why big government programs = MASSIVE FAIL

[Bfgrn]

You are simply trying to deflect away from the topic at hand because you are scared of debating what the unfunded liabilities mean to this country's economic future.

I already tried to educate you on how just one simple program, advanced directives, can save 30% of Medicare costs. And that Democrats were forced to pull it from the bill because scurrilous Republicans falsely called them 'death panels' and created enough stir over something that is helpful. BTW, where was the so called liberal media bias? I even provided working examples in LaCrosse Wisconsin. Did you READ any of those links?

There are Medicare cost saving measures in the Affordable Health care bill like reduction in extra subsidies paid to Medicare Advantage plans, reductions in the rate of growth in provider payments, and efforts to make the Medicare program more efficient and to reduce waste, fraud and abuse. There has been stepped up investigation and prosecution of fraud.

We need to find ways to reduce cost without sacrificing quality of care or like Republicans are trying to do; shift the cost on the elderly who can LEAST afford it. Medicare should be allowed to negotiate drug prices like the VA, it saves 50% of drug costs.

After all that, what is UN-funded needs to be funded. There are thousands of cost reduction measure that can be taken in defense. Wars that should be ended, Fatherland security that should be abolished.

Then the final step is to do what we did to recover from the Great Depression and pay for WWII...raise taxes, especially on the wealthy.

 

[apple0154]

why big government programs = MASSIVE FAIL

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washing...terstitialskip

The government added $5.3 trillion in new financial obligations in 2010, largely for retirement programs such as Medicare and Social Security. That brings to a record $61.6 trillion the total of financial promises not paid for.

This gap between spending commitments and revenue last year equals more than one-third of the nation's gross domestic product.

Medicare alone took on $1.8 trillion in new liabilities, more than the record deficit prompting heated debate between Congress and the White House over lifting the debt ceiling.

Social Security added $1.4 trillion in obligations, partly reflecting longer life expectancies. Federal and military retirement programs added more to the financial hole, too.

The $61.6 trillion in unfunded obligations amounts to $534,000 per household. That's more than five times what Americans have borrowed for everything else — mortgages, car loans and other debt. It reflects the challenge as the number of retirees soars over the next 20 years and seniors try to collect on those spending promises.

Tax back a portion of pension benefits from those receiving an income over a certain level. This nonsense that helping others constitutes punishing successful people is just that, nonsense.

Institute a government medical plan for all combining Medicare and Medicaid. If illnesses are detected earlier it will result in less expensive treatment later in life.

These are not unique problems. Dozens of countries have dealt with them.

 

[Minister of Truth]

I have thought it through. I have the benefit of impartiality, since I don't get paid by the Pentagon while I post slurs on the CiC from my duty station.

How much of this country's 'free enterprise' is government-funded?

Without the 'massive government spending' that Republicans have been crying about since January 2009, where would corporations get their profits?

If you are referring to when I recently posted, "Obama sucks," I've heard much worse than that about both him and his predecessor, as well as my state governor and her predecessor, and I've heard the Canadians badmouth Harper and elected leaders of numerous political parties (especially the Bloc). We are citizens, afterall.

I oppose corporate wellfare and subsidies. Most conservatives do, just as many conservatives opposed TARP and the Auto Bailout.