I Refuse to Believe that the Majority of Americans Want to Do Away With Medicare

[McCamy Taylor]

However, the press keeps telling me that Romney is way ahead on the popular vote and closing the gap on the electoral vote.

Since I do not know a single person who wants to abolish Medicare, I must assume either

1) the pollsters are full of it, or

2) people do not know that Romney/Ryan plan to eliminate Medicare.

Now, if the pollsters are lying, this means that Team Romney plans to use its connections within the E-voting industry to hack the vote. Because the only way that lying helps Romney is if it makes a steal seem more plausible. In which case, we need to insist upon paper ballots in all battleground states.

If the second possibility is true, then what the hell are our nation’s reporters doing? The number one issue that defines the two candidates is Medicare. Not rape. Not race. Not which celebrities support which candidate. Every voter who has ever heard the name Mitt Romney or Paul Ryan should know that these two plan to dismantle the healthcare program on which our seniors and disabled depend for their lives. Every American who plans to vote for this pair should know that he or she is casting a vote to strip Grandma of her healthcare. The only people willing to vote for them should be the type who believe in ice floes for those who cannot pull their own weight.

So, which is it America? Do you begrudge your father his blood pressure medication? Are you looking forward to dying young and making a good looking corpse? Do you even know the policies of the men for whom you are voting?

And members of the press, when you shove that microphone in Mitt Romney's face, why is it only to ask his opinion of rape? Of course he is against rape. Why don't you ask him what he thinks about the Paul Ryan plan for Medicare? Do the nation's reporters plan to never grow old? Are they willing to kiss their parents and grandparents good bye?

Those who care about the health of our most vulnerable citizens have an obligation to speak out. Let the rest of the country know what is being planned. Make sure that no one goes to the polls early or on election day without understanding the stakes. Because once they abolish Medicare it will be too late. We will never get it---or Grandma-- back.

[sunnystarr]

1. This has been on my mind all day

Thanks for posting it! I'm on Medicare and am recuperating from 3 hospitalizations since Labor Day. A voucher would be a death sentence for me and the millions like me. I already pay out $400 a month for Medicare, my supplemental, and Part D. I couldn't afford any more. I would think any senior or the child of any senior would be voting to protect Medicare and cast their ballot for Obama on this issue alone.

[McCamy Taylor]

3. Hope you get better---and hope Medicare is still there for you.

I was watching MSNBC today, they were talking about how Romney stays away from reporters, because he can not answer the tough questions. But what was the tough question they were all asking? What does he think of so and so's "rape" comment.

[SharonAnn]

20. People forget that Medicare keeps parents out of poverty and alive.

Social Security and Medicare mean that children don't have to worry about their parents financial and physical health as much.

If seniors didn't have these things, then a lot of the cost of care would fall upon their children.

[RKP5637]

2. The "stupid" in this country is pretty widespread, I think. Plus, much of the

nation is brainwashed by MSM ... in it for the money ... much of MSM could give a damn about the future of this country as long as they are still making money. This, is the problem when a country develops into a nation wherein most only care about $$$$ and not people.

Frankly, IMO, if Americans are stupid enough to vote in Romney/Ryan, then they deserve the consequence of their vote.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. My daughter-in-laws grandparents are on medicare. They are voting for Romney because

they can't vote for a black man in the white house. These people deserve what ills will come to them if Romney wins. They both are on social security and medicare. She just started medicare about 2 months ago. She has a heart condition and couldn't get the help she needed because she wasn't on medicare then and now she is. Her husband is going blind. Both are not very educated. You can't talk to them they won't listen. They are dems and voted for Hillary. I will be on medicare effective Jan 2013. I will be in good shape with medicare and Tricare for life. Both government policies. I wish the whole country could have the same no matter what age.

[RKP5637]

9. People with attitudes such as theirs, for whatever their reason, are holding this nation

back and skewing the wealth of the nation to a very small percentage of individuals. They just can't see that, they don't want to see that and bask in their ignorance. They won't get it 'till they are in abject poverty dieing of some medical condition, and they still probably won't get it then saying how the F could this happen with a deer in the headlight look. I just have no patience for "stupid" anymore. I'm fed up with the "stupid" in this country holding the nation back.

Some have a theory that change only occurs through failure. Without the Great Depression little would have probably been done to fix things. ... and many examples similar to this. This nation only seems to advance when there is a crisis, otherwise it's lackluster. I fear another major crisis like another Great Depression is about the only thing that will wake up the "stupid" in this country to get a brain and use it ...

I guess you can tell I'm pretty fed up with it all.

[southernyankeebelle]

16. Thanks you are speaking for me also. You can't change stupid no matter how hard you try.

After all I am living in the south. It's just more pronounced here. Am sure you can find that hate all across the country. But I don't want my granddaughter growing up that way. Her brother is 10 yrs old and they don't share the same fathers. Although he doesn't say anything I know he is getting it from that side of the family. But when he is here and if he says something I make sure to correct him and tell him that isn't how we think in this house and when he is here it isn't anything I want to hear in my home. It seems that politics are infecting our children and grandchildren and not in a good way either. But I let my granddaughter know simple and plain the differences and also to respect people and their different view points.

