Oppose Medicare cut
The proposed Republican budget contains a proposal to raise Medicare eligibility to age 67. This is a huge benefit cut and will do great harm to our middle and working class people.
It is difficult for a lot of people, especially those who have done manual labor, to work to age 67. For others who want to start their own business Medicare gives them security about health care and allows them to retire form their jobs. This increased overall economic activity. I know that I personally would have a hard time working until I’m 67.
I think this is really a slap in the face to middle and working class Americans, especially when Trump’s proposed tax reform will primarily benefit millionaires and billionaires. Republicans are once again taking from the middle class to give to the wealthy, who already control a disproportionate share of our national wealth.
Please contact all of those in Congress to oppose this massive cut.
Kathy Kerridge,
Benicia
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You are wrong Kathy. This will not happen. You use the word proposed Republican budget. It is just that proposed. Your comment on President Trump budget is pure Socialist Progressive politics with very little fact. I would go back and read the budget again and not use MSNBC, CNN, NYT and the Washington Post for your info. I need no facts they are in the budget proposal. You have none.
Like in many cases and topics, it appears that Bob is not at all informed. It is very, very sad when being able to offer facts is supeceded by vanity and ego. It is no wonder he so blindly follows his master in the White House. Knee jerk name calling response in 3,2,1…
Read the proposal TGP. I do know what I am talking about. You are the town Kook. It also appears you are very far left leaning Progressive.
TGP the LTTE writer offered no facts. Just an opinion. Read the proposal. Anything President Trump proposes you Socialist Liberals go kooky. Yes TGP you have became the town kook. Wear it with pride where ever you live now. I do not like commenting back to you. The only reason I do is to get a kooky response and to have a big laugh. You make my day. Just watch his very negative response come back at me. I do expect it.
Played him like a fiddle. LOL!!!!!
As expected a silly comment. “Here Comes The Judge”. We all remember Laugh In. It was funny , silly and was meant to make you laugh. Just as you do TGP. A very silly man . .
Song is over little fiddle man. You are out of your league.
At some point, as both Conservatives and Liberals agree, the country is going to have to deal with entitlement spending and deficits. We have massive unfunded deficits with both Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare.
So we can’t push Medicare to 67. Right? I will also assume we can’t extend Social Security to 70 as well, correct? So how are going to fund these systems that financially bankrupt? Raise taxes on the rich, right? Well that won’t even make a small dent in the projections. What else?
The letter writer needs to wean herself off the propaganda. The Medicare changes are not help the rich. It is a step to financial solvency. What do the progressives offer for solutions? Raise taxes on the rich … tax, tax, tax…. well in order to make solvency you are going to have to tax the middle and lower income classes. Offer solutions! Stop with the propaganda!
The stupid thing about the Republican budget proposal is changing Medicare to 67 throws a fraction of people off health insurance who really need it while saving very little money. As most people know, the big cost of Medicare is in the last two years before death when expenses are very high, not the first two. This is very different from Social Security where moving the retirement age out two years later saves a lot of money since it cuts off two years of payments (and the associated inflation increases).
As for fixing Medicare costs, they need to work on costs and funding. Medicare is funded with just a few percent of income (by the employee and employer). Increasing that by another 1 percent makes a huge difference in funding. Getting competition in drug costs would go a long way to cutting costs.
So your proposal is that everyone should pay 1 or 2 points more? Effectively doubling the tax. Perhaps that might work. But if it would cover the entire amount of the unfunded mandate deficit?
Also, if everyone pays, that means EVERYONE pays. Do you think that is politically viable?
The writer of the LTTE is concerned that a tax cut will primarily benefit those who pay the most in taxes. This should be a given. The real concern is how (if?) that tax cut will also have an impact on those who pay very little in taxes and are often the beneficiaries of such programs as the earned income tax credit.
We, as a nation, elected a President who was as far (if not the furthest) on left of the political spectrum as any in history. Yet income disparity increased during his presidency.
There are those who wish to decrease the disparity by punishing the achievers and passing what is taken (by force of law) down to those on the lower end of the economic scale. Presidents Kennedy and Reagan advocated an alternative: Decrease taxes, increase economic growth, and ‘raise the tide for all boats’, as JFK termed it. Both achieved what was desired: increased tax revenue and a stronger economy.
It is unfortunate for us as a nation that this concept is so strongly resisted, when it has been proven success. One must ask the motivation of those opposed. Do they do so because they are unaware of historical facts? Alternatively, do they do so out of a heartfelt (but misguided) motivation to assist the less fortunate? If it is the former, then shame on our educational system for such a failing.
At present Medicare is funded by 1% employee/employer with no age limit. I do believe a 1/2 % increase would go a long ways to settle this issue. Drugs as an added benefit during Bush 2 term are paid for by the government and that is why about only 92% is fully funded by the employee.employer. Medicare is an easy fix.
Good comment Dennis. They do so because of their very far left leaning Socialist Progressive values. Think Bernie. Very simple.