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The Spectacle Blog
At CFIF, I opine about David Catron’s excellent piece defending Medicare Part D. I see that Jim Antle just now did the same, just below at this blog site. I come down more on Antle’s side than on Catron’s, but it is really important to understand the power of Catron’s arguments. Every single one of his arguments is valid, EVEN IF one reaches different conclusions than he did. From a cost standpoint, Part D has been one of the only federal programs in history to substantially outperform (i.e., to come in so under cost) its original projections — and not just by a tiny bit, but by a whole lot.
The key thing to remember is that for longtime entitlement reformers like Santorum and Paul Ryan, the vote for Part D was a really, really hard decision; it was hardly as black and white as some people in retrospect might want to pretend. I myself had a virtual conniption fit when it passed, because it made me so angry. Folks who led the effort against it, such as Mike Pence of Indiana, are heroes. But that doesn’t mean that everybody who voted for it is thereby a villain — especially in the Senate.
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More Blog Posts by Quin Hillyer
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/02/20/on-medicare-part-d
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Windy City Commentary| 2.20.12 @ 1:26PM
Quin, I just have to hear your take on the latest column from your buddy, Jennifer Rubin- "Is Santorum the Sharon Angle of 2012?"
http://www.washingtonpost.com/.....inions_pop
WL| 2.20.12 @ 2:27PM
Jennifer Rubin's (supposed) support for Santorum...has gone the way of the Arab Spring...
Both were never really there...
Oldefarte| 2.20.12 @ 1:49PM
With all due respect to the factual arguments against this extension of Medicare for seniors' [I being one now] drug coverages, I am getting sick and tired of this political bashing of the over 65 crowd and their Medicare and Social Security. To repeat for the thousandth time, THESE ARE NOT ENTITLEMENTS! Most of the recipients of same WORKED FOR AND PAID FOR THROUGH A LIFETIME OF PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS AND WERE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR SAME UNTIL 65+. Are these programs underfunded, hell yes! Why, because the GD politicians have STOLEN money-funding from same for decades in order to provide government welfare to indigents [WHO HAVEN'T/DON'T/WON'T PAY FOR SAME] receiving '''''''''MEDICAID''''''', along with aid to this that and everything else, food stamps, etc. Why isn't anyone having the courage-b*lls to tell the truth about what is and what is not an ENTITLEMENT, with the former being ENTIRELY FREE and the latter not being so? Why isn't anyone showing the guts to demand that the former is the real problem for the government and therefore for taxpayers, due to the out of control birthing of indigents requiring governmental welfare at taxpayers' expense [which causes the defecit and debt to increase exponentially]? Why isn't anyone calling out this president and this administration for their constant harping regarding the need for so-called MILLIONAIRES & BILLIONAIRES [ie anyone with income] to pay their '''''FAIR SHARE'''''' of taxes to support this explosion of indigents requiring welfare, instead of criticisms of seniors who PAID FOR THEIR SS/MEDICARE/PART D???????? Why are people so GD stupid over this current religious war over contraceiption when without same, the welfare indigent class will multiply even more requiring even higher taxes to be paid by the income producers? Why doesn't some grow a brain and think? The seniors were screwed recently over this payroll tax installationa dn extension, and not one legislator, not one journalist [other than Rush Limbaugh] had the b*lls to tell the truth about same.....THAT IT WAS THE SOCIAL SECURITY TAX THAT FUNDS THE SS SYSTEM THAT WAS ONCE AGAIN TAKING A REDUCTIVE HIT FROM 6% TO 4%, ALL TO PAY MORE ''''''WELFARE'''''TO THE UNEMPLOYED OF THIS COUNTRYAND TO INCREASE THE PAYCHECKS OF THE EMPLOYEDS CURRENTLY!!!!! I'm sick and tired of this constant crap about SS, Medicare and Part D being the main culprit, when its recipients again PAID FOR same and are now getting screwed. And why? Simple so that these mongrels running their redistributive road show from DC and STEAL FROM SENIORS and thereafter give it to THEIR SNOTNOSED CONSITUENTS EITHER WORKIN FAST FOOD JOINTS OR BLOWING SMOKE UP THEIR NOSTRILS ON STREET
CORNERS! Please, will someone have the guts to tell the truth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oldefarte| 2.20.12 @ 1:59PM
PS: I fully understand that Part D was an unfunded ADD ON to SS, but still, it was a gift to seniors by the Bush administration. Conversely, ALL OF MEDICAID AND GOVERNMENT WELFARE TO INDIGENT RECIPIENTS is and ADD ON [since none of same is ever paid for by its recipients]!!!!!!!!!
