McCain Going After the "Third Rail" in American Politics: Social Security (and Medicare, Medicaid)

By: KathyinBlacksburg
Published On: 10/6/2008 10:22:24 PM

The Dow plummeted again.  Credit stayed close to frozen.  Retirees and near-retirees shuddered.  Fear is everywhere, even among the younger voters who have time to regroup financially.  And yet despite how clear it now is that we must protect Social Security (more clear, in fact, than ever before), John McCain wants not only to gut that program, but also Medicare and Medicaid.  It's not an exaggeration to suggest that the wanna-be elderly president, the oldest wannabe in US history, John McCain, plans to destroy the lives of the nation's seniors.

Today, we read here that John McCain will cut 1.3 trillion from Medicare and Medicaid.  Coupled with his intent to privatize Social Security (while obfuscating by calling his plan not privatization, but "personal accounts"), John McCain's policies would bring poverty and ruin to the most of the nation's seniors.  This is a time when seniors are suffering more than any other age group, and going bankrupt in record number, often due to health care expenses.  But McCain wants them to bear more than their share of his destructo tax cuts.
Here's what the Wall Street Journal wrote:

John McCain would pay for his health plan with major reductions to Medicare and Medicaid, a top aide said, in a move that independent analysts estimate could result in cuts of $1.3 trillion over 10 years to the government programs.

The Republican presidential nominee has said little about the proposed cuts, but they are needed to keep his health-care plan "budget neutral," as he has promised. The McCain campaign hasn't given a specific figure for the cuts, but didn't dispute the analysts' estimate.

In the months since Sen. McCain introduced his health plan, statements made by his campaign have implied that the new tax credits he is proposing to help Americans buy health insurance would be paid for with other tax increases.

And then there is this admission from the McCain campaing:

But Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Sen. McCain's senior policy adviser, said Sunday that the campaign has always planned to fund the tax credits, in part, with savings from Medicare and Medicaid.

But he'd take away health care from seniors, who are, on average, more in need of health care than other Americans.  Talk about biting the hand that feeds him!  Besides radical right (wrong) wing voters, seniors provide McCain's next biggest support group.  Once again, the may vote against their own interests!

It is increasingly clear that especially the older among us must fear a possible McCain presidency.  We must get the word out on this.  Don't let a senior you know and love vote Republican.


Comments



There goes Florida... (ericy - 10/6/2008 10:40:19 PM)

What the hell was he thinking...


Ask any doctor (Great Blue - 10/6/2008 10:45:28 PM)
or any medical billing specialist.  They are already turning away Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries in droves, because those programs pay so much less than the going rate.  This will lead to a real decrease in care, among the poor, disabled and seniors, who most need medical care.  Shameful.


I'm beginning to think (Ron1 - 10/7/2008 12:17:41 AM)
that McCain is trying to see just how badly he can lose this election. We know he likes to gamble, so maybe someone gave him good odds on a record losing margin.  


Now we know (Teddy - 10/7/2008 1:16:29 AM)
exactly what the the corporate elite really intends for us; McCain, in sucking up to them has revealed it all.  They thought they had the perfect instrument in Bush II, but things got a little out of hand. It's sort of nice to have it laid out so plainly that not even the usual apologists can obfuscate it. One way or another, McCain's platform is the blueprint. Pleasant view, isn't it.

If "they" cannot somehow trick McC into office, watch what starts popping up under cover of a great advertising campaign out of nowhere once the new Administration takes office and the new Congress convenes. It will be everything McCain proposes, re-packaged.  Like what? Oh, say a big panicky cry that social security (or Medicare) is on the ropes and we cannot, given our continuing financial implosion, continue with it, therefore we must reform social security (or Medicare) immediately by somehow destroying it, privatizing it.... Stay tuned.  



This is the story that should be sent to everyone's parents (Hugo Estrada - 10/7/2008 9:45:21 AM)


Good job of bringing this out Kathy (AnonymousIsAWoman - 10/7/2008 9:46:59 AM)
Right now the immediate economic crisis is sucking up all the attention.  But McCain's whole economic policy, from tax breaks for large corporations and rich donors to funding cuts  for seniors and the destruction of Social Security, would turn us into a third world, third rate country.

I'd hate to be a retired person depending on returns from a 401K plan right now.  Unlike the old defined benefits pensions, the defined contribution retirement accounts are seriously hurting newly retired people.  Many will have to consider returning to work, at least part time if not ending their retirement entirely.  Think what will happen to many of us when we hit our 80s and don't even have that option.  There's an old labor song by the late Joe Glazer, a labor troubedour, with lyrics that asked "When you're too old to work but too young to die, who will take care of you?"

Worth asking again before a disatrous McCain administration ever has a chance to win.