rssGOP Leaders Back Away From Fishy ‘Democratic Memo’ on Health Care
Friday, March 19, 2010 at 3:52 pm
- 15 Comments
Shortly after Politico reported on an “internal Democratic memo” telling members to spin away the looming cost of a “doc fix,” Republicans began pointing reporters to the story. But two hours after the story went up, TPM reported that Democrats were calling the memo a “hoax,” and Politico pulled the story. At a 3:30 press conference called “to highlight the concerns over the Democrats’ budget gimmick to temporarily exclude a $371 billion ‘Doc Fix’ from the health reform bill,” Reps. Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) quickly dismissed the memo.
“Look,” said Cantor, “the appropriate question there is, ask the reporter who wrote the article. I know nothing beyond what I read in Politico.” The “real hoax,” he said, was on “the American people.”
Ryan was even quicker on the dismissal. “Who cares about a memo?” he asked.
Here’s the email blast sent to reporters by the office of Rep. Eric Cantor at 1:52 p.m.
Did Ya Get the Memo? Dems Hide $1.3 Trillion Cost
We cannot emphasize this enough: do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative.,” the memo says.… The inclusion of a full SGR repeal would undermine reform’s budget neutrality. So again, do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative
$1.3 Trillion
EXCLUSIVE — Democrats plan doc fix after reform
Politico: Posted by Chris Frates 12:46 PM
http://www.politico.com/livepulse/
Democrats are planning to introduce legislation later this spring that would permanently repeal annual Medicare cuts to doctors, but are warning lawmakers not to talk about it for fear that it will complicate their push to pass comprehensive health reform. The plans undercut the party’s message that reform lowers the deficit, according to a memo obtained by POLITICO.
Democrats removed the so-called doc fix from the reform legislation last year because its $371-billion price tag would have made it impossible for Democrats to claim that their bill reduces the deficit. Republicans have argued for months that by stripping the doc fix from the bill, Democrats were playing a shell game.
“Most health staff are already aware that our health proposal does not contain a ‘doc fix.’ … The inclusion of a full SGR repeal would undermine reform’s budget neutrality. So again, do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative. Instead, focus only on the deficit reduction and number of Americans covered,” the memo, sent Thursday to Democratic staff, said.
“As most health staff knows, leadership and the White House are working with the AMA to rally physicians for a full SGR repeal later this spring. However, both health and communications staff should understand we do not want that policy discussion discussed at this time, lest (it) complicate the last critical push to pass health reform,” according to the memo.
The memo helps explains why the American Medical Association has supported reform even though their top legislative priority, the doc fix, was left out. The group is working behind the scenes with Democratic leadership and the White House to fix the cuts later this year.
Indeed, in a statement this afternoon, the AMA announced its support for the reconciliation bill — and hinted that the debate is not over with reform’s passage.
“This is not the last step, but the next step toward real health system reform. We will remain actively engaged with Congress and the administration to ensure that before Congress adjourns there are additional important changes to our health system,” AMA president James Rohack said. “Congress must act to preserve access to care for seniors and military families by permanently repealing the Medicare physician payment formula that will cut Medicare payments by 21 percent next month.”
The memo also repeatedly advises Democrats not to discuss the details of the CBO score. “We cannot emphasize this enough: do not allow yourself (or your boss) to get into a discussion of the details of CBO scores and textual narrative. Instead, focus only on the deficit reduction and number of Americans covered,” the memo says.
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Comment posted March 19, 2010 @ 9:40 pm
S.3081 – Enemy Belligerent, Interrogation, Detention and Prosecution Act of 2010 proposed by Senators Lieberman and McCain “…removes the right to trial for American Citizens and gives government the AUTHORITY to detain Americans INDEFINITELY for SUSPECTED TERRORIST ACTIVITY…”
WHAT?
The really IMPORTANT thing about this Act is just WHO defines SUSPECTED ACTIVITY? I’m sure the CRIMINALS and CONS who oversaw the most recent greatest looting of wealth and resources in US history… FEEL THREATENED by those who would CALL for JUSTICE.
