"What’s in a name? A lot, the National Republican Congressional Committee obviously believes. Last week, the committee sent a letter demanding that a TV station stop running an ad declaring that the House Republican budget plan would 'end Medicare.' This, the letter insisted, was a false claim: the plan would simply install a 'new, sustainable version of Medicare.'" But, ... we all know that Vouchercare Is Not Medicare. "Medicare is a government-run insurance system that directly pays health-care providers. Vouchercare would cut checks to insurance companies instead. Specifically, the program would pay a fixed amount toward private health insurance."
In yet another poll, Large Majorities Of Elderly, Most Informed Oppose Medicare Privatization. "In a potentially dire sign for Republicans looking ahead to 2012, a Pew poll released Monday finds that a strong majority of elderly Americans oppose the GOP's proposal to privatize Medicare. In addition, the poll found that not only do Democrats oppose the proposed changes, but pluralities of both Republicans and independents do as well. Overall 41% of Americans opposed turning Medicare into a voucher program where seniors would buy their own coverage in the private sector, while 36% supported such a plan, according to the poll."
The Pew poll -- Opposition to Ryan Medicare Plan from Older, Attentive Americans -- says, "Attention to the debate over Medicare is limited so far. Just one-in-five Americans (20%) say they have heard a lot about a proposal to change Medicare into a program that would give future participants a credit toward purchasing private health insurance coverage; half (50%) have heard a little about it, and 28% have heard nothing at all. Awareness is particularly low among younger Americans – fully 41% of adults under 30, and 34% of those ages 30-49, have heard nothing at all about this proposal. And politically, Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they have heard a lot about this proposal (26% vs. 16%)."
For a comparison of four recent polls: Medicare Poll: Paul Ryan Plan Unpopular With Seniors. "Other recent national polls have shown even greater opposition to the Ryan plan. These surveys asked very different questions but, as shown in the table below, found roughly the same relatively low level of support -- varying between 34 and 36 percent -- for Ryan's proposal to transform Medicare into a voucher system."
The Democrats continue to hammer the Republicans on Medicare, and the Republicans continue to say it's only Mediscare. "The right wing is not happy with the rhetorical attacks the Democrats are launching against the budget recently passed by the House GOP. Conservatives complain that it’s unfair criticism to note that their budget dismantles Medicare by transforming it into an exceedingly stingy voucher scheme." This video reveals Right-Wing Hypocrisy On ‘Mediscare’ showing "how these same conservative reacted to the Democrats’ own health care reform package back in 2009."
More media madness: Spots reveal Medicare politics. "The politics of Medicare continued Monday with two new web videos reiterating the arguments on both sides of the aisle over entitlement reform. The minute and a half spot from the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee singled out Republican representatives who voted for the budget plan proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, which passed in the House and failed in the Senate." "An ad from the conservative leaning 60 Plus Association, which posted Friday, blamed politicians for the program's demise."
Let's talk about values: Religious Leaders: GOP’s ‘Ayn Rand’ Budget Targets Poor, Goes Against Religious Values. "While religious conservatives and Republican political leaders gathered at the Faith and Freedom Conference in Washington this weekend, another group of religious leaders held a small gathering across the street to warn against the perils of the Republican Party’s fiscal priorities. Four members affiliated with the religious group Faith In Public Life held a brief press conference during FFC’s afternoon intermission to denounce the GOP’s adherence to the philosophies of anti-government, anti-religion author Ayn Rand."
And -- no surprise here -- the Republicans still are clamoring about the national debt. "As the debt ceiling fight drags on, many Republicans are dismissing concerns about the effect a default could have on our national economy." Rep. Ron Paul (R-TX), even "claimed we are already in default but that the government was mitigating the effects through inflation. He downplayed concerns that not raising the debt ceiling by August 2nd would lead to financial collapse, arguing instead that it might be a 'positive thing' because it would allow us to symbolically show we’re 'serious.'"
On a Related Note:
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