Billy Long: Why are you willing to kill Medicare?
Before he went on Spring Break, Representative Billy Long voted for Representative Paul Ryan's budget proposal. In an attempt to explain his vote for Ryan's proposal, Long declared, "don't believe what you read in the paper" and that something needed to be done because the system was designed when people only lived to be “48 years old.”
This is a May 9, 2011 LTE to StLToday.com:
Republican Rep. Paul Ryan's 2012 budget proposal was one of the most brutal attacks on the social safety net in decades and Rep. Billy Long of Missouri's 7th District, along with the majority of other Republicans in the House, joined him by voting for it.It is worth noting that under the Ryan proposal he voted for, Long will receive both Social Security and Medicare benefits.
Paul Krugman, in a New York Times Op-Ed piece dated April 7, 2011, called Rep. Ryan's budget bill both "ludicrous" and "cruel." "Ludicrous" because the budget projections were pure fantasy, "cruel" because it proposed massive spending cuts for programs that mainly help children, the poor and the elderly, while slashing taxes for corporations and the ultra-rich.
One of the main programs targeted by the Ryan budget was Medicare, which under the proposal would be destroyed in all but name, and replaced by a voucher program for seniors who'd be dumped into the private insurance market. And if the vouchers didn't cover the cost of insurance, too bad.
I challenge everyone to hold Rep. Billy Long and others who voted for this budget accountable by calling them and demanding an answer for why they voted yes. Even the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office reported that the Ryan budget would lead to bigger deficits and more debt. I also challenge Rep. Long to hold a public, advertised town hall meeting to explain himself. Rep. Long's Springfield office number is 417-889-1800 and in Washington it's 202-225-6536. For more information refer to https://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/08/opinion/08krugman.html?_r=1.
Richard G. Green
Ozark, Mo.
16 comments:
I do wonder if Mr Greene also submitted his letter to the SN-L, and if so what odds you are placing that said letter will be published.
Suppose he could try the Community Free Press. Does Steve Helms' weekly blat make room for letters?
-pp
word verification: crumpet
Is it possible that Medicare could destroy us? Oh I know, let's tax the rich to pay for it. The CBO's math tells us if you took the entire wealth of the top 5% it would not solve the unfunded problems of Medicare. The solution is not to throw more money at an out of control medical community.
Anon: 11:09 PM--
you must be practicing 'fuzzy math'...
show me.
Free Bozo!
That crawfishin' dirty MF'er.
He ain't even a good liar.
It is also worthy to note that Long voted in favor of the RSC budget proposal that was even more drastic than the Ryan plan.
It nearly passed, too, due to Democrats voting present and some Republicans having to change their vote so they didn't look bad in front of their constituents. No such concerns for Long.
Does anyone posting here have specific recommendations on providing long-term solutions to deficit government spending; funding Social Security and Medicare long-term; and, improving the private sector's econonimic conditions to provide jobs; and, reduce the size and costs of government at all levels to reduce current and future costs to taxpayers?
Representative Ryan's proposal to gradually move the healthcare industry away from government oversight and administration (Medicare) to private insurance has one major advantage. Private insurers will not allow the reported fraud and abuse that has been reported for Medicare. Why is is that private industry will not tolerate these problems and government will? Think about it, would you rather have a system whereby the oversight is in the hands of Billy Long, or industry professionals?
@11:06 Yes. The question is does Billy Long. The answer to that question is probably no.
Anon 11:16,
"Industry professionals" are so successful because they can deny coverage to people that have to go on Medicare.
Free Bozo from this evil man who wants to kill your grandma and grandpa!
Anon 11:06--
budget cuts and revenue enhancements.
Let Medicare negotiate on drug prices. Right now they can't do that because of Republicans.
Let Bush tax cuts expire.
Don't get sick and if you do, die quickly.
Anon @ 1106
Yes I have the answer....
bring home the troops from Iraq and Afganistan and use that money for medicare.
why spend all that money on people who don't give a dang about us?
spend it at home.
but for you war mongels .....
tomleemo
Billy looks like he has put on a lot of weight since coming a Congressman.
12:21 & tomleemo,
Excellent recommendations. See, it is not that difficult to come up with some simple but effective recommendations. Why can't those a$$holes in Washington do the same thing?
11:06
@8:52 what do you expect from the a$$hole from the 7th.
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