The massive accounting blunder that should sink health care

[mcurrier]

The CBO used bogus numbers to meet the demand that Obamacare not increase the deficit. But now the truth is out there.

<b>The massive accounting blunder that should sink health care reform</b>

By: MARK HEMINGWAY

Commentary Staff Writer

12/24/09 12:05 PM EST

Yesterday, David discussed the CBO's miscalculation regarding the Senate health care bill. Democrats had been insisting that bill somehow cut the deficit and strengthened Medicare, but as it turns out the CBO had to clarify that the savings of the bill were being double counted. The "savings" the bill produces either have to be applied toward the Medicare trust fund or they have to be put toward the cost of the legislation to make it reduce the deficit by $132 billion over the next ten years. (That's assuming you buy into the shady accounting tricks used to score the bill.) Megan McArdle has a typically astute blog post up discussing the implications all of this. Megan even observes that as recently as Saturday, President Obama was trumpeting the bill's twin achievements of deficit reduction and strengthening Medicare. However, Megan didn't quote Obama in full -- fortunately The American Spectator's Phil Klein did. The entirety of Obama's remarks in the immediate aftermath of Senate Democrats securing finally securing 60 votes to pass their health care bill are worth pondering:

"This bill with strengthen Medicare and extend the life of the program. Because it’s paid for and gets rid of waste and inefficiency in our health care system this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade. In fact, we just learned from the Congressional Budget Office that this bill will reduce our deficit by $132 billion over the first decade of the program, and more than one trillion dollars in the decade after that."

Well, we now know that whether it was an innocent mistake or fiscal prestidigtation, one of these claims is simply not true. Which is all the more reason you don't railroad an unpopular bill through in the middle of the night, as this episode proves conclusively that the Senate can't be trusted not to make mistakes involving literally hundreds of billions of dollars.

But the bottom line is that this is a massive, massive blunder and the President and the Senate Democrats need to come clean about it. They sold the American people, or tried to anyway, on specific promises regarding deficit reduction and preserving Medicare. Now they can't be sure of either of those promises. And Joe Taxpayer should probably be scared has heck about what else they've overlooked regarding the consequences of health care legislation.

If the President and Senate Democrats are serious about their repeated promises to produce health care reform that saves money in the long-term, then they're going to have to scrap what they've got and go back to the drawing board. But nothing in the way that health care legislation has been handled so far suggests that Democrats are hoping for anything other than a short-term, ego-driven legislative victory.

additional links -

The massive accounting blunder that should sink health care reform | Washington Examiner

http://www.weeklystandard.com/weblogs/TWSFP/2009/12/dems_2010_strategy_gop_will_re.asp">The Weekly Standard

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/23/AR2009122302439.html?hpid=opinionsbox1">washingtonpost.com

http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Yes-ObamaCare-would-add-to-the-deficit-80001757.html">Yes, ObamaCare would add to the deficit | Washington Examiner

http://spectator.org/blog/2009/12/23/obama-and-reid-both-double-cou">The American Spectator : AmSpecBlog : Obama and Reid Both Double-Counted Medicare Cuts

http://meganmcardle.theatlantic.com/archives/2009/12/cbo_democrats_double-counting.php">CBO: Democrats Double-Counting Medicare Savings - Megan McArdle

[Guest HvyMtl]

What is it that Twain supposedly said?

There is Lies, D@mn Lies, and then there is Statistics...

Same goes for budget figures from any governmental agency -particularly those influenced by politics, like the Congressional Budget Office...

[greenego]

Anyone who believes this bill was anything more than another government spending bill is nuts. It will in the long run drive up costs or put health care providers out of business.

[Semiauto]

How many federal government programs come in at or under budget?

The actuarial tables on Medicare were very different in 1966 compared to now.

You will see rationing, physician payments cut, hospitals close, and the life expectancy for us decline. What will 30 million folks who never had insurance before do? Answer: use it.

[Oh Shoot]

Anyone who believes this bill was anything more than another government spending bill is nuts. It will in the long run drive up costs or put health care providers out of business.

By "health care providers" I trust you don't mean health insurance companies.

They will see record profits. Their stock has already gone up just in anticipation.

- OS

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Health care providers will suffer as will we. The insurers are going to be morphed into

a government run single payer system. Ever heard of incrementalism? This bill is just

one step, but it is the costly one.

[jcoosi]

This has nothing to do with health care or covering the people who dont have insure because for the majority of them are illegals,lazy dead beats,or just all in all dont want it.Its all about govenment regulating every aspect of our life.

[Guest strelcevina]

Disaster billions.....trillions......gzillions $$$$$$ ......, Zombies ......nuclear war......hospitals close...... no money......

