by Stuart Shapiro
Both sides are claiming that their plans better protect Medicare and that thet other side wants to destroy it. It’s easy to get lost in the details of a complicated issue and the fact that changes do need to be made. Steve Benen reminds us of an important fact though.
What is Medicare? It’s a massive, government-run system of socialized medicine. It’s wildly popular, very successful, and one of the pillars of modern Democratic governance. This government-run system of socialized medicine was created by Democrats against the opposition of conservative Republicans, and it’s Democrats who’ve fought to protect it for more than a half-century.
Or to summarize, the left loves Medicare and always has; the right hates Medicare and always has. For liberals, the system is a celebrated ideal; for conservatives it’s an unconstitutional, big-government outrage in desperate need of privatization.
In 2012, once we get past all of the talking points and attack ads, we’re left with this: Romney/Ryan wants you to believe they’re the liberals. No, seriously. Think about what the Republican presidential ticket…and the Republican National Committee have been saying all week: those mean, rascally Democrats cut our beloved Medicare and voters should be outraged.
Governor Romney and especially Rep. Ryan claiming they want to save Medicare is like the fox campaigning for chicken’s rights. I don’t know whether the Democrats are capable of saving Medicare. But I know that the Republicans are the last ones I would trust with this job.
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What To Remember About Medicare
by Stuart Shapiro
Both sides are claiming that their plans better protect Medicare and that thet other side wants to destroy it. It’s easy to get lost in the details of a complicated issue and the fact that changes do need to be made. Steve Benen reminds us of an important fact though.
What is Medicare? It’s a massive, government-run system of socialized medicine. It’s wildly popular, very successful, and one of the pillars of modern Democratic governance. This government-run system of socialized medicine was created by Democrats against the opposition of conservative Republicans, and it’s Democrats who’ve fought to protect it for more than a half-century.
Or to summarize, the left loves Medicare and always has; the right hates Medicare and always has. For liberals, the system is a celebrated ideal; for conservatives it’s an unconstitutional, big-government outrage in desperate need of privatization.
In 2012, once we get past all of the talking points and attack ads, we’re left with this: Romney/Ryan wants you to believe they’re the liberals. No, seriously. Think about what the Republican presidential ticket…and the Republican National Committee have been saying all week: those mean, rascally Democrats cut our beloved Medicare and voters should be outraged.
Governor Romney and especially Rep. Ryan claiming they want to save Medicare is like the fox campaigning for chicken’s rights. I don’t know whether the Democrats are capable of saving Medicare. But I know that the Republicans are the last ones I would trust with this job.
Subscribe to my premium podcast and get exclusive access to the listener club.
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