Tag Archives: Medicaid

NH Governor Hassan Signs Executive Order Moving NH Forward On Medicaid Expansion

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 10, 2013 - 4:30 pm | ,
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Maggie Hassan

Governor Hassan Issues Executive Order Creating
Commission on Medicaid Care Management

Panel to Review and Advise Governor on the
Implementation of Medicaid Managed Care Program

 CONCORD – In order to ensure providers and patients are protected as New Hampshire moves to a managed care model for the state’s Medicaid program, Governor Maggie Hassan issued an Executive Order today creating the Governor’s Commission on Medicaid Care Management.

The Governor’s commission will bring together members of the public representing a broad range of experience in health care issues to review and advise on the implementation of an efficient, fair and high-quality Medicaid care management system.

“With new tools and federal funding available, New Hampshire has an opportunity to greatly strengthen our health care system. Moving forward with implementing Medicaid managed care is critical to ensuring that we are able to effectively expand Medicaid coverage and maximize our health care dollars,” Governor Hassan said. “I also recognize the concerns and challenges surrounding managed care implementation. Members of the commission will leverage their significant experience to review implementation and provide insight to ensure we are protecting both patients and health care providers.”

The Governor’s Commission on Medicaid Care Management includes members with expertise in managed care and payment reform models of care, Medicaid public policy, elderly affairs, children’s health, public health, mental health, developmental disabilities and adult health care services.

Mary Vallier-Kaplan, former vice president of the New Hampshire Endowment for Health, will chair the panel and Donald Shumway, former commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services and president and CEO of Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Center, will serve as vice-chair. The Commission’s members are Thomas Bunnell, policy consultant for NH Voices for Health; Sue Fox, project director at the UNH Institute on Disability and a parent of a child with developmental disabilities; Wendy Gladstone, MD, a pediatrician at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center’s Child Advocacy and Protection Program; Yvonne Goldsberry, Ph.D, MPH, vice president of Population Health and Clinical Integration at  Cheshire Medical Center/ Dartmouth-Hitchcock- Keene; Catherine McDowell, founder of Coos Family Health and currently running McDowell Project Management; Douglas McNutt, Associate State Director for Advocacy, AARP NH; Gustavo Moral, President of Independent Services Network; Kenneth Norton, executive director of NAMI New Hampshire; and Jo Porter, MPH, deputy director of the NH Institute for Health Policy and Practice.

The Medicaid care management program, as enacted in 2011, is intended to improve the value, quality and efficiency of services provided through Medicaid, stimulate innovation and generate savings for New Hampshire. The program is to be implemented in three phases through contracts entered into between the Department of Health and Human Services and certain Managed Care Organizations who are responsible for providing health care services to members enrolled in the New Hampshire Medicaid Program.

The chair of the commission will call its first meeting within 30 days.

 

The full text of the Governor’s Executive Order can be found below:

 

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

BY HER EXCELLENCY

MARGARET WOOD HASSAN, GOVERNOR

EXECUTIVE ORDER 2013-05

an order establishing the Governor’s commission to review and advise on the implementation of New Hampshire’s Medicaid care management program

WHEREAS, effective June 2, 2011, New Hampshire passed Senate Bill 147 directing the Department of Health and Human Services to employ a statewide managed care model to administer the Medicaid program and to provide for managed care services for all Medicaid populations; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 147 authorized multiple options of models of care for all Medicaid recipients and the Department of Health and Human Services requested proposals from managed care companies that would include new payment methods; and

WHEREAS, the managed care program is intended to improve the value, quality and efficiency of services provided through Medicaid, maximize savings, and stimulate innovation for New Hampshire; and

WHEREAS, Senate Bill 147 requires that no reduction occur in the quality of care to all Medicaid enrollees and that all due diligence be exercised to maintain or increase the current level of quality of care provided; and

WHEREAS, the care management program shall be implemented in three phases through contracts entered into between the Department of Health and Human Services and certain Managed Care Organizations who are responsible for the provision of all health care services to the low-income, disabled, and elderly enrollees in the New Hampshire Medicaid Program on a risk basis; and

WHEREAS, the health of New Hampshire’s residents and of the care management program depend upon the accountability of the managed care organizations, transparent and full communication and the care management model’s responsiveness to the need and concerns of beneficiaries and their care givers; and

WHEREAS, in order to ensure that the implementation of each step of the phase-in of Senate Bill 147 meets the purposes of the Medicaid program and the needs of New Hampshire Medicaid beneficiaries, the Governor would benefit from the periodic review and recommendations of a commission comprised of individuals with experience in various areas of care who are qualified to review the program’s implementation, the status and integrity of the planning for each step, and the program’s responsiveness to quality of care concerns including those raised by New Hampshire citizens.

