Fuente : Republican National Committee (RNC)
http://www.rnc.org/

US ELECTION: John Kerry For President - Title: "I Know"

/noticias.info/ Rhetoric




ED RENDELL: “The John Kerry I know is a fighter for what he believes in. Like me, he was a tough, no-nonsense prosecutor who tackled problems head on. John Kerry fought to create one of the first victims assistance units in the nation.



CHYRON: Gov. Ed Rendell



CHYRON: John Kerry & the Democrats: tough prosecutor.



CHYRON: John Kerry & the Democrats: fought for victims.



The Facts




Kerry’s Record On Law & Order: Against Death Penalty For Terrorists, For Funding Cuts



Kerry Flip-Flopped On The Death Penalty For Terrorists After Once Calling It A “Terrorist Protection Policy.” (Anne E. Kornblut, “Kerry Traces His Shift On The Death Penalty,” The Boston Globe, 12/18/02; Brian C. Mooney, “Democrats Shift On Death Penalty,” The Boston Globe, 12/7/03)



In 1972, Kerry Called No-Knock Arrests And Preventative Detention “Police State Tactics.” (MASS PAP-C.P.P. Candidate Questionnaire, 1972)



In 1995, Kerry Voted To Slash FBI Funding By $80 Million In Favor Of Social Crime Prevention Programs. (H.R. 2076, CQ Vote #480: Adopted 49-41: R 9-40; D 40-1, 9/29/95, Kerry Voted Yea)



Kerry Was One Of Seven Senators To Vote Against Random Drug And Alcohol Testing Of Safety-Related Personnel In The Transportation Industry. (S. 1485, CQ Vote #359: Motion Rejected 7-83: R 0-40; D 7-43, 10/29/87, Kerry Voted Yea)



Kerry Says He Opposed Mandatory Sentences For Drug Dealers, But “Voted For Them Later On.” (Time Magazine Website, www.time.com/time/covers/1101040209/nqa.html, Accessed 2/5/04)



Kerry Said Some People In Jail “Barely Culpable.” SEN. JOHN KERRY: “I heard the distinguished minority leader saying, ‘Who could be opposed to a mandatory sentence for somebody selling drugs to a minor?’ Well, what happens if it is the minor’s best friend who is also a minor who sells the drugs? Or what happens if it is somebody who is 20 years old, a college friend who has never been in trouble, who happened to be at a party, and who sold some drugs to another minor? Are we going to put that person in jail for 10 years? I mean, that is the problem; if we are going to reduce all of this to simplistic sloganeering, we create enormous injustices in the process. We have people today in jail under mandatory sentencing provisions for drug use who have been there for 4 years or 5 years, who are so barely culpable it is sad, who are taking up a cell that should instead house a rapist, an assaulter, a burglar, an armed robber, or a murderer who is not in jail because there are not enough cells. Jails all across America are so full that judges are given a list on a weekly basis and are told to let people out in order to make room for the next group of people coming in. Part of the reason for this overcrowding is that we have a lot of people in prison for first-time, nonviolent minimal offenses. But they get swept under this broad-brush concept.” (Sen. John Kerry, Congressional Record, 8/24/94, p. S12453)



ü “If Kerry Is The Nominee, The Phrase ‘So Barely Culpable It Is Sad’ Might Start Rolling Off The Tongues Of A Few Presidential Surrogates.” (Michael Grunwald, “Bring It On?” The New Republic, 2/2/04)



Kerry Voted Against Mandatory 20 Year Prison Term And Allowance Of Death Penalty For Drug Related Homicides. Symms, R-Idaho, amendment to mandate a 20-year prison term and allow for the death penalty for drug-related homicides in the District of Columbia. (S. 1241, CQ Vote #111: Adopted 60-39: R 36-7; D 24-32, 6/26/91, Kerry Voted Nay)



Kerry Voted Against Mandatory Minimums For Those Who Sell Drugs To Minors. Biden, D-Del., motion to table (kill) the Gramm, R-Texas, amendment to insert provisions dropped by conferees on the omnibus crime bill (HR3355) that would have required mandatory sentences for possession of firearms during commission of a violent crime or drug felony or for selling drugs to a minor, and to prevent the administration from implementing provisions of the Racial Justice Act by executive order. (H.R. 3355, CQ Vote #251: Motion Agreed To 55-44: R 4-40; D 51-4, 8/2/94, Kerry Voted Yea)



