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Boehner Doubles Down On Support For "Genuine" Protesters, Targets Elderly As Potential Anti-Reform Ally
House Minority Leader John Boehner hasn't shied away from embracing the men and women disrupting member town halls--and he's not about to.
"Just a few days into the August break, House Democrats are learning exactly what Boehner meant," reads a new 'Leader Alert.' "Americans are showing genuine concern about the cost and consequences of a government-run health care plan for families and small businesses."
Additionally--and this is an under-reported theme--Boehner makes it clear that a major part of the GOP's strategy is to court the elderly, who've shown greater opposition to reform efforts (and who, ironically, are in the privileged position of already enjoying government run health care).
USA Today reports that seniors are especially wary of a government takeover of health care, which Democrats want to bankroll with massive cuts to Medicare, noting, "It has raised concerns among some seniors who might have to pay more for the program or enroll in regular Medicare instead. A Gallup Poll last week found 20% of Americans over 65 say an overhaul will improve their health care - the lowest showing of three age groups."
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Josh
Matt
Eric
Brian
Boehner is categorically opposed to a government takeover of Medicare.
August 5, 2009 2:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
Any senior that wants to oppose this should step up to the plate first - drop out of Medicare and buy private insurance.
Oh wait, nobody would insure them? Well, I guess socialized medicine isn't so bad, is it?
August 5, 2009 3:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
I should hope that's what 80% of them say, since this reform is not really meant to affect them at all.
August 5, 2009 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
Kind of hypocrisy here, ain't it?
You want government run health care for yourself, but screw everybody else?
And if HCR would actually threaten medicare -- a big govt plan -- isn't that the GOP platform, really?
Maybe if Boehner really believes that govt can run health care, he should suggest doing away with Medicare and see how far that gets him.
August 5, 2009 5:19 PM | Reply | Permalink
as one who worked many hours for then candidate obama, with many other dedicated volunteers, each of us regardless of the weather, putting on our walking shoes, drinking our water and knocking on doors.
and who am i and many of the others who did the "on the ground" work? white and gray haired, seniors who realized this country needed solutions to the many complex and inter-connected challenges, including health care reform, for our country, our children and our grandchildren.
as i volunteered in my small, socially conservative, economically depressed town, i experienced many racially tinged insults; but the most warm hearted support and encouragement came from those older than i!
boehner may be in for a rude awakening. from my experience during the campaign, i would not take for granted we older seniors and stanch obama supporters can be so easily frightened!
August 5, 2009 5:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of the 1018 pages in HR3200, only the first 215 deal with setting up the new health care insurance system (Division A of the bill). The other 800+ contain revisions to Medicare & Medicaid (Division B). Yes the Republicans are using despicable scare tactics but those who claim the bill has no effect on seniors are those who have not examined it.
http://energycommerce.house.gov/Press_111/20090714/aahca.pdf
There is a lot of waste, fraud and abuse in Medicare particularly is such areas as medical hardware and various types of in-home care. Moreover Medicare Advantage is a huge ripoff to the government, providers get a big extra payment over regular Medicare but don't necessarily deliver that much extra coverage. But from the standpoint of the recipient it IS extra coverage.
The CBO has scored about $219 billion in savings from this bill mostly on the Medicare side. Maybe Gramma doesn't really need that periodic bone-scan or could get around without a $6000 motorized chair. But from Gramma's perspective she has lost something that was previously covered.
No the bill does not mandate pressuring Gramma to sign up for a one way tour of the Soylent Green plant, but it does have 800+ pages largely devoted to changing the way Medicare and Medicaid pay for various services with the goal of extracting cost savings. This is not all about Gramma saying "I don't give a shit about my grandkids getting insurance, hands off Medicare", she has legitimate reasons to be concerned about a large scale overahaul of the system by which she gets her health care covered.
August 6, 2009 12:33 PM | Reply | Permalink