arts increase of $20 million and the amount of commentary the smaller items are getting. Are we concerned in inverse proportion to the size of the expenditure?

[.38sw]

President Bush's new budget will project that the just-enacted prescription drug program and Medicare overhaul will cost one-third more than previously estimated

Golly, who could have predicted that a government program will cost more than originally estimated? That's never happened before! But hey, it's for the children! Oh, wait, it's not for the children...must be some vote buying in there somewhere.

[Guillermo]

Yeah, this is just the first revision.

In 10 years, it's going to cost 10 times the projected amount.

[LowCountryJoe]

Criticize away, the situation surely calls for it. Just make sure you that you don't stay home in November.

[Blood of Tyrants]

But at what point is it too much?

[kevao]

You know what? Things really change when you've been LIED to. This new drug program was not supposed to cost more that $400 billion over 10 years. Remember?

Now it's already up to $540 billion -- and the G- damn budget hasn't even been approved yet!!!

I'm an just sooooooooo freekin' pissed!!!!!!!!

And you Bushbots are such suckers, I can't believe it!

[diamondjoe]

If you think this is bad, just wait until the Mars program actually gets going. NASA's inability to live within budget projections makes Medicare look like it is being run by Ebeneezer Scrooge.

[RonPaulLives]

No surprises here. When was the last time a budget, or cost estimate been even close? They were only off by a little bit - cut them some slack.

just curious...did you forget your /sarcasm tag ??

[Pubbie]

You know what this sucks - but we still have no choice but to vote for Bush because National Security is too important to be left to the Democrats.

2008 is when Conservatives will have to move the party back to it's conservative roots - sitting out 2004 is not an option.

In 2008 we're going to have to nominate a real conservative like Mark Sanford or Bill Owens to clean up the mess Bush will leave us with.

[LowCountryJoe]

"...And you Bushbots are such suckers, I can't believe it!"

Bushbot? I'm not even a Republican! I'm a classical liberal.

[RightWhale]

to nominate a real conservative like Mark Sanford or Bill Owens

Who?

[familyofman]

"...did you forget your /sarcasm tag ??"

No, I didn't think it was necessary when talking about budget/cost estimates, which seem to be authored by The Brothers Grimm.

Don't forget the mantra - deficits don't matter.

[Pubbie]

"Mark Sanford"

The current Governor of South Carolina

"Bill Owens"

The current Governor of Colorado.

[KQQL]

THE ERA OF BIG GOVT IS BACCCCCCCCCCCCCCK !

[RightWhale]

just wait until the Mars program actually gets going

If we would recognize private property rights in outer space there wouldn't need to be a moon program or Mars program. Cost of recognizing private property rights would be a clerk and a big book to record deeds.

[OWK]

Woooo Hooo!!!

Pork for everybody.

[DLfromthedesert]

Right, as the southern borders are wide open; makes me feel real safe.

[ambrose]

Bush is a Conservative Ping.

[KantianBurke]

"Grandma, why are you laughing? What do you mean that I better like to work for peanuts? Does that have to do with all those free pills you got?"