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Politics : View from the Center and Left -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: slacker711 who wrote (47829)	2/4/2008 9:50:43 AM
From: epicure	Respond to of 541598

I understand you. And I agree. It's hard to get people to give up benefits- even people who don't "need" them. I think it's about perceived "cheating". Even conservatives who don't like the programs wouldn't want to give them up (for the most part) because they don't want someone else to get something they aren't getting. That's why the big programs need to be for everyone- unfortunately it's a lot easier to take away your poor neighbor's health care benefit, or social security, if you aren't getting any of the pie. I don't know what you do about that very natural human emotion.

To: slacker711 who wrote (47829)	2/4/2008 10:39:28 AM
From: JohnM	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 541598

Where we would probably differ is that I think there is a better chance of undoing the Patriot Act than the Medicare prescription drug benefit. The Patriot Act would be difficult, but the drug benefit (or any similar entitlement) is nearly untouchable. I agree and disagree. I think the future of the prescription drug benefit program is a cost lowering one by permitting government agencies to bargain for best price and permitting competition via Canada. As for the Patriot Act, that whole business of curbing civil rights scares me no end. But I don't see the mechanism for bringing it to an end unless it's completely bipartisan.