Bereft of real ideas, GOP resorts to same old Medicare lie

Bereft of real ideas, GOP resorts to same old Medicare lie

by Joan McCarter

attribution: REUTERS

How'd that work for these guys?

How bankrupt for ideas are Republicans leading into the 2014 midterms? Bankrupt enough to resurrect the big lie of 2012: That Obamacare is cutting $716 billion from Medicare and that's going to hurt seniors. This time around, it's $717 billion, but the aim is the same as always: Trying to scare seniors.

As President Obama and Democrats try to salvage the reputation of the Affordable Care Act, a national Republican group will hit 12 Democrats–all running in Senate elections next year–over changes to Medicare. The National Republican Senatorial Committee will highlight Wednesday the candidates' support for the federal health care law, better known as Obamacare, and what Republicans call $717 billion in cuts to the popular entitlement program that guarantees health insurance to seniors.

Here's the rich part: "But the NRSC will hammer the Democratic candidates in a news release for 'deceiving seniors (by) using their old and discredited MediScare playbook.'" Right. It's the Democrats who are trying to deceive and scare seniors when they point out Republicans tried to turn Medicare into a voucher system. It's the oldest trick in the political playbook. It failed in 2012, but Republicans must figure that it'll get them enough votes in the midterm elections to drag it out again. Never mind that the facts haven't changed. The $717 billion is money saved in the Medicare program by reducing federal payments to insurance companies, hospitals and other providers, not by cutting benefits. Never mind that it's been fact-checked to death as false. Never mind that Rep. Paul Ryan had the exact same cuts in his touted budget. Never mind reality. Because scaring seniors is always a reliable trick.

Originally posted to Joan McCarter on Wed Dec 04, 2013 at 08:13 AM PST.

Also republished by Daily Kos.