Dems: ‘Medicare Is On The Table’

While Top Democrats Confirm That ‘Medicare Is On The Table,’ Senator ‘Schumer Opens Door To Medicare Deal’

VP BIDEN: ‘Medicare Costs… On The Table’
SEN. CHUCK SCHUMER (D-NY): “So we're looking to further reforms for Medicare.” (Sens. Cardin, Schumer And Sherrod Brown, “Teleconference On Medicare,” 6/6/11)

HEADLINE: “Schumer Opens Door To Medicare Deal” (“Schumer Opens Door to Medicare Deal,” Roll Call, 6/6/11)

SCHUMER (D-NY): "That will be up to the negotiators," “Schumer on Monday left open the possibility of reaching a budget deal that would include trimming Medicare as long as it did not cut benefits for seniors or privatize the program. ‘That will be up to the negotiators,’ the New York Democrat said during a conference call.” (“Schumer Opens Door to Medicare Deal,” Roll Call, 6/6/11)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: “Everything Has To Be On The Table.” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The First Meeting Of The Fiscal Commission, 4/27/10)

VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: “…long-term Medicare costs… it’s all on the table. It’s all open to discussion.” “‘We agreed everything is discussed. My friends think you can go into a negotiation and say ahead of time that revenues are not a part of this. That is ridiculous,’ Biden said. ‘They know. Now, they may never agree, but it's on the table.’ He added that Republicans want ‘to talk about long-term Medicare costs — well, Democrats go ‘wait a minute’ … it’s all on the table. It’s all open to discussion.’” (“Biden: Medicare, Taxes Are Both On The Table In Debt Reduction Talks,” The Hill, 5/12/11)

REP. STENY HOYER (D-MD): “Do I believe that there are other things we can do related to Medicare? The answer is I do.I'm not going to get into articulating each one, but my expectation is they will be under discussion by the Biden group.” (“Will Dems Give Up Their Political Advantage On Medicare In Debt Limit Fight?,” TPM, 5/24/11)

REP. NANCY PELOSI (D-CA): “…Medicare is on the table.” (CNBC’s “Kudlow & Company,” 5/16/11)

PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON: “I don't think that the Democrats or the Republicans should conclude from the New York race that no changes can be made in Medicare…” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At 2011 Peterson Foundation Fiscal Summit, 5/25/11)

CLINTON: “Medicare is a part of a whole health care system that has a toxic rate of inflation and a spending base today that's not sustainable." (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At 2011 Peterson Foundation Fiscal Summit, 5/25/11)

CLINTON: “…a reasonable Medicare proposal. We’ve got to deal with these things. You cannot have health care devour the economy.” “I think the Democrats are going to have to be willing to give up, maybe, some short-term political gain by whipping up fears on some of these things — if it’s a reasonable Social Security proposal, a reasonable Medicare proposal. We’ve got to deal with these things. You cannot have health care devour the economy.” (President Bill Clinton, Remarks At 2011 Peterson Foundation Fiscal Summit, 5/25/11)

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Tags: democrats, medicare, Chuck Schumer, Bill Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, Steny Hoyer, Barack Obama, Joe Biden To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. Thanks!