The below "Dollar Store exchange" promises to trade a healthy horse for a sick one.
This is more drown the government in a battub BS; attempting to trade entitlement cuts for an equal addition to the debt ceiling. No mention of tax hikes or increased revenue in article.
Corker introduces bill trading nearly $1T in entitlement cuts for debt-ceiling hike
By Ramsey Cox - 12/12/12 04:36 PM ET http://thehill.com/...
Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) introduced a bill Wednesday to trade nearly $1 trillion in entitlement savings for an equal hike in the debt ceiling.
Corker said the Dollar For Dollar Act would include $937 billion in savings from Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, with an equivalent, dollar-for-dollar hike to the debt ceiling.
Corker said his plan is based on recommendations from the Bowles-Simpson Fiscal Commission and the Domenici-Rivlin Debt Reduction Task Force.
Corker offered some details about his bill during a speech on the Senate floor Wednesday. Corker said his bill would raise the age of Medicare eligibility to 67 and would include the Medicare Total Health package that would increase private-sector competition for covering the elderly. Corker also said there would be a form of means-testing, making wealthy Medicare recipients pay more of their healthcare needs.
Corker said he’d also “slowly” raise the age of eligibility for Social Security benefits, but did not specify an age.
His Orwellian
"Medicare Total Health" package would increase private-sector competition for covering the elderly, more means-testing and implement a chained Consumer Price Index for Social Security; hum, privatizing Medicare and squeezing Social Security payments and giving states waivers on Medicaid. Where have we seen this movie before?
Perhaps, shrewd leaders will get out in front of this as well, "Republicans, keep your hands off my Medicare and Social Security;" make the Republicans own this!
I imagine the Repugs with The Fix the Debt campaign's help will attempt to sell this as wisdom form heaven; them having the courage to make sacrifices and all.
Wall Street transaction tax anyone, millionaire surcharge anyone, negotiating Pharmaceutical Medicare prices anyone; hoping Democrats counter with "The People's Budget." Actually, I hope the new Democratic Congress is ready to hit the floors of both chambers running; presenting progressive bills in rapid succession.
In the meantime, Republicans want to raise eligibility ages for Medicare and Social Security. That ought to do get a little more attention.