Thread: Senate rejects GOP's Medicare plan 57 - 40

May 25, 2011

Senate rejects GOP's Medicare plan

05:20 PMPrint Share By Catalina Camia, USA TODAY
Updated at 6:08 p.m. ET

The Democratic-run Senate rejected a GOP budget plan today that would dramatically change Medicare for seniors during a series of votes aimed at highlighting the political potency of the issue.

In all, there were 57 votes opposing the plan by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis. Five Republicans joined their Democrats in opposing the plan.

"The Republican plan to kill Medicare is a plan that tries to balance the budget literally on the backs of America's seniors," Reid said this afternoon on the Senate floor, sounding a Democratic refrain that will be heard through the 2012 elections.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., and other Republicans have countered that the Democrats have not offered their own budget.

"At a moment when our debts and deficits threaten the very future of our nation, Democrats have no excuse for proposing no vision of their own," McConnell said.

Entitlements such as Medicare and Medicaid are among the biggest drivers of the nation's debt. The plan by House Budget Chairman Ryan, approved by the GOP-controlled House, would cut $4.4 trillion over 10 years and convert Medicare into a voucher program for those people now under 55.

Ryan strongly defends his Medicare proposal, which was one of the defining issues in a special House election Tuesday won by Democrat Kathy Hochul. Dubbing the plan the "Path to Prosperity," Ryan has said repeatedly that it would save Medicare for future generations.

Under the Ryan proposal, eligible seniors would be given a voucher to pay for their health insurance, which would be offered by a private company. Medicare pays hospital and doctor bills and has long been part of the government's safety net.

Though the votes today were symbolic, they will likely factor into campaigns next year. Republicans need a net gain of four seats to win the Senate majority.

Four Republicans who voted against the Ryan budget -- Scott Brown of Massachusetts, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins of Maine -- have a history of bucking their party.

Brown and Snowe, however, face tough re-election campaigns next year in reliably Democratic states.

Tea Party favorite Rand Paul of Kentucky was the fifth GOP senator to oppose the Ryan budget. He said he would vote "no" because he didn't believe the plan had enough spending cuts.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities ... ry-reid-/1

Keep in mind to vote all the Dems and Obama in 2012. They are destroying our country with their policies.

Originally Posted by immigration2009

Keep in mind to vote all the Dems and Obama in 2012. They are destroying our country with their policies.

What about the Republcans on this issue do they get a free pass?Rand Pual plan was shot down 90 to 7 so its just not all Democrates.

Originally Posted by duckman

Originally Posted by immigration2009

Keep in mind to vote all the Dems and Obama in 2012. They are destroying our country with their policies.

What about the Republcans on this issue do they get a free pass?Rand Pual plan was shot down 90 to 7 so its just not all Democrates.

No body gets a free pass. However, it is true that the liberal agenda is speeding up our demise.