Bush to Little Old Ladies: "Screw You."

Prezint Insulty McTalkdown had a few words today for senior citizens worried about paying for their health care, including those sitting in his audience. (bolds mine)

UN CITY CENTER, Fla. - President Bush has heard pleas for an extension of the deadline to sign up for new Medicare drug coverage from lawmakers, seniors advocacy groups and finally two women in his audience Tuesday. He's rejected them all.

"Deadlines are important," the president said at a retirement community, less than a week before the last day for most seniors and the disabled to enroll in the program without facing higher prices. "Deadlines help people understand there's finality and people need to get after it."

Yes, it's your friend and mine, the ever popular Presidential "I'll Explain it to You as if You We Children" attitude!

I'm amazed the Republicans haven't simply locked him in a closet until after the elections. This is a great way to win seniors over to your side; send the President out to speak to them in a condescending manner. There were probably people in that "retirement community" that are younger than he is, and yet he's pulling this "I'll explain it to you slow so you don't get confused, grandma" crap.

On second thought... keep him talking, Republicans. It helps you. Would I lie to you?

("Deadlines are important." Ahem. Right. Unless they're his, of course. Jeezus.)

"We want people to understand there are really good benefits," the president said. "If you haven't looked at the program, take a look."

Bush's aggressive promotion of the Medicare benefit — and his refusal to push back the deadline — is likely about politics as much as policy.

No!!!

The White House and congressional Republicans are hoping that the glitches of the program's early days and the confusing signup process will have faded to a distant memory by the fall midterm elections, replaced by widespread satisfaction with having help from Medicare with prescription drug costs for the first time.

As the controlling party in Congress, Republicans hope seniors — who play an outsize role in non-presidential elections — will give them credit in the voting booth for enacting a popular new benefit.

So, in other words, more smokescreen.

This is an incredibly complicated plan, with some having more than forty (Forty!) "plans" to choose from. Phone lines and the internet are jammed with people asking questions and rushing to complete their applications in time. But "deadlines are important," so you'd better figure it out and bash your way through... because if there's one thing Prezint 31% and the Republicans need, it's a "victory" to point at come November.

Just keep that lifetime penalty fee in mind when you're trying to get signed up. Think of it as Bush's way of lighting a fire under your ass.

After all, you don't want to be late rushing on to that sinking ship.

(More here. E-Z version here.)

(You're livin' in your own Private Cross-Post...)