Comments on: Americans will never allow Medicare to be gutted

By: Ralphooo

Ralphooo — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 20:25:57 +0000

Blah blah blah. We hold uninformed discussions, then permit manipulation by the monied “stakeholders,” followed by political fights, and finally some arbitrary decision is arrived at more or less randomly.

The whole process would work just as well (or just as badly) if we settled these disputes by a mandatory coin flip.

By: gourdon

gourdon — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 11:58:03 +0000

America can afford to pay for medical care, pharmaceuticals and education for everyone of it’s citizens. The issue is prioritization. We designate full medical care and education for all then tell Congress they can spend what is left on what is best for the country. Defense and Foreign Aid comes after the welfare of the Country and it’s citizens.

By: Eric.Klein

Eric.Klein — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:58:28 +0000

The problem is that government (Congress, Senate, and the President) keeps trying to put new laws in place over a broken set of old laws. Kind of a band-aid on a lost limb.

What is needed is that they write a whole replacement for both the health and income tax laws.

Both should be under 5 pages, and written so that a high school graduate can understand them. Cut out the special rules, the caveats, the exclusions. Then make the law apply to 100% of the people – regardless of legal status, employment (government or otherwise, etc.).

When people see that the law makers are serious and are willing to live by what they create then people will start regaining trust in their government again.

By: BoycottIsrael

BoycottIsrael — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 08:03:52 +0000

Medicaid isn’t just for the poor. It also covers people who can’t pay $70,000 a year for nursing home care. Sixty percent of nursing home residents in the U.S. are Medicaid patients—many of them people who strategically gave their houses to their children in advance, in order to be poor enough to qualify for Medicaid long term care.

By: Humanismws

Humanismws — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 03:06:32 +0000

“All Americans of all political stripes also understand is that the problem with the budget deficit is health care spending.”

No, the Economist would have us believe that is true, but everyone the Pentagon is the great American monetary sewer.

Accordingly, Pentagon spending, for a country with no undeserved enemies, is a taboo topic across all mainstream media. No exaggeration, especially here in Toad Hall.

Some people are uncomfortable with that.

By: jackjeff

jackjeff — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:39:57 +0000

“What nearly all Americans of all political stripes also understand is that the problem with the budget deficit is health care spending” If nearly all Americans understand health care spending is the major cause of the budget deficit, it is beacause they are swallowing the garbage fed to them by right wing politicians and media. The real problem is that America is spending 40% of its budget on defense. With only 5% of the world’s population it funds 50% of the world’s total defense budget. Healthcare accounts for only about 22% of America’s domestic budget. Given that we are not officially fighting any war, or have any distant prospect of doing so, why do we need to spend more on defense than having a healthy America.

By: ChrisHerz

ChrisHerz — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 22:27:59 +0000

Your article certainly expresses well how the problem of US debt is being framed here in Washington. To bad this framing is simply not true.
It is war, more war and then some more war, plus the destruction of the progressive income tax that is responsible for the dismal picture of US finances.
Reuters is above all else a financial news service and the other factor that always should be kept in mind by anyone in this business is the very questionable status of official statistics here. Our GDP may be smaller than officially stated; thus our debt to GDP ratio may not be quite as good as you say.

By: rwhintexas

rwhintexas — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 21:44:27 +0000

The articles opening statement “What nearly all Americans of all political stripes also understand is that the problem with the budget deficit is health care spending …” is presumptuous and shows the writers bias.
The budget deficit is primarily due to the Bush era tax cuts.

By: Sue4

Sue4 — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 19:36:49 +0000

Chrystia, I always look forward to hearing what you have to say. You have a wonderful way of enlightening me about behaviors that have me scratching my head. And now I know what I’m called, “a privileged liberal”! If it fits wear it. So I’ll wear it until my self righteous stance bores even me.

By: markceraldi

markceraldi — Mon, 06 Jun 2011 18:24:02 +0000

Chrystia,

“At just under 60 percent of gross domestic product, the U.S. national debt is lower than that of France, Germany and Britain.”

I’m afraid GDP is just over 14 trillion
National debt is also just over 14 trillion

Just Over 14 Trillion Debt / Just Over 14 trillion GDP = closer to 100% Debt to GDP