Here is a quick question: Who is it in Washington that is currently pushing a proposal to replace Medicare with a voucher system?
Do you know the answer to this question? The answer most people in America would give is that they do not know. No surprise there since most people do not pay attention to policy debates in Washington. If one eliminates the know-nothings, however, the most common answer is that it is House Republicans who are out "to end Medicare as we know it." Just yesterday on Fox News Sunday, presidential advisor Dan Pfeiffer lambasted the GOP for wanting to replace Medicare with vouchers. The problem with that, of course, is that the Republicans have put forth no such plan. Quite the contrary, the budget passed by the Republicans in the House foresees no change in Medicare or its coverage over the next decade.
Some years back, there was a proposal to move Medicare to a fee supported sytem which would provide coverage through competing private insurers at government expense. Even that proposal, however, did not change Medicare for anyone 55 or older, and the proposal was not for vouchers.
The truth, it seems, has nothing to do with what president Obama and the Obamacrats have to say about Medicare. The lies spew forth and the media dutifully reports them uncritically. As a result, Americans are denied the truth. In a democracy, it is not unusual for politicians to stretch the truth -- okay for them to lie. The role of the press, however, is supposed to be to expose the truth. When extreme lies like this one go unchallenged by the press even on FNC, however, the basis for democracy is put at risk. Voters cannot make effective choices on the basis of lies.
Do you know the answer to this question? The answer most people in America would give is that they do not know. No surprise there since most people do not pay attention to policy debates in Washington. If one eliminates the know-nothings, however, the most common answer is that it is House Republicans who are out "to end Medicare as we know it." Just yesterday on Fox News Sunday, presidential advisor Dan Pfeiffer lambasted the GOP for wanting to replace Medicare with vouchers. The problem with that, of course, is that the Republicans have put forth no such plan. Quite the contrary, the budget passed by the Republicans in the House foresees no change in Medicare or its coverage over the next decade.
Some years back, there was a proposal to move Medicare to a fee supported sytem which would provide coverage through competing private insurers at government expense. Even that proposal, however, did not change Medicare for anyone 55 or older, and the proposal was not for vouchers.
The truth, it seems, has nothing to do with what president Obama and the Obamacrats have to say about Medicare. The lies spew forth and the media dutifully reports them uncritically. As a result, Americans are denied the truth. In a democracy, it is not unusual for politicians to stretch the truth -- okay for them to lie. The role of the press, however, is supposed to be to expose the truth. When extreme lies like this one go unchallenged by the press even on FNC, however, the basis for democracy is put at risk. Voters cannot make effective choices on the basis of lies.
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