The Fed Shutdown Poll and Megathread

[Admiral Yi]

To be fair to the Democrats they've passed a number of cost control measures for Medicare and are proposing more.  Hans dismissed them earlier but the Kaiser Foundation and the OECD think they could be significant - though neither, nor the CBO are sure.  The reforms have, for the most part, never been done on a large scale so no-one actually knows how they'll work.

What are you referring to?   The only cost control measures I'm aware of are reducing the overall Medicare budget, computerizing medical records, and death panels.  Oh yeah, and the new proposal to appoint a commission to study it.

[grumbler]

Yeah, and that's less populists then "Lets just cut aid to those damn welfare mom's".

[grumbler]

But no worries, we can just "tax the rich" and that will make it all work out. Even if it doesn't.

Well, you sure punched the shit out of that strawman!  Feel like a hero, now?

[Neil]

What are you referring to?   The only cost control measures I'm aware of are reducing the overall Medicare budget, computerizing medical records, and death panels.  Oh yeah, and the new proposal to appoint a commission to study it.

Who is proposing death panels?

[grumbler]

I would include some sort of guidance mechanism. I do like the idea of a % of GDP hard spending cap. Or something similar which would be difficult to overcome during normal times.

You talkin' about the Social Security Lock Box?

Doesn't work.  Pure hype and bullshit. I hate those kinds of gimmicks, because they avoid actual decision-making.

I say we go back to the "pay - go" statute that was in effect before Dubyah came into office.

[Admiral Yi]

Who is proposing death panels?

It got slipped back in by executive order.

[Neil]

I'm sure that even if you give them a chance, Congress will still find a way to avoid making a decision.

[Neil]

Who is proposing death panels?

It got slipped back in by executive order.

I don't think they used the term 'death panels'.  Using such emotive terms is useless, and poisons understanding and dialogue.  I think that you are a liar.

[Admiral Yi]

I don't think they used the term 'death panels'.  Using such emotive terms is useless, and poisons understanding and dialogue.  I think that you are a liar.

Kay.

[Neil]

I don't think they used the term 'death panels'.  Using such emotive terms is useless, and poisons understanding and dialogue.  I think that you are a liar.

Kay.

So we are in agreement then?

[Admiral Yi]

So we are in agreement then?

No.  But that's OK too.

[Neil]

So we are in agreement then?

No.  But that's OK too.

Indeed.  You have the right to disagree with Me, but it's not the optimal thing to do.

[Berkut]

But no worries, we can just "tax the rich" and that will make it all work out. Even if it doesn't.

Well, you sure punched the shit out of that strawman!  Feel like a hero, now?

Man, I sure wish that was a strawman.

[grumbler]

Man, I sure wish that was a strawman.

Your wish has come true.  Well, actually, it was true all along, but the effect is the same.

[Berkut]

Man, I sure wish that was a strawman.

Your wish has come true.  Well, actually, it was true all along, but the effect is the same.

Right, because nobody has argued that the solution to the debt problem is to raise taxes, and specifically on the wealthy. Clearly a strawman.