Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Democrat disses Obamacare's IPAB and undermines Democratic Medicare claims

Fourth Circuit may rule Obamacare mandate is a tax - David Freddoso/Washington Examiner
...the Fourth Circuit panel considering the Commonwealth of Virginia's challenge to Obamacare has asked for supplemental briefs from all parties related to the arguments about the federal government's constitutional powers of taxation. This may mean that the court is setting itself up to rule that the penalty for not purchasing insurance under Obamacare is, in fact, a tax and not a penalty at all, and that therefore the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the case.
Democrats' Medicare plan bankrupts 25% of all hospitals by 2030 - Philip Klein/Washington Examiner
“We have a plan. It’s called Medicare,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi told The Washington Post last week....
Democrat disses Obamacare's IPAB and undermines Democratic Medicare claims - Michael Barone/Washington Examiner
As has been widely reported, Republicans are at risk of losing the special election in the 26th congressional district of New York at least in part because Democrats are attacking Ryan’s Medicare plan as “ending Medicare.” Allyson Schwartz’s call for repeal of IPAB the Democrats’ implied policy—just keep Medicare as it is—isn’t going to happen. IPAB is going to change it radically, radically enough that a Democrat high on the Budget Committee with a pretty safe Democratic district is all but calling it a death panel and is calling for its abolition. This is political dynamite, and Republicans should use it to let voters know what the real alternatives for Medicare in the future.