Kerry Voted Against Mandatory Minimums For Those Who Sell Drugs To Minors. Gramm, R-Texas, motion to instruct the Senate conferees to insist on a Violent Crime Reduction Trust Fund of not less than $22.3 billion and mandatory minimum prison sentences for those who sell drugs to minors, use a minor in drug trafficking or use a firearm during a violent crime or drug trafficking crime. The instructions only allow mandatory minimum sentences to be suspended for first-time, non-violent offenders. (H.R. 3355, CQ Vote #124: Motion Agreed To 66-32: R 37-7; D 29-25, 5/19/94, Kerry Voted Nay)



Kerry On Drug Dealers: “Depends On The Definition Of Dealer.” NBC’S CAMPBELL BROWN: “You opposed mandatory minimum sentences for drug dealers who sold to children.” SEN. JOHN KERRY: “We have problems with some of our mandatory sentencing. We have people who’ve been sentenced for very long periods of time for offenses that, in my judgment, don’t always merit that length of time.” BROWN: “But these were drug dealers who were selling to minors.” KERRY: “It depends on the definition of dealer. If it’s a real dealer, I’m for it. It’s all in the definition of dealer. And as everybody knows in the prosecution and in the law, the definitions are critical. If it’s a real dealer, obviously, I’m for putting them away for life. But if you’re talking about some kid or some college kid who’s selling in a dorm or something, are you going to put them under the same mandatory as a regular drug dealer? I don’t think so, and I don’t think most Americans think so.” (NBC’s “Today Show,” 2/5/04)



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Rhetoric




ED RENDELL: “As President, he’ll fight for Pennsylvania families, cut middle class taxes ...”



CHYRON: John Kerry & the Democrats: cut middle class taxes.



The Facts




Former Opponents, Including VP Pick, Criticized Kerry’s Middle Class Tax Plan



Sen. John Edwards Implies Kerry Tax Plan Will Only Work For Privileged Few. “I’ve been looking forward to the time when this is a two- person race and people will focus on Senator Kerry and myself. … I believe if that happens, the choice that I give voters, which is different than Senator Kerry, is somebody who comes from them, who understands the problems that they have in their life, who understands what the loss of a job means, who has both trade policy and tax policy that will work for all Americans and not just a privileged few. And I think there are real differences between us.” (CNN’s “Larry King Live,” 2/17/04)



Former Opponent Wesley Clark Said Kerry Tax Credits Would Give Middle Class Less Than $100 In Relief. “Clark said Kerry’s proposal would help only middle-class families with kids in college. ‘Most middle-class families don’t have kids in college,’ Clark said. … ‘Senator Kerry … [doesn’t] have the leadership to stand up to millionaires,’ said Clark. ‘[He] talks about middle-class tax cuts, but it’s just rhetoric. The majority of families would not get any tax cut … and the average tax cut would be less than $100.’” (Mike Glover, “Clark Seeks Distinction On Taxes, Mettle,” The Associated Press, 2/8/04)



Kerry Voted Against President’s 2001 & 2003 Tax Cuts



Kerry Voted Against Senate Passage Of 2001 Tax Cut. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, 5/23/01, Kerry Voted Nay)



ü Then Missed Final Passage Of 2001 Tax Cut To Deliver Commencement Address. (Kirk Victor, et al., “A Kerry Top 10,” National Journal, 1/30/04; H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #170: Adopted 58-33: R 46-2; D 12-31, 5/26/01, Kerry Missed Vote)



Voted Against Final Passage Of 2003 Tax Cut. (H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 51-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, With Vice President Cheney Casting A “Yea” Vote, 5/23/03, Kerry Voted Nay)



President Bush Cut Taxes For All Pennsylvanians Who Pay Income Taxes. As A Result:



ü More than 4.6 million taxpayers in Pennsylvania will have lower income tax bills in 2004;



