TO MEANS TEST THE THIRD WAY WELFARE STATE IS TO END THE SECOND WAY WELFARE STATE:

Bush Proposes Linking the Medicare Drug Premium to Beneficiaries’ Income(ROBERT PEAR, 2/16/08, NY Times)

President Bush proposed legislation on Friday to increase prescription drug premiums for higher-income Medicare beneficiaries.

The proposal, which the administration said would generate $3.2 billion of additional revenue for Medicare over five years, was part of a broader package that is intended to rein in Medicare costs while advancing the Republican vision of a larger private role in the health care system.

The Democratic-controlled Congress is unlikely to approve Mr. Bush’s legislation. Indeed, though the 2003 Medicare law requires the lawmakers to consider it on a speedy timetable, that law does not guarantee even a vote on the package.

But Republican supporters will be able to force Congress to debate the ideas. With Medicare’s hospital insurance trust fund expected to run out of money in 11 years, Democrats acknowledge that Congress and the nation will eventually need to consider such proposals.

John McCain should run on means-testing as an "economic justice" issue and let Democrats explain why Bill Gates deserves the same welfare handouts as the mythic burger-flipper.

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 16, 2008 9:16 AM