Good going News-Times. It seems like Johnson isn't fooling you guys when it comes to Medicare.
As Medicare recipients struggled to meet the May 15 deadline for enrolling in the new drug benefit, U.S. Rep. Nancy Johnson kept insisting that all was well.
She knew better, of course. As one of the primary authors of the legislation, Johnson knew Congress approved a program that is much too bureaucratic and that the bureaucrats had failed to ensure the program was ready to go on Jan. 1, as required by law.
With the May 15 enrollment deadline now passed, Johnson has changed her tune. She is now advocating a change in the law that levies severe, lifetime financial penalties against Medicare recipients who didn't sign up for the drug benefit by May 15.
"The bottom line is this is a democracy, and the Congress responds to the people and shapes the program so it's good for them," said Johnson. "I think it's fair and reasonable to eliminate the penalty."
It's good to see that Johnson, who represents Connecticut's 5th Congressional District, is finally responding to problems with the Medicare drug program.
But she needs to do more than promise reform. She needs to deliver it.
According to Johnson, Congress will get around to legislation to eliminate the penalties in the fall.
That is much too late. The elderly and frail Americans who have been threatened by these financial penalties deserve better. They should not be left hanging over the summer, wondering what Congress will do to them next.
Congress may be interested in going on yet another vacation, but it cannot do that until it fixes this Medicare drug benefit.
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On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
The amended complaint states that plaintiffs sought to remedy the continued discriminatory and unauthorized enforcement of federal immigration laws against the Latino residents of the City of Danbury by Danbury's mayor and its police department.
Plaintiffs allege that the arrests violated their Fourth Amendment rights and the Connecticut Constitution because defendants conducted the arrests without valid warrants, in the absence of exigent circumstances, and without probable cause to believe that plaintiffs were engaged in unlawful activity. In addition, plaintiffs allege that defendants improperly stopped, detained, investigated, searched and arrested plaintiffs. Plaintiffs also allege that defendants violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights when they intentionally targeted plaintiffs, and arrested and detained them on the basis of their race, ethnicity and perceived national origin. Plaintiffs raise First Amendment, Due Process and tort claims.
Plaintiffs request declaratory relief, damages and attorneys fees.
On September 26, 2007, ten plaintiffs filed suit in response to an arrest of aday laborers at a public park in Danbury, Connecticut. Plaintiffs amended their complaint on November 26, 2007.