NOW, THEREFORE; I, MARGARET WOOD HASSAN, GOVERNOR of the State of New Hampshire, by the authority vested in me pursuant to Part II, Article 41 of the New Hampshire Constitution, do hereby establish the Governor’s Commission on Medicaid Care Management, effective April 10, 2013, which shall be comprised of eleven (11) members of the public appointed by the Governor representing a broad diversity of interests in an effective, efficient, and high-quality Medicaid care management system for the State of New Hampshire, including members with expertise in managed care and payment reform models of care, Medicaid public policy, elderly affairs, children’s health, public health, mental health, developmental disabilities and adult health care services.

FURTHER, the Governor’s Commission on Medicaid Care Management shall include the Commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services, or designee, as an ex officio member; and

FURTHER, if any one of the appointed members is unable to serve, the Governor shall replace such member; and

FURTHER, the Governor’s Commission on Medicaid Care Management shall be charged with the following responsibilities:

a.       The Commission shall advise the Governor regarding the Medicaid care management program’s implementation to ensure that the program:

i.       is implemented consistent with Senate Bill 147 and with contract terms entered into between the Department of Health and Human Services and managed care organizations;

ii.       in accordance with the best practices of managed care models and payment methods; and

iii.      is operated to achieve goals of improving access to eligible populations, quality and appropriateness of care and cost effectiveness of the Medicaid program.

b.      The Commission shall seek input and expertise from the public, including enrollees, providers, managed care organizations, advocates and public policy specialists, as needed to assess the progress and performance of the Medicaid care management program; and

c.       The Commission shall have the opportunity to review the Medicaid care management program’s performance data in the form of reports and/or summaries provided to or by the Department of Health and Human Services to assess the needs for future changes to the program and recommend such changes to the Governor; and

d.      The Commission shall have the opportunity to review in advance proposed changes, work plans and designs for all phases of the Medicaid care management program and provide written input to the Governor regarding the same.

FURTHER, the Governor shall designate a chairperson and vice-chairperson from among the members; and

FURTHER, members shall serve at the pleasure of the Governor or until resignation in writing is submitted to the Governor by a member; and

FURTHER, the commission shall:

a.       Meet at least monthly at the call of the chair.  Such meetings shall be open to the public.

b.      Provide periodic updates, reports, and recommendations to the Governor on the implementation and integrity of the Medicaid care management program.

c.       Schedule the first organizational meeting within 30 days of this Executive Order.

FURTHER, the Department of Health and Human Services shall provide administrative support to the commission as necessary; and

FURTHER, the Commissioners of the departments of Health and Human Services and Insurance shall serve as technical advisors to the Commission members.

NOW, THEREFORE; I, MARGARET WOOD HASSAN, GOVERNOR of the State of New Hampshire, by the authority vested in me pursuant to Part II, Article 41 of the New Hampshire Constitution, do hereby establish, effective April 10, 2013 the Governor’s Commission on Medicaid Care Management.

Given at the Executive Chambers in Concord, this 10th day of April, in the year of Our Lord, two thousand and thirteen and of the independence of the United States of America, two hundred and thirty-seven

Margaret Wood Hassan

GOVERNOR OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

 

AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka Comments on March Jobs Report And President Obama’s Budget Plans

  By New Hampshire Labor News | April 5, 2013 - 7:00 pm | , , ,
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From WIKIPedia

From WIKIPediaToday’s announcement that the economy added only 88,000 jobs in March underscores the reality that the real challenge our nation faces is a jobs crisis..  We are still creating fewer jobs than we need to get us back to post-recession employment rates.  We are going from month to month with our fingers crossed in hope of decent growth, while we should be investing in our infrastructure and rebuilding the middle class.

In Washington, we are still engaging in an upside-down debate.  News that the President is planning to unveil a budget that cuts Social Security and Medicare benefits for working families is a sign of the wrong-headed policy driving our slow recovery.  Millions of Americans remain out of work and the job market is especially devastating for young people.  Young people ages 20-24 are facing 13.3% unemployment rates. Without the prospect of good jobs in their early and crucial earning years, these young people will bear the cost of these proposed cuts in Social Security.

