TPM: Are Republicans About To Commit Medicare Suicide?
Brian Beutler
February 7, 2012, 5:40 AM
Its shaping up to be spring 2011 redux. Just under a year ago, Republicans euphoric after a midterm election landslide, and overzealous in their interpretation of their mandate passed a budget that called for phasing out Medicare over the coming years and replacing it with a subsidized private insurance system for newly eligible seniors.
The backlash was ugly. But Republicans seem to have forgotten how poisonous that vote really was, and remains
because theyre poised to do it again. This time theyre signaling theyll move ahead, with a modified plan one that, though less radical, would still fundamentally remake and roll back one of the countrys most popular and enduring safety net programs.
Were not backing off any of our ideas, any of our solutions, GOP budget chairman Paul Ryan said last week in an interview with Fox.
Why on earth would Republicans put the whole party back on the line? Particularly after a year of serial brinkmanship and overreach that has dragged their popularity down to record lows?
Read the entire piece at TPM.com
rfranklin
(13,200 posts)as they slit their own throats.
City Lights
(25,263 posts)rurallib
(63,177 posts)southernyankeebelle
(11,304 posts)democrats don't cave especially Obama. That am afraid of.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)democratic guys and gals like me on medicare and social security would love to have that talking point this year. it does`t matter if one is a dem or a rep- you don`t fuck with our medicare or security!
Vapor Trails
(71 posts)Skink
(10,122 posts)Fearless
(18,458 posts)Thav
(948 posts)to do the same thing again, but expect different results.
(Didn't they use that line on Obama?)
Bruce Wayne
(692 posts)unless you make over $250,000.
CAPHAVOC
(1,138 posts)a2liberal
(1,524 posts)demgrrrll
(3,593 posts)Johnny2X2X
(21,719 posts)I think there was a massive miscalculation on the part of the whole GOP. It's pretty simple, they put all their eggs in one basket, the economy. Since the economy is coming around nicely they don't have anything to talk about.
Now is not the time to re-brand or brainstorm. Their plan is totally shot and you will see a totally desperate Republican party in the coming months before they just try to do damage control.
Lugnut
(9,791 posts)I love the smell of over-reach in the morning.
Alcibiades
(5,061 posts)is:
1. rich
2. white
3. old
http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/11/03/forget-the-tea-party-republicans-won-because-of-older-voters.html
Folks blather a lot about the 2010 elections, but it was the high water mark for a group I call the "George Wallace voters," older conservatives. Like Wallace, they hate big government, and yet, much like other older voters, they love Medicare and Social Security.
Most of these folks have not voted Democratic since Reagan. To the extent that this crowd is demobilized by this, the stronger our winning coalition will be. 2010 was the last hurrah of the old white conservative, who are all going the way of Jesse Helms and Strom Thurmond, despite all the hated gubberment money that is being spent on their health care.
eyewall
(674 posts)The trick for the GOP is to say "except for those currently on or about to begin receiving" and then most of their base is covered.
TxVietVet
(1,905 posts)conservanazis are hateful. I just love it when they do something as stupid as this. I'll help them pull the trigger.
Fearless
(18,458 posts)So blinding and so explosive and unrestrained, and yet you're so unable to peel your eyes away from the death of a multi-billion year old object.
Historic NY
(37,819 posts)Beartracks
(13,557 posts)===================
eyewall
(674 posts)City Lights
(25,263 posts)Fantastic!
dixiegrrrrl
(60,011 posts)I guess I should not sign up for it then.
Once you sign up, you cannot un-sign, and I will be damned if I will have my monthly premium being hijacked into some for profit private care plan.
Plus they are free to jack up the monthly premium all they want if they get their way.
sellitman
(11,666 posts)Surly the GOP is a poster child of that definition.