POLL: Support for Ryan's plan plummets as people learn more about it. From 48/33 to 36/56.

[jefferson_dem]

Q.45 This week, Republicans in the House of Representatives proposed a budget for the next 10 years that they say will cut 6.2 trillion dollars from the federal budget. From what you know, do you favor or oppose this budget plan?

Total
Strongly favor......................................................................27
Somewhat favor..................................................................21
Somewhat oppose...............................................................10
Strongly oppose..................................................................23
(Don't know/Refused)..........................................................19
Total favor..........................................................................48
Total oppose......................................................................33
(ref:RYAN)

Q.46 Let me read you some more information about the House Republicans' budget plan.

The plan cuts 6.2 trillion dollars below the president's budget and reduces the debt as a percentage of the economy. It makes small cuts in defense spending. It cuts spending for domestic programs in the coming year by 72 billion dollars, almost 20 percent, and freezes it for five years. It repeals the new health care bill and the new Wall Street reform law, makes major cuts of almost 800 billion dollars to Medicaid and Medicare for seniors over the next ten years. Starting in 2022, new retirees will no longer get health coverage through Medicare, but instead will get a voucher that will partially pay for insurance they purchase from private health insurance companies. The proposal cuts taxes for corporations and people making over 370 thousand dollars a year.
Now that you've heard more information, do you favor or oppose this plan?

Total
Strongly favor......................................................................19
Somewhat favor..................................................................18
Somewhat oppose...............................................................14
Strongly oppose..................................................................42
(Don't know/Refused)...........................................................8
Total favor..........................................................................36
Total oppose......................................................................56

http://www.democracycorps.com/wp-content/files/fq4.pdf

[panader0]

1. Rec'd

A little knowledge can be powerful.

[gateley]

4. I think that's that's the big problem -- we haven't been messaging correctly

and the people aren't "getting it". This time, the Dems keep repeating "Ryan's plan will kill Medicare as we know it." Short, sweet, effective.

When people REALLY understand, maybe they'll open their eyes. We need to keep it up.

[rpannier]

14. Part of the messaging problems comes from some of the elected Dems

Listen to people like Ben Nelson drone on about needing more tax cuts to create new jobs

[aggiesal]

27. Healthcare .vs. Wealthcare

It's as simple as that.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

2. My Republican mother was complaining about it at breakfast today

She seemed rather relieved when I told her that it was DOA in the Senate and that President Obama would NEVER sign it.

[gateley]

5. Good for you! Is she second-thinking some of the other Republican "solutions"? nt

[Proud Liberal Dem]

13. We didn't talk about much else in terms of politics. I was actually surprised to hear her bring it

up though. She's 61 and a lifelong Republican (at least, I don't know of any Democrats she might have voted for). She is not what I would call really "hard core" about her politics and she's definitely NOT a teabagger (thank the maker). I think that she's got a (irrational fear-based) racist streak in her psyche and she's pretty involved in religion, so, voting for a WASP Republican probably just comes naturally to her but she doesn't always agree with everything they do or say though. She seemed to have some misgivings about McCain/Palin in 2008 but I think she just couldn't bring herself to pull the lever for Obama (or for any minority for that matter). She's somewhat open-minded and willing to listen, so I've occasionally tried to see if I could steer her away from the Republican Party but it hasn't happened......yet. I wish I could get her to not be so phobic about "different" people. I think that that's where most of the trouble with her lies. :shrug:

[Pirate Smile]

7. Which parts specifically was she complaining about?

[Proud Liberal Dem]

12. The Medicare vouchers, specifically. She's currently 62

I guess that either she doesn't know that it wouldn't affect her or recognizes that it's just a bad idea for anybody.

[SemperEadem]

21. when she recognizes that it's not for her

but for those younger than her, she'll change her tune. Even though it's bad policy and Stevie Wonder can see that it is. Until you "come for theirs", most thugs dont' give a rip about how it affects others--it's not their problem, so there's no problem.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

23. I don't think she'd support it- even if it didn't affect her

She's a Republican but not of the hardcore selfish "Tea Party" variety. Her main problem is xenophobia and general anxiety about "others". Remember too that support for Bush's Social Security "privatization" didn't materialize even though Bush repeatedly made clear that it wouldn't affect those people already retired or near retirement- I suspect that that was because most elderly Republicans- despite being regressive in most areas- have (and, more importantly, actually love) their children and grandchildren and don't want to see them suffer with less even if they themselves are or will already be taken care of. :shrug:

[jwirr]

25. All of us who are on it already have people we love who are under 55.

Everyone under 55 needs to remind the grandparents that it will be their loved ones who suffer when there is nothing to fall back on when they are old. Tell them that when they vote rethug they are destroying the world for you.

[gateley]

3. K&R! nt

[theothersnippywshrub]

6. Republicans never intended for Ryan's plan to pass. They just want to use it

as the starting point for negotiations.

[DCBob]

17. and to appease their lunatic base.

the teapottiers.

[Pisces]

8. Once people understand that the Repubs want to dismantle medicaid, and medicare the jig is up.

[highplainsdem]

9. K&R

[craigmatic]

10. Sounds like a good 2012 campaign issue to me.

[Dawson Leery]

11. No wonder dead intern Joe is angry.

Also, what a wonderful issue to use in the campaign to take back the US House in 2012.

[Scuba]

15. Amazing what happens when people are informed, huh?

[DCBob]

16. and this trend will continue especially if the negotiations get more intense...

and threats of shutdown hit the headlines once again. The GOPer strategists must know this so that's why I think they will cave on some of the more controversial provisions of the Ryan budget.

[Hubert Flottz]

18. Any republican 's "Plan" was probably concocted in some airport

crapper, or in some steamy but discreet, west coast bondage bar.

[Douglas Carpenter]

19. kick and recommend

[SemperEadem]

20. Ryan's plan is the Death Panels put in action

now, go hang that around his neck and watch him drop to the bottom of the ocean with it.

[Blue Owl]

22. K & R

:kick:

[Lifelong Protester]

24. the message..."THE GOP WANTS TO KILL MEDICARE"

period. They do, it isn't any lie, and it needs to get out as THAT MESSAGE.

[moondust]

26. The Republicans' Final Solution.

Not surprising that it's unpopular.

[road2000]

28. We just have to keep it simple.

We've been too nuanced for too long. "The GOP will kill Medicare," as someone posted, is a good bumpersticker. I would add that the GOP will kill Social Security. That's two stickers, but double the punch.

For the record, I'm 61, was just approved for SS disability, and do not feel at all safe. I wonder how my 55-year-old 'bagger brother is feeling about this, but we no longer speak. The rest of the family, thank God, is progressive.

To the poster who mentioned his Republican mother: you can teach an old dog new tricks. My own mother is 91 and first voted for FDR. Over the following years, she never missed an election, and always voted straight-ticket Republican (the one exception was Bush in 2004, when she missed the absentee ballot deadline). I don't think she would have voted for him and probably would have sat that one out because there was "something about Kerry" that she didn't like -- she couldn't define it, though. In 2008, she was part of the backlash that voted for Obama. She remains largely apolitical, but is angry and feels Repubs of today don't represent her. Through her reading and a few pointed comments from me, she's worried about SS and Medicare for her 55-and-under children, for her grandchildren and their children.