This past November, voters rejected the failed policies of Romney/Ryan and voted for President Obama in hopes that a second term would mean that working families would share in our nation’s prosperity.  This budget dampens those hopes.  But, even worse, it’s bad for the economy.

We continued to reject chained CPI and means testing for Medicare as more “Washington speak” that disguises awful ideas that harm working families  The President should drop these misguided cuts in benefits and focus instead on building support in Congress for investing in jobs.

The Last Thing We Need Is More Austerity; A Statement By AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 13, 2013 - 4:40 pm | , , ,
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From WIKIPedia
From WIKIPediaHouse Republicans’ latest budget crafted by Rep. Paul Ryan is a zombie proposal long ago rejected by working families.  But he won’t let it die.  Instead of calling for the sensible repeal of the sequester, Rep. Ryan would double down on harmful cuts to education, health care and other programs that build a strong middle class.  And instead of closing tax loopholes for the super wealthy, this budget would give even more tax breaks to the rich—higher subsidies for shipping American jobs overseas, bigger tax breaks to corporations and the wealthy.  Republicans would pay for all this by voucherizing Medicare, cutting Medicaid for the most vulnerable, and increasing Medicare premiums for middle class beneficiaries.  This budget would cut spending by $5.7 trillion – devastating child nutrition, cancer research, transportation and other key programs and shrink government to the size it was in the 1950s.

Our economy is still in a fragile state of recovery and we’ve seen that previous cuts to state and local services and jobs have prevented us from recovering faster.  The last thing we need is more austerity that would cost jobs and stunt America’s future.  We reject these so called “balanced” approaches that increase inequality and shift even more of the burden to those who can least afford it.  We call for an immediate repeal of the across the board sequester cuts and urge lawmakers to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid from benefit cuts.

The NH Alliance For Retired Americans Pres. Ballban Blasts Congressman Ryans Budget Proposal!

  By New Hampshire Labor News | March 13, 2013 - 12:48 pm | ,
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SS-Medicare-sayno.org

SS-Medicare-sayno.orgManchester, NH – House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled a Republican budget on Tuesday that would once again prioritize millionaires over seniors by turning Medicare into a voucher system and repealing the Obama health care law.

“Last November, the American people voted on these principles and they voted No,” said Charles Balban, President of the New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans.

“This budget – Ryan’s 3rd edition – is not new and it’s not improved,” continued Charles Balban. “It again proposes privatizing Medicare and turning it into a coupon system while lowering tax rates on the wealthy and corporations.”

“Paul Ryan can produce all the charts he wants, but his values are diametrically opposed to those of the rest of us. New Hampshire seniors don’t see the need to balance the budget on our backs and those of the already-struggling middle class. We don’t think the wealthy and corporations need relief. The reason we’re in this mess to begin with is that they’ve been taking a bigger and bigger piece of the pie for too many years.”

“Paul Ryan and the GOP once again are proposing to end Medicare as we know it and double seniors’ out-of-pocket costs. This plan doesn’t reduce the cost of our health care system, but rather shifts it from the government’s books onto the backs of seniors.”

“This unfair plan proposes giving seniors vouchers rather than maintaining the guaranteed benefits of Medicare, and turning Medicaid into a block-grant program. Of course these vouchers would not keep up with costs and New Hampshire seniors would be out more and more money every year.”

 

For more information on the New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans, please contact: Terry Lochhead, (603) 545-9989.

The Republicans Make an Offer on Sequestration

  By Liz Iacobucci | February 23, 2013 - 1:53 pm | ,
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Top Tax Rates 1952-2008

GOP House members have clarified their position on what they’re willing to “compromise” in order to avoid sequestration.  From today’s NY Times:

Republicans say they are willing to instead get some savings from programs not covered by Congress’s annual spending bills, like food stamps, Medicaid and children’s health insurance.

Read that one more time.  Food stamps, Medicaid and children’s health insurance.

What the Republicans aren’t willing to compromise on is “more revenue” from those at the top of the economic scale.  No more revenue from the 1%.  No more revenue from the 0.001%.  No more revenue from the Top 400.

Remember these two charts?

Top Tax Rates 1952-2008
Top 400 Taxpayers Dividend Income

 

Hey folks, it’s Lent.  It’s winter, and still a long way to go until spring.  A good season to look more closely at what our various faiths teach us about our obligations to our fellow men.

Matthew 25:34-36 Then the king will say to those at his right hand, “Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.”

Are you Catholic?  “The equal dignity of human persons requires the effort to reduce excessive social and economic inequalities. It gives urgency to the elimination of sinful inequalities.”  Read more from the Catechism here.

