"He stole my Medicare."

[enough]

I went to the the pharmacy today to pick up a prescription for my Father-in-Law. A very small non-chain store in a rural/suburban neighborhood of southeastern PA. Not the boonies. Two women, one behind the counter, the other a customer, were gushing with happiness about the outcome of the election. The atmosphere was festive, not angry.

The gist was that Obama needed to be taken down a peg: "He didn't do what he said he would do." They both agreed that the first thing he did when he got into office, was to steal their medicare. They are both going to turn 65 in a few years, and they were outraged that Obama has taken away their medicare that they have both "worked so hard for." They were jubilant that the Republicans will now turn all that around and restore their Medicare for them.

I always admire DUers who are able to jump into a situation like that and come up with a good argument that makes the idiots at least experience a moment of thought. Faced with this situation, I was speechless, actually breathless.

Driving home, the familiar neighborhood looked strange to me. I am massively disappointed with Obama for the ways in which he has continued certain policies and personnel from the former administration. But the idea that some significant part of the citizenry believes that he has stolen their Medicare and that the Republicans will bring it back just fills me with despair, and with fear.

[hedgehog]

1. That'sa a tough one. Sometimes people say stuff like that because they

believe it, sometimes they say it because they want to believe it! My compromise is to say things to the pharmacist along the lines of "Boy! am I glad my daughter is covered by our insurance again!"

[Still Waters]

11. I'm not the type to say anything, but I'd like to say

"Did you know that not a single Republican voted to start Medicare? (I think that's right.) And right now they want to implement Rep. Ryan's plan to voucherize Medicare--do you know what that would mean? You get a hangnail and you exceed your allotment for the whole year! I sure don't think I like that idea at all!"

[Kerrytravelers]

2. As said perfectly by Ed Helms in The Hangover, they are literally too stupid to insult.

If they think Republicans are going to give them anything, they are just too stupid. Nothing you could have said would make them think because that is exactly what they do not do- think.

[crim son]

3. Thanks for posting.

It's like traveling back in time to the bush era, except worse because now you know that your worst fears about the consequence of bush's political strategy have come horribly true.

[madmax]

4. I'm one of those who would jump in

I purposely start conversations when in line in any store waiting to check out. Not rude or anything like that I'll for a moment, a headline on a magazine something that leads to an opening and I'm offffffff. It's been very productive.

Met a local radio talk show host that wanted me to call in, gave me his card but, I had to beg off since I don't hear well on the phone. I'm ok in r/l but, the phone is my nemesis.

Try it - you'll feel good. You don't have to be a professor. People respond to regular people expressing their opinion seasoned with some facts and a place for them to check it out for themselves.

[doc03]

5. I don't know where you live but in this area that is all we heard

for over a year now from the local Teabaggers group. Nobody on our side like our Congressman said a word. Then the last couple months I heard hundreds of ads from Republicans that Obama cut Medicare by $500 billion and not once did I ever hear the Democratic opponents respond at all about the charge. The Democrats wouldn't even attempt to defend it for the fear of being accused of rubber stamping Obamacare.

[Curmudgeoness]

6. Agree. I noticed that same thing. And just try to set it straight

alone when no one in the party is speaking out against this. I tried to put the facts out there, but no one wanted to hear the truth. They seemed to like it better when they were being scared shitless.

[onethatcares]

8. now that did seem to be the way it worked

the lazy assholes want to take only the kudos but none of the heat for anything.

I was amazed at how fast President Obama was left out in the cold by his own party. I mean, hell, we had to start somewhere and he is it.

As far as the folks dissing the healthcare reform act. I hope they have an accident and their employer decides not to carry insurance for them any more, or they get laid off and have to deal with 900.00 a month cobra bills on unemployment compensation. I don't mind letting that opinion be known eithe.

[enough]

13. True, the R's carpeted the area with ads about this, with no pushback from the Dems.

It's as if Obama has no team.

[DURHAM D]

7. I would of asked them - How and when? What bill?

I would wait patiently for their answers.

When they can't answer I would then ask them where they get their news. When they won't answer I would say Fox? and nod and smile sweetly. Limbaugh? and nod and smile sweetly, as if in silent agreement.

Then I would actually say, while smiling - You are idiots. You just voted against your own self interest. You haven't lost it yet but you probably will with this Tea Party Republican Movement that you support. Our founding fathers set up a public education program so this country would have an informed electorate. I see they failed miserably in your case.

I can do this because I am older than they are and taller than they are. Note: I am taller than everyone my age. Oh, and I have more insurance.

[JoePhilly]

16. Yup, act surprised, and interested at first ... act as if you are "unaware" ...

Then start a rentless search ... for details.

When did it happen, which bill ... where did you hear this?

After some stuttering ... "but isn't it the Republicans who call Medicare (and Social Security) a "give-a-way"??"

(definitely throw in Social Security they've been lied to about that too) ...

Ans then ... "my mom is on Medicare, she still gets it ... so do my wife's parents ... he just had a quadruple by-pass, fully covered". (true)

And didn't the Dems vote to give all seniors an extra $250 last year when those on Social security didn't have a cost of living increase? Obama and the Dems wanted to do it again this year, but the GOP blocked that bill. They said it was too expensive to give older Americans that $250 dollars, because it would cut into the tax breaks for the richest people on the planet.

And anyway, doesn't the new healthcare law CLOSE the donut whole for prescription drugs? That should save seniors lots of money.

And ... I remember seeing Dick Army, head of the Tea Party (don't leave that out), on Meet the Press a while back and HE was calling for an end to Medicare and Social Security ... wants to phase them out completely.

Least that's what I heard him say.

So anyway ... when again did you say Obama took your Medicare, which bill did that ... I'd need to look into that. Doesn't sound right.

[GoCubsGo]

17. I always find it really difficult to do that

My first reaction is to want to say, "Oh, he did not. Turn off that damn Fox News and wake the fuck up." I usually don't put it quite that way, but I do make it clear that these people don't know what the hell they're talking about. As for the health care law, I suggest that they go to the White House web page and actually READ THE DAMN THING, instead of basing everything on what some idiot on TV or the radio is telling you.

[FLyellowdog]

9. We must arm ourselves

with facts that we can use to correct these idiotic beliefs. I'd have jumped in there with my nicest, sweetest smile and annialated these falsehoods with the truth. We can NOT stand by and let these lies continue to fester. It'll only get worse.:hi:

[Papagoose]

10. I've been in the same situation

I live in a small town in rural Georgia - a very conservative area full of lower-income people with an older than average population. The folks here HATE President Obama. Hate is probably not a strong enough word actually. I find myself in these situations all the time, where I hear people talking about how Obama stole their medicare, raised their taxes, surrendered to terrorists, etc. I have gotten into discussions with people sometimes, but there's really not much point. Someone who thinks that Democrats stole their medicare and Republicans are going to get it back are most likely a lost cause.

There I go again...I'm truly not that pessimistic of a person, but lately I guess I'm just feeling fatigued from dealing with the BS.

[and-justice-for-all]

12. Well that have that all ass backwards don't they...nt

[RBInMaine]

14. Typical low information fools.

[Jennicut]

15. If he stole their Medicare, how are the able to still use it?

Also, these idiots will never change their minds about anything. Only when they die off will we be better as a country. I hope all the liberals over 65 outlive these mindless leeches. My own parents have been whining about the fact that Obama was going to take away their medicare. Whatever. They still have it and my parents are not sick with anything. They don't even need to use it most of the time. I almost hope Rethugs get back in power totally just so they CAN have it all privatized and slowly slipped away from them. They deserve it.