Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: laura_bush who wrote (494961)	11/18/2003 3:44:45 PM
From: Kenneth E. Phillipps	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769667

Democrats Scold AARP Over Medicare Bill Democrats Scold AARP for Endorsing Republican-Backed Medicare Prescription Drug Bill The Associated Press BEDFORD, N.H. Nov. 18 — Turning on their host, several of the Democratic presidential candidates scolded the powerful AARP for endorsing a Republican-backed Medicare prescription drug bill that they argued would do long-term damage to the federal program for seniors. Six of the nine candidates participated in the morning forum sponsored by the 35 million-member organization that represents Americans age 50 or older. The AARP's sponsorship didn't stop the Democrats from assailing the bill or the group, which in a boost to the GOP and President Bush on Monday announced its support for the legislation. "I wish AARP had chosen to oppose this bill," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. "I wish AARP was spending its $7 million telling Americans what is wrong." Not only did AARP endorse the measure, it said it would spend $7 million over three days beginning Wednesday on an advertising campaign to promote the legislation. Kerry rival Wesley Clark also added his complaint, saying he was disappointed that AARP did not oppose the bill. The measure would create a new prescription drug benefit for Medicare beneficiaries beginning in 2006. It also would establish a new role for insurance companies, encouraging them to offer a new private health coverage plan for elderly Americans. The bill creates a political challenge for the Democratic candidates, who would like to provide prescription drug coverage to seniors, a critical voting bloc, but are loath to hand President Bush a legislative victory less than a year before the election. In addition to Kerry and Clark, candidates Howard Dean, John Edwards and Dick Gephardt also criticized the bill as a giveaway to private insurers that will undermine the federal health program for seniors. "This bill is a Trojan horse," Clark said. "I think the American people want their representatives and their association to stand up for seniors. ... If we reject it, we'll get a better one." Edwards, a North Carolina senator, said the bill "takes billions of dollars that could be used to improve benefits for seniors and instead pumps those billions into big HMOs." Lieberman, a senator from Connecticut, said he is reserving judgment for now. "There's not a politician in America who has not promised a prescription drug benefit for seniors for years and years and it hasn't happened," he added. While the Medicare legislation and AARP was the focus of the candidates' criticism, they did use the forum to pick on each other. Gephardt reiterated his complaints that Dean, as Vermont governor, backed GOP efforts in the 1990s to scale back spending on Medicare. Dean, a physician, held up a stethoscope and promised not to cut seniors' benefits. "I'm the only one up here who has taken care of patients," he said. The drew a quick retort from Kerry, who trails Dean by double digits in polls in New Hampshire, a must-win for the two New Englanders. "Holding up a stethoscope and saying you have no intention of cutting (benefits for) people doesn't mean you haven't," Kerry said. The sparring continued when Gephardt, the Missouri congressman and former House minority leader, said he is confident his health care plan would pass because he expects Democrats to take back control of Congress if he's elected. "You had four terms to bring in a Democratic majority and you didn't do it," Dean reminded Gephardt. "We have got to bring new people into this process."