Lutheran?  “Human impoverishment, excessive accumulation and consumerism driven by greed, gross economic disparities, and the degradation of nature are incompatible with this reign of God.”  Read the full statement here.

Methodist?  “As a church, we are called to support the poor and challenge the rich. To begin to alleviate poverty, we support such policies as: adequate income maintenance, quality education, decent housing, job training, meaningful employment opportunities, adequate medical and hospital care…”  Read the full statement here.

Southern Baptist?  “We should work to provide for orphans, the poor, the abused, the old, the weak, and the sick.”  Read more here.

Episcopal? Anglican? Evangelical Lutheran?  “Now is the time to work for justice as well, to advocate for more substantial long-term solutions that will create an anti-poverty agenda which we can all support. We will continue to encourage members of our congregations to meet immediate needs but also ask them to join together and pressure our governments to focus seriously on reducing poverty. We must continue to advocate for decent employment and to enhance our social safety net — and to ensure that all have the opportunity to access both.”  Read the joint Pastoral Letter here.

Jewish?  “Our Rabbis taught: ‘If all the sufferings and pain in the world were gathered on one side of a scale, and poverty was on the other side, poverty would outweigh them all.’ Jewish tradition recognizes poverty as the single greatest cause of human suffering. It calls on us to respond to the needs of the poor with singular urgency.”  Read the full essay here.

Muslim?  “But he who is a greedy miser and thinks himself self-sufficient/And gives the lie to the best/We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Misery/Nor will his wealth profit him when he falls headlong (into the Pit).”  Read more about the Qur’an and poverty here.

Sequestration looms.  The Congressional stalemate threatens our nation’s economy.  And what’s that list of things that GOP House members are willing to “compromise” on?

Food stamps, Medicaid and children’s health insurance.

For shame.

 

The Alliance For Retired Americans Want President Obama To Make A ‘Renewed Commitment’ To Social Security

  By New Hampshire Labor News | February 11, 2013 - 8:00 am | ,
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social securty 1


social securty 1The Alliance for Retired Americans is an advocacy group in 33 states that work to push for or against legislation that impacts seniors.  For example last week, Ron Geoffroy from the NH Chapter of the Alliance for Retired Americans, spoke for the repeal of the Voter ID law in the NH House public hearing.

Recently much of the Alliance for Retired Americans actions revolved around preserving Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.  Most recently they joined with the NH AFL-CIO to ask Senator Kelly Ayotte to stop playing roulette with seniors Social Security.

Today the 33 Presidents of the State Chapters of the Alliance for Retired Americans sent a letter to President Obama.  They are asking for him to take a stand, and be the man they elected.  They want President Obama to use the State of the Union address to “reaffirm your commitment” to Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

Below is the letter signed by New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans President Charlie Balbon.  (Charlie is a retired Sheet Metal Worker)

Dear Mr. President:

We write you as the national officers and the presidents of the state chapters of the Alliance for Retired Americans, a national organization of four million members dedicated to securing a better quality of life for all Americans in retirement. We believe that you have the opportunity to renew the nation’s commitment to the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs during the State of the Union Address next week.

Mr. President, we were heartened by your inauguration address. It captured the long American tradition that a lifetime of hard work should create the foundation for a secure retirement. And should unfortunate circumstances visit any one of us, these vital programs are a lifeline for continued personal and family security. Your words, “The commitments we make to each other – through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security – these things do not sap our initiative; they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers; they free us to take the risks that make this country great” embody this great American tradition.

We are concerned, Mr. President, that many in Washington will try to take advantage of the nation’s current fiscal situation and cause permanent damage to the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. We strongly urge you to resist such efforts. We urge you to speak forcefully in favor of strengthened Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs.

We recognize that long term efforts will be necessary to keep these programs financially sound as well as being able to provide benefits that are adequate to maintain a dignified quality of life. However, the debate over the current fiscal situation is not the forum for addressing the future of these programs. We applaud your leadership on vital issues such as health care reform which has benefited our members. We believe you are now in a position to demonstrate that same leadership on behalf of the Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid programs. Sincerely yours

View the letter in a PDF from the ARA.

Why Labor Should Be Pushing Harder For Medicaid Expansion

  By Matt Murray | February 1, 2013 - 9:39 am | ,
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Medicaide Eligible

Workers in America are continuing to see this corporate race to the bottom.   Lower wages, and benefit reductions around every corner.  How long has it been since an employee was given healthcare options for a part time job?  Now even full time employment does not guarantee a living wage or any healthcare options.