ü More than 910,000 business taxpayers in Pennsylvania can use their tax savings from the two Acts to invest in new equipment, hire additional workers, and increase pay;



ü Nearly 4.2 million taxpayers in Pennsylvania will benefit from the new 10-percent bracket;



ü 1.5 million married couples in Pennsylvania will benefit from the reduction in the marriage penalty;



ü More than 1.1 million married couples and single parents in Pennsylvania will benefit from the increase in the child tax credit from $500 to $1,000. (Department Of The Treasury Website, http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/docs/states/penn.pdf, Accessed 10/11/04)



Congressional Budget Office Said Income Tax Burden Has Shifted More To Wealthy After Tax Cuts. “The report also shows that Bush’s tax cuts have been ‘progressive’ - that is, they have shifted the share of the overall federal income-tax burden toward the wealthy, and away from lower-income earners. Without the Bush tax cuts, the highest-earning 20 percent of households this year would have paid 78.4 percent of all federal income taxes. Now, after the Bush tax cuts, their share of the burden has risen to 82.1 percent. Every other quintile now pays a smaller share of the total income-tax burden.” (Donald Luskin, Op-Ed, “Liberal Lies, CBO Truths,” National Review Online, 8/17/04)



Kerry Repeatedly Voted For Higher Taxes On Middle Class



Kerry Has Voted Against Marriage Penalty Relief At Least 22 Times. (S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote # 178: Rejected 31-69: R 31-23; D 0-46, 5/23/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1357, CQ Vote #552: Motion Agreed To 53-46: R 50-3; D 3-43, 10/27/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2491, CQ Vote #556: Passed 52-47: R 52-1; D 0-46, 10/28/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2491, CQ Vote #584: Motion Agreed To 52-47: R 52-1; D 0-46, 11/18/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1415, CQ Vote #154: Rejected 48-50: R 5-49; D 43-1, 6/10/98, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 2312, CQ Vote #242: Motion Rejected 48-51: R 4-50; D 44-1, 7/29/98, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1429, CQ Vote #230: Rejected 46-54: R 45-9; D 0-45; I 1-0, 7/29/99, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1429 CQ Vote #247: Passed 57-43: R 52-2; D 4-41; I 1-0, 7/30/99, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2488, CQ Vote #261: Adopted 50-49: R 49-4; D 0-45; I 1-0, 8/5/99, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 101, CQ Vote #68: Rejected 44-56: R 5-50; D 39-6, 4/7/00, Kerry Voted Yea; H. Con. Res. 290, CQ Vote #79: Adopted 51-45: R 51-2; D 0-43, 4/7/00, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 6, CQ Vote #82: Rejected 53-45: R 53-1; D 0-44, 4/13/00, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 6, CQ Vote #83: Rejected 53-45: R 53-1; D 0-44, 4/13/00, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 290, CQ Vote #85: Adopted 50-48: R 50-4; D 0-44, 4/13/00, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R.4810, CQ Vote #213: Rejected 20-79: R 1-53; D 19-26, 7/18/00, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 4810, CQ Vote #214: Adopted 54-45: R 54-0; D 0-45, 7/18/00, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 4810, CQ Vote #215: Passed 61-38: R 53-1; D 8-37, 7/18/00, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #79: Adopted 50-50: R 49-1; D 1-49, With Vice President Cheney Casting A “Yea” Vote, 4/5/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #86: Adopted 65-35: R 50-0; D 15-35, 4/6/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #98: Adopted 53-47: R 48-2; D 5-45, 5/10/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, 5/23/01, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 95, CQ Vote #36: Rejected 47-52: R 1-50; D 45-2; I 1-0, 3/10/04, Kerry Voted Yea)



