Republicans Backing off Plan to Privatize Medicare

On April 15, Republicans in the House of Representatives passed a 2012 budget bill that would privatize Medicare, ending a 50 year commitment the American people have made to provide medical care for seniors. This blog has already discussed why it’s a disastrous idea to end Medicare and push senior citizens onto the private insurance market.

After a month of public outcry over the plan, Republican leaders are beginning to back away from their radical proposal to end this popular program. Already GOP freshmen legislators have asked for a “truce” on Medicare attacks, and Republican House Majority Leader Eric Cantor has said that “Republicans recognize they may need to look elsewhere to achieve consensus.” Even Republicans in the Senate have decided to refrain from endorsing the House Republican’s Medicare plan. 

These are all positive developments. It’s important to let our elected officials know that the budget shouldn’t be balanced by dismantling one of the cornerstones of retirement security for American citizens.

-- Washington Post / CWA News / Washington Post / NPR / The Hill / DCCC