The Paul Ryan Plan is a cliff for the Republicans to throw themselves off :
In the Senate vote on Wednesday, at least three of the 47 Republicans in the 100-member chamber were expected to join Democrats in rejecting it -- Senators Scott Brown, Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe.
Reuters.com
Republicans stick to plan to privatize Medicare
By Thomas Ferraro and Donna Smith
WASHINGTON | Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Republicans stick to plan to privatize Medicare
Some excerpts :
Dan Ripp of Bradley Woods, a private firm that tracks Congress for institutional investors, said Republicans are standing firm because "enough of them understand that the system is broken, and they see this as the best alternative."
It remains unclear, however, if the eventual 2012 Republican presidential nominee will embrace the Ryan plan. One Republican hopeful, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, called it radical but then, under fire, backed off his criticism.
Representative Steve Israel, head of the House Democratic campaign committee, mocked the Republican attempt to rally support for the plan.
"If Republicans want to double down on their effort to end Medicare to fund tax cuts for big oil, they do so at their own peril," Israel told Reuters.
Israel said Democrats plan to target 97 Republican-held House districts that are more Democratic-friendly than the New York district. That includes 61 House Republicans in districts won by Obama in 2008.
"I'm not saying we can win all of them, but I'm saying there are 97 Republicans who lost sleep last night," Israel said.
Israel fended off Republican criticism that Democrats refuse to even address Medicare's financial woes. The program faces increasing financial strains from rising healthcare costs and an aging baby boom generations.
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