More 'Change' - Obama calls for cuts in Medicare and Medicaid

Over the weekend, President Barack Obama called for cuts in funding for Medicare and Medicaid, the federal health insurance programs for the elderly and the poor, including the elimination of subsidies for hospitals that treat uninsured patients. This proposal, combined with plans to limit medical tests and treatments, underscores the reactionary, anti-working class character of Obama’s proposed “reform” of the health care system.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the essence of the administration’s health care policy, under the guise of universal coverage, is a downgrading of care for the majority of the population so as to cut health care costs for business and the government.

Administration spokesmen have also indicated that Obama is receptive to the idea of taxing workers for the health benefits they receive from their employers—something for which he denounced his opponent, Senator John McCain, during last year’s presidential election campaign.

In a speech before the American Medical Association (AMA) in Chicago on Monday, President Obama made it clear that his health care reform would in no way impinge on the profit interests of insurance companies, hospital chains and drug companies. He added that he was open to limiting the ability of patients to pursue medical malpractice suits.

www.wsws.org...

Looks like Obama's version of "change" is not the "change" the people expected.

When will people learn that politicians care not for the average Joe/Jane?

The American population (referring to those that actually thought and decided to vote for Obama) actually are guilty of only presuming they weren't being lied to, or actually believed that the office of the President was 'where change begins.'

Most voted for him because of how he was marketed.

As a nation of highly indoctrinated consumers, we are all generally very vulnerable to the 'showmanship' and 'glamor' the producers of such careers embed in their sale pitch.

Once again, the corporations, cabals, and cartels, have gotten their way. They have an employee for a President.

Originally posted by Maxmars

Once again, the corporations, cabals, and cartels, have gotten their way. They have an employee for a President.

Your assessment is missing one major point here, this 'employee' has the power to fire his bosses.

so cut funding for medicare/medicade whilst giving medical to illegals;
i think this is change Americans can live without
literally ...
actually, i haven't seen a good type change since this guys been in office.

Medicare/medicaid is a very bloated profit generator for the medical industry.

It has to be cut. If it's not, it will swamp the entire federal budget over a short period of time.

I can't really tell if Obama is doing something good or bad here, but it had to be cut, and somebody was going to do it. Might as well get it over with now.

I wonder if any good will come from this, though. I mean, simply restructuring prices in medicare/medicaid might have been sufficient to keep it going longer. Who really knows, though...

I'm neutral on this move until I learn more.

Edit: Oh, last paragraph in the OP says it all. Big Pharma is still going to have windfall profits -- probably even more so, since Obama is cutting other stuff out of the budget. This is probably just a way to redirect more money into the medical industry which is strongly "socialist," (i only use that word to scare people into paying attention) and derives a significant amount of profit from the tax payer via these over bloated programs which do nothing more than fleece the tax payer.

Isn't it ironic how the most massive, wealthy corporations in the world are also the biggest recipients of welfare from the state? Oh well. Americans can stop this any time they want. Shame they're too busy sitting on the couch watching TV and blaming the government for everything.

[edit on 29-6-2009 by Kaytagg]