Bush’s Prescription Drug Claim Contains The Wrong Dosage
Bush’s Prescription Drug Claim Contains The Wrong Dosage
In his radio address yesterday, President Bush said the following:
More than 25 million people with Medicare now have prescription drug coverage, and hundreds of thousands more are enrolling each week.
But just this week, a government report indicated that the 25 million figure is way off:
Since December, the US Department of Health and Human Services has repeatedly overstated the number of enrollees in the new Medicare prescription drug plan. … [A]ccording to Medicare’s own figures, the actual number of voluntary enrollees is much smaller, about 5 million.
Confusion over the prescription drug benefit continues to prevent people from signing up. Instead of admitting it, the administration finds it more convenient to make up figures that suggest the program is a success.
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Rednecks can’t count.
February 26th, 2006 at 2:52 amIt must be the same statistician who factors out how many Iraqi troops are battle ready.
-GSD
February 26th, 2006 at 3:00 amMore than 25 million people
the actual number of voluntary enrollees is much smaller, about 5 million.
My only question…how the hell did he manage a C+ ?
February 26th, 2006 at 3:30 amAren’t we all tire of hearing it. Words such as “overstatedâ€-“way offâ€-“claimâ€-“confusion†“making up figures†and so on. Well I am. Let call it as we see it and hear it: Bush LIE through his lying teeth. President Bush “lied†about his claim that more than 25 million people with Medicare now have prescription drug coverage, and hundreds of thousands more are enrolling each week. His “pants on fire†US Department of Health and Human Services has over and over lied about the number of enrollees in the new Medicare prescription drug plan. According to Medicare’s own figures, the actual number of voluntary enrollees is much smaller, about 5 million. Instead of admitting the truth, the Bush administration find itself compulsively “lying†through its teeth and “fuzzying†up figures that suggest the phony Medicare program is a success. That where the confusion comes in, and the all big fat lies.
February 26th, 2006 at 3:47 amOOOOHHHHH!! What a surprise ! Once again, the President speaks, but has no clue about what he is saying. I wonder who will be responsible for updating him. Or if that will even happen ? Ot- but it has crossed my mind more than once, and I would like to know if others have noticed it as well. Whenever Bush reads from a prepared statement, his “drawl” seems to disappear. I can barely stand to listen to him, but I am curious. Any opinions?
February 26th, 2006 at 3:53 am#5 – This video may clarify the severity of the situation…
February 26th, 2006 at 4:28 amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-iFX1-CLRIM&search=George%20Bush%20Presenile%20
‘Whenever Bush reads from a prepared statement, his “drawl†seems to disappear. I can barely stand to listen to him, but I am curious. Any opinions?’
just more proof that the little poseur lies about everything. as well, did you ever notice that whenever he gives ‘the smirk,’ AFAIC, his look screams out ‘did they believe the shit i just spewed?’
it sure looks that way to me–as a former teacher, i got the same kinda looks from 8 year old pupils who were trying to pull my leg.
February 26th, 2006 at 4:32 amHow many involuntary enrollees have there been?
February 26th, 2006 at 5:58 am[...] Bush s Prescription Drug Claim Contains The Wrong Dosage Think Progress, DC - 3 hours ago Since December, the US Department of Health and Human Services has repeatedly Instead of admitting it, the administration finds it more convenient to make up [...]
February 26th, 2006 at 6:34 amThis is exactly the kind of statement that is so infuriating about this administration:
1) Begin with a claim that is technically true but highly misleading: “More than 25 million people with Medicare now have prescription drug coverage”
He never says ‘have signed up for coverage’, just that they now have it. This conveniently leaves out the fact that 20 million had coverage before the plan started
2) Follow with a dubious ‘factual’ claim that appears to buttress the former statement: “hundreds of thousands more are enrolling each week.” To the casual observer, this makes sense. You’d need ‘hundreds of thousands’ to keep up that pace. But look at it closer and it exposes the lie. This program started 7 weeks ago. To reach 25 million new sign-ups in that time you’d need over 3.5 million sign-ups per week.
And this doesn’t even scratch the surface. Wait a few months for when the ‘donut hole’ kicks in and seniors have to pay thousands out of pocket before their ‘benefit’ kicks back in.
This plan is a disaster any way you look at it.
February 26th, 2006 at 7:47 amMy only question…how the hell did he manage a C+ ?
Comment by Clif — February 26, 2006 @ 3:30 am
Nepotism.
February 26th, 2006 at 8:24 amGood point’s everyone, this Bush spin is the usual crock of crap. They form their conclusions and then lie untill the public believe what they say are fact, The only one’s making out in this mess are the HMO’S and pharmacutucles.
In response to ” how did he get a c+” can I add, just like he got out of the guard. Money, money, money, daddy, daddy, daddy……Blessings
February 26th, 2006 at 8:47 amA benefit “for the people” written solely by insurance companies was expected to do what?
Darth Dicks secret energy meetings have gotten us where? (On the face these topics seem unrelated…but they are certainly not.)
Is anyone really suprised that they HAVE to lie to save face (If that makes sense.)
February 26th, 2006 at 8:50 amWell it is just a lie. Lies are ok as long as you are the boss.
Bathrooms
February 26th, 2006 at 8:56 amThey form their conclusions and then lie untill the public believe what they say are fact, The only one’s making out in this mess are the HMO’S and pharmacutucles.
Comment by Sharon Cox — February 26, 2006 @ 8:47 am
Very true… after all, he did say:
“See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda.”
February 26th, 2006 at 9:00 amMore lies. More duplicity.
They find it acceptable to lie because they think lies will make it real.
They need to be locked up. They are crazy.
February 26th, 2006 at 9:09 amFaiz,
You need to change the title of the thread to Bush lies in his weekly address.
