Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsFlorida: No dissent allowed as Ryan lied about his plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system
Stagecraft over substance
By Steve Benen
When we last heard from Paul Ryan on Medicare policy, his rhetoric had descended into gibberish...Ryan scheduled a trip to a Florida retirement community -- with his mother, no less -- to give his new-and-incoherent message a trial run with an elderly audience. How'd it go? Well, let's just say Orwell would have been proud.
Ryan spoke at a community called The Villages -- one of the most Republican-dominated areas in the entire United States -- where the right-wing congressman wouldn't have to worry about a skeptical audience, since Republican sycophants would cheer his every word. Indeed, the handful of Democrats at The Villages were told in advance that they were not allowed to protest, and if Republicans disapproved of their clothing, the voters would be removed from the premises. Democrats weren't even allowed to use nearby venues with featured speakers.
With dissent stifled, Ryan stood in front of a large banner -- with all-caps lettering that read, "Protect And Strengthen Medicare" -- and a podium with the same text. The fact that Ryan intends to neither protect nor strengthen Medicare apparently didn't matter. I half-expected Ryan to start assuring the audience that "ignorance is strength," just to test the boundaries.
And then there was the speech itself.
How did Ryan defend his plan to end Medicare and replace it with a voucher scheme? He didn't. Instead, the vice presidential hopeful simply presented himself as the champion of socialized health insurance for seniors, while pretending the actual Medicare advocate -- President Obama -- wants to undercut the program he supports. Indeed, Ryan walked through a series of talking points, each more inaccurate than the last.
- more -
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/20/13374580-stagecraft-over-substance
By Steve Benen
When we last heard from Paul Ryan on Medicare policy, his rhetoric had descended into gibberish...Ryan scheduled a trip to a Florida retirement community -- with his mother, no less -- to give his new-and-incoherent message a trial run with an elderly audience. How'd it go? Well, let's just say Orwell would have been proud.
Ryan spoke at a community called The Villages -- one of the most Republican-dominated areas in the entire United States -- where the right-wing congressman wouldn't have to worry about a skeptical audience, since Republican sycophants would cheer his every word. Indeed, the handful of Democrats at The Villages were told in advance that they were not allowed to protest, and if Republicans disapproved of their clothing, the voters would be removed from the premises. Democrats weren't even allowed to use nearby venues with featured speakers.
With dissent stifled, Ryan stood in front of a large banner -- with all-caps lettering that read, "Protect And Strengthen Medicare" -- and a podium with the same text. The fact that Ryan intends to neither protect nor strengthen Medicare apparently didn't matter. I half-expected Ryan to start assuring the audience that "ignorance is strength," just to test the boundaries.
And then there was the speech itself.
In a campaign stop at The Villages Saturday -- a massive retirement community in central Florida known for its Republican leanings -- Paul Ryan delivered a speech aimed at reassuring the retiree audience that their Medicare would be safe under a Mitt Romney administration and warning that it's in grave danger under a second term of President Obama. [...]
"When I think about Medicare, it's not just a program," Ryan, whose mother -- a snowbird who spends part of the year at another Florida retirement home -- was in tow. "It's not just a program, it's not just a bunch of numbers. It's what my mom relies on. It's what my grandma had."
"We have to keep that guarantee," Ryan said. He called the Medicare for current seniors "a promise we have to keep."
How did Ryan defend his plan to end Medicare and replace it with a voucher scheme? He didn't. Instead, the vice presidential hopeful simply presented himself as the champion of socialized health insurance for seniors, while pretending the actual Medicare advocate -- President Obama -- wants to undercut the program he supports. Indeed, Ryan walked through a series of talking points, each more inaccurate than the last.
- more -
http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2012/08/20/13374580-stagecraft-over-substance
The Villages Headcount: Ryan's Attendance "Much" Weaker Than Palin's
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021157774
Mitt's Medicare lies derailed by his own running mate: Ryan contradicts Romney
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021146184
The Obama campaign goes digital on Mitt's regressive whiteboard lies. (updated)
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10021149847
InfoView thread info, including edit history
TrashPut this thread in your Trash Can (My DU » Trash Can)
BookmarkAdd this thread to your Bookmarks (My DU » Bookmarks)
1 replies, 819 views
ShareGet links to this post and/or share on social media
AlertAlert this post for a rule violation
PowersThere are no powers you can use on this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
ReplyReply to this post
EditCannot edit other people's posts
Rec (3)
ReplyReply to this post
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight:
NoneDon't highlight anything
5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Florida: No dissent allowed as Ryan lied about his plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system (Original Post)
ProSense
Aug 2012
OP
ProSense
(116,464 posts)1. Kick! n/t