And Against Expanding Child Tax Credit At Least 18 Times. (S. Con. Res. 95, CQ Vote #36: Rejected 47-52: R 1-50; D 45-2; I 1-0, 3/10/04, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #108: Adopted 56-44: R 50-1; D 6-42; I 0-1, 3/26/03, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 95, CQ Vote #134: Adopted 51-50: R 49-2; D 1-47; D 0-1, With Vice President Cheney Casting A “Yea” Vote, 4/11/03, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 51-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, With Vice President Cheney Casting A “Yea” Vote, 5/23/03, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, 5/15/03, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #106: Rejected 48-52: R 47-4; D 1-47; I 0-1, 3/26/03, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, 5/23/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #86: Adopted 65-35: R 50-0; D 15-35, 4/6/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #98: Adopted 53-47: R 48-2; D 5-45, 5/10/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2014, CQ Vote #160: Passed 80-18: R 51-4; D 29-14, 6/27/97, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 57, CQ Vote #151: Motion Agreed To 57-43: R 50-3; D 7-40, 5/23/96, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con Res. 178, CQ Vote #159: Adopted 53-46: R 53-0; D 0-46, 6/13/96, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 13, CQ Vote #178, Rejected 31-69: R 31-23; D 0-46, 5/23/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H. Con. Res. 67, CQ Vote #296: Adopted 54-46: R 54-0; D 0-46, 6/29/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1357, CQ Vote #552: Motion Agreed To 53-46: R 50-3; D 3-43, 10/27/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2491, CQ Vote #556: Passed 52-47: R 52-1; D 0-46, 10/28/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2491, CQ Vote #584: Motion Agreed To 52-47: R 52-1; D 0-46, 11/18/95, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 63, CQ Vote #66: Rejected 42-58: R 42-2; D 0-56, 3/23/94, Kerry Voted Nay)



Kerry Voted For Higher Taxes On Social Security Benefits At Least Eight Times:



ü Twice For Clinton’s $241 Billion Tax Hike On Social Security Benefits. (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #190: Passed 50-49: R 0-43; D 49-6, With Vice President Al Gore Casting The Tie-Breaking Vote, 6/25/93, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #247: Adopted 51-50: R 0-44; D 50-6, With Vice President Al Gore Casting The Tie-Breaking Vote, 8/6/93, Kerry Voted Yea)



ü Three Times To Keep Hike In Clinton Plan. (S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #57: Motion Agreed To 52-47: R 0-43; D 52-4, 3/24/93, Kerry Voted Yea; S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #59: Motion Agreed To 55-44: R 0-43; D 55-1, 3/24/93, Kerry Voted Yea; S. 1134, CQ Vote #169: Motion Agreed To 51-46: R 1-41; D 50-5, 6/24/93, Kerry Voted Yea)

ü Three Times Against Repealing 1993 Increase. (S. Con. Res. 57, CQ Vote #142: Adopted 50-48: R 49-4; D 1-44, 5/22/96, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 8, CQ Vote #188: Adopted 58-41: R 54-1; D 4-40, 7/13/00, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 23, CQ Vote #94: Rejected 48-51: R 48-3; D 0-47; I 0-1, 3/25/03, Kerry Voted Nay)



Kerry Supported Higher Gas Taxes 11 Times:



NUMBERS ONE AND TWO: Voted Twice For Clinton/Gore Btu Tax, Increasing Gas Prices 7.5 Cents Per Gallon. (S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #40: Rejected 46-53: R 43-0; D 3-53, 3/18/93, Kerry Voted Nay; S. Con. Res. 18, CQ Vote #53: Motion Agreed To 55-44: R 0-43; D 55-1, 3/23/93, Kerry Voted Yea; Patrick Burns, “Activist Handbook 2000: Gasoline Tax,” Citizens For A Sound Economy, 7/20/00)



NUMBERS THREE AND FOUR: 1993 Clinton/Kerry Tax Plan Increased Gas Taxes. (H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #190: Passed 50-49: R 0-43; D 49-6, With Vice President Al Gore Casting The Tie-Breaking Vote, 6/25/93, Kerry Voted Yea; H.R. 2264, CQ Vote #247: Adopted 51-50: R 0-44; D 50-6, With Vice President Al Gore Casting The Tie-Breaking Vote, 8/6/93, Kerry Voted Yea)



ü NUMBER FIVE: Voted To Kill An Amendment That Would Have Eliminated Gas Tax Increase From Budget Resolution. (S. 1134, CQ Vote #167: Motion Agreed To 50-48: R 0-43; D 50-5, 6/24/93, Kerry Voted Yea)



