Did Ryan Put Elderly Vote in Play?

[babylonsister]

http://politicalwire.com/archives/2011/04/27/did_ryan_put_elderly_vote_in_play.html

April 27, 2011

Did Ryan Put Elderly Vote in Play?


"Over-65 voters have given Obama the lowest marks of any age cohort in every weekly Gallup presidential approval survey taken since Obama took office," Politico notes, but Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-WI) budget plan, embraced by most Republicans, "gives Obama a big opportunity in 2012 to regain lost ground in key battleground states and narrow the generation gap."

Said one Democratic strategist: "It finally gives us an argument to make with seniors... It's a godsend."

New York Times: "After 10 days of trying to sell constituents on their plan to overhaul Medicare, House Republicans in multiple districts appear to be increasingly on the defensive, facing worried and angry questions from voters and a barrage of new attacks from Democrats and their allies."

[TxVietVet]

1. Lyin' Ryan is gonna get his feeling hurt. Ain't that a bitch!

He's been on the government tit most of his adult life.

[TxVietVet]

2. It's not an overhaul. It's destruction of health and social services for Americans.

Ryan needs to give his rich bribers tax breaks.

[karynnj]

3. Cynically, he may NOT have put the elderly in play - because he keeps Medicare for those over 55 as

it is. This can be sold to the elderly as doing all that could be done to protect THEIR scocial security and Medicare.

[JoePhilly]

5. 45 to 55 will be in play ... and telling our aging parents ... that if they support this ...

we'll stick your sorry ass in the worst old folks homes we can find.

Past that, there is a logic disconnect for Ryan's plan. Ryan claims we have to reduce the budget for our kids and grand kids. And so to protect our kids and grand kids, he wants to take benefits away from our kids and grand kids.

[karynnj]

6. I think it will be a BIG motivator to those under 55, especially those over 45

Many of them will have already started retirement planning - and this will have a very major - not yet defined, but negative, impact on their plans.

I think the biggest thing to run on against it is that it is UNFAIR. Your summary gives one eample of that. Another one is that it apparently would get rid of the estate tax and capital gains tax - both on the ground that "that money has already been taxed. In the case of capital gains, that is just not true. Only the money earned because of the investment of capital is taed, not the original cost. Something is really wrong if you ta the first dollar someone makes at McDonald's but do not tax the profit made selling securities in someone's trust fund.

WE need to take the "redistribution of income" issue from the Republicans. The reality is that wealth has been redistributed over the last 3 or so decades, leading to the top 1% having 40% of the wealth. Not to mention, we need to really counter the Republican argument that the wealthy are mostly small businessmen. Most small businessmen are not wealthy, but a lot of people working for financial institutions (at the top) are - not to mention inherited wealth.

[JoePhilly]

10. Exactly.

[CTyankee]

7. I don't see how you could say this. My grown kids, now in their 40s, would be at risk.

Most of my friends in my cohort have kids my kids age, too. None of us wants a WORSE life for them than for ourselves!

[karynnj]

13. I have three kids too

I hope that you are right and most seniors will reject this out of hand.

[shraby]

8. I'm a senior and your premise is incorrect. Medicare is a great

program as is Social Security and Medicaid. Mr. Shraby and I have both and have used Medicaid at one time in our lives..it was a Godsend. Just because we have it doesn't mean we think younger people shouldn't have it..All are the greatest thing since sliced bread. All generations should be able to use it as it is now. To deprive them of it is a terrible injustice. They deserve it also.

[karynnj]

11. I agree with you - and like you am against what Ryan is doing even though I am 60 and not affected

I completely agree with what you said.

I was attempting to suggest that he is creating a wedge. I suspect that the message he will try to send to people over 55 is that this is being done to secure what they have.

[asphalt.jungle]

15. the premise isn't entirely incorrect. you're a senior on a Democratic forum.

seniors that aren't as logical as you voted in droves for republicans during midterms and i suspect that those types have this kind of selfishness in them. they'll tell their kids and grandkids that this is their way of looking out for their future ... up is down and down is up ... a staple of republican messaging. don't put this kind of self-serving arrogance past the lesser of your age cohort.

[mucifer]

9. Many parents care more about their kids than they do about themselves.

The elderly with kids are not gonna like it.

[Raven]

4. I think so. The Republican tactic on this is "divide and conquer".

They are telling me, a 65 year old, not to worry, they won't touch my Medicare. They think that the boomers will sit on the sidelines. They forget that we have children who will be hurt by this and we also have a wealth of lousy experiences with private insurance companies. Those of us in the Medicare and Social Security system know first hand how well it works. Also, I think the boomers have probably been the most adversely affected by the economic meltdown. Our "nest eggs" are generally larger than those of younger people and took a big hit. We don't have the time left to build it back up. We have watched the money flow to the very wealthy and we've had enough. That is why you are hearing a cry from seniors at these Town Halls to tax the very rich. This is a perfect storm for the Republicans.

[uponit7771]

12. Matters how it's voiced by the DNC, if they ignore this huge hole like they've done before then no

[Yavin4]

14. Ryan Is On His Knees Praying to His Goddess, Ayn Rand

Too bad she's too selfish to care.

[Peacetrain]

16. Yes he did!