[RKP5637]

21. That is excellent!!! Ron White has a good skit on Stupid, yep, you just can't fix stupid. n/t

[southernyankeebelle]

22. Really true. I am at the point I don't even try to talk to them because they believe facts

are lies.

[sandyshoes17]

4. This whole election seems like an illusion

First they make Romney into a serious believable candidate , than they prop him up like he's winning. Amazing, this is all a republican illusion to just get back in power. He will be another puppet like bush, funny how they are similar when it comes to that. They just want to be president, it's just something they want, it's the top prize. No deep feeling to do something really meaningful. I can't wait till this is over, it's really getting to me. Whatever the outcome we have a lot of work to do.

[BlueStreak]

5. The Obama campaign barely mentioned it. This is IB+MHO the biggest ***-up in this campaign

They never made Romney and Ryan own their position on this.

Over and over again, they let the bastards say "Oh there won't be any changed at all of people approaching retirement. We're only talking about killing the system for anybody that is 55 or younger today."

And the response from Obama and Biden was basically "Oh, well that's different then. Let's move on to the next question."

That really sucks. That leaves all us to assume that Obama is actually planning to sign on to the Ryan plan to Kill medicare for those 55 and younger.

If they would have given this any significant bandwidth, there wouldn't be a race today. Florida would be an easy win and we'd probably take Arizona too. There's the election right there. And there are plenty of people in the 40-55 age range in EVERY damned state. They have paid into the system for decades and we're going to pull the rug out from under them?

[LukeFL]

12. I didn't know 40-55 years old

Get medicare. Thought it was when you retire and are over 65.

I don't understand.

[BlueStreak]

13. My point exactly. You don't understand. MILLIONS don't understand.

You are paying for Medicare. If you are 50, you have probably been paying into Medicare for about 25-30 years already. But the Ryan/Romney plan -- the plan identified as the official Republican platform -- is to force you to get out of Medicare and buy insurance from private companies.

Yes, this doesn't become a killer until you reach 65, but by then it will be lost. The changes would be put into law in 2013 if the Senate could not block that. And you would be forced to make a decision IN 2013 to relinquish all rights to Medicare.

This is being described as an "option" but that is bullshit. The real plan is this:

Step 1) Give people 55 and under the "option" to get out of Medicare. They don't say exactly how they will do this, but it could take the form of a private spending account. Instead of paying the required contribution to Medicare, you would have the same amount deducted from your paycheck and put into a personal account more-or-less like a 401K. And for those who have been paying into Medicare, if you agreed to give up any right to Medicare in the future, they would probably transfer money from the funds you have already contributed and deposit them into your private account.

Step 2) Now they start pulling money out of the Medicare system. Each year they make the Medicare system more and more broke -- more and more undesirable. They keep breaking Medicare until nobody wants to remain in the system. And please note that will affect ALL medicare participants, not just the population under 56 today.

It isn't really complicated. Step 1 might not be exactly as I have described it. Republicans have talked a lot about a voucher system, which would be even worse. In that case, you'll still have to pay for the system (because vouchers don't grow on trees), but all you would get would be a fixed-value voucher each year. And then after that is in place, they would draw down the value of that voucher every year (by not keeping up with the actual cost of health insurance policies.)

Either way, once you get to age 65, if you are not covered by another policy, you'll get this voucher or an allowance from your "Medical 401K" to use towards purchasing private health insurance. Good luck with that. If you are a healthy 66-year-old, you might be able to make that work. But if you are a less healthy 75-year-old, for example, you will find it impossible to buy any insurance at any price. You are screwed. And if you are incompetent to search for, identy, evaluate, and negotiate a suitable health policy, you are doubly screwed. There will no doubt be any number of predators out there ready to take advantage of you.

That is what is at stake in THIS ELECTION, not some vague future time, and it is a crime that the Obama campaign has not even contested that point.

[mzteaze]

7. You Never Know...

I have a friend who is a Republican...who lives in the South. Yet, his feeling are that Obamacare is illegal (that people can't be forced to pay for insurance regardless of the SCOTUS ruling) and that he shouldn't have to pay for other people's medical needs. Maybe a bit illogical but fair enough.

Until you consider, a few factors: he works in an at-will job that should be civil service and that his father is evidently a veteran of modest means. Currently, his father faces losing benefits because of family assets and they don't have enough to cover his needs without sufficient Medicare or his VA coverage. Now, to talk about voting against your own interests, the Rep state governor has already rejected Federal funds for Medicare/Medicaid as a ploy to make Obama look bad, but it's also a poor state. Guess who get caught in the middle of state's the decision to cut quite a bit of the program down?

So I asked him one day, why would you vote for someone that wants to dismantle the program in the way that Romney & Ryan advocate. He says that we need a small government and medical costs are expensive. My response is Ok but if that happens, you will have to pay MORE out of pocket because there are less programs out such as VA, Medicare/Medicaid, etc. His response was that we can handle it and the states will take on more. At this point, I'm thinking WTF? But asked, you do realize that if federal funding goes, many states will cut or eliminate the programs to meet their own budgets, so what do you think happens then? At this point, he didn't want to continue the conversation so changed the subject.

