http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/06/02/us-usa-campaign-medicare-idUSTRE7516MI20110602(Reuters) - Elderly voters who turned against President Barack Obama's Democrats last year for tampering with Medicare are now threatening to punish Republicans in 2012 elections over their plans to scale back the health care program for seniors.
The shift will likely be most pronounced in important swing states with older populations such as Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Iowa, New Hampshire, Wisconsin, and New Mexico -- some of which have the potential to determine presidential elections, experts say.
"Voter turnout among seniors has always been at a very high level ... and if the presidential election debate centers at all on Medicare, Social Security and the budget, seniors are going to be keenly interested," said Nancy LeaMond,
For most seniors, Medicare is "an essential lifeline" and with healthcare costs soaking up about a third of their disposable income, it is a "very personal issue" for them after years of economic struggle, LeaMond said.