Even Bill Clinton Disagrees With House Dems’ Plan to Bankrupt Medicare
May 26, 2011
FYI, a similar version of this release below went out to the following districts: Jason Altmire (PA-04), John Barrow (GA-12), Sanford Bishop (GA-02), Tim Bishop (NY-01), Dan Boren (OK-02), Leonard Boswell (IA-03), Bruce Braley (IA-01), Dennis Cardoza (CA-18), Russ Carnahan (MO-03), Ben Chandler (KY-06), Gerry Connolly (VA-11), Jim Cooper (TN-05), Jim Costa (CA-20), Mark Critz (PA-12), Henry Cuellar (TX-28), Joe Donnelly (IN-02), Raul Grijalva (AZ-07), Martin Heinrich (NM-01), Brian Higgins (NY-27), Jim Himes (CT-04), Ruben Hinojosa (TX-15), Tim Holden (PA-17), Rush Holt (NJ-12), Jay Inslee (WA-01), Steve Israel (NY-02), Bill Keating (MA-10), Dale Kildee (MI-05), Ron Kind (WI-03), Larry Kissell (NC-08), Rick Larsen (WA-02), David Loebsack (IA-02), Jim Matheson (UT-02), Carolyn McCarthy (NY-04), Mike McIntyre (NC-07), Jerry McNerney (CA-11), Michael Michaud (ME-02), Brad Miller (NC-13), Bill Owens (NY-23), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), Gary Peters (MI-09), Collin Peterson (MN-07), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), David Price (NC-04), Nick Rahall (WV-03), Mike Ross (AR-04), Loretta Sanchez (CA-47), Heath Shuler (NC-11), Adam Smith (WA-09), Betty Sutton (OH-13), John Tierney (MA-06), Niki Tsongas (MA-05), Pete Visclosky (IN-01), Tim Walz (MN-01), Anthony Weiner (NY-09), John Yarmuth (KY-03)
Even Bill Clinton Disagrees With Ross’ Plan to Bankrupt Medicare
Arkansas Democrat’s Plan to Cut Medicare, Slash Benefits Gets Criticized by ex-President
Washington — Mike Ross continues to demagogue and attack the only truly workable plan to save Medicare in order to distract from his own current plan to end Medicare as we know it when it goes bankrupt. Now, even former President Bill Clinton is scolding Ross and his fellow Democrats’ disastrous plan to let Medicare run out of money. Although they continue to demagogue the plan to preserve Medicare, Ross and his Democrat allies will actually be the ones who force massive cuts to current seniors enrolled in Medicare when it runs out of money in just 13 years.
“Mike Ross is more committed than ever to distorting the truth and playing political games with Medicare in order to hide the fact that the Democrats’ current plan is the most disastrous outcome for seniors,” said NRCC Communications Director Paul Lindsay. “However, as Medicare deteriorates further and requires action more than ever, even former President Bill Clinton is calling Ross out for his own disastrous plan to slash benefits and end Medicare as we know it when runs out of money.”
Medicare continues to run in the red, and the Obama Administration itself found that immediate benefit cuts to current seniors enrolled in the program will be required when it runs out of money in 13 years:
“The annual checkup said that the Medicare hospital insurance fund will now be exhausted in 2024, five years earlier than last year’s estimate. The new report says that the Social Security trust fund will be exhausted in 2036, one year earlier than before.”
“The trustees for the trust funds said in their annual report that the worsening financial picture emphasized the need for Congress to make changes to avoid disruptive consequences in the future for millions of people who depend on health and pension benefits.”
(Stephen Ohlemacher, “Trustees: Worsening picture for benefit programs,” Associated Press, 5/13/11)
“If the trust funds run out, the programs no longer would be able to pay full benefits. … Medicare could pay 90% starting in 2024, dropping to 75% in 2045.” (Richard Wolf, “Medicare, Social Security running out of money faster,” USA Today, 5/13/11)
Former President Clinton noticed the Democrats’ demagoguery and called them out for it:
“But, he added, ‘I am afraid that the Democrats will draw the conclusion … that we shouldn’t do anything. I completely disagree with that.'”
“‘The Democrats may have to give up some short-term political gain by whipping up fear, if it’s a reasonable Social Security proposal, if it’s a reasonable Medicare proposal. You cannot have healthcare devour the economy,’ he said.” (Erik Wasson, “Bill Clinton to Dems: ‘Don’t Avoid Medicare Reforms After NY Win,'” The Hill‘s On The Money Blog, 5/25/11)
Mike Ross can continue to mislead and hide the truth on what his plan to cut Medicare really does, but even former President Clinton is noticing and calling him out for his charade. Ross and his fellow Democrats are now running out of options to hide the fact that the biggest threat to seniors on Medicare is their current plan to let Medicare go bankrupt and force immediate cuts to benefits.
Even Bill Clinton Disagrees With House Dems’ Plan to Bankrupt Medicare http://ow.ly/53BJW #madeinwdc
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