Word: gop
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...shift from Medicaid drug coverage to the confounding new prescription drug program. And no one hopes more that they'll be fixed than George Bush and Congressional Republicans, who two years ago rammed through the bill setting up the new Medicare Part D program that began Jan. 1. GOP lawmakers insist that once the kinks are worked out, seniors will eventually appreciate the measure they passed. They're counting on that, because if seniors haven't forgotten the initial nightmares of the drug plan by November's midterm elections, Republicans could end up feeling much of their pain...
...Another dark cloud for the GOP is the plan's so-called "doughnut hole." Under the standard benefit, seniors will get 75% of their drug costs covered by Medicare until their total drug spending reaches $2,250. Beneficiaries then pay all drug costs until their bills reach $5,100. That $2,850 gap in coverage has been nicknamed the "doughnut hole" when seniors must pay for drugs with their own money-as well as continuing to have to pay their average monthly premium of $32-and Democratic political strategists calculate that most seniors will bear the brunt of it around...
...Congress. While front-runner Roy Blunt of Missouri tries to fend off challenges from Arizona Republican John Shadegg and Ohio Representative John Boehner ahead of the Feb. 2 vote, there's been a quiet push, led by California's Dan Lungren, to force an election of all of the GOP leadership jobs-except for Speaker Dennis Hastert, who is popular among members. "We need some new vision at the leadership table," says Anne Northup, a GOP member from Kentucky who has called for elections. In fact, the race itself has quickly become a referendum on whether the House needs dramatic...
...Democratic aides later scoffed at what they called the "Aw shucks" quality of the presentation. But Republicans were pleased. GOP operative Ed Gillespie, Alito's chief handler at the White House, said, "He was great. It is a compelling story." Even Senator Charles Schumer conceded, "It's a very nice story, it is." In the balance between out-of-touch egghead and accessible everyman, Alito had come off as human. But Alito faces at least two more days of hearings. And Democrats sense vulnerability. One aide thought he showed defensiveness in the face of Kennedy's oblique accusation of discrimination...
...speedy trial, but University of Texas law professor George Dix said that, while DeGuerin's motions are "very good, very interesting, .... with some sophisticated arguments and some really good bull****," intervention by the high court would be very unusual. Word from the court will likely come before the new GOP House leadership vote in late January. If DeLay fails to end the case there, the hope of a trial before the March Texas primary is a long shot, and in a state with no party registration, that primary will be open to disenchanted Republicans and disgruntled Democrats alike...