Over the last four years labor unions have been working with President Obama to pass and institute the Affordable Care Act.  Part of the Affordable Care Act is an expansion of the Medicaid program.

Medicaid is a healthcare program that has one simple purpose. Providing healthcare options to low income, and needy families.  Yet here in New Hampshire some legislators are against the expansion of this program.

Medicaide Eligible

Why would any legislator be against helping needy families?  As you can plainly see from this chart over 50% of all Medicaid money goes directly help children in low income families.   Most of these families would be living without any healthcare option at all if it were not for Medicaid.

You may be saying, well there are not that many people in New Hampshire who need this kind of assistance.  You would be completely wrong.  According to the data from the NH Citizens Alliance, over 130,000 people qualified for Medicaid in 2010. Remember 70,000 of those qualified people are children.

So how can we fix this? There are multiple answers.  First, we in the labor movement must continue to push our legislators for higher wages, especially a higher minimum wage.   Raising the minimum wage will left lift many of these families out of poverty and put them on a better path.

Second, we need to organize.  Unions have always fought for healthcare for their workers.  In many cases unions have given up pay raises to keep healthcare affordable.  We need all employers to see that providing their employees the option to have healthcare at a reasonable price is a benefit to everyone.

Third, we need to expand the Medicaid program until such a time when everyone has coverage either through their employer first then through Medicaid or Medicare if needed.

Until such time that every worker has the opportunity to have good reasonable healthcare options, I will continue to push for more Medicaid options here in New Hampshire.

Next week will be the first test for the expansion of Medicaid with the NH House hearing on expansion bills. Rep. Bill O’Brien’s bill, HB 271 (which wants to stop the expansion), will be debated in Reps Hall at 10 am on Feb  5th.  We need to make a strong showing and be there to push back for all the needy children who need medicaid. The NH Citizens Alliance is hosting a lobby day (more information here)  and I hope you will join us.

Protecting the little guy, isn’t that what labor has always been about?

Medicaid Expansion Lobby Day, Will You Be There???

  By New Hampshire Labor News | February 1, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
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NH Citizens Alliance

Former Speaker Bill O’Brien is sponsoring a House Bill 271, which would keep NH from expanding Medicaid, and the hearing is on Tuesday. We need your help to attend and show your support for expansion.  They even moved the hearing to Representatives’ Hall, which is HUGE, so we need get a lot of people there to fill the room!

If you’re interested in attending or testifying, please contact me at jdubois@nhcitizensalliance.org or 603-724-4047.

What: Lobby Day to gather and prepare for the hearing on O’Brien’s bill. You will be able to register and grab some breakfast, then learn more about the expansion, practice your testimony, reach out to your State Senators, and even help make signs. Be sure to wear blue and grab a  “SUPPORT MEDICAID EXPANSION!” sticker!

Where: We’re meeting for Lobby Day on the 3rd floor of 4 Park Street in Concord, then we’ll be walking over to the hearing at Representatives’ Hall in the State House.

When: Lobby Day starts at 9am on Tuesday, February 5th, but if you can’t make it that early, you can head straight to the hearing, which starts at 10am.

Interested in testifying? If you’ve never testified before, no problem! We’re looking for grassroots activists to testify, especially those who might benefit from the expansion themselves, or who are involved in the medical or business community. No worries if you’re not an expert! We can help you. Attached are handouts with talking points about expansion, directions for how to testify, and a presentation about the expansion. You can come in to meet with me to talk over your testimony, or just send me a copy to look over and edit. Please let me know what help you need.

Spread the word! Please share this event with your friends and networks. You can forward this email or send invitations to your Facebook friends at https://www.facebook.com/events/107245266121532/.

Can’t make it? Send an email to the Health, Human Services, & Elderly Affairs Committee at HHSEA@leg.state.nh.us. Write a message using the attached talking points and tell them to find HB 271 “inexpedient to legislate”.

Background on expansion:

Medicaid expansion is an essential part of the Affordable Care Act’s plan to greatly reduce the uninsured population. It became optional for states after the Supreme Court ruling last June. Right now, Medicaid in NH covers very few able-bodied adults. The expansion would change this and extend coverage to anyone whose family income is less than 138% of the federal poverty level. This would include individuals making less than $15,415, couples or single parents making less than $20,880, and families of four making less than $31,809.

