Democrats are hoping to retake the House by arguing that Mr. Ryan and other House Republicans are pushing for the privatization of Medicare, which they say could greatly increase costs for beneficiaries.
The new Wyden-Ryan proposal, by blurring the contrast between the parties on this issue, could make it more difficult for Democrats to win the argument....
A senior Democratic Congressional aide said, "This plan gives bipartisan political cover to Ryan and other Republicans against whom we have been waging a very successful political offensive."
Traitor or idiot? Either way, old Gatsby has long since outworn his welcome at our "progressive" household.
UPDATE, 11:15 p.m.: We just saw an attack ad on TV against congressional candidate Rob Cornilles, calling him a Tea Party candidate. In part, it accused him of a platform of "turning over some of Medicare to private insurance companies." Which of course is exactly what Wyden is now proposing. Too funny.
Comments (22)
Wyden is a 1%er. He no more a regular citizen than the bankers and fat cats he really works for these days.
He and his happy little New York City family will never have to worry about medical care as he is a lifer in the Senate.
I would welcome the opportunity to tell him what I really think of his so called progressive (regressive) policies, but he doesn't live here anymore.
I lived in Wisconsin when that little dill weed Ryan first ran with his daddy's money. Never liked him, but at least he never tried to act like he was going to represent anyone but his daddy's construction company. We should run Wyden out of town, but he already left...now what?
That is right, he doesn't live here anymore, is that why he said he would help with the benzene in the air that we breath, take care of the matter in FIVE years?
That may have been five years ago, has anything been done?
A couple of us met with him once, after I had talked to his aide about a matter, a waste of time, it was like talking to a blank wall.
...and I was not at all impressed by a town hall meeting he had here about a year ago.
Lastly, since he is living in New York, why doesn't he learn from NY Senator Schumer on what steps a Senator can do when he wants to save the people's water system.
Mutton dressed as lamb. Then again, I'd better be careful accusing politicians of dying their hair. (Gerhard Schroeder won a libel case that claimed he dyed his.)
Maybe Wyden hangs out every day at Starbucks in downtown Portland, has naturally Reagan-esque dark hair, is something other than the next Joe Lieberman, and stands up for truly progressive values!
Bah, private insurance companies have been running a lot of medicare for years, since medicare advantage plans were created. Pay extra and often get better service than via the government, say by customizing your plan to your needs (cheaper meds/doc co pays etc.).
My favorite bit is that the fed gov makes those private insurance companies pay providers (docs/nurses/services rendered) within 30 days. However the gov gives itself 90 days to pay the insurance companies.
Some of us at this age have not gone gray...yet, but it is suspicious. The combover is just pathetic! However, I suspect Botox usage.
If he lived here we could get a better look, perhaps?
Well said Harry! I'm amused by the outrage about Wyden. Of course everyone seems to miss that the fact that as long as he has a (D) after his name on the ballot, the Oregon sheeple just keep voting for him!
I just don't understand politicians.
Wyden seems to have his head on straight when it comes to constitutional issues like SOPA and PROTECTIP (which are going to be voted on soon, and are very bad for privacy and freedom of speech in this country.) But then he does something like this with Medicare.
The most dispiriting thing about Wyden teaming up with that twerp, Ryan, is the obfuscation that results. It clouds our view of the fact that rising health care costs — not only Medicare, but everything else, too — are the single biggest cloud on the economic horizon. There's no way these current rates of increase can be sustained. Something has to happen. This just isn't it. Shame on Wyden.
Amusingly, I happened to catch part of an interview yesterday in which Bon claimed to be a "job creator". Asked how many jobs she's created, she replied, "I don't know...a hundred?"
She seemed woefully unprepared for a query that anybody could've seen coming.
Charamba, Douro 2008
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Kurt Vonnegut Jr. - Slaughterhouse Five
Kathryn Lance - Pandora's Genes
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Jack London - The House of Pride, and Other Tales of Hawaii
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Niccolò Machiavelli - The Prince
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Sharon Creech - Walk Two Moons
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Charles Larson - The Portland Murders
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William H. Colby - Long Goodbye
Steven D. Stark - Meet the Beatles
Phil Stanford - Portland Confidential
Rick Moody - Garden State
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David Sedaris - Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim
Anthony Holden - Big Deal
Robert J. Spitzer - The Spirit of Leadership
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Jeff Noon - Vurt
Road Work
Miles run year to date: 21
At this date last year: 52
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Comments (22)
Wyden is a 1%er. He no more a regular citizen than the bankers and fat cats he really works for these days.
He and his happy little New York City family will never have to worry about medical care as he is a lifer in the Senate.
I would welcome the opportunity to tell him what I really think of his so called progressive (regressive) policies, but he doesn't live here anymore.
Posted by Portland Native | December 14, 2011 7:51 PM
OMFG. That plan is nearly eugenic. And I'm not talkin' duckish.
Goddamn "health" "care" industry data miners. What a world.
