Key Points

  • President Joe Biden said the federal Medicare program should negotiate prices for at least 50 prescription drugs each year, up from the current target of 20 medicines.
  • That proposal is one of several new health-care policy plans Biden will outline during his State of the Union address Thursday.
  • But the fate of his new proposals will be in the hands of a divided Congress, making it highly uncertain whether they will pass into law.
  • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Some of those people are definitely below median, like many retirees struggling to live off their life savings.

    But in general, a rising GDP does not target people below median income. That’s exactly why Democrats prefer additional spending that is specifically targeted towards those people.

    • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Jesus you are obtuse.

      … or we could increase the median?

      That amounts to increasing GDP, given that GDP is the sum of everyone’s income. Which is something that pretty much every government tries to do.

      I didn’t bring up the GDP. You did.

      • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Yes, increasing median income amounts to increasing GDP.

        And increasing median income is preferable to increasing median wages, because it also helps people who are struggling to survive off their life savings.

        Everyone wants higher income, but an elderly retiree no longer cares about higher wages.

        • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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          6 months ago

          And increasing median income is preferable to increasing median wages, because it also helps people who are struggling to survive off their life savings.

          Lol. No. Our GDP has been increasing steadily for decades and quality of life has deteriorated for most Americans while billionaires are absorbing most of that growth.

          Turns out you’re the one advocating for the rich and boomers while fucking everybody else in the process.

          • FlowVoid@lemmy.world
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            6 months ago

            I already said that Democrats need to do more than just increase median income. They need additional spending targeted towards below median incomes.

            The fact that you’re against this tells me you wouldn’t qualify, and that you want to take money intended for those less fortunate than you.

            • go_go_gadget@lemmy.world
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              6 months ago

              The fact that you’re against this tells me you wouldn’t qualify, and that you want to take money intended for those less fortunate than you.

              Buddy, you just flew over the point that the GDP has been increasing for decades and the quality of life for Americans has gone down. Clearly this challenges your view that:

              And increasing median income is preferable to increasing median wages, because it also helps people who are struggling to survive off their life savings.

              Because there’s over 50 years of evidence showing that’s not how it plays out.