G.O.P. on the Defensive as Voters Resist Medicare Plan

[SecularMotion]

Source: NY Times

WASHINGTON — When they proposed just last month to overhaul Medicare, House Republicans were confident that the wind of budget politics was at their backs and that the country’s looming fiscal problems provided justification to begin reshaping the increasingly costly social welfare system.

But the last six weeks have left Republicans pointed into a stiff headwind. With polls and angry town hall meetings suggesting that many voters were wary if not opposed to the Medicare overhaul, party unity and optimism gave way to a slow-motion backtracking in the House and, in the Senate and on the presidential campaign trail, a bit of a Republican-on-Republican rumpus.

Even before the Republican loss Tuesday night in the race for a vacant House seat from New York — a contest fought in large part over the Medicare proposal — Democrats were clinging to the developments like koalas to eucalyptus trees, hoping that the plan’s toxicity among many voters would give them a shot at retaining control of the Senate and, in their most vivid dreams, taking back the House majority.

Eager to press their advantage, Senate Democrats will stage a vote on the Medicare plan as soon as Wednesday, forcing Senate Republicans into a yes-or-no choice that both sides know will become the basis of countless campaign commercials over the next year and a half.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/26/us/politics/26medicare.html?_r=1&hp

[KansDem]

1. Whatever made them think they could pull this off?

Even with strategic and financial support from their corporate handlers, what made them think the American people would go along with this? :shrug:

[ejbr]

6. Enough Americans were stupid enough

to vote for George Bush in 2004 because "he kept us safe", even after 9/11. That's probably what fooled them into thinking this might work.

[AndyTiedye]

7. Massive Voter Supression and Electoral Fraud

The Teabaggers control at least 27 state governments (with 270 electoral votes).
They are pushing stiff voter ID requirements in all of them, which will disenfranchise
millions of voters, mostly the urban poor. They also get to count the votes.
They have billions of dollars in corporate cash, and the absolute loyalty of the media.

They think they are invincible.

[jwirr]

12. I think that rethugs tend to reinforce their ideas by never exposing

themselves to any type of critical media, groups, etc. They just do not listen to anyone that is not one of their own group. Climate change - no uncle ray says it is just normal. Health care problems - no uncle john says they can go to the emergency room. Education problems - no Molly says it can be solved with a voucher. They never listen to anyone who has expertise.

[louis-t]

13. Their own arrogance and delusions of grandeur.

[OKNancy]

2. since when is Medicare "welfare"?

" to begin reshaping the increasingly costly social welfare system." - who writes this crap.

[cutlassmama]

3. Republican writers no doubt

[Recursion]

5. It is a social welfare program

It is a program run for the welfare of society. Sort of like "entitlement", I don't see how it became a bad word. AFDC I suppose (which, ironically, was never an "entitlement" program).

[No Elephants]

4. Seniors, only your kids and grandkids will suffer. So, what's anyone's problem with Ryan's plan?

The town halls were not anywhere near as tough on the Pukes as they should have been. The NYT overstates it.

[AndyTiedye]

9. There Won't Be Any More Raucus "Town Halls" to Report On

They now hold their "town halls" as "private" events on private property,
and only invite loyal teabaggers. Anyone else who tries to attend is
arrested for trespassing.

[lovuian]

8. Anybody voting against Medicare will be out of office

they are getting the message Republicans like their Medicare

[DallasNE]

10. Perhaps The Biggest Loser In NY-26

Was not even on the ballot. Republicans use Frank Luntz to focus group test all of their talking points. Luntz really got this one wrong. Perhaps the Republicans won't be so willing to walk over the cliff with Luntz's focus group testing in the future after his rotten showing on this issue. Then, again, we are talking about Republicans here.

[SemperEadem]

11. even though poll after poll said

Americans thought that the fiscal problems paled in comparison to no jobs, the thugs went forward with their social engineering experiement to turn this country into a feudal system... looks like the serfs are rebelling.

Raise your revenues from the top 2%, cut defense, end the wars and leave medicare and SS alone.

[lfairban]

14. We need to come up with something else . . .

. . . like tax the rich and the large corporations. We bailed out the banks and the auto industry. They OWE us!