You answered the question in your first sentence!
That the Democrates have worked for "YEARS" for a RX bill.

If it takes that long to come up with a bill then they are real dumb!!! Plus
they can't even agree among themselves on a 'good' Bill

A bird in hand is worth two in the bush!!!!!!
don


"Peanutjake" > wrote in message
...
> I receved this email from a friend in New Jersey
> PJ
> -----------------------------------------------------
> For years, Democratic lawmakers have been working to make sure that
> seniors have access to prescription drugs and reasonable healthcare.
> Now, in an attempt to score political points, the Republican
> Congressional leadership is pushing through a bill that appears to
> offer a solution. Actually, the bill undermines the entire Medicare
> program, pushing people into the very HMOs which contribute heavily to
> Republican lawmakers and barring the government from negotiating for
> lower drug prices.
>
> Given the danger to seniors, one might expect that the millions-strong
> American Association of Retired People (AARP) to be on the case.
> But after huge contributions from pharmaceutical companies and HMOs,
> and pressure from Republican lawmakers, the AARP is selling out its
> membership and backing the bill.
>
> In response, 85 members of Congress (so far) have canceled their AARP
> memberships, or announced that they will never join (if they're not
> yet old enough to be eligible). [1] Today, we urge you to do the
> same. If the AARP won't stand up for the elderly when it comes to
> health care, what good is it? You can reach the AARP at:
>
> NJ Branch: 609-987-0744
> National hotline: 1-800-424-3410
>
> If you're a member, tell them you're quitting.
>
> If you're too young to be eligible, tell them you'll never join.
>
> You also may want to let your Representative and Senators know that
> you're keeping the AARP accountable. You could also tell them
> that you expect them to demand real health care reform -- not this
> industry-backed bill.
>
> You can reach your members of Congress at:
>
> Representative Donald M. Payne
> DC Phone: 202-225-3436
>
> Senator Frank Lautenberg
> DC Phone: 202-224-3224
>
> Senator Jon S. Corzine
> DC Phone: 202-224-4744
>
>
> Please let us know how you feel about this -- we're collecting
> individual comments to share with the media, at:
>
> http://moveon.org/aarp.html?id=2136-....APKD4NthfLzuw
>
> The AARP has endorsed a bill that would make two fundamental changes
> in Medica
>
> 1. First, it would force people to make a stark choice: either pay
> sharply increased premiums to stay in traditional Medicare, where
> they can choose their doctor; or be forced out, into an HMO.
>
> Newt Gingrich, the former House Republican leader, said in 1995
> that he wanted to let Medicare to "wither on the vine." This
> change would lead to that result, with cost incentives driving
> people out. (Not coincidentally, AARP CEO William Novelli
> recently wrote the forward to Gingrich's book. [2])
>
> 2. Second, it offers a prescription drug benefit, but requires people
> who want this coverage to buy it from private insurance plans.
>
> This part of the bill also bars the government from doing the one
> thing it could do to actually reduce the cost of these drugs --
> negotiate for lower prices, using the size of the Medicare program
> as leverage. Drug prices are soaring now, and unless they're
> brought under control, they will eventually bankrupt Medicare.
>
> AARP itself sells insurance and also sells prescription drugs, so
> the group stands to reap huge financial gains from this change.
>
> The bill has been opposed by a host of liberal groups [3] as well as
> by major conservative groups, including the Club for Growth, The
> Heritage Foundation, the American Conservative Union, The Cato
> Institute, and the National Taxpayers Union. It's also been assailed
> by virtually every one of the Democratic presidential candidates. [4]
>
> In endorsing this bill, the AARP has broken faith with its members. In
> a recent poll, 65% of AARP members said they're opposed to it. [5]
> The group has also violated its own written principles. In July, CEO
> William Novelli wrote to Congress stating the requirements for AARP's
> support of a Medicare bill. [6] Yet the bill AARP has just endorsed
> fails to meet nine separate requirements stated in that letter. [7]
>
> We need to hold the AARP responsible for selling out its members. If
> the organization sees sufficient backlash from its members and
> prospective members, it could still change course and effect the
> outcome of this legislation. Please call your local AARP branch
> today.
>
> Sincerely,
> --Carrie, Eli, James, Joan, Noah, Peter, Wes, and Zack
> The MoveOn.org Team
> November 20th, 2003
>
> -----
>
> [1] 85 Representatives wrote to Novelli, canceling their memberships:
> http://www.moveon.org/HouseAARPletter.pdf [2] From the foreword by
> Novelli to Gingrich's new book, "Saving Lives
> and Saving Dollars".
>
> [3] See http://www.moveon.org/medicare.html for a complete list of
> organizations.
>
> [4] See:
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2003Nov17.html
> [5] Poll: a majority of AARP members oppose the Medicare bill:
> http://www.moveon.org/Medicaresurveypr.pdf
> [6] AARP July letter on minimum acceptable standards
> http://www.aarp.org/Articles/a2003-0...nmedicare.html
> [7] How AARP goes back on its word
> http://www.house.gov/schakowsky/Docu..._11_17_03.html
> [8]
> http://www.aarp.org/leadership/Artic...factsheet.html
>
>