Myrick Amendment Adopted - Hypocrisy Alert
Submitted by Betsy Muse on Sat, 01/24/2009 - 1:13am
This week Rep. Sue Myrick, NC-09, proposed an amendment to the TARP bill when debate was triggered by the request for the second half of the money by the Obama administration. As I was listening to her, I thought her amendment sounded quite reasonable. Barney Frank agreed. He also hinted at a bit of hypocrisy.
As it turns out, Rep. Myrick has voted against the North Carolina worker at almost every turn. She's voted to send jobs to other countries and she's voted to deny displaced workers assistance when their jobs went to other countries.
I find Myrick's concern for the unemployed extremely hypocritical and after further consideration I think her amendment is pretty empty. It's nothing but window dressing.
There they go again
trying to stay relevent.....
Have they no shame? Do they still not get the internet?
Hey Betsy!
Good to see you out ... feelin' better?
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
It's nothing but window dressing.
Dirty window dressing, if you ask me. It's hard to choose between which was the more upsetting outcomes in November, Myrick, Foxx or McHenry. Maybe they should all run as a bloc next time under the "Three Stooges" banner.
Do good. Be nice. Have fun.
Thank goodness for Barney Frank!
We can count on him to point out when the Emperor is naked
Good find Betsy!
I've been watching and taping hours of CSpan
If you listen closely you find these nuggets tucked in with all the, "the gentlelady from NC" and "my good friend" comments. The amendment really is window dressing and it only addresses customer service centers. It's a drop in the bucket.
I know Myrick proposed it for those companies being "propped up" with federal money, but if you look at the tax breaks most large corporations get and how little in taxes most large corporations pay - they are already "propped up" with federal money.
Wait until you see the exchange between Frank and Virginia Foxx. Oh my! That's up next if I can get my computer to cooperate.
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Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.
Just watched the House Ways & Means committee vote
Ya got me to turn C-SPAN on and watched the vote on the stimulous bill and some of the debate on some amendments in Rangel's committee.
I'm happy it ended up getting out of that committee. However, I take issue with them turning down an amendment that would have taken away the current requirement that when someone turns 65 years of age, they are REQUIRED to take on Part A of Medicare. Part B and D are already "voluntary" and that is a good thing for folks that have VA medical and other forms of drug coverage and so forth. It saves these folks money. Part A is, put simply, "Medicare" coverage. As the proponents of the bill said, if a person wants to opt out of Medicare Part A, he/she would be able to do so. He said it seems ridiculous to give Medicare to the Bill Gates and Ross Perots in our country. Seemed like a reasonable amendment. If this would have passed, people that don't need Medicare Part A would not have those payments taken out of their Social Security...as I understand it.
Wish you wouldn't have brought up C-SPAN.
I'm going back to the Golf Channel :>) (before the grands get here and kick me off the computer).
The best thinking is independent thinking.
Medicare Part A
Medicare Part A is inpatient hospital care, and most people do not pay a premium for that. Part B and D are optional, but if you don't sign up for it when you become eligible, then the premium will be higher if you sign up later.
I'm going to have to research this Medicare further...but
When I saw the interaction at the committee meeting on C-SPAN, I Googled it and found it difficult to find out exact information (or just not smart enough to understand it all). I did see what you're saying about Part A...and I already knew the Part B and D "option" as when I signed up for Social Security, they told me that I could use my VA bennies to forgo the Part B and D. However, as I'm gonna be 65 here soon enough, I will have to find out about this quote I'm gonna place here:
"Aside from the premium costs, the Medicare program does forward some additional out of pocket expenses to the member. For Part A, there is a deductible (approximately $1,068.00 per benefit period) and co-insurance of about $267.00 per day during an inpatient stay. The cost per day increases after the 90th day. In addition, Medicare pays just 80% for certain durable medical equipment, home health care visits and other items. Medicare does not cover all items, and it is imperative to review the Medicare guidelines for what is and what is not covered".
It's confusing.
The best thinking is independent thinking.
The google . . .
Here's what I have found out so far (in about half an hour of googling). Retirees are automatically enrolled in Part A when they apply for retirement benefits. If a person has, or can afford to purchase, better insurance coverage, or if they have a substantial HSA, they may prefer to waive their right to participate in Medicare Part A. Under the current rules, they are not allowed to decline if they receive Social Security benefits; in other words, they would lose their entitlement to SS retirement if they decline to participate in Medicare Part A. Not sure what the government's purpose is in that rule. Probably Rep. Johnson will introduce a free-standing bill to allow people to opt out, or maybe he will be able to attach this amendment to some other bill. I do understand the need to get the stimulus bill through with as few amendments as possible.
For more information, you might want to google Hall v. Leavitt.
For your situation
I don't see any disadvantage in just allowing them to enroll you automatically in Part A. My husband was a disabled veteran, and having Part A did not affect his VA eligibility at all, as far as I know. He got all his treatment at the Durham VA Medical Center, and never had any co-pays at all. I think Hall's problem is that he feels he could get better care if his insurance paid the bills, instead of Medicare chopping off a big chunk of the bills and paying what they determine is the right amount.
I'm covered by Tricare, because my husband was retired military, and when I turned 65 that turned into "Tricare for Life," which is a Medicare supplement - Medicare is now my primary insurance, and Tricare picks up the deductible and co-pays, so that works out well for me. I don't need Part D, and have never enrolled in it, because of the Tricare prescription drug benefits.
Super info....thanks
chartreuse, thanks for the info (I only spent 8 years in service, so I'll have to choose options that apply to me personally, I guess)...I really should already know ALL about this stuff...it's just so difficult to understand. I did go to the SS office a while ago but there were like 5 gazillion people there waiting...so I wimped out.
Guess I better do it. So, if I'm not posting on here for about a month...y'all will know where I'm at (just kidding!).
The best thinking is independent thinking.
You can apply online.
I did, and mailed in the documents they wanted, then they mailed them back to me. I hate standing in lines.
Fashion police
Why is she dressed like a West Point cadet?