ü NUMBERS SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT, AND NINE: Voted At Least Four Times Against Repealing Clinton 4.3-Cent Increase In Gas Tax. (H.R. 2937, CQ Vote #111: Motion Rejected 52-44: R 52-1; D 0-43, 5/9/96, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2937, CQ Vote #112: Motion Rejected 54-43: R 53-0; D 1-43, 5/14/96, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 1173, CQ Vote #26: Motion Rejected 18-80: R 16-37; D 2-43, 3/11/98, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 2285, CQ Vote #80: Motion Rejected 43-56: R 43-12; D 0-44, 4/11/00, Kerry Voted Nay; Senate Republican Policy Committee, “White House Unjust Firings/Gas Tax, Minimum Wage, Team Act,” 5/9/96)



NUMBER TEN: 1994: Supported Half-Dollar Increase In Gas Tax. (Jill Zuckman, “Deficit-Watch Group Gives High Marks To 7 N.E. Lawmakers,” The Boston Globe, 3/1/94)



NUMBER ELEVEN: In 2000, Kerry Voted Against Suspending The 18.4-Cent Gas Tax For 150 Days. (H.R. 8, CQ Vote #183: Motion Rejected 40-59: R 40-15; D 0-44, 7/13/00, Kerry Voted Nay)



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Rhetoric




ED RENDELL: “… Help small businesses grow …”



CHYRON: John Kerry & the Democrats: help small businesses.



The Facts



Kerry Tax Increases Would Hurt Small Businesses



Kerry Will Roll Back Tax Cuts For People Making More Than $200,000. ZAHN: “Will you raise taxes?” KERRY: “Not on - not on the middle class, absolutely, no, not at all. And I will not raise income tax rates above where they were when Bill Clinton left office. I don’t want to do that. But I will roll back George Bush’s tax cut for people earning more than $200,000 a year.” (CNN’s “Paula Zahn Now,” 2/2/04)



Plan Would Hurt Nearly 900,000 Small Businesses. “[R]aising taxes now would put the brakes on our growing economy. The across-the-board rate reduction helped more than 90% of small business owners who pay their business taxes at the individual rates, including more than 900,000 small business owners who pay in the top two rates.” (White House Website, “Economy Shows 12 Straight Months Of Job Gains,” , Accessed 9/15/04)



Cut In Top Income Bracket Benefits Small Businesses. “Of the 750,000 tax filers that … benefit from a reduction in the highest marginal tax rate, more than two-thirds (over 500,000 filers) have some small business income from a sole proprietorship, partnership or S corporation. These small business owners would receive 79 percent of the $13.3 billion in tax savings from reducing the top marginal rate to 35 percent in 2003 instead of 2006.” (Emphasis added.) (“How The Top Individual Income Tax Rate Affects Small Businesses,” Joint Economic Committee, 5/6/03)



ü Small Businesses Benefit From 2003 Tax Cut. “Two parts … are especially advantageous to small business. Most small companies are sole proprietorships or Subchapter S corporations, so they pay taxes at individual income tax rates, which have been slashed. Also, businesses are allowed to deduct from taxable income up to $100,000 of new equipment, up from $25,000.” (Peter Coy, “Right Place, Right Time: Small Businesses Aren’t Just Surviving,” BusinessWeek, 10/13/03)



Increases In Top Tax Rates Will Impede Small Business’ Hiring, Wage Growth. “[W]hat will happen if the Democrats raise the Small Business Tax by more than 10%? According to researchers at the National Bureau of Economic Research, such a tax hike will: Reduce the likelihood of small business hiring by about 10.7%; Reduce median wages paid by small businesses by between 3 and 4%; Reduce small business gross receipts by about 7.7%.” (Dan Clifton and Josh Barro, “Effects Of Marginal Tax Rate Increases On Small Business,” Americans For Tax Reform, 8/11/03)



