Snowball

4 thoughts on “Snowball”

1. the only thing that matters about the speech is the veto threat… and the issue of whether obama will stick to it.

2. …a shrewd political move, I’d say.

3. …the president threatened to veto any debt-reduction legislation that cuts benefits and doesn’t include higher taxes on the wealthy. “I will not support any plan that puts all the burden on ordinary Americans,” he said.

   Still room enough to drive a Mac truck through, I fear.

4. From the first link:

   Of the total cuts in mandatory spending, $248 billion will come out of Medicare. And about 90% of those savings will come from reducing overpayments in the system, a senior administration official said. He added that any changes to Medicare benefits won’t kick in before 2017.

   I look forward to the definition of “overpayments.” And if providers get squeezed even more, how will that affect availability of practicioners and specialists for our coming boom in Medicare recipients? After all, the Baby Boom Bulge is just beginning to move through the 65 plus ages.

   Another $72 billion will come from Medicaid and other health programs.

   And this will affect the role of Medicaid in Obama’s health insurance reform and profit protection act how exactly? Since they’ve been giving waivers left and right to the states, how much funding will their be for those who can’t afford the private insurance costs?

   The plan also includes $250 billion in savings from other mandatory programs. They include $33 billion in savings from farm subsidies; $42.5 billion from federal worker benefit programs, including those for civilian workers and military personnel; and $92.2 billion the administration estimates it can save from “restructuring government operations and reducing government liabilities.” (My emphasis throughout)

   Will the military now have different benefits based on whether one serves in a war zone (which may or may not be a “kinetic military action” zone) or in a non-war zone? Will health care benefits be higher for those with some minimum years in combat situations? Or vary based on where one serves? Or, will our military personnel just get some cuts and adjustments? That’s great for morale.

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