And that above is a legitimate observation because that's exactly what the proposal does, and then as a sales point it says that anyone over 55 years old is protected from the Ryan medicare reform, by the reform itself, to avoid their opposition to it. How was that supposed to sell to voters? No one under 55 thinks of retirement? No one would see through that?
Newt using the term ‘radical’ was spitting in House Republicans faces. Especially after they voted for it after he supported it.
I have a related complaint about the House repealing Obama-care then moving on and giving up. Rather to expect to successfully force a repeal on liberal states, why didnt the house pass a second bill that gives each governor or state assembly the power to completely opt out of all parts Obama-care? Then they could force a vote on that in the Senate as part of debt ceiling. Seems like that would be a tough thing for Democrats to oppose.
Bennett didn’t see it as top down and forced on people. He said Ryan didn’t have that kind of power...it was a proposal that he was trying to sell and Newt’s language was like “shooting at Ryan from the rear”.
Bennett is taking this literally and for real, whereas Newt was talking about perception. I come down on the side that indeed the plan is vulnerable to that perception especially with the Dems lies about it. I heard an elderly woman call in to CSpan all worried sick that the Republicans were taking away her Medicare. An elderly man caller seemed to believe it was ditto for his Social Security. They were so ignorant it made one want to cry.
I like your idea about an opt out bill. Especially with all the wavers, and with Reid’s state of Nevada being exempted, it would make perfect sense. And the Repubs could say, either give us an opt out vote, Reid, or no debt ceiling vote. The one fly in the ointment is, of course, Obama vetoes it. But then, he has to run on that veto, so it should even out.