Seriously. And it needs to be red. And it needs to be under “corrupt establishment”.
Wake up! Drink more coffee!
February 26th, 2006 at 9:11 amPowder blue for a Bush lying thread?
February 26th, 2006 at 9:12 amWas on the phone for and hour and a half with a dear friend in New Hampshire last night. She is reading a great book, altho hard to read, full of facts and info on how this bunch of thieves thinks. When finished she is sending me the book to read, I got a verbal book report last night. It boils down the thinking and the people behind these thoughts. Predominetly geeks, soft hands, no necks, weakling as men as it were and in order to prove their manleyness they war and will continue to keep the war forever if possible, bully, and demand their way and control. Like the banty roosters or little man syndrom. You know, the scrappy little guys with huge trucks and all the bells and whistles to show off. The book…Leo Srous & the politics of Americas Empire, by Anne Norton. In short review they have basterdized much of Stous teaching and relegion. Gonna read it as soon as I get it….Has any one here read the book yet?….
Where’s Ryan Neat.? I miss him……Blessings
February 26th, 2006 at 9:20 amSharon Cox,
There is a pathology to it, for sure. The other day in Dallas I saw a full, window-sized sticker in a big truck that had a Jesus Fish shaped like a shark with teeth. Above the sticker read “Zealot”. Below the sticker read “Aggressive Christian”.
February 26th, 2006 at 9:32 amJust remember this the next time some deranged Freeper tries to tell you that George Bush “has liberated 50 million people.”
You must automatically assume that any “positive” number floated by this administration is off by at least a factor of 10, and is most likely closer to “zero.”
February 26th, 2006 at 9:52 amRunningdog, I bet by the time we are done with this Bush bunch it will be “50 million liberated” people. Trouble is in my frame of thought it turns out they will have liberated 50 million from life… Their constant twisting of words when investigated turns out to be dark truth……Blessings
February 26th, 2006 at 10:20 amHow flagrant can they get — a 500% overestimation?!? No, that’s not simply the result of a clerical error, an incorrect calculation, or a slight exaggeration (I’m sure that’s what they’ll try to use as an excuse) — that’s a blatant lie.
February 26th, 2006 at 10:40 amWhat makes you guys think that Bush ever intended to HELP people?
February 26th, 2006 at 10:43 amElectric, I knew before he was installed in 2000 just what we would get, I studied all the candates. Guess every one always hopes for the best while prepairing for the Bush worst…Blessings
February 26th, 2006 at 10:56 amMy very elderly grandmother chose to not enroll in plan D until this month because the plans were confusing but also because all her friends were not hearing back from the companies they chose (many did not here back until this month).
In the end, she chose to use AARP because the plans offered were simple and the customer reps were friendly. Apparently some of the companies treat their new ‘customers’ very, very poorly.
I am not at all surprised by these numbers. Seniors tend to talk to each other and generally don’t want to repeat a nightmare (hours on hold etc). Alot of them have held out until this month to register because I believe it’s sometime in March when they get hit with a ‘penalty’ for not registering.
The problem is the massive number of ‘choices’. Seniors, many of whom are very very old, can be taken advantage of and also want something simple.
Something simple would be something like medicaid – a universal plan.That or say a few options in that plan – not hundreds to look at.
That said, this plan is going to turn out to be a fiscal nightmare. Bush just did this to win political points – somewhere down the road the government is going to have to negotiate drug prices to attempt to control the growth in entitlements.
February 26th, 2006 at 11:14 amWhat are ‘voluntary enrollees’?!? As opposed to involuntary where a company forges your application?
I’m guessing it’s people who are unable to complete them themselves and have those powers delegated to someone else.
Still, it’s a weird way to say it – 5 mil voluntarily enrolled – so Bush can come back and say ‘I didn’t lie – 20 million were enrolled involuntarily’.
February 26th, 2006 at 11:17 amBush’s prescription drug plan for the elderly stinks like everything else that cruel man does! I do not know if this nation can survive 3 more years of Bush meanness and stupidity?!
February 26th, 2006 at 11:35 amPeople are NOT signing up for his drug plan; Bush’s claim is not a misstatement, it is a deliberate lie. The plan is confusing, it does not guarantee cost saving — old people are not dumb. I read where the pharmaceutical companies are already planning to increase the price of the most popularly prescribed drugs.
February 26th, 2006 at 12:02 pmmy 82yr old mother’s 3 mo. supply of Actonel went from $40 on her insurance plan to $80 on this medicare plan… and that’s a Wal-Mart price! yay!
February 26th, 2006 at 12:32 pmMy benefits provider told me not to enroll in the plan, it was more expensive than their private vendor.
February 26th, 2006 at 1:09 pmW is not totally responsible for the 25M vs. 5M number. Through a printer’s error, a superscript of 2 was placed between the 5 and the M. W simply did the math.
my provider did the same, DO NOT sign up, we have a better,cheaper plan, and the they did. bushco LIES to get what they want, over and over. By the time bushco leaves, (unless they make a law allowing them to stay FOREVER)..the country will have years and years ahead to repair the damage.
February 26th, 2006 at 1:44 pmGeorge Bush “has liberated 50 million people.â€
Comment by RunningDogLackey — February 26, 2006 @ 9:52 am
RDL technically that quote is not correct, he has; from good paying jobs, adequate medical care, true educational opportunities, and about 230 million from a peaceful secure future……….
February 26th, 2006 at 4:16 pm[...] Does President Bush have the world’s worst speech writers who don’t even do simple fact checking or does he just pull this stuff out of the air in the hope that the American public will buy it? [...]
February 27th, 2006 at 3:03 pmRXgcVzZadtA wwaRoHhKJyU0Y OCcjw8ZuYa
October 19th, 2006 at 11:15 am