GOP’s staggering chutzpah: Why they’re attacking Medicare cuts now

[DonViejo]

Republicans voted many times to cut overpayments to Medicare carriers. But -- voilà -- now they suddenly love them

BRIAN BEUTLER

After spending weeks subjecting the public to unfounded and widely debunked claims that Obamacare contains a hidden “bailout” for private insurers, Republicans have undertaken a complete reversal, and are attacking Democrats for cutting corporate welfare for insurance companies by too much.

Specifically, they’re attacking the Affordable Care Act’s reduction in overpayments to carriers who participate in Medicare Advantage, reflected in lower payment rates for program providers, which were officially announced late last week.

Unfortunately for Republicans, this line of attack on Obamacare hasn’t been as immediately effective as earlier ones, thanks to a few complicating factors. One is that it’s unclear whether or to what extent these lower rates will translate into benefit or coverage changes for actual seniors. Another is that they’ve spent the past several years talking up the urgent importance of slashing entitlement spending. But a third is that Republicans have voted for these same cuts many, many times since Obama’s been in office, have refused to remove the cuts from their own budgets even as they’ve attacked Democrats in multiple election cycles for raiding Medicare, and, broadly speaking, support the cuts on the merits.

This fundamental inconsistency is well known to reporters, and in many other circumstances that would militate toward nixing the attacks altogether. But Medicare attacks are unusually politically potent. So Republicans have decided it’s worth enduring accusations of hypocrisy if that’s what it takes to continue the attacks.

more
http://www.salon.com/2014/02/26/gops_staggering_mix_of_chutzpah_and_stupidity_now_theyre_attacking_medicare_cuts/

[CanonRay]

1. They're throwing shit at the wall and hoping it sticks

they've got NOTHING. No ideas, no plan, no candidates, and a shrinking, dying base.

[yeoman6987]

2. Let's hope you are right about your prognosis on the Republican Party

We will find out soon enough in November. Get the heck out and vote and ignore the republican party is dying mantra. If we say that too often it will tell people that they don't have to vote and yes they do especially in NOVEMBER!!!!!!

[CanonRay]

3. They never actually die

but they can make things miserable for the rest of us on their way down. Everyone thought they were dead in '64.