Freedom works talking points for Republicans on Medicare

[Derechos]

Matt Kibbe, president of FreedomWorks, focused on Medicare and gave the congressional offices tips for dealing with the hot topic in their districts (emphasis added):

•Get out there and talk to people. Hold town halls at senior centers and other areas where the population is especially concerned about their benefits being cut. Take the lessons of ’94 and ’95 and get out there and explain to people that their immediate benefits will not be affected. Explaining the plan will offset confusion and the Democrats’ negative messaging.

•We need to dispel the myth that if we leave Medicare alone it will stay the same. It won’t. By reforming them we are saving and strengthening these programs for the current and future generations.

•Don’t bury your head in the sand. Republicans must not shy away from this issue. Expect Democrats to attack, but not fighting back will only makes it worse. BOLD action is needed.

•Communicate that Democrats do not have a plan of their own. Hold up a blank piece of paper as a powerful image of their do-nothing approach.

•Stick to your message.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/31/freedomworks-medicare-tea-party-talking-points_n_868860.html

[Wounded Bear]

1. The spinmeisters are at it again....

or I guess I should say "still."

[Bubba Kush]

2. Easily countered: Republicans WANT to kill YOUR Grandma's Medicare

and YOUR Medicare in the future.

Replace it with 5% off the next angioplasty!

[Derechos]

3. They also seem to think that August town hall meetings will be more favorable to them

In addition to its regular meetings, FreedomWorks will also be bringing in more than 100 tea party activists from around the country to Washington, D.C. from June 24-27 for a "comprehensive activist training boot camp."

In the summer of 2009, FreedomWorks was one of several tea party groups active in rallying conservatives to pack Democratic town halls and object to their health care reform plans.

Brandon predicted that the town halls that lawmakers will hold in their districts this August will be worth watching.

"I would expect the August town halls to be the ones that get pretty exciting, in the sense where you're going to have more turnout, and that's mainly because the folks on our side got used to the August town halls," he said. "There's more publicity, they're easier to find. ... The real story on the town halls will be in August."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/31/freedomworks-medicare-tea-party-talking-points_n_868860.html

[rgbecker]

5. the guns of August.

[LiberalFighter]

4. In those districts there should be counter town hall meetings

Either by the Democratic challengers or someone that can draw voters in.

We can't let them have the media all to themselves just because they are the current office holder.

[Bandit]

6. Democrats do indeed have a Plan..It's called Medicare

Democrats need to counter Republicans blank page with one labled Medicare and then rip it into pieces to demonstrate the Republican Plan...Should make for a good commercial.

[JohnnyRingo]

7. They keep pounding home that "it won't affect immediate benefits" of current seniors

No. It'll just pull the rug out from under their children and grandchildren when they reach their once golden years. If Grandma is already a good republican she'll say "fuck my family as long as I collect", but any normal senior who sees their kids working their entire lives struggling to feed the grandkids will demand the same help they themselves receive.

Meanwhile, FreedomWorks is pointing out how to frighten those seniors by telling them if we don't make cuts today, we'll have to make cuts tomorrow. Huh? I bet republicans wish Art Linkletter was still around to spin this one for them like he did the Medicare Reform Act of 2003 that created "Plan B" and led to the insurance company profits skimmed from benefits that used to go straight to the patient.