Update [2009-9-10 8:9:14 by Steven D]: Did you know Republican Representative (and former surgeon) Charles Boustany who gave the Republican response to Obama’s speech was sued three times for malpractice? And each time the patient was awarded money for the level of treatment he provided to them? Or that he defended the birthers? Neither did I. Until now, that is. Perfect guy to give the GOP response, don’t you think?
The short version of Republican Representative Boustany’s response to Obama’s speech:
Obama wants to force government run health care down your poor little throats. It will cost you a fortune! And it would cut Medicare benefits by half a trillion dollars! If only those nasty Democrats would work with us nice, friendly, caring Republicans (who think you all are too fat, by the way, which is the real reason health care costs so much, so lose some weight you slackers).
Who’s lying now?
Medicare would be cut FIVE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS? Uh, not exactly:
Myth: Health care reform will hurt Medicare.
Fact: None of the health care reform proposals being considered by Congress would cut Medicare benefits or increase your out-of-pocket costs for Medicare services.
Fact: Health care reform will lower prescription drug costs for people in the Medicare Part D coverage gap or “doughnut hole” so they can get better afford the drugs they need.
Fact: Health care reform will protect seniors’ access to their doctors and reduce the cost of preventive services so patients stay healthier.
Fact: Health care reform will reduce costly, preventable hospital readmissions, saving patients and Medicare money.
Fact: Rather than weaken Medicare, health care reform will strengthen the financial status of the Medicare program.
Bottom Line: For people in Medicare, health care reform is about lowering prescription drug costs for people in the “doughnut hole”, keeping the doctor of your choice, improving the quality of care, and eliminating billions in waste that is causing poor care and medical errors. [AARP, accessed 9/9/09]
Well that’s just the AARP, a known communist front organization, right?
So let’s look at who else thinks thinks that the pants of Repubilcans, like Rep. Boustany, who make this claim, are on fire:
The House bill would trim projected increases in payments for hospitals, insurance companies, pharmaceutical companies and others, including home health care providers and suppliers of motor-driven wheelchairs. But it also proposes what CBO estimates is a $245 billion increase in spending for doctors, by canceling a scheduled 21 percent cut in physician payments. None of the “savings” or “cuts” (whichever you prefer) come from reducing current or future benefit levels for seniors.
According to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis of HR 3200, among other changes to the Medicare payment structure, the legislation “provides for a 5% payment bonus, effective January 1, 2011, for evaluation and management services and other services associated with ensuring accessible, continuous, coordinated, and comprehensive care when provided by a physician or other practitioner who specializes in family medicine, general internal medicine, general pediatrics or geriatrics.”
“A related myth is that health-care reform will be financed through $500 billion in Medicare cuts. This refers to proposed decreases in Medicare increases. That is, spending is on track to reach $803 billion in 2019 from today’s $422 billion, and that would be dialed back. Even the $560 billion in reductions (which would be spread over 10 years and come from reducing payments to private Medicare advantage plans, reducing annual increases in payments to hospitals and other providers, and improving care so seniors are not readmitted to a hospital) is misleading: the House bill also gives Medicare $340 billion more over a decade. The money would pay docs more for office visits, eliminate copays and deductibles for preventive care, and help close the ‘doughnut hole’ in the Medicare drug benefit, explains Medicare expert Tricia Neuman of the Kaiser Family Foundation.”
Lucky for Rep. Boustany, none of those thuggish bands of roaming socialist fascist gangs from ACORN and the unions were able to interrupt his speech by heckling him and calling him a liar. But come to think of it, I can’t recall when a Republican President has been called a liar to his face while addressing Congress. I guess the Republicans got confused and thought they were members of the British Parliament. Well, Obama brought it on himself, I suppose. He is after all a Halfrican (according the the acknowledged Leader of the Confederate States of America Republican party). He should have been more discerning in the choice of his parents.
Bonus History Lesson: Who was it that beat a Northern abolitionist Senator Charles Sumner with a cane on the floor of the Senate? Why a slave owning Congressman from South Carolina, that’s who!
(cont.)
One southerner, Preston Brooks, a member of the House of Representatives from South Carolina, was particularly incensed. Not only had the fiery Sumner ridiculed his home state, but Brooks was the nephew of Andrew Butler, one of Sumner’s targets.
In the mind of Brooks, Sumner had violated some code of honor which should be avenged by fighting a duel. But Brooks felt that Sumner, by attacking Butler when he was home recuperating and not present in the Senate, had shown himself not to be a gentlemen deserving of the honor of dueling. Brooks thus reasoned that the proper response was for Sumner to be beaten, with a whip or a cane. […]
The following day, May 22, proved fateful. After trying to find Sumner outside the Capitol, Brooks entered the building and walked into the Senate chamber. Sumner sat at his desk, writing letters. […]
Brooks hesitated before approaching Sumner, as several women were present in the Senate gallery. After the women left, Brooks walked to Sumner’s desk, and reportedly said: “You have libeled my state and slandered my relation, who is aged and absent. And I feel it to be my duty to punish you.”
With that, Brooks struck the seated Sumner across the head with his heavy cane. Sumner, who was quite tall, could not get to his feet as his legs were trapped under his Senate desk, which was bolted to the floor. Brooks continued raining blows with the cane upon Sumner, who tried to fend them off with his arms. Sumner finally was able to break the desk free with his thighs, and staggered down the aisle of the Senate.
Brooks followed him, breaking the cane over Sumner’s head and continuing to strike him with pieces of the cane. The entire attack probably lasted for a full minute, and left Sumner dazed and bleeding. Carried into a Capitol anteroom, Sumner was attended by a doctor, who administered stitches to close wounds on his head. […]
Southern newspapers published editorials lauding Brooks, claiming that the attack was a justified defense of the south and slavery. Supporters sent Brooks new canes, and Brooks claimed that people wanted pieces of the cane he used to beat Sumner as “holy relics.”
South Carolina politicians: First in boorish, ugly nasty behavior for over 150 years. So you see, Obama got off easy by the standard set by prior South Carolinian Congressmen. At least he didn’t have to be hospitalized. And hey, Rep. Joe “Big Mouth Bass” Wilson even apologized (though Our Lady of the Concentration Camps’ lackey, Allahpundit, thinks he shouldn’t have).