Doctors will move to Mexico..... everyoneeeee willlllll dieeeeeeee:screwy:.

Dont forget that US have to stay AHEAD, Good is not Good enough.

we need to move forward.

it doesn't meter if it will cost Gzillion dollars.

without government involvement you wouldn't have Freedom

Military ,HWY ,City's and pretty much everything you see around yourself

without Government all you would have is Plantations, Private security forces and Slaves. anyway there was no need for improvement at a time

point is

world is going ahead of us in Technology right now. and US was a lieder once upon a time.

so in order for us to lead again, we need a Government to bring new rules and restrictions.

How good is My Cable Internet if only 10% of us can afford it.

if you still had a dial up, how far would you advance in Technology ?

and for you who is happy with Cable or DSL. That is fine, stay happy

for us Cable isnt good Enough. We need more to Advance.

We need Gov. to get a Fiber Optic.

world is going ahead of us in Population. and one Fat American doesn't = 5 skinny commies.

so how to Increase it. please.

right now People dont wont to have kids, because they cant Afford it.

People die younger , becouse they dont wont ,or cant pay for Health care.

Dont forget How much did cost to build Interstate Highway System, in the time when only wealthy people had a car.

It is Expensive, But we need it for a our Future. And most importantly for our kids future.

once upon a time we had a people who didn't had a Health care . Can you believe that

[Semiauto]

Disaster billions.....trillions......gzillions $$$$$$ ......, Zombies ......nuclear war......hospitals close...... no money......

Doctors will move to Mexico..... everyoneeeee willlllll dieeeeeeee:screwy:.

Dont forget that US have to stay AHEAD, Good is not Good enough.

we need to move forward.

it doesn't meter if it will cost Gzillion dollars.

without government involvement you wouldn't have Freedom

Military ,HWY ,City's and pretty much everything you see around yourself

without Government all you would have is Plantations, Private security forces and Slaves. anyway there was no need for improvement at a time

point is

world is going ahead of us in Technology right now. and US was a lieder once upon a time.

so in order for us to lead again, we need a Government to bring new rules and restrictions.

How good is My Cable Internet if only 10% of us can afford it.

if you still had a dial up, how far would you advance in Technology ?

and for you who is happy with Cable or DSL. That is fine, stay happy

for us Cable isnt good Enough. We need more to Advance.

We need Gov. to get a Fiber Optic.

world is going ahead of us in Population. and one Fat American doesn't = 5 skinny commies.

so how to Increase it. please.

right now People dont wont to have kids, because they cant Afford it.

People die younger , becouse they dont wont ,or cant pay for Health care.

Dont forget How much did cost to build Interstate Highway System, in the time when only wealthy people had a car.

It is Expensive, But we need it for a our Future. And most importantly for our kids future.

once upon a time we had a people who didn't had a Health care . Can you believe that

The interstate highway system is Constitutional (Article 1, Section 8). None of anything else you mentioned IS. I found this quote "without government involvement you wouldn't have Freedom" indicative that you really do not know what you're talking about and very indicative of the average voter in this country.

[Guest strelcevina]

thanks for that "Article 1, Section 8"

U.S. Constitution - Article 1 Section 8 - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

it doesn't say "The interstate highway system"

but.... BUUUUTTTT it does say

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States"

and Welfare is :

The Constitutional Dictionary - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

"welfare n. 1. health, happiness, or prosperity; well-being"

[Semiauto]

thanks for that "Article 1, Section 8"

U.S. Constitution - Article 1 Section 8 - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

it doesn't say "The interstate highway system"

but.... BUUUUTTTT it does say

"The Congress shall have Power To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the Debts and provide for the common Defence and general Welfare of the United States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout the United States"

and Welfare is :

The Constitutional Dictionary - The U.S. Constitution Online - USConstitution.net

"welfare n. 1. health, happiness, or prosperity; well-being"

Then, according to your logic, the government could do anything it thought would improve the life of the citizenry. How would there be Liberty in unlimited governmental authority and power? Sounds like fascism to me, but I digress. The Preamble to the Constitution is where you find the "general welfare" clause. The Preamble is not law, as the Articles and Amendments are, but an introduction. Don't believe me?

preamble - definition of preamble by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.

