Update: Senator John McCain’s rank hypocrisy on Medicare cuts

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Seniors advocacy groups have caught on to Senator John McCain's poison pill motion to kill the health care reform bill in the Senate.

The Hill reports AARP, seniors groups oppose McCain amendment:

The nonpartisan AARP and two left-leaning seniors' groups on Wednesday separately urged Senate lawmakers to reject an amendment that would strip some Medicare changes from the chamber's healthcare bill.

While the amendment's author, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), stressed upon introducing his effort this week that it would shield seniors from Democrats' proposed cuts, the three seniors groups on Wednesday independently concluded McCain's proposal would do both Medicare and the entire healthcare reform process more harm than good.

"AARP supports moving forward on healthcare reform, and we remain committed to enacting legislation this year that protects and strengthens Medicare, improves the delivery of health care and provides affordable insurance for all," AARP CEO A. Barry Rand said in a statement.

"The legislation before the Senate properly focuses on provider reimbursement reforms to achieve these important policy objectives," he added, noting AARP believes those savings will ultimately strengthen Medicare. "Most importantly, the legislation does not reduce any guaranteed Medicare benefits."

[AARP Press Release AARP: McCain Amendment Takes Senate Bill in Wrong Direction]

The chiefs of both the Medicare Rights Center and Center for Medicare Advocacy echoed those concerns, noting in their own joint statement that McCain's proposal would "kill the bill," not protect Medicare's beneficiaries.

"Most importantly, by derailing efforts to pass health reform, the McCain amendment would prevent the benefit improvements in the bill for people with Medicare from becoming a reality," they wrote.

[Joint Statement by Medicare Rights Center President Joe Baker and Center for Medicare Advocacy Executive Director Judith Stein on McCain Amendment to Senate Health Reform Bill Medicare Rights Center – Press Release]

McCain faced an uphill battle securing support for his amendment from the start. The effort, which would recommit the entire healthcare bill to the Finance Committee with instructions to remove most of its Medicare changes, garnered only little interest among Democrats in the chamber.

But the reaction from the AARP in particular could set up another interesting showdown between the country's largest seniors' lobby and congressional Republicans, who have long been at odds over healthcare reform.

Not long after the House passed its bill, the chamber's GOPers called on the AARP to retract its endorsement in light of similar, possible Medicare cuts.

The lobby, however, opted not to change its course, and it stressed again on Wednesday it still supported Democrats' work on healthcare reform.

Talking Points Memo adds Leading Seniors Groups Strongly Oppose McCain Medicare Hail Mary | TPMDC:

Similarly a letter from the Alliance for Retired Americans to members of the Senate reads, "The Alliance for Retired Americans, on behalf of its nearly four million members throughout the nation, opposes the motion by Senator John McCain to commit the Patient Protection and Affordable Care America Act, H.R. 3590, to the Finance Committee. We urge its prompt defeat by the Senate."

"The legislation does not cut Medicare benefits," the letter reads. "With the expected rising costs of Medicare, the legislation slows the rate of the program's growth without reducing benefits. The McCain motion would actually undercut fiscally responsible attempts to meet the challenges of providing health care for older Americans."

[Alliance for Retired Americans- Press Releases]

"The McCain motion reduces the help Medicare provides for seniors, while it increases the profits the big insurance companies make on the backs of seniors and all taxpayers.  Seniors would pay more, but get less. Insurance companies would do less, but make more."

Caught red-handed, Republicans have resorted to their fallback position: obstruction and dilatory delay, the only thing at which they really excel. George Stephanopoulos reports Ho, Ho, Ho, Health Reform? – George's Bottom Line:

Republicans wanted to cut nearly half a trillion in cuts to future Medicare costs that Democrats envision as paying for the bill. The Republican proposal would effectively kill the health reform bill by stripping one of its major funding sources.

But there has been no agreement to vote on either amendment yet.

Republicans say they just want more time to discuss their amendment, which was offered by Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz.

“I might say that we — we want to vote on the McCain amendment. we certainly have no desire to delay that vote. but do have a number of people who want to speak to it,” said Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, the Republican leader, Tuesday night.

Republican leaders said Wednesday they would not be rushed.

* * *

Democrats say the Republicans are just being dilatory.

“How can you have an honest debate about a bill of this seriousness and magnitude if you can't bring a measure to a vote on the floor?” asked Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., the Senate’s number two Democrat, in a speech on the floor.

“We've talked about (the McCain amendment). We know what's in it. We should vote on it,” Durbin said, arguing, “But the Republicans don't want to vote on it. They want to drag this out in the hopes that our desire to go home for Christmas means we'll walk away from health care reform. well, if a few of the Republican senators could have just left the Democratic caucus, they would know better. we are determined to bring this bill to a vote. We are determined to bring real health care reform to this country. we know what's at stake.”

The Hill reports Republicans have circulated a strategy memo for obstruction and dilatory delay drafted by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-NH). Republican memo outlines healthcare delay tactics:

Senate Republicans circulated a memo today advising colleagues how to use Senate procedure to slow down debate on healthcare reform.

Written by Sen. Judd Gregg (R-N.H.) the memo explains that Republicans can regularly object to procedural motions and demand roll call votes on motions that are normally passed by "unanimous consent."

* * *

Republicans, according to the memo, might regularly demand a roll call vote to establish a quorum, even if it's obvious that a quorum is present. Senators can also raise "points of order" objecting Democratic actions. Democrats could defeat those motions, but the memo counsels that "delay is created by the two roll call votes in connection with each tabling motion (motion to table and motion to reconsider that vote)."

Gregg also reminds colleagues that they can demand a full reading of any amendment and can offer as many amendments as they like, "germane or non-germane–on any subject."

Read the whole memo by clicking here.

What's next? Are they going to handcuff themselves to Harry Reid's office furniture? Stage a sit-in in the senate? Geezus what a bunch of A-holes. Americans want action, they want results. You watch, the other side of this GOP obstruction strategy is to claim that Democrats can't get anything done — well no sh*t, Sherlock! If Republicans really believe Americans are so dumb that they do not realize it is Republicans who are obstructing the nation's business, they are sadly mistaken. Voters will make them pay for insulting their intelligence and behaving like the disloyal opposition.