OK, will someone PLEASE explain to me how repubs can say they favor Medicare but not "government run

[CTyankee]

health care? What rationale do they use for this irrationality? What, please, do they offer as the "difference" between the two?

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. They privatized Part D of Medicare.

Allowing the insurance companies to profit greatly from the prescription plans.

[Warpy]

2. Uh, they're STUPID?

I keep pointing out to dumb people that the Medicare they love so much and that allows them to get things like private Medigap insurance is a government run health insurance plan.

Mostly I just get blank looks while they chew their cuds.

[pinto]

3. Straw men, red herrings and sleight of hand.

If they were consistent, coherent and honest, they would challenge a public option *and* Medicare across the board. Their decision - create a straw man argument called "government run health care".

None, of course, are government run health care programs. They are government subsidized health insurance programs / proposals.

The only government run health care in the US is the Veterans' Administration's system.

The big red herring they run out is "socialism". Laughable, yet it resonates with their base and makes headlines.

And the sleight of hand is to deflect all discussion back to one of the previous approaches, the straw man argument or the red herring.

[trof]

4. 55 repug members of congress are on...MEDICARE!

Rep. Anthony Weiner’s (D-NY) office today released an internal study showing that 151 members of Congress “currently receive government-funded; government-administered single-payer health care — Medicare.” Of those 151 members, 55 are Republicans who also happen to be “steadfastly opposed other Americans getting the public option, like the one they have chosen.” Included on Weiner’s list are anti-public option crusaders Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ), Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), Sen. Orin Hatch (R-UT), Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL), Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), Sen. Mike Enzi (R-WY), Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC), and Rep. Peter King (R-NY).
http://thinkprogress.org/2009/10/22/weiner-55-republicans-public-option/

"U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby, R-Ala., said he believes Obama still supports a public option, but has not said how it will be funded. The president also failed to explain how a public option would not lead to a government takeover and rationing of health care, Shelby said.

“There are sensible and positive reforms that we can pursue to build on the strengths of our current system, but as long as the president continues to pursue a government-run plan, I remain in strong opposition,” Shelby said.

:wtf:

[Soylent Brice]

5. you should post this as its own OP.

[trof]

6. will do