This might be worthwhile discussion topic.

Are we better off now than we were in 2000?

Is our Country, our Children and Grandchildren and our Nation's Senior Citizens better off now, than we were in 2000? :dontknow:

Did the Bush tax cuts really make a difference? :dontknow:

Has the Medicare Prescription Plan helped you personally? :dontknow:

If you continue to receive prescription benefits from your former employer has it remained as good, stayed the same or gotten worse since Medicare D went into effect? :dontknow:

Here's something that went unnoticed by the media that might shed some light----

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/05/b70999.html

Originally Posted by Hancle704

This might be worthwhile discussion topic.

Are we better off now than we were in 2000?

Is our Country, our Children and Grandchildren and our Nation's Senior Citizens better off now, than we were in 2000? :dontknow:

Did the Bush tax cuts really make a difference? :dontknow:

Has the Medicare Prescription Plan helped you personally? :dontknow:

If you continue to receive prescription benefits from your former employer has it remained as good, stayed the same or gotten worse since Medicare D went into effect? :dontknow:

Here's something that went unnoticed by the media that might shed some light----

http://www.americanprogress.org/issues/2004/05/b70999.html

I JUST WANT TO PUKE ::

After reading the content of the link provided I have a question. How can President Bush reassure senior Americans exactly what corporation will and will not do? Corporate decisions are made on the basis of prevailing business conditions, profitability and long/short term forecasts (among other things). Although the most admirable corporations are not always motivated by profit, they have shareholders to whom they must answer. The bottom line; the Prez can't speak for the board of directors/ceo of the Fortune 500 companies. He might have some sway, but to accept that idea rigidly as whole truth would be folly IMHO.

You have got to be kidding!!!! The Center for American Progress, :edit: why dont you just quote the DNC? I mean really, if I was quoting Rush Limbaugh (who I love) would you place any credibility to it? Come on lets at least start the debates from a position of honesty.

Let's see:

Since 2000 my upcoming retirement has solidified into a "never having to work again" situation. My wonderful spouse is still my wonderful spouse, and we both are still in reasonably good health. The kids have grown and gone - all healthy and solvent, and independent.

All of the hard work since 2000 has paid off with dividends!

Has the politics of the country (regardless of which party's position is stated) REALLY affected me in a manner so negative that I have become depressed with life? N O ! ! !

Is the USA still the place where one can pursue life, liberty and happiness?

Yep, I'm better off!

I have a little book in my library called: The Constitution of the United States", which I read at least one a month and every time I am amazed how a document so small has served so well not only to the US but to a lot of countries around the world that take inspiration on it.
That we are better off than 2000 you bet. That we are better off every day than the day before, you bet. We are the luckiest people on earth.

Originally Posted by sistagurl

You have got to be kidding!!!! The Center for American Progress, :edit: why don't you just quote the DNC? I mean really, if I was quoting Rush Limbaugh (who I love) would you place any credibility to it? Come on lets at least start the debates from a position of honesty.

Not clear about your comments about a debate. This was posted to ask some questions. I saw the information that was posted from The Center for American Progress while looking into cutbacks in my former company's benefit plan for retirees and thought it fairly stated what has happened to myself and many others who had retired with what we thought were pretty good medical and prescription plans from our former employers. Do you have any friends who worked for The Bell System and before retirement were transferred to Lucent Technologies. They have seen benefits cut, and are now retirees from a company that is now Alcatel ( a French Company). Many others have seen their prescription and healthcare benefits cut way back since the Government's Medicare Prescription Plan went into effect. So in that respect am I better off? NO.

BTW, I listen to and enjoy Bortz, Limbaugh, O'Reilly and wonder what that has got to do with the questions? Are you of the opinion that if something comes from anyone other than Conservative Talk Show Hosts, the information must be suspect? You may want to pick up a book called The Greatest Story Ever Sold. The fact that it was written by Frank Rich, a liberal reporter from The New York Times might be troubling for you, but who knows you may find that Limbaugh is not the sole source of truth in the media.

I invite you to re-read what was said and if you want to create a debate out of the questions listed, then present some factual information that counters what was presented in the link. So instead of blasting the messenger, why not offer an opinion about the questions and the information provided.

Let me take a shot at the original question: Am I better off than in 2000?

