In case you want more evidence that AP‘s curious characterization of the cost of health care legislation is becoming a GOP talking point, you need look no further than Newt himself, who admits as much.
Here’s how he defends himself.
“CBO score of $1 trillion does not include medicare and medicaid components which democratic leaders have not yet had scored.”
Ummmm…ok. But here’s what the CBO itself has to say about that: “The analysis issued today does not take into account other parts of the proposal that would raise taxes or reduce other spending (particularly in Medicare) in an effort to offset the federal costs of the coverage provisions.”
Funny that. Newt’s right that the CBO didn’t score the bill. But the sections they haven’t scored will actually decrease the overall cost of the bill. In fact, if Democratic legislators get their way, it’ll probably cut the price in half. That’s $500 billion less than $1 trillion. Not $500 billion more. Assuming this is an example of innumeracy and not mendacity (Newt would never lie!) it says a lot about Republicans that this is the figure they hold forth as their “big ideas” guy.