[Guest CrazyLincoln]

general - Definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary

Main Entry: 1gen·er·al

Pronunciation: \ˈjen-rəl, ˈje-nə-\

Function: adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin generalis, from gener-, genus kind, class — more at kin

Date: 14th century

1 : involving, applicable to, or affecting the whole

2 : involving, relating to, or applicable to every member of a class, kind, or group <the general equation of a straight line>

3 : not confined by specialization or careful limitation

4 : belonging to the common nature of a group of like individuals : generic

5 a : applicable to or characteristic of the majority of individuals involved : prevalent b : concerned or dealing with universal rather than particular aspects

6 : relating to, determined by, or concerned with main elements rather than limited details <bearing a general resemblance to the original>

7 : holding superior rank or taking precedence over others similarly titled <the general manager>

[Guest strelcevina]

i wasn't trying to be Anal with some words,

anyway

@ semiauto it is not my logic . it is what i see with my own eyes.

and goverment already do anything to improve the life of the citizenry.

let me give you few examples.

say something recent. New Orleans post Katrina. maybe you saw some videos online, about military and police entering people property and taking peoples guns , even beating poor old lady on camera ,just to take her gun

they broke every amendment in constitution that day.

Anyway

i take Prevacids for my Acid reflux.

price that my insurance pays to them is 300$ for 30 pills.

now you can buy same pills in walmart for 20$

last time i was at doctor 2months ago, he gave me some other anti acid medicine, witch didn't do well on my stomach ,

so i asked for prevacids again.

point is for 8 years im taking Prevacids, and now since they are over counter pills, Doctor suddenly is trying to give me some other prescriptions,

so my logic say , they care only about money.

it is a time that Doctors and Priests stop being Businesses man, its wrong profession for that

[greenego]

By "health care providers" I trust you don't mean health insurance companies.

They will see record profits. Their stock has already gone up just in anticipation.

- OS

Health care provides are Drs. and hospitals. Insurance companies don't provide anything except to act as third party payers. But they made their deal with the devil. Along with the drug companies.

[Guest 6.8 AR]

Doesn't it say to "promote the general welfare"? In

no way does it give the senate the right to force you to

buy an insurance policy. Another item is a clause in the

"health care reform" that says there can be no limits

placed on injury awards and lawyers fee( I think). If a

state enacts or already has limits on jury awards, which

is it, State or federal, that has precedence? This bill will

not fund states that have enacted tort reform. The fed

right to collect taxes has to be uniform. If my state's

populace has to pay taxes into a system, where's

promoting the general welfare in that?

Strelcevina, where do you think the government gets

it's strength? If you understand that t gets it from the

people's ability to succeed in whatever their endeavour

and the people's ability, how can you say they can lead

us anywhere. It's the people that give the government

the right to exist.

[Chief07]

This whole "health care issue" is a smoke screen.

It's not about health care, or making it cheaper, or covering

"all Americans"...............

It's about population control.

It's about political favors. Look a the pork attached to this bill that has nothing

to do with health care.

Most of the Politicans should be in jail.

We need to scrap this whole bill and start over.

Socialism is a cancer. A little at a time.

Untill one day you wake up and wonder where your rights went.

2010 can't come soon enough. Dump all the crap out of Washington!

[Guest rj8806]

Disaster billions.....trillions......gzillions $$$$$$ ......, Zombies ......nuclear war......hospitals close...... no money......

Doctors will move to Mexico..... everyoneeeee willlllll dieeeeeeee:screwy:.

Dont forget that US have to stay AHEAD, Good is not Good enough.

we need to move forward.

it doesn't meter if it will cost Gzillion dollars.

without government involvement you wouldn't have Freedom

Military ,HWY ,City's and pretty much everything you see around yourself

without Government all you would have is Plantations, Private security forces and Slaves. anyway there was no need for improvement at a time

point is

world is going ahead of us in Technology right now. and US was a lieder once upon a time.

so in order for us to lead again, we need a Government to bring new rules and restrictions.

How good is My Cable Internet if only 10% of us can afford it.

if you still had a dial up, how far would you advance in Technology ?

and for you who is happy with Cable or DSL. That is fine, stay happy

for us Cable isnt good Enough. We need more to Advance.

We need Gov. to get a Fiber Optic.

world is going ahead of us in Population. and one Fat American doesn't = 5 skinny commies.

so how to Increase it. please.

right now People dont wont to have kids, because they cant Afford it.

People die younger , becouse they dont wont ,or cant pay for Health care.

Dont forget How much did cost to build Interstate Highway System, in the time when only wealthy people had a car.

It is Expensive, But we need it for a our Future. And most importantly for our kids future.

once upon a time we had a people who didn't had a Health care . Can you believe that

Your logic is flawed.

No where in your entire post, is any of the things you brought up, covered in the Constitution including the new health care reform. The Constitution was "drawn up" to outline the govt.'s role with regards to what it can and cannot, do.

The power of the govt. comes from the people and whom we elect, not the other way around.

The govt. has overstepped it boundaries (as set by the Constitution) A LONG, LONG, LONG time ago and if we the people don't take it back soon, it'll be all over for us as we become what Obama has envisioned and that is a socialist country.

Edited December 31, 2009 by rj8806