Cory Gardner flip-flops on Mediscare tactics, at least when frightening seniors about Democrat plans
Is Cory Gardner an idiot or just a hypocrite? It's so hard to tell these days. Barely two months after sending a letter to the president begging him to stop Democrat attacks on the Republicans' plan to dismantle Medicare ("That's not fair! Waaaaah"), Cory Gardner has led a large group of Republicans in sending a letter to the Administration claiming proposed changes to Medicare will lead to "poorer quality of life for seniors."
Yes, it's true. Apparently Gardner believes "MediScare" tactics are the sole property of Republicans. When Democrats attack his Medicare plan, it's demagoguery and disingenous. When Republicans claim that a Democrat idea will take prescription drugs away from seniors immediately, it's standing up for Seniors.
From Gardner's most recent newsletter:
We expressed our concern that President Obama plans to fundamentally change the most successful part of Medicare by implementing Medicaid-style price controls in the prescription drug benefit program, writing that such price controls will “ultimately lead to poorer quality of life for seniors.”
And from the letter whining about attacks on the GOP plan to destroy Medicare:
A week after its passage, Democrats began launching what the Chicago Tribune referred to as "Medicare" attacks against Republicans. We ask tat you stand above partisanship, condemn the disingenuous attacks and with with this Congress to reform spending on entitlement programs.
I really like the bit in his newsletter where he accuses Obama of planning to "fundamentally change the most successful part of Medicare." He has a concern about fundamentally changing Medicare? What about the Gardner/Ryan plan to turn Medicare into a voucher system for those under 55? Now that's a fundamental change. Trying to rein in drug costs seems like a reasonable strategy to me, but to Gardner that's too much. I wonder if his campaign contributions from major drug companies has anything to do with that...
Not knowing a lot about the "plan" that Gardner is opposed to, my main source of frustration is in the language he uses in the letter trying to scare seniors about changes. Talk about "Mediscare" tactics!
We write to you today to voice our concern about so-called "improvements" to the Medicare program that would radically change Medicare for current seniors.
...changes in Medicare that would adversely affect seniors, one of which is a radical restructuring of the Part D program.
...fundamentally change the most successful part of the Medicare program overnight by implementing Medicaid-style price controls...
As President Obama and other Democrats engage in a disingenuous campaign against Medicare, placing political gain over the security of our entitlement programs, we are profoundly dismayed that he would argue for such a profound reconstruction of this sucessful program. Medicaid-style price controls will ultimately lead to poorer quality of life for seniors.
(emphasis added by Gardner Path)
So which is it: is he an idiot or a hypocrite? I don't think he's an idiot, I'm sure he fully understands how laughable the two letters are when read side-by-side. I just don't think he cares: Gardner's trying to score political points at every turn. His hope is that residents of the 4th District will have very short attention spans. I hope that is not the case.