The House passed Paul Ryan's awful, awful budget resolution yesterday, and the Democrats are going to use it to bludgeon them next year. DCCC chair Steve Israel is on a mission to do just that:
“When we win back the majority, people will look back at this vote as a defining one that secured the majority for Democrats,” Israel said.
Israel said that Dems plan to use the Medicare vote today to go on the offensive against Republicans from now all the way until Election Day 2012. Crucially, Israel said it would be used in every district, even ones that are marginal or conservative — suggesting that on Medicare at least, Dems are hoping to maintain a united national front, rather than letting the messsage be watered down in conservative districts that may be more receptive to GOP messages about fiscal conservatism.
“All the polling tells us the same thing,” Israel said. “Voting to terminate Medicare is a bad idea politically in every district.. Republicans oppose it. Democrats oppose it. And Independents oppose it.”
Even the tea party people brandished signs in defense of Medicare. And nearly all of the Republicans voted to hand Medicare over to private insurance companies -- you know, because they're so reliable, honest and affordable.
By the way, libertarian Ron Paul voted against the Paul Ryan plan. I'm sure libertarian Ayn Rand would have been pleased with his vote. Both Ryan and Rand are and were enrolled in Medicare -- socialized, statist medicine.