Clint| 2.20.12 @ 4:10PM
Dr. Ron Paul would ‘transition America out’ of Medicare, Social Security
http://blog.reidreport.com/201.....-security/
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Oldefarte| 2.20.12 @ 5:07PM
Who gives an excrement since he'll never be president!!!!!!!!
Clint| 2.20.12 @ 5:49PM
Gee, RINO-CINO Flunkie Stooge Gas Pants, If Ricky Santorum Wins In Michigan, Your RINO-CINO GOP Fop Patrician Frontman, Mittens Romney Won't Win Enough Delegates To Be The Republican Nominee.
The Tea Party Rebellion Steps On The Gas Man.
Windy City Commentary| 2.20.12 @ 3:24PM
Quin, you better get ready to defend your boy Santorum from Drudge and the Piranhas at National Review. Just as Drudge put up his BIG and BOLD headlines trumpeting a perceived demise of Newt, he's doing it again; this time to Santorum. Is there any doubt that Matt Drudge is a Romney campaign shill? What a shame.
WL| 2.20.12 @ 5:23PM
I thought the same thing this morning...I sure hate to think it about Drudge...but it sure is getting hard to deny it...
The national review is nothing more than an RNC talking points bulletin these days...so no surprise there...
Has anyone else noticed how Ron Paul...only seems to hit Newt and Rick?...He seems to come to Romney's defense every chance he gets...If he was really as anti-establishment as he says he is...they why is is so eager to curry favor with Romney?
I am becoming more and more convinced that R. Paul is a blatent Fraud...you know...one of those "Romney-Firster-Bund-Phoney- AssToupee- sniveling old Cranks..."
Huh Clint? Romney Paul Bunds Are Rising Against the Tea Party Rebellion.. right????
WL| 2.20.12 @ 5:24PM
Just in case my drivel didn't make sense...I was trying to type like our resident fool ...Clint the Ron Paul lackey.
Clint| 2.20.12 @ 6:12PM
Apparently Now You're Admitting That You're Another Israel Firster Smear Bund Driveler,WL.
Aaaaaand, You're Attempting To Be A Capitalist , Like Tea Party Clint.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
Clint| 2.20.12 @ 6:06PM
Duuuuhhhhh !
Do Your Homework, Israel Firster Smear Bund Buffoon, WL.
" Mr. Paul, a 76-year-old congressman from Texas, sees his three Republican rivals as more or less the same politically. He can be tough on Mr. Romney, whom he describes as a flip-flopper with a dubious political core.
“He’s been all over the place on some of this stuff,” Mr. Paul said in a recent interview near his Texas home. But he seems to segregate those views from his personal feelings for Mr. Romney, whom he sees as a steady, dignified personality whose devotion to wife and family reflect his own values. "
Little Ricky Specter-Santorum Is Our Useful Dupe To Stop Mittens In Michigan.
The Tea Party Rebellion Heads To A Brokered Convention.
aware| 2.21.12 @ 5:34AM
I shot myself in the foot so the other guy wouldn't shoot my foot. Either way my foot is shot. This is the pathetic position conservatism now finds itself.
You neocons have a long history of defending the State and its liberty destroying activities. But at election time you always sing the "limited government" song. Liars and hypocrites.