Reuters - Analysis: For Romney, some troubling signs among older voters

[highplainsdem]

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/09/24/us-usa-campaign-medicare-idUSBRE88N04Z20120924

By David Morgan

WASHINGTON | Mon Sep 24, 2012 1:07am EDT

(Reuters) - Even before his running mate was booed by a lobbying group for older Americans on Friday, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney was losing support among such voters, whose backing is crucial to his hopes of winning the November 6 election.

New polling by Reuters/Ipsos indicates that during the past two weeks - since just after the Democratic National Convention - support for Romney among Americans age 60 and older has crumbled, from a 20-point lead over Democratic President Barack Obama to less than 4 points.

Romney's double-digit advantages among older voters on the issues of healthcare and Medicare - the nation's health insurance program for those over 65 and the disabled - also have evaporated, and Obama has begun to build an advantage in both areas.

-snip-

"If Romney loses seniors, he loses this election, period," said Jonathan Oberlander, a health policy specialist at the University of North Carolina. "A bad showing nationally (among older voters) does not bode well for Florida and other states with big senior populations."

-snip-

[gopiscrap]

1. If seniors had any brains

they'd flush willard straight down the toilet

[Trajan]

2. Music to my ears ....

Be still my heart - Seniors are coming around ....

Awesome ....

[Tarheel_Dem]

3. I've never understood how the party who brought SS and Medicare don't run away with....

seniors. It just makes sense that the party who made these programs available would do everything in its power to protect them. People have to stop voting on religion and other ancillary issues, and vote their pocketbooks.

[NBachers]

4. I'm 63 & I hope Romney's the biggest loser in history and the entire Republican party goes extinct

And I know there are many here on DU, my age and older, who feel the same.

I think Romney will be ready for a straight jacket before this is finished.

[xxqqqzme]

5. I live in a senior apartment complex in So Cal.

Most of the residents here are 70+ (at 63 I'm one of the younger ones). It is a mixture of Asian, Hispanic and African American. I have yet to talk to anyone who will voting for Rmoney. There is one Cuban woman, though, I think is leaning that way.

[Hamlette]

6. Sounds like the lies about $716B are not working

Would be nice, when the write the history of this election, if it is remembered as the year when the GOP lies stopped working.

But the lesson will be quickly forgotten.

[torotoro]

7. EXCELLENT! Let's hope the trend continues

[Skittles]

8. old folk don't like being called moochers

imagine that

[progree]

9. Just after the Dem. Convention - senior support for Romney was 20 points over Obama - WTF?

since just after the Democratic National Convention - support for Romney among Americans age 60 and older has crumbled, from a 20-point lead over Democratic President Barack Obama

It was a 20 point lead after the Dem. convention? WTF? Maybe voter ID laws (which disproportionately disenfranchise the elderly) have a silver lining. Yes, I know voter ID is wrong and it disproportionately disenfranchises many other groups -- students, women, minorities, poor -- that are Democratic on average. And I'm part of the senior demographic. Still drive but know that isn't going to be forever.

to less than 4 points.

Still WTF? Do they really want to go shopping for a health care every year with a voucher that might not be adequate? ("might not be adequate" is worded as optimistically as possible). And have their Social Security dependent on the stock and bond markets?

[Spitfire of ATJ]

10. Wouldn't it be ironic if older Romney suppoters were the ones snared by voter ID?

[DavidL]

11. Have heard of 3 older people NOT voting Republican this time

They all voted for McCain in 08.

Romney lost them with the 47% tape, and Ryan's Medicare plans

[Bette Noir]

12. Willard can't lose

soon enough for me.

[SleeplessinSoCal]

13. nobody deserves this ire more than Romney himself.

self made disaster.

[99th_Monkey]

14. Hence Rmoney's stunning back-peddling today on 60 Minutes

I couldn't believe my freaking ears.

He's basically saying he "won't change ANYthing" with SS or Medicare,
except to "make sure the rich get less, and everyone else gets MORE"
of both SS money and Medicare benefits.

He barely parenthetically mumbled something about "down the road"
there "may" be some changes for younger people.

My jaw dropped, I swear.