Republicans know DEMANDS for ethics, responsibility and accountability are going to come down HARD on them. Especially McCain/Lieberman who’ve been covering up Banking/Financial/Wall St SCANDALS since the 80’s. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out what comes next…
Like wealthy Aristocrats have been saying all through history: “We can hire half the POOR PEOPLE to get rid of the rest, especially the boat-rockers”. So LAW ENFORCEMENT will be protecting those who ravaged and expatriated most of our nation’s wealth and resources from punishment for their crimes… It’s like these GOP elitists are telling Americans to “EAT CAKE”.
If Republicans take back Congress there’s definitely going to be some kind of revolution not long after. The Concerned Citizens of America have seen the light…
I’m going to make sure future generation know about dolts who vote Republican Party so THEY don‘t make the mistakes. Republicans/Conservatives have PROVEN THEMSELVES to be the worst kind of human beings. And suckers too, these so-called great Americans allowed themselves to be LIED TO over and over. Paranoia, misinformation, fear mongering, racism, hypocrisy and hysteria on a level not seen since the McCarthy Era.
Conservative wackos are NOT well-informed or smart enough to recognize the CON… these right-wing reactionaries got PLAYED FOR FOOLS, bigtime! SO WHY SHOULD ANY AMERICAN CITIZEN TRUST THEM NOW? To be honest after the Bush/Cheney disaster I CAN’T STAND these dumb@$$, redneck, right-wing degenerates. It’s ALL I can do to hold myself back from punching these idiots in the head… HEY they ain’t using their brains much anyway. YOU WANT ANOTHER CIVIL WAR? Let’s GO!
THE PLEDGE:
I’m going to shout IT from the hills and preach IT in the valleys. I’ll post IT on the message boards, tell IT in chat rooms and tweet IT on Twitter. Cold call, register voters, circulate petitions… I’ll get up on the soapbox and speak to ANYONE who wants to LISTEN! I’ll organize MASSIVE letter/email writing campaigns to CONCERNED CITIZENS everywhere…
You LOVE the USA? Then the ONLY reasonable, rational, common sense thing to do is GET RID OF REPUBLICAN PARTY. Kick the vain, corrupt, lying silver spoon ******’s down to 3rd Party status… You Republicans are NOT even a political party anymore… MORE LIKE A CULT!
AMEN
lol
Here’s an example to make my point obvious:
consciousmc.blogspot.com
Comment posted March 20, 2010 @ 2:50 pm
I'm shocked, shocked I tell you that Republicans would engage in deliberate deception!
Comment posted March 21, 2010 @ 5:37 am
This sort of thing is what keeps “fence-sitters” stupid to the actual facts. I've seen it here locally in my state, as well as TWI.
It's been the biggest roadblock to healthcare reform, and will continue to be for all other legislation from Congress. It seems the “Hollywood” syndrome has affected America. We're so enamored of being scared, that the most impressionable among us would rather fawn over drug addled rabble-rousers and idiots with chalkboards than be educated on the facts of a bill. Or anything else. When Fox noise is purportedly the “most widely watched” news source, something is very wrong.
What is perplexing is the absolute acceptance of obvious hypocrisy. I suppose the saying IS true that if you want to keep someone stupid, keep them entertained. I hear Sarah Palin wants a show of her own…..
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Comment posted August 29, 2010 @ 12:01 pm
I'm shocked, shocked I tell you that Republicans would engage in deliberate deception!
Comment posted November 8, 2010 @ 12:39 pm
Greetings I recently finished reading through your blog and I'm very impressed. I do have a couple questions for you personally however. Do you think you're thinking about doing a follow-up posting about this? Will you be going to keep bringing up-to-date as well?
Comment posted November 16, 2010 @ 4:28 pm
The article is very interesting, but some issues still remained less affected. I hope that a future article and will reveal things behind the scenes, things that show us the true face of this.
Comment posted December 6, 2010 @ 2:17 pm
We’re so enamored of being scared, that the most impressionable among us would rather fawn over drug addled rabble-rousers and idiots with chalkboards than be educated on the facts of a bill. door to door dry cleaners lonond
Comment posted December 21, 2010 @ 6:24 am
Republicans have argued for months that by stripping the doc fix from the bill, Democrats were playing a shell game.
Comment posted March 7, 2011 @ 12:25 pm
Great post, I have found it very interesting and informative. Keep up the good work.
Comment posted May 6, 2011 @ 10:16 pm
Great
article, i was reading something similar on another website that i was
researching. I will be sure to look around more. thanks…
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