Rep. Green feeling the heat

I have not seem them, but the ads being run by AFSCME/SEIU about how the Federal Budget Slashing Act will hurt seniors must be good because they have Rep. Mark Green's office spitting out a rebuttal faster than you can say "I need this solid group of voters to get through the primary."

His office published a list of myths and facts below and I have added my edits in bold and a second set of actual facts listed in bold.

MYTH: Mark Green “voted to make seniors pay more for their health care.”

FACT: Under the “Deficit Reduction Act,” to which the ad presumably refers, Medicaid spending increases from $184 billion in Fiscal Year 2005 to $193 billion in Fiscal Year 2006 – funding that will continue to increase by nearly 7.6 percent every year for the next ten years, which is a lot of big numbers used to hide the cuts to the program. Increased overall spending doesn't mean they aren't cutting back on health care. Ever heard of a thing called inflation?

The real facts: The Washington Post says the bill reduces some payments under Medicare for private health plans, freezes home health care payments and curtails payment rates for imaging such as MRIs.

MYTH: Mark Green’s vote “will deny nursing home care to thousands.”

FACT: Under the hardship waiver of the “Deficit Reduction Act,” no state can deny nursing home care, food, clothing, shelter or other necessities of life to any senior who lacks the financial means to pay for their individual care. Like our little trick here of passing the buck to the state? We are limiting eligibility for nursing homes but making the states tell people they can't use this program or at the very least, making the states jump through a lot of hoops just to help people in need.

The real facts: The Washington Post says the bill increases out-of-pocket costs for poor people who rely on the state-federal health program, through higher co-pays and premiums in the Medicaid program. It also lets states scale back some benefits and tightens eligibility for nursing homes.

MYTH: Mark Green voted to “cut health care for Wisconsin seniors to give tax breaks to millionaires.”

FACT: The “Tax Relief Extension Reconciliation Act,” to which the ad presumably refers, simply extends current tax relief to millionaires. For example, the bill included provisions to provide tax credits to businesses that hire people receiving public assistance and teachers who purchase school supplies for their students out-of-pocket so we could hide the tax breaks for millionaires behind it.

The real facts: According to Citizens for Tax Justice, the version of the bill passed by the House of Representatives, would extend through 2010 the special 15 percent tax rate on dividends and capital gains, which is currently scheduled to expire after 2008, at a cost of $50.8 billion. Over half of the benefits from this tax break go to the wealthiest 1% of our country. Those in that group make an average of $1.2 million and will get a tax cut of over $26,000.

But seniors aren't the only ones Rep. Mark Green voted to punish for the Republican mismanagement of the federal budget. Look who else gets punished (from the Washington Post):

WELFARE AND CHILD SUPPORT: Cuts $1.6 billion in welfare, child-support enforcement and other human services. Cuts programs that attempt to collect child support from noncustodial or “deadbeat” parents.

EDUCATION: Cuts $12.7 billion for student loans at 6.8 percent. The change comes amid rising tuition costs at colleges and universities.

AGRICULTURE: Cuts agricultural programs, mostly crop subsidies and soil conservation, by $2.7 billion overall.

Do we file this under compassionate conservative?