from Krugman
" December 29, 2009, 9:31 am
Part D, revisited
Associated Press did a good report on the trouble Republicans have been having as they try to explain why, if they consider the fully-funded, deficit-reducing Democratic health care reform unaffordable, they voted for the completely unfunded Medicare drug benefit 6 years ago. None of their explanations make a bit of sense.
But the AP dropped the ball, I think, by not pointing out just how irresponsible the bill really was. According to the Medicare trustees, Part D created a $9.4 trillion unfunded liability over the next 75 years. That's a big number, even for an economy as big as ours.
What were they thinking? Mostly, they probably weren't thinking at all. To the extent that there was a theory of the case, however, it went something like this: pass whatever legislation was needed to win the next election, then, once total conservative political dominance has been achieved, dismantle the whole welfare state.
The best laid plans ..."
Rovers plans didn't quite work out. There's little doubt that's what they wanted to do. That's probably why now they are so hysterical about any progressive social legislation.