But he still wants to vote for Romney cuz Obama "has been horrible." So you never know...

[RegieRocker]

8. Let me put it to you this way

The dumbnuts who follow romnuts have very little money because of taxation. They can't afford to pay their taxes. They seem unable to make the connection that if they can't afford to pay the small amount of extra taxes they pay, they damn sure won't be able to afford squat when they need medical attention or living expenses. I mean these people are as dumb as rocks. At this point in my life I pay 30% of my income (profit) in taxes. Now lets say a person makes 60k a year and pays 18k in taxes. A drop of 10% will be an extra 6k in taxes not payed. If a person is already struggling to pay the 30% because they can't manage their money or they are living past their means, where is the tax savings going to go? I'll tell you where, food, shelter, clothing, kids, entertainment etc. etc. They still will have nothing. It's not what you make but what you spend. Now granted anyone living off of less that 40k a year (couple) and more is some places, will never have anything. The cost of living is too high for them. It's unfathomable most of the dumbnuts don't have a pot to piss in or could loose it at anytime. It's mind boggling.

[and-justice-for-all]

10. They dont, so dont believe the bullshit...nt

[LukeFL]

11. Has Romney flat out said he will abolish it?

Need the link. Need to send it to my brother in law whose parents are BOTH on Medicare and the assface is voting for Romney.

[BlueStreak]

14. Yes. He said it in the second debate and Obama didn't challenge it at all.

He put it in his usual double-talk, saying that for people under 56, we'll give then an "option" that is necessary in order to "save Medicare for future generations".

That is why Obama had to challenge him because his plan is clearly to kill it, but he is hiding behind double-talk.

===

Correction it was in the first debate. See the full transcript here
http://www.scribd.com/doc/109296847/2012-Presidential-Debate-Transcript

Well, Jim, our seniors depend on these programs, and I know anytime we talk about entitlements,people become concerned that something's going to happen that's going to change their life for the worse.21 / 46

And the answer is neither the president nor I are proposing any changes for any current retirees or near retirees,either to Social Security or Medicare. So if you're 60 or around 60 or older, you don't need to listen any further.But for younger people, we need to talk about what changes are going to be occurring.

...

for people coming along that are young, what I do to make sure that we can keep Medicare in place for them is to allow them either to choose the current Medicare program or a private plan. Their choice.They get to choose -- and they'll have at least two plans that will be entirely at no cost to them. So they don't have to pay additional money, no additional $6,000. That's not going to happen. They'll have at least two plans.

And by the way, if the government can be as efficient as the private sector and offer premiums that areas low as the private sector, people will be happy to get traditional Medicare or they'll be able to get a private plan.I know my own view is I'd rather have a private plan. I'd just assume not have the government telling me what kind of health care I get. I'd rather be able to have an insurance company. If I don't like them, I can get rid of them and find a different insurance company. But people make their own choice.24 / 46

The other thing we have to do to save Medicare? We have to have the benefits high for those that are low income,but for higher income people, we're going to have to lower some of the benefits. We have to make sure this program is there for the long term. That's the plan that I've put forward.And, by the way the idea came not even from Paul Ryan or -- or Senator Wyden, who's the co-author of the bill with-- with Paul Ryan in the Senate, but also it came from Bill -- Bill Clinton's chief of staff. This is an idea that's been around a long time, which is saying, hey, let's see if we can't get competition into the Medicare world so that people can get the choice of different plans at lower cost, better quality. I believe in competition

And on Romney's website
http://www.mittromney.com/issues/medicare

Medicare is reformed as a premium support system, meaning that existing spending is repackaged as a fixed-amount benefit to each senior that he or she can use to purchase an insurance plan

And the Republican platform goes into considerable detail explaining how they plan to kill Medicare. See this article
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2012/08/republican-party-platform-medicare.php

[ShadowLiberal]

15. Wording a question differently can get as much as a 50+ point shift in public opinion

So yeah, don't believe any such poll saying that you read.

[LeftInTX]

17. Obama has a good campaign, if I'm correct our PACS are suffering

The RW PACS have huge coffers.

Wasn't some of the 2010 election RW PAC propaganda that Medicare was going to be robbed to pay for Obamacare?

Scare tactics were used.

When president Obama tries to defend his stand, it gets bogged down in technical policy about closing the donut hole.

Our PACS should have been out there fighting this dirt.

Our PACS should be sending mailers to every home in VA, NC, & FL about Romney's ownership in a fetus disposal company. I bet if that came out a lot of Evangelicals would refuse to vote for Romney. (Off topic, sorry had to vent)

[flamingdem]

18. It's going to cost seniors some $600 if Romney trashes ACA

So I find it hard, really hard to believe seniors in Florida are breaking for Romney

[Silent3]

19. In the minds of the mushy undecided/swayable middle of the electorate...

...there's no strong or clear connection between who they vote for and the future of Medicare.

Be amazed at such a disconnect if you like, but these are the people upon which Romney's pretending to be all things to all people works. Unfortunately, many of these clueless folk still get out there and vote.