What Pelosi recently said about the Ryan-Wyden Medicare “reform”:
Republicans have argued that the new Medicare plan embraced by both Paul Ryan and Dem Senator Ron Wyden will blunt Dem attacks over Medicare, because the plan now has “bipartisan cover.” Some Dems have privately worried about this, too.
But Pelosi scoffed at the idea, arguing that Ryan-Wyden still would ultimately end Medicare as we know it, as we know it, and that this is a case Dems can take to the American people.
“What they’re trying to do is put lipstick on a pig — that would be Ryan — and call it Monique — that would be Wyden,” Pelosi said. “But it’s still a pig.”
The Ryan-Wyden plan would offer seniors quasi-vouchers to pay for private health insurance but would also preserve traditional Medicare as an option. Pelosi argued that this still ensures that Medicare will “wither on the vine,” adding: “The Republican plan would break the Medicare guarantee.”
Asked to respond to the Republican argument that Dems are imperiling Medicare by not offering a plan of their own to shore up its finances, Pelosi said: “They want to break the Medicare guarantee. Period. It’s about them. They’re in power in the House. They want to break the guarantee. The public doesn’t support that.”
In 2005, Pelosi helped engineer the defeat of George W. Bush’s Social Security plan by insisting that Dems not offer a plan of their own. Speaking about the Dem Medicare message, she advised: “Keep it simple.”
Pelosi’s right about messaging. Its time for the Dems to point out that the people who will count on Medicare and Social Security to retire outnumber the rest 99 to one. Address that reality and you begin to figure out how to pay for it… you have to.
Ryan’s Coupons Redux.
Wyden used to enjoy a high degree of popularity here in Oregon.
Now he’s facing a primary challenge. It’s a good thing he lives in Virginia, he’s no longer welcome here.
Paul Ryan, representing the 1%, has declared war on the 99% with his Republican budget. Bring it on Mr. Wyden.