Last week, the Senate defeated a proposed bill instigated by Sen. Harry Reid, the Democratic Senate majority leader, to fund increased payments to physicians by Medicare. The estimated cost of the proposed bill was $257 billion over 10 years.
Sen. Reid did not want the cost of that bill included in health care reform proposals. The defeated bill would have been funded through deficit spending. It was defeated by a vote of 53 to 47. All 40 Republicans and 13 Democrats, led by Sen. Evan Bayh, of Indiana, voted to defeat the bill.
David Broder, a longtime columnist for The Washington Post, correctly pointed out similar tactics by Republicans in the past. He said, “When Republicans were in control for eight years, they refused to raise taxes to pay for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq or the costs of the new Medicare prescription drug benefit. And they did not have the excuse of facing the worst economic slump since the Great Depression.”
There is no question in our mind that both Democrats and Republicans “play games” with our money to fund favorite programs or policies. That is exactly why our national debt is out of control and has been for some time, far too long in our view. Both parties pay lip service to “transparency,” then try these stunts along with earmarking and other legislative maneuvers.
The courage of Sen. Bayh and his 12 Democratic colleagues to thwart their leadership and side with Republicans to defeat this bill shows, in our view, a glimmer of hope that Congress is becoming wise to the legitimate concerns of Americans that spending must be accountable and transparent. We encourage Republicans and other Democrats to hold the line in this regard.
Finally, we are not opposed to paying doctors a fair wage to perform their vital services. But to do so with federal dollars, priorities must be established. Doctors must compete with other vital programs in the full glare of public knowledge to determine how very limited resources should be committed.
Opinion
Related Photos
Discussion
In Our View: Glimmer of hope that Congress is getting the message
- Opinion
-
-
Our View: Victims should come first
Millions of dollars in donations have poured in from around the world since the May 22, 2011, tornado. Those donations represent money from lemonade stands, charity auctions, corporate gifts and celebrity checks, just to name a few. In fact, one year later donations continue to come to Joplin.
-
Beth Meeker, guest columnist: Same-sex marriage battle a quest for equal rights
I would like to take a moment to reply to guest columnist Anson Burlingame’s, “The Marriage Debate” (Globe, May 13).
-
Sunday Forum: 2012 graduation speakers key on tornado, mall school and president’s visit
Editor’s note: In addition to speeches by President Barack Obama and Gov. Jay Nixon, Joplin High School’s top students addressed graduates, faculty, parents and other guests packed into the Leggett & Platt Athletic Center on the Missouri Southern State University campus. Following are the text of those speeches.
-
Geoff Caldwell, guest columnist: Pack mentality takes truth as a casualty
President Obama’s Joplin graduation speech Monday showed that while there’s the political “right,” there’s also a very active “rabid” political right.
-
Your View: ‘Study’ can mean anything
A few evenings ago, I watched a television program on the science of marriage.
-
Our View: Support for museum
How can you tell the story of Joplin without the accounts of its mining history?
-
Our View: Finding middle ground
The G-8 summit held last week in Camp David ended as expected.
-
Anson Burlingame, guest columnist: Class of 2012 upholds character, hope
My oldest granddaughter was part of the class of 2012 from Joplin High School, and I attended the ceremony on Monday night.
-
Scott Charton, guest columnist: 'Deadline in Disaster' film a story about storytellers
Local newspapers are at their best when they help their communities confront, understand, endure and overcome shared challenges.
-
Our View: Make voting easiser
This year’s ballot will not include a proposed constitutional amendment that photo identification be required at the polls in Missouri. Good.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Our View: Victims should come first
Raw Video: 19 Dead in Qatar Shopping Mall Fire
Beryl Makes Landfall on Florida Coast
Service Dogs Help Wash. Soldiers Battling PTSD
Raw Video: Heckler Bursts in on Blair Testimony
Japan Farmers Plant, Seek Radiation-free Rice
UN Blames Syrian Forces for Shelling Houla
Raw Video: Gay Protest Blocked in Moscow
Vatican in Chaos After Butler Arrested for Leaks
Jimmy Carter Endorses Egypt's Election Results
Biden Addresses West Point Graduating Class
Dozens of Children Killed in New Syria Attack
Raw Video: Activists Allege Massacre in Syria
NJ Man Charged With Murder in Death of Patz
Support, Fun for Kids of Fallen Soldiers at Camp
Fugitive Penguin Caught, Returned to Aquarium
50 Years Later, Underground Fire Still Burning
Light Show Transforms Sydney Opera House
Raw Video: Unruly Passenger Restrained in Miami
Raw Video: Robber Uses Drive-thru Window
Raw Video: Dragon Arrives at Space Station