Let me see - I "GOT" retired in 1999 and sent to another company which retired me in December 2000. That enabled me to buy a home in the Villages in July, 2001 before the housing prices when sky high in TV. Chalk one up for better. :hot:

Did Bush tax cuts make a difference?

Not that I know of. :dontknow:

Has the Medicare Prescription Plan helped you personally?

Not old enough! ;D

If you continue to receive prescription benefits from your former employer has it remained as good, stayed the same or gotten worse since Medicare D went into effect?

Prices have gone up but I think it is just the cost of medications. The big business controls the market and are not going to give anyone a break. Which means that we will never see the reduced costs of Canadian supplied prescriptions. If I can get a generic drug for one tenth of the cost that they charge for a brand name drug something is wrong. ???

Z, I have to add a comment to your post. If I remember correctly, you are the topicop so forgive me if I stray off subject. I had believed the cost problem was created by the drug producers. Well I learned that fact was not entirely true. We were insured a couple of years ago under my wife's employer's plan. They shut down the office and we had to go on COBRA. It was a large amount of $$ and she wasn't sure if she was going to continue to work or not so I procrastinated about sending a check in. During that period, I needed a new prescription so I went to to the local Mom & Pop pharmacy. The prescription cost $26. Afterwards, we went on COBRA and it was time to renew the prescription. I ordered it through the insurance company and it cost $28. I called them and questioned why it was higher through the insurance co. than without any coverage. I asked how much it would have cost through them (Walgreen's) without insurance and they said $80!! I have since checked CVS and Rite-Aid and they are substantially higher than the little local pharmacy. I've learned too, that Costco marks up generics about 10% and CVS marks them up about 80% or so to place the cost slightly under name brand drugs. So now my firm opinion is it isn't only the drug manufacturers who are the problem, but the large chain retailers are doing their part too.

Topicop? Sorry! I am just a poster like you. Not sure what would make you think that. I get in so much trouble with my answers I would censor me! ;D

I agree with you that there are others taking advantage. If the Walgreen's and CVS has to pay the big drug producers the prices they charge they are going to pass on the cost of their users.

When I see what I pay through my medical insurance vs what they charge, I get sick.

I was in the hospital back a bunch of years ago and the guy in the bed next to me was checking out and they gave him a list of drugs he needed to take and the prices. He definitely could not afford them. He asked the nurse which would be the best one for him to take since he could not afford them all. He passed away about two months later. Probably because he could not afford any of them.

My Mother-in-law had many bottles of medicine that they kept changing on her. I tried to find some place to give these bottles of medicine to so that they could give them to people that could not afford them. I was told to toss them. They might be tainted.

How Many meds do we toss because some bureaucracy thinks that we purposely tainted them? Maybe it is big drug companies making sure we don't give good medicines to needy people.

My mom & pop pharmacy is selling the same drugs CVS and Walgreens sells. My point is that the drug chains are a big part of the problem, not only the drug manufacturers. I don't know for a fact, but I'd believe the Canadian pharmacies buy their drugs from the same manufacturers and yet their prices are considerably lower. Everyone seems focused on the manufacturers but the chains are in the game in a big way too.

You only have to pay attention to the amount of CVS, Walgreens and Rite-Aid stores that keep poping in every neighborhood, with no sign of ever stopping. They are trying to push the generics because there is where they make the money. If I have to take medications I insist with the doctor to mark them DAW (dispense as written), if they cost me more let it be, I will avoid as long as possible to take medications made in underground laboratories with no strick quality controls, no matter what they say that they are the same: they are not.

A picture worth a thousand words.....
http://editorialcartoonists.com/cart...lay.cfm/44386/

Re: Are we better off now than we were in 2000?

Perhaps, more appropriate questions--

In light of the economy, recession, inflation, ever increasing Gov't debt, mortgage foreclosures, declining value of the dollar, continuing terrorist threats, increasing gas prices and potential for shortages, illegal immigration, rising healthcare and prescription costs, world view of US, global warming, outsourcing of jobs, are we better off today than we will be next year and in the years to come?

Will things get better with a new President and possible Democrat control of both Congressional Houses?

The view that none of this applies to us, because we live in TV makes no sense to me.

http://editorialcartoonists.com/cart...play.cfm/51683