Harry and Louise, please come back!

[pnwmom]

We need a "Harry and Louise" type ad where an older couple sits at a table, scratching their heads as they try to decide how to pick a health insurer and how much of a discount the new coupons will give them.

One of them should be over 55, and therefore "safe" and the other one should be under 55. And the younger one should point out to the older one that there's no way his Medicare's safe if they get rid of it for everyone younger.

"These vouchers aren't Medicare! They're coupons, that's what they are! I didn't work all my life to end up paying my medical bills with coupons!"

[polichick]

1. Excellent idea!! k&r

[Freddie]

2. "No one should be forced to spend their golden years at the mercy of the insurance companies"

One of the best things the President said in his address.

[pnwmom]

3. He said so many excellent things it's hard to rank them. But that was among the best!

[BlueStreak]

4. It needs to be "Ghost of Medicare Future"

Romney and Ryan have been so evasive with the facts that we have a huge opening to define the implications of their program.

Here is one potential ad. Setting 10 years into the future Harry and Louise are quite elderly now.

Harry: Back in 2012, Mitt Romney said he was going to save Medicare

Louise: He talked about vouchers covering our health care costs and that would save Medicare. I had no idea what a voucher was back then.

Harry (holding the voucher): What good is this thing? There is no more Medicare for us. We have to buy our own insurance now. And this voucher is only worth $6000. I can't get a policy for $6000 a year. What am I supposed to do.

Louise: Honey, ever since you had your colon cancer and I had my stroke. I can't find ANY company that will even sell us a policy at ANY price.

Harry: What are we going to do? We only have $15,000 of savings left.

Louise: The next time one of us gets sick, that will be wiped out.

Harry: And we can't ask our kids for help. They will have it even worse in a couple of years.

Louise: I sure wish we had asked more questions back in 2012.

[BlueStreak]

5. Here's another script

Not that we need more than one. That first one would blow this whole thing wide open. It wouldn't even have to be a big ad spend. That would hit the media like a load of bricks and would force a lot of conversation. But just for variety, here's another ad.

The scene is a nursing home. Maybe an Alzheimer's ward. Doesn't really matter. Harry is dead. Louise doesn't have many faculties. Louise's son (Luke) is talking to the administrator for the home:

Admin: I'm so sorry that Louise has had such a decline recently.

Luke: Yes, it has all been a real strain on our family.

Admin: I understand. There is just no easy way to have this conversation. Back when we had Medicare and Medicaid programs, those programs took care of people like Louise. But as you know, President Romney eliminated those programs. You have to carry your own insurance now.

Luke: But that's the problem. We aren't wealthy people. That stupid voucher didn't come close to paying for the insurance policy for my mother. And we haven't been able to make up the difference. Mother has no money left and Sis and I just can't cover it anymore. God knows we've tried.

Admin: I'm so sorry. I know it doesn't make you feel any better, but I am having these conversations with our families almost every day now.

Luke (crying): And now the policy has been canceled because we just couldn't come up with the money. And now I probably couldn't get a new policy even if I did have the money. What am I going to do?

Camera zooms out slowly, with the two just staring at one another with nothing to say.

====

This is how you make those bastards own the issue.

[pnwmom]

6. I think we could use more than one. The nursing home issue is a whole separate issue.

Another thing that needs to be addressed is that the current Medicaid program was changed decades ago so that a couple didn't have to spend down all the couple's assets in order to get Medicaid nursing home for one spouse -- leaving the 2nd spouse impoverished. Currently, the spouses can divide the assets and only spend down the assets of the one who needs the care. If we go to block grants to the states, they'll be free to return to their old laws, driving both spouses into poverty if one of them needs care.

[BlueStreak]

7. I agree. There are many angles of attack here, and they are all powerful.

I am completely dumbfounded that Obama isn't going after Romney and Ryan aggressively on this. It just doesn't cut it to throw in one line is the stump speech calling it "Vouchercare". The issue deserves focus.

It is not just about squeaking out the victory any possible way. It is really important to stomp down these bastards while we have them out in the open. This is the chance of a generation to deal a very serious blow to those that dare to even think about killing these programs. You want them to feel so much pain that none of them will be willing to touch it for at least another 10 years.

Obama is too damn tactical about this. I understand that he has to get elected, but we cannot miss this opportunity either. There is still time to ramp it up, so I hope this works its way into the last 50 days of the campaign. If they don't, then what Obama will have is 4 years as President with Ryan and Boehner still in charge in the House, and he'll have to fight this same shit over and over again. Now is the time to stomp it down.

[pnwmom]

8. +1.nt