Political Quotes

“Before the House voted on the Medicare bill, the public was told it would cost $400 billion. Later, we found out that the administration knew all along it would cost $550 billion. Congress was misled by an administration that hid the numbers from the public and Members of Congress because of the perceived political benefits of the new law, saying that the end would justify the means. But according to today's Chicago Tribune, 'Instead of a political bonanza, the Medicare drug benefit is fast becoming an albatross around the administration's neck. Not a single new benefit has gone to a senior citizen, and the taxpayers got stuck with another $150 billion bill. Now the administration wants to talk about the benefit that comes with a discount card. With the way prescription drug costs have skyrocketed over the past several years, this discount card will not accomplish anything. It is like a sale at Nieman Marcus. They jack up the prices right before the sale. In 2001, drug costs increased by 16.9 percent; in 2002, 18.4 percent; in 2003, a projected 19.5 percent, and going on to another 15 percent. Instead of depending on a flawed Medicare bill, we must literally drive prices down by allowing reimportation, allowing us to get our drugs in Canada and in Europe where prices are cheaper.”