Posted by Mojo | December 14, 2011 9:09 PM
I lived in Wisconsin when that little dill weed Ryan first ran with his daddy's money. Never liked him, but at least he never tried to act like he was going to represent anyone but his daddy's construction company. We should run Wyden out of town, but he already left...now what?
Posted by NorthwestT | December 14, 2011 10:18 PM
That is right, he doesn't live here anymore, is that why he said he would help with the benzene in the air that we breath, take care of the matter in FIVE years?
That may have been five years ago, has anything been done?
A couple of us met with him once, after I had talked to his aide about a matter, a waste of time, it was like talking to a blank wall.
...and I was not at all impressed by a town hall meeting he had here about a year ago.
Lastly, since he is living in New York, why doesn't he learn from NY Senator Schumer on what steps a Senator can do when he wants to save the people's water system.
Traitor or idiot?...
Perhaps both.
The D's still like him?
Posted by clinamen | December 14, 2011 10:20 PM
Yeah. They're masochists.
Posted by Mojo | December 14, 2011 10:26 PM
Is it just me or does it bother anyone else that a man in his 60s has (dyed) black hair? Hey, this ain't communist China (where everyone does it)!
Posted by LBJ | December 14, 2011 11:19 PM
It's also combed over, apparently from his back.
Posted by Jack Bog | December 14, 2011 11:21 PM
In 1997 Ron Wyden, with Hatfield, appointed me to the United States Air Force Academy. I liked him then. Now he just seems like a tool.
Posted by Jo | December 14, 2011 11:21 PM
Mutton dressed as lamb. Then again, I'd better be careful accusing politicians of dying their hair. (Gerhard Schroeder won a libel case that claimed he dyed his.)
Maybe Wyden hangs out every day at Starbucks in downtown Portland, has naturally Reagan-esque dark hair, is something other than the next Joe Lieberman, and stands up for truly progressive values!
Posted by LBJ | December 14, 2011 11:47 PM
Bah, private insurance companies have been running a lot of medicare for years, since medicare advantage plans were created. Pay extra and often get better service than via the government, say by customizing your plan to your needs (cheaper meds/doc co pays etc.).
My favorite bit is that the fed gov makes those private insurance companies pay providers (docs/nurses/services rendered) within 30 days. However the gov gives itself 90 days to pay the insurance companies.
Posted by JS | December 15, 2011 1:30 AM
Some of us at this age have not gone gray...yet, but it is suspicious. The combover is just pathetic! However, I suspect Botox usage.
If he lived here we could get a better look, perhaps?
Posted by Portland Native | December 15, 2011 6:05 AM
Portland gets what they vote for.
Oregon gets what Portland wants.
Goldy, Adams, Randy, KuloKitz, Wyden, Smerkley, Bowtie...
Keep Oregon like Portland.
Posted by Harry | December 15, 2011 6:51 AM
Well said Harry! I'm amused by the outrage about Wyden. Of course everyone seems to miss that the fact that as long as he has a (D) after his name on the ballot, the Oregon sheeple just keep voting for him!
Posted by Dave A. | December 15, 2011 7:17 AM
That attack ad against Cornilles about privatizing Medicare is a product of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
I wonder if the Senate "Dems" like Wyden know what their buddies over on the House side of the Capitol are paying out beaucoup bucks for?
Ron might want to sit down with Blumenauer and DeFazio and have a little chat.
Posted by Nonny Mouse | December 15, 2011 7:51 AM
"Ds" and "Rs" all pretty much the same these days. Follow the money.
Posted by Portland Native | December 15, 2011 8:10 AM
I just don't understand politicians.
Wyden seems to have his head on straight when it comes to constitutional issues like SOPA and PROTECTIP (which are going to be voted on soon, and are very bad for privacy and freedom of speech in this country.) But then he does something like this with Medicare.
Posted by Jon | December 15, 2011 8:34 AM
The most dispiriting thing about Wyden teaming up with that twerp, Ryan, is the obfuscation that results. It clouds our view of the fact that rising health care costs — not only Medicare, but everything else, too — are the single biggest cloud on the economic horizon. There's no way these current rates of increase can be sustained. Something has to happen. This just isn't it. Shame on Wyden.
Posted by Allan L. | December 15, 2011 9:00 AM
"It's also combed over, apparently from his back."
lol (at my f'ing desk) Dammit Bog stop it!
Posted by EB | December 15, 2011 9:25 AM
The guy isn't and idiot; if the "traitor" shoe fits....
Posted by jimbo | December 15, 2011 9:32 AM
So what exactly should happen with Medicare? From this post and the comments, it seems that folks are arguing that we should do nothing.
Anybody care for a seat at the adult table?
Posted by Rob Kremer | December 15, 2011 9:48 AM
Rob Kremer defending Wyden -- I rest my case.
Posted by Jack Bog | December 15, 2011 9:55 AM
DCC's been running that ad in heavy rotation.
Amusingly, I happened to catch part of an interview yesterday in which Bon claimed to be a "job creator". Asked how many jobs she's created, she replied, "I don't know...a hundred?"
She seemed woefully unprepared for a query that anybody could've seen coming.
Posted by Max | December 15, 2011 10:46 AM