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Scattered thunderstorms early, then mainly cloudy overnight with thunderstorms likely. Low 81F. Winds SSE at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 90%.
Updated: August 11, 2022 @ 8:21 am
After months of doing nothing, Democrats in Congress appear poised to achieve something at last — or rather, multiple somethings, from protections for same-sex marriage to tens of billions of dollars toward computer chips to, finally, an economic package passed through reconciliation.
There’s still room for the majority to make this last something the best it can be.
The deal Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) seems to have struck with swing-voting Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) primarily involves a popular bill to let Medicare negotiate the prices of a select set of drugs — thereby driving down costs. The legislation is both a political and a policy win for the party. Better yet, it saves money that can be directed into other programs so that, with the blessing of the chamber’s parliamentarian, the provisions together can bypass a filibuster.
So far, Democrats look likely to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies for at least two years, preventing a spike in health-insurance premiums that could push millions off the exchanges.
All this is more than welcome: It’s essential. The only problem is that, while the extended ACA subsidies will help low-to-middle-income Americans stay insured, the poorest might end up left in the lurch. That’s because in 12 states that have refused to adopt the landmark law’s Medicaid expansion, an estimated 2.2 million people, mostly of color, languish in the so-called coverage gap: eligible neither for Medicaid nor for subsidies in the ACA marketplace.
Build Back Better as originally envisioned sought to fix this fault by letting people in non-expansion states enroll in subsidized plans after all, but the provision has fallen by the wayside. This means that the reconciliation package Democrats are teeing up would continue to assist those above the poverty line in purchasing coverage, but stick those below the poverty line with an impossible bill.
Congress can still solve the issue. The numbers need to add up to satisfy Manchin, who wants to put much of the savings achieved through the prescription drug plan toward reducing the deficit. Another provision from the former Build Back Better to beef up the Internal Revenue Service’s auditing capabilities could raise some revenue without the inflationary blowback that so worries the West Virginian senator by pushing wealthy people to pay legally owed taxes — and is worthwhile on the merits, too.
But advocates argue the math could work even without the added dollars from such a reform.
This is likely the last chance lawmakers have to stop what’s already a tragedy from causing any more harm and taking any more lives. Democrats, with leadership from a White House that says it’s devoted to the country’s most vulnerable, can’t afford to miss it. The nation’s poorest citizens can afford it even less.
• Washington Post
editorial board via The Associated Press
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(13) comments
Let's not count our chickens until they're hatched. This is the Democratic Party after all.
"a popular bill to let Medicare negotiate the prices of a select set of drugs — thereby driving down costs" Sounds familiar........
"Under Trump’s proposal, certain U.S. Medicare drug prices would be lowered to international levels slowly over several years. Another part of the plan would allow commercial vendors to negotiate directly for drugs covered through Part B—as they now do for Medicare Part D—by creating a new middleman that would also distribute and manage the drug inventory for clinics and doctor’s offices, and deal with billing. The idea is that vendors would be able to negotiate lower prices through improved competition." October 25, 2018
https://www.consumerreports.org/drug-prices/trump-plan-to-rein-in-medicare-drug-costs/
As in the past, there is not one Republican on board. They can’t afford to make the Biden administration look good in the eyes of the voters
Negotiation of drug prices is but one item in the "Inflation Reduction Act of 2022". In reality it is "Build Back Better" with a new name but with the same flaws.
George if the Dems can't make Sliden Biden look good the Republicans sure as "H" can't help him.
Gobble, Gobble, Gobble!!!!! So let me get this straight. The WOKE wants conservatives to go SLIDING,..GLIDING, HIDING, & SIDING with JOE BIDEN? DAT RIGHT? Well first I want to see if San-Fran-Nan has the intestinal fortitude or the "swing" ..to defy what Daddy XI JING of 🇨🇳 China said about visiting 🇹🇼 Taiwan!! Gobble, Gobble... then I will think about it! [beam]
The Inflation Reduction Act.
Gotta love that...
President Biden is very fortunate to have the base that he does.
And Joe Namath and JJ Walker can promote these private middleman schemes on TV by telling the consumer to “check their zip code”. Sounds like just another way to placate the drug companies Carlos.
Looks like Ted checked his Zip Code.[rolleyes]
This would be the same WAPO that recently proclaimed VP K. Harris to be the frontrunner if either the current President or Joe Biden decide not to run in 2024.
That would be the same K. Harris who was first to drop out, no, 'suspend' her campaign (indefinitely...more 'redefining'...) of the presidential primaries with support near zero. Now, in less than a couple years, the likely top dog.
Ain't America great...nobody does it better at betting against the instant replay than us...
Looks like that trip to El Paso will pay off....
Look for the other Admin. checked boxes members to start checking more of them.
I mean, a 1024th part is nothing to sneeze at.....
chuckle
Mr. Croix> Your assessments here are right on target! I mean I cannot believe the length and depth,.. these people will go to destroy this nation! A nation which is a shining light on a hill which CANNOT BE HID! It is a nation that those who are hungry, oppressed, depressed, and those who yearns to be free are literally dying in order to get here, and these WOKE Politicians are trying their best to fundamentally tear it down from being exceptional! That was the premise of why OBAMA received the Nobel Peace Prize! He was awarded that prize within 12 months of taking office because he wasted no time in going on a world tour at taxpayer expense, telling the world he was sorry to be an American in so many words! Even his family was NOT proud of their country until he won the Presidential Election! His wife said as much on national TV!
So, it looks like qualifications here have been thrown out the window. You just have to look a certain way, belong to a certain group, click, or know a certain person to make it now I guess. I wonder if that is the message we want to pass on to the next generation? Really? What is the matter with these people? Look at the damage these attacks on this Nation have caused! Look at our Economy! Look at our Military! Look at our Law Enforcement Departments! Look what these attacks on our Schools are doing to our kids!!! I am a product of Segregation, Jim Crow, & Seperate But Equal! I fought against them wherever I saw them! They were my enemies and like the devil ....STILL IS! I have stood up against White Racism in the South during the HEYDAY of Racism, and proud to say I had the GUTS to stand up against Black Racism where I found it in Vietnam too during the same time period,... place where you could and some did, ...lose their lives for bucking the wrong practices! I made a personal vow on the plane I landed in-country in, and that was if I had to go down, .... I WAS GOING DOWN ..STANDING UP!!
The Great MLK made a speech so many years ago which as an African-American, changed my life and my expectations, and approaches toward success! It went like this:
" If it falls to your lot to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, sweep streets like Beethoven composed music ... Sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry. Sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say: Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.
....Martin Luther King Jr.
" He who is faithful over very little will be faithful over much; and he who is dishonest in very little things will be dishonest in much. ........Luke 16:10
I have live my life by these words, and I have found that if you cannot make it in America with focus, diligence, and hardwork, .....you probably CAN'T make it anywhere! ( In my HUMBLE opinion ) .....I figure I have earned that.
All I really care about Carlos, is that my zip code is different from yours.
Yes, Ted checked his Zip Code!
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