Was glad to see several rec list posts today supporting the idea that the President was standing strong against cuts to our safety net.
OTOH was distressed to read a DFA fundraising email kicking off a campaign to take Medicare off the table, and, if what Politico reports is true, we need to do just that, stat.
Here's the email.....
Bad news, [divineorder] -
Politico is reporting that the framework for a fiscal deal is emerging -- including massive cuts to Medicare.
Cut through the fog, and here's what to expect: Taxes will go up just shy of $1.2 trillion -- the middle ground of what President Barack Obama wants and what Republicans say they could stomach. Entitlement programs, mainly Medicare, will be cut by no less than $400 billion -- and perhaps a lot more, to get Republicans to swallow those tax hikes.
[Emphasis added]
-Politico
We can't let that happen. Taxes are set to go up automatically, no matter what else happens. Now, we need to rally DFA members in every state to push their Senators to take Medicare off the table. But we need to raise $25,000 by the end of the day to kick that campaign off strong.
Can you chip in $3 right now to help protect Medicare from massive cuts?
Republicans think they can take advantage of the fiscal showdown to ram through the sorts of massive cuts that we've stopped them from making in the past.
Democrats just won big in the election -- and they won on a powerful message of fighting for working families and ending the Bush tax cuts for the rich. Now, we just need Democrats to stand strong.
Please contribute $3 to protect Medicare from Republican cuts.
Thank you for everything you do.
-Jim
Jim Dean, Chair
Democracy for America
Another source,
California Healthline, has more:
Medicare
Friday, November 30, 2012
Obama's Sequestration Plan Includes Medicare Cuts; GOP Rejects Plan
On Thursday, President Obama released a two-stage plan to avert mandated spending cuts under sequestration that calls for $1.6 trillion in tax increases, in exchange for unspecified spending reductions this year followed by legislation in 2013 that would cut $400 billion from Medicare and other federal health programs over a decade, the AP/Sacramento Bee reports (Espo, AP/Sacramento Bee, 11/28).
House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) immediately rejected the proposal, saying that he expected more significant entitlement reforms in exchange for compromises on taxes (Montgomery/Kane, Washington Post, 11/29).
The proposal, which was delivered to the Capitol by Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, mirrors entitlement savings proposed by Obama in his fiscal year 2013 budget proposal, which Republicans have said is insufficient to tackle the program's structural problems.
The two-stage proposal would defer for one year about $110 billion in spending cuts domestic and defense programs that are set to take effect Jan. 2 (Hook et al., Wall Street Journal, 11/29).
In addition, the plan calls for year-end approval for new spending that, among other things, would prevent a scheduled reduction to Medicare physician reimbursement rates (AP/Sacramento Bee, 11/28). However, the proposal does not include major structural changes to Medicare, such as raising the eligibility age.
According to the Journal, Republicans have suggested a willingness to accept about $800 billion in revenue increases over 10 years, in exchange for significantly greater reductions in entitlement spending (Wall Street Journal, 11/29).
Read more: http://www.californiahealthline.org/...
Read more: http://www.californiahealthline.org/...
After reading the
diary today about the kossack losing insurance at work and all the commenters with trials an tribs with healthcare, decided to go ahead and chip in a little to kick off this push back effort.
We really need to be talking about expanding Medicare. Good to see that PNHP is continuing to educate and push forMedicare for All.
Welcome to PNHP.org!
Physicians for a National Health Program is a non-profit research and education organization of 18,000 physicians, medical students and health professionals who support single-payer national health insurance.
Click here to learn more!
With
26 million left without insurance even when ACA goes into full effect, we should keep pushing towards a future where there is more, not less, healthcare for all.
Namaste
divineorder huffing and puffing and hiking to stay healthy, Zion National Park, November 2012, by jakkalbessie
Sun Dec 02, 2012 at 8:47 AM PT: Move On is powering AFL-CIO petition you can sign....
http://signon.org/...
Tell Congress: No Cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and No Tax Cuts for the Rich
By AFL-CIO (Contact)
To be delivered to: The United States House of Representatives and The United States Senate
Petition Statement
I didn't vote this year for further attacks on the middle class. That why I'm calling on you to end the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2% and opposing any cuts to Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid benefits.
Petition Background
Congress will be back in Washington, D.C., on November 13 and they’ll be making high-stakes decisions on jobs, the Bush tax cuts for the richest 2%, and whether to cut Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid before the end of the year.
Corporations and millionaires—who spent record amounts trying to buy the election for Mitt Romney—are going to be spending tens of millions on a full frontal assault in the halls of Congress to keep their special perks.
Working families didn’t vote for further attacks on the middle class. Tell your Congress members: No cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security and no more tax cuts for the richest 2%.