Bush's Medicare Gamble-Some Republicans are starting to doubt the wisdom of a vast new entitlement.

Wall St Journal ^ | 6-23-03

[SJackson]

The White House is mounting a full-court press to get a Medicare drug benefit through Congress by the Fourth of July. But Republican backbenchers are finally starting to question whether it's prudent to rush into law the greatest expansion of the welfare state since 1965.

[jwalsh07]

WSJ on drug dealing in the US Senate.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

GOP gets cold feet when Ted Kennedy likes it...

[goldstategop]

Its time to kill it. This is not the time to expand the size of the federal government. Besides Republicans will never be as good as Democrats at buying votes from those who would look first to the government to take of all their needs.

[LarryM]

This fiasco is Bush's doing, trying to buy the next election.

[LS]

Everyone: CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES. (I think the Senate is a lost cause here). The House can still stop this monstrosity. Believe me, phone calls help.

[FITZ]

President Bush may think the short-term political payoff in 2004 is worth this giant roll of the dice. But he's gambling here with someone else's money, in particular an estimated $7.5 trillion in new taxpayer liabilities, and that is simply reckless government.

I hope Bush realizes that he might win a few votes from the democrats/socialists by outdoing their party but he's liable to lose a few non-socialists votes. There are still some of us left.

[Wolfie]

Realistically speaking, its a can't lose situation for Bush. What are conservatives going to do, vote Democrat?

[goldstategop]

If he pisses enough of us off we could stay at home in 2004.

[eyespysomething]

http://www.house.gov
http://www.senate.gov

Contact your Senators also, they need to know that they will be on the firing lines over this. I will not elect a Dem for President, but I will gladly boot out my Senators and Congressmen over this. They need to know how the majority of people really feel about this HUGE spending project.

Higher spending than Clinton. He ought to be embarassed by that!

[Wolfie]

Doubt it. The GOP faithful will grin and bear it. Gotta "win" after all.

[FITZ]

There are other parties some Conservatives might be looking at ---what's the point in voting for a Socialist if you don't believe in Socialism?

[FITZ]

And wait till Bush turns half our Social Security over to Mexico's President Fox.

[Gunslingr3]

Realistically speaking, its a can't lose situation for Bush. What are conservatives going to do, vote Democrat?

yeah, that thinking served GHWB real well. "Screw'em I'll raise taxes, what are they gonna do." He found out.

[jackbill]

Senator Kennedy let it slip the other day on C-SPAN that two-thirds of the cost of the Senate prescription drug plan would be paid out of general revenues. The monthly premium, deductible and co-pay will only cover about 33% of the cost.

Time to stop this train-wreck before it leaves the station.

[TexasCowboy]

"The GOP faithful will grin and bear it."

Not this one, and I doubt that I'm alone.

[goldstategop]

Yup. If this prescription benefit is so vital, eligible recipients should pay two thirds of the cost.

[Ahban]

www.constitutionparty.com

[AD from SpringBay]

GOP gets cold feet when Ted Kennedy likes it...

I get cold feet when all it amounts to is one more hand in my pocket - stealing cash I don't want to have stolen to pay people I don't want to pay.

[goldstategop]

We're talking about adding a new entitlement benefit BEFORE even considering reforming the Medicare program. Aren't we putting the horse before the cart? It sure looks that way to this observer.