Thursday, August 06, 2009

Seniors: "I've Got Mine Now Get Off My Lawn"

Follow this logic:

Support for health care reform falls into two general groups, younger people who support reform and older seniors who oppose it. "Obama's plan is most popular among younger Americans and least popular among senior citizens," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.

Republicans are targeting the older groups for support by spreading false information and, among other things, that the federal government might try to kill them if Democrats successfully pass health care reform. Scaring the shit out of them is their way of fear-monger governing.

Keep in mind people over 50 are disproportionately people who already have guaranteed single-payer government health care. [They have the most experience with it but somehow don't realize they are using it.]

Add to the Republican "they want to kill you" meme, the fact that conservatives ultimately want to cut Medicare benefits and wanted to privatize Social Security. A dangerous proposition when proposed, but even more so in light of the recent Wall St. meltdown.

How does any of this make sense?

So in summation, Republicans are "using" the older population, who gladly use guaranteed single-payer government health care, to stop any reform by telling them that status quo increased costs are the only answer, that future reduced benefits are on their to-do list, and that any improvement to the system will only be used to kill them. And even if they could be used to help younger people and make the system more efficient to years to come, screw it.

Sadly, the seniors eat this shit up. The devil they know is the devil they like. You can hear them yelling, "Keep your government out of my Medicare!"

We need to get the GOP claws off Grandma and Grandpa. Getting old is tough enough, having some shuckster scare you for your votes is too much.

Washington Monthly

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