In addition, expansion will help reduce providers’ uncompensated care costs, which will in turn help stabilize costs for families and businesses that buy private insurance. It will be a great deal for New Hampshire since it will be mostly funded by the federal government. All those federal dollars coming into the state also mean a boost to our economy.

This event is being sponsored and organized by NH Voices forHealth, NH Citizens Alliance, Granite State Progress, and other allied groups.

.@NHAFLCIO Host High-Stakes Safety Net Roulette Game to Protest Manufactured Fiscal Crisis

  By New Hampshire Labor News | January 31, 2013 - 8:08 pm | ,
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NH AFLCIO Medicare Action
NH AFLCIO Medicare Action

Image from NH AFL-CIO (Nora Fredrickson)

A group of workers, labor leaders and community members gathered outside Senator Kelly Ayotte’s Manchester office on Thursday, January 31st for a high-stakes game of safety net roulette. Demanding that fringe Republicans in Congress stop holding the economy hostage to their own radical agenda, they called on Senator Ayotte to close tax loopholes for Wall Street and the richest 2% of Americans instead of cutting Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare for families.

Participants delivered an invitation to Senator Ayotte to try her hand at a roulette wheel set up outside her office, offering her a choice of red chips, representing safety net programs like Medicaid, or black chips, representing outsized tax breaks and loopholes for corporations.

“We want our elected leaders to address the real problems facing our economy,” said Charles Balban, retiree and president of the New Hampshire Alliance for Retired Americans. “Demanding benefit cuts to programs like Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security, just so that corporations and the richest 2% don’t pay their fair share, isn’t the right way to go. Republicans in Congress need to stop holding the middle class hostage to their radical agenda.”

“Tens of thousands of Granite Staters depend on safety net programs, yet our elected leaders are still choosing to use them as bargaining chips in negotiations over the deficit,” said New Hampshire AFL-CIO President Mark MacKenzie. “It’s time for our elected officials to stop gambling with our future, stop making drastic cuts to the services their constituents need to get back on their feet, and close tax loopholes that only further benefit the wealthy and corporations.”

Image from NH AFL-CIO (Nora Fredrickson)

Fiscal Cliff: Who is “entitled” to what?

  By Liz Iacobucci | December 4, 2012 - 5:10 pm | ,
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Washington Post Poll September 11 2001

Something else to remember, as you’re watching news coverage of the Fiscal Cliff negotiations:

The tax rates that GOP Congressional leaders are trying so hard to defend are relatively recent – and the public has never supported them.

Washington Post Poll September 11 2001Just months after the first round of tax cuts was passed, in 2001, a Washington Post poll found that 57% of Americans wanted to roll back the tax cuts in order to preserve the federal budget surplus. (Yes, we had a surplus, back then.)

There’s more:

President Bush’s budget director had just warned congressional Republicans that “it was likely the government would tap the Social Security surplus this year, contradicting what he had been saying only a few weeks earlier.”

That same Washington Post poll found that “an overwhelming 92 percent of those surveyed said they opposed using Social Security funds” for things other than retirement benefits.

That was in 2001. Two years later, it was clear that the first round of Bush tax cuts hadn’t “jump-started” the economy – so the White House pushed through another round. This time, the bill had so little support it almost didn’t pass the Senate. GOP stalwarts John McCain, Lincoln Chafee and Olympia Snowe all voted against it. The Senate split 50-50 – and Vice President Dick Cheney cast the deciding vote.

That’s right… Dick Cheney was responsible for passing the tax cuts that House Speaker John Boehner is now trying so hard to defend.

“Entitlements”?

In recent weeks, Speaker Boehner has been talking about tax cuts for the wealthy as if they’re somehow sacred. He doesn’t seem to care what he has to sacrifice, to protect those high-income taxpayers.

Speaker Boehner is insisting on cuts to “entitlement programs” such as Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid – before he will agree to any fiscal cliff “compromise”.

And if taxes are going to be raised – well, guess who Speaker Boehner expects to pay the price? Here’s Senate President Harry Reid’s analysis of Speaker Boehner’s latest proposal, earlier today:

“Their proposal would raise taxes on millions of middle-class families,” Reid said on the Senate floor. “Their plan to raise $800 billion in revenue by eliminating popular tax deductions and credits would reach deep into pockets of middle-class families.”

Speaker Boehner wants to cut “entitlements”?!

The working families of America have paid into the Social Security system for decades, expecting to get benefits back when we retire.

High-income taxpayers owe their low tax rates to former Vice President Dick Cheney.

Who, exactly, should be entitled to what?

Read more about the fiscal cliff here.