Kerry Voted Against Tax Relief For Entrepreneurs



Voted Against President Bush’s Historic Middle Class Tax Cuts In 2001 And 2003. (H.R. 1836, CQ Vote #165: Passed 62-38: R 50-0; D 12-38, 5/23/01, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #179: Passed 51-49: R 48-3; D 3-45; I 0-1, 5/15/03, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 2, CQ Vote #196: Adopted 51-50: R 48-3; D 2-46; I 0-1, With Vice President Cheney Casting A “Yea” Vote, 5/23/03, Kerry Voted Nay)



ü More Than 23 Million Small Business Entrepreneurs Benefited From President’s 2001 And 2003 Tax Cuts. (U.S. Department Of The Treasury Website, “Combined Effect Of The Economic Growth And Tax Relief Reconciliation Act Of 2001 (EGTRRA) & State-By-State Distribution Jobs And Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act Of 2003 (JGTRRA),” http://www.treas.gov/press/releases/reports/table.pdf, Accessed 9/26/04)



Voted Against Tax Credits For Small Businesses To Purchase Health Insurance. The amendment also sought to make health insurance fully deductible. (H. Con. Res. 83, CQ Vote #83: Rejected 49-51: R 48-2; D 1-49, 4/5/01, Kerry Voted Nay)



Twice Voted Against Allowing Self-Employed Individuals To Fully Deduct Cost Of Their Health Insurance On Their Federal Taxes. (S. 1344, CQ Vote #202: Adopted 53-47: R 52-2; D 0-45; I 1-0, 7/13/99, Kerry Voted Nay; S.1344, CQ Vote #210: Passed 53-47: R 52-2; D 0-45; I 1-0, 7/15/99, Kerry Voted Nay)



Voted Against Deducting Social Security Payments On Income Taxes. Vote on an amendment to establish an income tax deduction for Social Security taxes paid by employees and the self-employed. (S. Con. Res. 57, CQ Vote #140: Rejected 43-57: R 40-13; D 3-44, 5/22/96, Kerry Voted Nay)



And Voted Against Capping Damages For Small Businesses



Voted At Least Five Times Against Capping Punitive Damages For Small Businesses. (H.R. 956, CQ Vote #153: Motion Rejected 43-49: R 41-10; D 2-39, 5/8/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 956, CQ Vote #156: Motion Agreed To 60-38: R 46-7; D 14-31, 5/9/95, Kerry Voted Nay; H.R. 956, CQ Vote #44: Motion Agreed To 60-40: R 48-5; D 12-35, 3/20/96, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 648, CQ Vote #184: Motion Agreed To 71-24: R 50-3; D 21-21, 7/7/98, Kerry Voted Nay; S. 648, CQ Vote #188: Motion Rejected 51-47: R 51-2; D 0-45, 7/9/98, Kerry Voted Nay)



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Rhetoric




ED RENDELL: “… And take on big health care companies to lower the cost of medicine. Strong beliefs, good judgment, a real plan for the middle class. It’s time for a new direction.”



JOHN KERRY: “I’m John Kerry and I approved this message.”



CHYRON: John Kerry & the Democrats: lower prescription drug prices.



CHYRON: Kerry-Edwards. It’s time for a new direction.



CHYRON: Approved by John Kerry and paid for by Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc.



The Facts




Millions Of Pennsylvania Seniors Are Saving Money On Prescription Drugs

Thanks To Medicare Law Enacted By President Bush And Congressional Republicans



Currently, All 2.1 Million Medicare Beneficiaries Have Access To Drug Discount Cards That Will Save Up To 18% On Name Brand Drugs And 30-60% On Generics. (U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, “HHS Secretary Urges Seniors To Sign Up For Discount Cards,” Press Release, 6/1/04; “What MMA Means For Pennsylvania,” Fact Sheet, U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, 2/17/04)



ü Over 400,000 Low-Income Seniors In Pennsylvania Can Receive $1200 Credit (A Total Of $486 Million In 2004 And 2005) Toward Their Drug Purchases, For 30-70% Off Their Prescription Expenses. (U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, “HHS Secretary Urges Seniors To Sign Up For Discount Cards,” Press Release, 6/1/04; “What MMA Means For Pennsylvania,” Fact Sheet, U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, 2/17/04)



