Well, thanks to Bill Clinton that worry is no more. I think he laid down a solid foundation for Democrats to build on and win all of those arguments. I know that's reading alot into a single speech and I don't agree with every single brick and miter cut Clinton laid out, but I firmly believe the blueprint for shutting down most of the bogus arguments is absolutely there. I tip my hat to Bill Clinton.
Beyond the actual structure and superb delivery of his speech, there was also plenty of meat to chew on, but the one important issue Clinton dissected, quartered and tenderized for everyday consumption was one I wrote about two weeks ago. It was how Romney and Ryan were left with no choice but to strawman or scapegoat the $716 billion in Medicare savings against Obama and democrats, and to use their larded up T-bone as poisoned bait to win over senior voters.
Huff Post DNC Speech Excerpt: (Bill Clinton)
Both Governor Romney and Congressman Ryan attacked the President for allegedly robbing Medicare of 716 billion dollars. Here's what really happened. There were no cuts to benefits. None. What the President did was save money by cutting unwarranted subsidies to providers and insurance companies that weren't making people any healthier. He used the saving to close the donut hole in the Medicare drug program, and to add eight years to the life of the Medicare Trust Fund. It's now solvent until 2024. So President Obama and the Democrats didn't weaken Medicare, they strengthened it.
When Congressman Ryan looked into the TV camera and attacked President Obama's "biggest coldest power play" in raiding Medicare, I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. You see, that 716 billion dollars is exactly the same amount of Medicare savings Congressman Ryan had in his own budget.
At least on this one, Governor Romney's been consistent. He wants to repeal the savings and give the money back to the insurance companies, re-open the donut hole and force seniors to pay more for drugs, and reduce the life of the Medicare Trust Fund by eight years. So now if he's elected and does what he promised Medicare will go broke by 2016. If that happens, you won't have to wait until their voucher program to begins in 2023 to see the end Medicare as we know it.
But it gets worse.
So this brings me to my next question. Which Medicare plan is Romney/Ryan running with? Ryan's "Obama did it first" $716 billion savings plan that extends the life of Medicare as we know it into 2024, OR Romney's plan to add $716 billion in costs and forcing Medicare to go broke 8 years earlier? We know the one plan we're running with, but which one is theirs? They can't have it both ways.
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