Challenged on Medicare, G.O.P. Loses Ground
Source: NYT
ORLANDO, Fla. Maria Rubin is one of the coveted independent voters in this swing state so independent that she will not say whether she is voting for President Obama or Mitt Romney. She does share her age (63) and, more quickly, her opinion on Medicare: Im not in favor of changing it, or eliminating it.
Her attitude speaks directly to one of the biggest challenges facing the Republican ticket this year: countering the Democrats longstanding advantage as the party more trusted to deal with Medicare.
In the 2010 Congressional races, successful Republicans believed that they had finally found a way to do that, by linking the programs future to Mr. Obamas unpopular health insurance overhaul and accusing Democrats of cutting Medicare to pay for it. This summer Mr. Romney resumed the offensive, eventually joined by his running mate, Representative Paul D. Ryan.
Initially, polls suggested that the Republican strategy was working. Democrats fretted that Mr. Romney would win the retiree-heavy Florida and increase his support nationwide among older voters, who lean Republican anyway. David Winston, a Republican pollster, wrote a month ago of a structural shift in the issue that left the parties in a dead heat and Mr. Obama unable to mount an effective response.
Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/16/us/politics/in-poll-obama-opens-medicare-edge-over-romney.html?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=edit_th_20120916
BumRushDaShow
(128,844 posts)Also from the article -
And alienating the large Hispanic population in Florida helps to sound the death knell to rethugs. Does anyone remember what "rising star" Rubio said at the rethug convention? Anyone?! Bueller?
starroute
(12,977 posts)"Voucher" conveys the impression that the government will still be paying for seniors' health insurance. "Premium support" says outright that you're on your own in the private market, but the government will chip in with a small part of the cost.
Either term is an attempt to put lipstick on a pig -- but "premium support" is far more blatant.
johnlucas
(1,250 posts)Come on November!
Let's get this over with.
I wanna see a 20 point landslide over this embarrassment called Mitt Romney.
Flush him & his weirdo sidekick Paul Ryan out of the political sphere once & for all.
Wisconsin lose that jabroni Ryan & put somebody intelligent in that seat.
Ryan should scare you just as much as he scared Florida.
John Lucas
BeyondGeography
(39,369 posts)Which says at least one thing: Our advantage on this issue is coming through loud and clear in polling.
NCarolinawoman
(2,825 posts)if for no other reason than that he is fun to listen to, while explaining facts very clearly. In a very nice way, Clinton called Ryan a liar.
Also, by showing LBJ in their latest commercial, the DNC is reminding people that Medicare is a Democratic program. They are strongly reclaiming the DEMOCRATIC BRAND. Bout time!
Cha
(297,154 posts)And, bout time is right!
sarcasmo
(23,968 posts)or Medicare.