Starting In 2006, New Drug Benefit Will Cover About 50% Of Costs For 550,000 Pennsylvania Seniors Who Would Otherwise Have No Drug Coverage. “Medicare beneficiaries who wish to receive the prescription drug benefit can choose to enroll either in a Medicare health plan or prescription drug plan with a monthly premium of around $35. The drug coverage will be available to enrollees who choose the traditional, fee-for-service Medicare plan as well as any Medicare Advantage program. All beneficiaries, regardless of their income, will receive significant help with their drug bills and protection from high drug costs under the new Medicare prescription drug plans. … On average, the new benefit will cover about half of beneficiaries’ prescription drug costs for those currently without coverage.” (U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, “HHS Proposes New Rules To Deliver Better Benefits And Savings On Drugs For Medicare Beneficiaries,” Press Release, 7/26/04; “What MMA Means For Pennsylvania,” Fact Sheet, U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, 2/17/04)



ü Will Cover Approximately 95% Of Drug Costs For 594,000 Low-Income Seniors In Pennsylvania. (U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, “HHS Proposes New Rules To Deliver Better Benefits And Savings On Drugs For Medicare Beneficiaries,” Press Release, 7/26/04; “What MMA Means For Pennsylvania,” Fact Sheet, U.S. Department Of Health And Human Services, 2/17/04)



Kerry Would “Repeal” Medicare Prescription Drug Law. “If I’m President we’re going to repeal that phony bill. It isn’t a prescription drug benefit for seniors - it’s a benefit for prescription drug companies.” (Sen. John Kerry, “Ending The Era Of Special Interests,” Remarks In Nashua, NH, 1/21/04)



ü Kerry’s Promise Followed Advice From Democrat Political Consultants To “Define The Current Law As Unacceptable - Not As Something That Can Be Fixed …” (Al Quinlan and Celinda Lake, “Engaging On Prescription Drugs,” Memorandum To Sen. Tom Daschle, Rep. Nancy Pelosi and Chairman Matsui, 1/21/04)



Kerry’s Proposals Will Not Reduce Cost Of Prescription Drugs



According To Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Government Negotiation Of Drug Prices Would Not Reduce Costs; Under New Medicare Law, Private Plans Will Negotiate “Substantial Savings.” “CBO has examined the effect of striking the ‘noninterference’ provision (section 1860D-11(i) of the Social Security Act) as added by P. L. 108-173, the Medicare Prescription Drug, Improvement, and Modernization Act of 2003. That section bars the Secretary of Health and Human Services from interfering with the negotiations between drug manufacturers and pharmacies and sponsors of prescription drug plans, or from requiring a particular formulary or price structure for covered Part D drugs. We estimate that striking that provision would have a negligible effect on federal spending because CBO estimates that substantial savings will be obtained by the private plans and that the Secretary would not be able to negotiate prices that further reduce federal spending to a significant degree. Because they will be at substantial financial risk, private plans will have strong incentives to negotiate price discounts, both to control their own costs in providing the drug benefit and to attract enrollees with low premiums and cost-sharing requirements.” (Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, 1/23/04)



ü CBO Estimated Private Plans Offering New Medicare Prescription Drug Benefit Will Cut Drug Costs By 20 To 25 Percent For Individuals Currently Without Coverage. (Douglas Holtz-Eakin, Director, Congressional Budget Office, Letter To Honorable Don Nickles, Table 2, 11/20/03)



Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office Also Concluded That Importation From Canada “Would Produce Negligible Reduction” In Prescription Drug Spending. “On the basis of its evaluation of proposals to date, CBO has concluded that permitting the importation of foreign-distributed prescription drugs would produce at most a modest reduction in prescription drug spending in the United States. H.R. 2427, for example, which would have permitted importation from a broad set of industrialized countries, was estimated to reduce total drug spending by $40 billion over 10 years, or by about 1 percent. Permitting importation only from Canada would produce a negligible reduction in drug spending.” (Colin Baker, Anna Cook, and Margaret Nowak, “Would Prescription Drug Importation Reduce U.S. Drug Spending?” Issue Brief, Congressional Budget Office, 4/29/04)
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