Medicare Bill is Sellout not Compromise « Thread Started on May 22, 2004, 11:23pm »--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Medicare Bill is Sellout not Compromise -- talk.politics.misc, 18:43:28 11/25/03 Tue From: Gandalf Grey (gandalfgrey@infectedmail.com)Subject: Medicare Bill is Sellout not Compromise This is the only article in this thread View: Original Format Newsgroups: alt.current-events.clinton.whitewater, alt.current-events.wtc.bush-knew, alt.impeach.bush, alt.politics, alt.politics.bush, alt.politics.liberalism, alt.society.liberalism, talk.politics.miscDate: 2003-11-25 13:52:02 PST http://www.graypanthers.org/graypanther ... 21.htmlFor Immediate ReleaseNovember 21, 2003Contact: Will Thomas (202) 737-6637 x 25GRAY PANTHERS CALLS MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BILL SELLOUT NOT COMPROMISE/Washington, D.C.//November 21, 2003///The National Gray Panthers,representing thousands of members across the country, is united in strongopposition to the prescription drug bill offered by the conference committeeand will work vigorously for its defeat."AARP does not represent all Seniors; in fact, in the case of this Medicarereform bill, they're only representing their own corporate self-interest,"said Will Thomas, Gray Panthers Project Director.Gray Panthers believes that good government demands compromise as to means.But that compromise must promote the common good. It's more than acompromisewhen one surrenders basic principles and sacrifices the fundamental promiseof guaranteeing adequate, effective health care to American Seniors. Thisbill,then, is not a compromise, but a sellout.This misbegotten bill is a ploy to use token support for low income seniorsas bait in an insidious strategy to undermine traditional Medicare andconvertit into a private industry using taxpayers subsidies to pay for it."Call it what you may, virus, poison pill, or Trojan Horse, this bill islikesalmonella in your Thanksgiving turkey," Will Thomas said.Gray Panthers says it is clear why the Republicans are doing this: most wantto privatize this model government program. As for AARP, it looks likethey'redoing it for the money. One estimate shows that AARP could reap profits ofover 1.5 billion dollars with their discount card and future PBM programs.Prescription drug prices are too high. Too bad this $400 billion dollarbilldoes nothing about it. It won't prevent abuse of drug patents, but it willprevent the government from negotiating lower drug prices. Thepharmaceuticalindustry might be thankful, but purchasers face a catastrophe.Gray Panthers believes that what we need is not only more money formedicines, we need more medicines for the money.Gray Panthers requests that all its members and allies call theirrepresentative, Republican or Democratic, and tell them AARP does notrepresentthem and that this bill is a sellout. Don t sell out American seniors fortokens.