Every sales person knows that it is critical to successful selling is truth in advertising and a clear, sincere sales presentation. Unfortunately, in the health care debacle, we are being fed lies and false promises that a true analysis shows to be false.
The true costs of the reorganization of 1/6 of our economy is still being computed, but the facts that are coming out are quite concerning, at best. Mr. Rove, who is known for his analytic abilities gives us a glimpse today in the Wall Street Journal:
The problem for Mr. Obama is that the Baucus bill is being sold on the strength of accounting tricks that make it appear that it won’t add to the deficit. This is true for the other health-reform bills, too. If fiscally conservative Democrats sign on to the bill now after publicly saying they are doing so because it doesn’t add to the deficit, they may end up bailing once the tricks are revealed to the public.One trick is easily explained. The bill imposes tax hikes and benefit cuts right away, including $121 billion of Medicare reductions between 2011 and 2015. But new spending really doesn’t start until five years out 2015 and isn’t fully operational until 2017. The bill uses 10 years worth of tax hikes and benefit cuts to fund a few years worth of benefits.
And that is just a start.
Some governors are also figuring out that the proposal in the Baucus bill to expand Medicaid will shift a big chunk of the federal health-care tab to states. States, after all, pick up an average of 47% of Medicaid’s costs—and expanding it will force states to spend more.
Then there are $400 billion in benefit cuts that are frightening seniors. Jeffrey A. Anderson of the Pacific Research Institute has pointed out that the Baucus bill cuts Medicare payments to physicians by 25% within two years and keeps payments at that level forever, without adjusting for inflation. If this becomes law, doctors who take Medicare patients will see their real income decline each year.
via Karl Rove: Obama Hasn’t Closed the Health-Care Sale – WSJ.com.
Karl makes the point that The President hasn’t sold his snake oil to us yet and the numbers, if made public will not strengthen his sale at all.
No wonder the leadership of the democratic houses in Congress are holding their meetings to complete the legislation behind closed doors! For a President who promised the most transparent administration in history and promised that C-Span would be broadcasting the proceedings for all of us to see, the hypocracy has reached absurd levels! And the ‘traditional media’ is ignoring the whole thing! Where is Bob Woodward when we need him?
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