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November 25, 2003

Rightwing Meltdown on Medicare Bill

I've argued that I think on balance, the advantages of passing the Medicare Prescription Drug bill is larger than the downsides. It's $400 billion in hand and it's easier to change an existing program than to pass a whole new one-- remember, most "liberal reforms", such as cutting the profits of drug companies or ending subsidies to HMO competitors, will actually cut the deficit.

And our activists will be massively energized to make those changes. As for the conservative base, they are in revolt. Check out these comments on FreeRepublic:

What has happened to the GOP? This is totally maddening. I cannot believe I was cheering on Ted Kennedy this afternoon. I hope these spineless, gutless, vote-buying, senior-bottom-kissing, RINOs lose big time the next time they are up for election. ---

Yes, at a federal level the GOP will not be receiving my money or activism. I've got better things to do with my time/money than spend it on people who stab me in the back.
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At a national level, conservatism is dead. Hell, even at the state level we see that there are only a handful of House Republicans and not one in the Senate. How did the GOP get to become the stupid party?
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The domestic legacy of the Bush administration will be temporary tax cuts followed by permanent tax increases as a result of his permanent spending increases.
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In fact, if we don't start threatening to NOT vote for Bush next year, it's only going to get worse. At this point, I'm seriously considering voting for some obscure, conservative, third-party candidate. The Pubbies are letting us down, big time.

Some conservatives see good in the bill, but the GOP is seeing the defection of a large chunk of their frustrated "small government" base, the same people upset by the Patriot Act and all of Bush's other authoritarian neoconservative policies.

Add in the seniors who will soon recognize what a half-ass benefit this policy delivers, and this law in no way will be a political bonus for Bush.

Posted by Nathan at November 25, 2003 12:15 AM