Paul Ryan and the GOP: Clueless about senior opposition to his Medicare "plan."

[Faygo Kid]

The GOP leaders live in an echo chamber - admittedly a richer echo chamber than the average FReeper.

Ryan and the rest are clueless as to why "seniors" (those over 55, to them) are upset with ending Medicare for others. From today's Washington Post:

While even GOP strategists acknowledged that the Medicare proposal played a large role in Corwin’s loss to Democrat Kathy Hochul (for the U.S. House seat vacated by Republican Chris Lee), Ryan was adamant that the vote did not amount to a negative judgment on the plan.

“If you can scare seniors into thinking that their current benefits are being affected, that’s going to have an effect,” Ryan said in the aftermath of Corwin’s loss. “And that is exactly what took place here.”

I for one appreciate that Rep. Ryan admits his proposal is "scary." Indeed it is. Be that as it may, however, he also assumes that just because those now receiving Medicare will be OK, they don't care about others to follow - namely, their children and grandchildren, and others who will live in the USA mid-21st century and beyond.

(By the way, current recipients would NOT be OK; among other things, the Ryan proposal would end the closing of the "doughnut hole" for Medicare recipients impoverished by the high cost of prescription drugs. You can look it up.)

But the bottom line is that the GOP is amazed that the people of our nation - not the tea partiers, or Fox News sycophants, but actual sentient beings - might possibly care about others in the USA. Even those not as privileged as the Koch brothers. Imagine that. They need to get out more, I think.

[alsame]

1. And why is he assuming that those of us under 55, who will lose

Medicare, aren't going to come out in droves to vote against the GOP? Why isn't he worried about us? It really seems like an issue that would drive people to the polls, no?

[pnwmom]

2. I read recently that the WHOLE Medicare drug program would be eliminated

if the Rethugs succeed in their plan to "defund" the American Healthcare Act ("Obamacare") -- not just the closing of the donut hole. That's because the government has to re-sign a new contract every year, and wouldn't have this ability if defunded.

[Jackpine Radical]

3. It's the same type of thinking that made Walker think he could buy the WI cops

and firefighters. They just assume that others operate as purely on a basis of self-interest as they do. This, by the way, is a common trait among psychopaths.

[spartan61]

4. I can't help but wonder what Ryan's parents think of their son's

disgusting plan. Ryan has nothing to worry about concerning his health care because the taxpayers will be paying for it for the rest of his life, but does he have any siblings who will be looking at life with no Medicare "as we know it" once they reach 65? I so hope that he gets defeated in the next election, preferably by a Democrat.

[alsame]

8. Don't know about his mother, but his father is

deceased.

Ryan attended Joseph A. Craig High School in Janesville and was sixteen years old when his father died of a heart attack at age 55. Ryan began collecting his Social Security survivor's benefits until age eighteen, which he saved for college tuition and expenses.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Ryan#Personal_life


Seems he didn't always have a problem with entitlement programs.

[dynasaw]

5. Paul Ryan the Ayn Rand Fundamentalist

probably follows her dictum: ""But why should you care what people will say? All you have to do is please yourself."
— Ayn Rand

[TheCowsCameHome]

6. He'll be a bit smarter the evening of 11-06-2012

When the GOP gets a whuppin'

[annabanana]

7. He really doesn't think that the people out there are actual humans...

you know...concerned about their families just like rich folk are.

[jwirr]

9. What Ryan & the gop miss is that they have done this to us before.

Part D tells us to choose a plan that fits our needs. Then the insurance companies start sending you their info. Enough to cut down a small forest written in complicated luggage that you cannot understand - especially if you are elderly. Then you are supposed to make a choice. Choice is not something I want in health insurance. I want have one program that offers me a wide variety of services and the option to apply for any special services. I want something my doctor understands to know that the medication he is offering me is covered by the plan.

Part D was their practice run - this is their finally copy.