Sen. John McCain's rank hypocrisy on Medicare cuts

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

The Senate began debate of the health care reform bill on Moday and John McCain wasted no time in making a complete fool of himself. As Keith Olbermann noted in his intro to McCain's "remarkable performance" that "you'll have to see to believe" 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Monday, November 30

John McCain has just stepped into the health care debate. Well, he stepped in a lot more than just that actually. Senator McCain complains about the lack of specifics about supposed cuts to Medicare, then he lists them specifically. And he warns Americans of, quote, “all kind of provisions” that they‘re either unaware of or many of us have also become unaware of.

So, Mr. McCain, how long has it been since you became unaware of these provisions?

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But it was John McCain, the Republican from Arizona, who stole the spotlight today in a heated debate with Arizona Republican John McCain, including a dramatic back-and-forth over the bill‘s lack of specificity for which he had specifics.

Think Progress has the details. Despite Proposing $1.3 Trillion In Medicare Cuts Last Year, McCain Condemns Much Smaller Cuts In Senate Bill

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) introduced the first Republican amendment to the Senate’s health care reform bill. The so-called ‘motion to commit’ would send the legislation back to the Senate Finance Committee and instruct that committee to remove the $491 billion in proposed reductions from Medicare and Medicaid programs:

Madame President, simply put, this motion to commit would be a requirement that we eliminate the half a trillion dollars in Medicare cuts that is envisioned by this bill. A half a trillion dollars in cuts that are unspecified as to how, and a half a trillion dollars in cuts that would directly impact the health care of citizens in this country. … All of these are cuts in the obligations that we have assumed and are the rightful benefits that people have earned. … I will eagerly look forward to hearing from the authors of this legislation as to how they can possibly achieve a half a trillion dollars in cuts without impacting existing Medicare programs negatively and eventually lead to rationing of health care in this country. That is what this motion is all about. This motion is to eliminate those unwarranted cuts.

Watch it:

McCain then specified the Medicare cuts "that are unspecified": "Medicare advantage cuts totaling $118 billion. Medicare advisory board that would cost $23 billion. Hospital penalties totaling $7.1 billion. Home health care cuts totaling $42.1 billion. The list goes on and on."

McCain went on to say "I don‘t believe that the American people want this 2,000-and-some-page monstrosity, which is full—which is full of all kinds of provisions that they are either unaware of or even in the study of this legislation many of us have also become unaware of." Huh? 'Countdown with Keith Olbermann' for Monday, November 30

Think Progress continues:

McCain was for far more drastic Medicare cuts before he was against them. In October 2008, the McCain campaign announced that the Senator would pay for his health plan “with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid…in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.” Those cuts would have reduced Medicare and Medicaid spending by as much as 20% over 10 years and cut into benefits.

In 1997, McCain (along with many Democrats) voted for a series of Medicare cuts as part of the Balanced Budget Act of 1997. That act decreased Medicare spending by 12.7% over 10 years and instituted the kind of payment updates that the Senate bill is now recommending. In 1995, moreover, Republicans sought to cut 14% from projected Medicare spending over seven years and force millions of elderly recipients into managed health care programs or HMOs. As Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich admitted, “We don’t want to get rid of it in round one because we don’t think it’s politically smart,” he said. “But we believe that it’s going to wither on the vine because we think [seniors] are going to leave it voluntarily.”

While Republicans wanted to strip funding from Medicare to ultimately kill the program, Democrats are finding cost savings to extend the solvency of the Medicare trust fund and expand the number of seniors eligible for assistance with premiums and co-pays.

Now, obviously, insurance companies are all for these Medicare over-payments, and Democratic leadership isn't letting McCain off the hook for doing their bidding. Jim Manley, senior spokesman to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said, "the self-described foe of all earmarks is with one single amendment providing a big fat wet kiss for his friends in the insurance industry. All at the expense of millions of senior citizens." Reid Spokesman: McCain Amendment A 'Big Fat Wet Kiss' To The Insurance Industry | TPMDC

The DNC has a longer memory than Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) would like. DNC: John McCain's Hypocrisy Highlights Republican Hollowness | TPMDC

"John McCain's hypocrisy highlights the hollowness of Republicans labeling savings in Medicare from eliminating waste, fraud and abuse under the reform bills as 'cuts.' By the same definition, McCain wanted to 'cut' Medicare nearly three times as much from Medicare," reads a statement from DNC spokesman Hari Sevugan. "While Democrats are proposing reforms which will strengthen Medicare for the long haul by eliminating wasteful subsidies to the health insurance industry and eliminating over payments to providers and other waste in the system, Senate Republicans continue to lob erroneous and - in this case - hypocritical attacks on legislation that will improve the quality of life for millions of Americans."

Medicare fraud - estimated now to total about $60 billion a year - has become one of, if not the most profitable, crimes in America. Medicare Fraud: A $60 Billion Crime - 60 Minutes - CBS News (episode October 25, 2009). This bill is an attempt to do something about it and Sen. NcNasty pitches a fit about it on the floor of the Senate. Just who is he seeking to benefit and why? It's certainly not you and me.

Comments

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Today, I received a robo call from Senator John McCain telling me to call his office because if health care passes, (my) medicare will be cut - the inference being, I should be afraid. My opinion of the substance of this call cannot be repeated here or someone would ban me from BA. I consider this tactic to be beyond disgusting and since I didn't like the Senator before this call, I dislike him even more - after the call.

I remember Republicans like Jacob Javits and others who, while disagreeing with many Democratic programs, expressed their disagreement without being disagreeable. I guess the "new" Republican part doesn't remember the traditions of honest and civility.

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An addendum: I believe that if we rooted out the fraud, waste and abuse in Medicare, it would be financially healthy! So, maybe that would be a more useful and honest goal for McCain!!!! Hold hearings. Collect and analyze data. Now, that could help "save" medicare! But making robo calls to scare old people? Dirty pool!!!!