To the Point
Republicans Take Aim at Medicare
Share |

Republicans Take Aim at Medicare

Host:
Produced by:
Subscribe to this Podcast:
Podcast iTunes Podcast
Listen to/Watch entire show:
Listen Download Add to My Shows

After the President and House leaders failed to agree on preventing a government shutdown on Friday, Democrats and Republicans are blaming each other. We hear about that and what's called a "bold" Republican plan to cut the deficit and restructure Medicaid and Medicare. Also, it's back to Guantanamo for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

Banner image: Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) (C), chairman of the House Budget Committee, holds up a copy of the 2012 Republican budget proposal during a news conference April 5, 2011 on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Photo: Alex Wong/Getty Images

Making News

Budget Negotiations Stall, Shutdown Looms ()

Republican House Speaker John Boehner met the President at the White House today, but they failed to make a deal to avoid a government shutdown on Friday. Meanwhile, Republican Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia blamed the stalemate on a "lack of [Democratic] leadership in the Senate." Massimo Calabresi is Washington correspondent for Time magazine.

Guests:
Links:

Main Topic

Money, Medicare and Next Year's Election ()

As the White House and Congress struggled to avoid a government shutdown based on this year's budget, chair of the House Budget Committee, Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan, presented his much-awaited plan for next year. Republicans claim it would save almost $6 trillion in ten years by spending cuts, restructuring Medicaid and Medicare and providing a choice of private insurance plans. Critics say it would make the rich richer and require the old and the sick to shoulder rising healthcare costs on their own. Does anybody expect the package to become law, or is it designed to shape debate about the role of government in next year's presidential campaign?



Guests:
Links:

Reporter's Notebook

Obama Administration Reverses Plan on 9/11 Trials ()

Despite months of insisting that America's civilian courts could handle the most despised accused terrorist in American history, the Obama Administration has capitulated to Congress and public opinion. Just 17 months after announcing a civilian trial in New York City for Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, Attorney General Eric Holder said yesterday it'll be a military tribunal in Guantanamo Bay after all. Now attorneys for the confessed 9/11 mastermind and others are asking, how soon will justice be served? Evan Perez covers the Justice Department for the Wall Street Journal.

 



Guests:

Engage & Discuss

Further the conversation with your thoughts and comments. Agree, disagree, present a different perspective -- engage.

For information and guidelines click: Terms of Service | Privacy Policy

Please note, comments are moderated. KCRW reserves the right to edit and or remove posts deemed off-topic, abusive or not in accordance with KCRW's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.