Summary
The Democratic National Committee says in a TV ad that "Republicans voted to abolish Medicare." Not true.
The ad refers to a proposal endorsed by most House Republicans as part of the alternative budget they presented earlier this year. In fact, the GOP plan actually called for:
■Preserving the current Medicare program for anyone now receiving it, or within 10 years of qualifying for it.
■For those now under age 55, converting Medicare to a system of private, government-approved health insurance plans purchased mostly with government payments.
The proposal is similar to one endorsed a decade ago by the National Bipartisan Commission on the Future of Medicare. It is controversial, to be sure: Most Democrats don’t like it, and not all Republicans do either. It’s a plan to change Medicare significantly but not to "abolish" it.
Analysis
The DNC released the ad at the start of the Labor Day weekend. Besides claiming that Republicans "voted to abolish" Medicare, it also claims that "Republicans want to end Medicare" and that its leaders are now calling "for killing it."
The DNC also unveiled similar ads aimed at GOP House members, including Minority Leader John Boehner of Ohio and GOP Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia and eight others: Reps. Erik Paulsen of Minnesota, Jean Schmidt of Ohio, Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, Don Young of Alaska, Mary Bono Mack of California, Patrick Tiberi of Ohio, Lee Terry of Nebraska and Michele Bachmann of Minnesota, claiming in turn that each of them "voted to abolish Medicare" and is "no friend of seniors."
