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Should GOP ticket keep Medicare at center of campaign?

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    Karl Rove weighs in on debate

  • Duration 8:24
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2012 Elections

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That's -- -- now -- and the Romney campaign says of the battle over Medicare.

Is a fight that they want to have on center stage in fact despite skepticism that has come from some political experts on on this is say that the running team they think.

Should stay focused on jobs was a -- back and.

-- now.

You've heard the president.

Has been talking about Medicare a bit lately.

We want this debate.

We need this debate and we are going to win this debate.

Okay.

We think a more fulsome debate.

About the future of Medicare and the -- right approaches is good force.

Right now sir Robert Gibbs earlier in Ed Henry's head on some -- this -- -- joins me now.

Former senior advisor and deputy chief of staff to president George W.

Bush also Fox News contributor Carl good morning good to -- F.

Good morning Martha how are you I'm doing just fine thanks in -- how do you feel about the fact that Medicare has become so central to this debate.

Will look there when there was going to be a debate about to Medicare the question was whether it was going to be on the Republicans terms now.

Out in the open or whether it was going to be on the Democrat terms -- late night phone calls to seniors in the closing days of the campaign.

And some really ugly mail pieces here and -- -- -- seniors about Republicans taken whether Medicare.

So the Republicans want to have the debate now and they want to have it for one very important reason.

They got something they can hang their hat on present Obama as part of Obama care.

It took 716.

Billion dollars out of Medicare in order to fund Obama -- took.

The Medicare as it piggy bank to pay for obamacare the reductions primarily are two areas.

415.

Billion dollars cut.

From payments to doctors and hospitals now there's going to be a real problem first -- -- with fourteen made people work and health care and they know these cuts are common.

We already pay a doctor or hospital.

From Medicare 81 cents for what a private insurance company would pay a buck now the insurance companies are not trying to make the doctors in the hospitals.

You know rich they're trying to make -- -- cheapest possible so we already underpaid for Medicare and what what they would normally get and as a result doctors limit the amount of coverage of the -- the number of Medicare patients they have.

And and hospitals are forced to find ways to make up the losses on Medicare patients by charging more to the non Medicare non Medicaid population.

And that -- gonna hurt and they know what the other part is there's a 156 billion dollars cut out of what are called Medicare Advantage.

These are insurance policies -- seniors -- get 24% of all seniors took advantage of this.

They give some additional services for preventative care and some additional.

Wellness programs right now the government puts out a dollar fourteen for every dollar it puts for Medicare for Medicare Advantage plan.

But if you compare apples apples just look at the -- and what Medicare provides.

And look at those same costs under Medicare Advantage.

We spent a 9% less under Medicare Advantage so.

There's some health economists who think that if we.

Took some rules and regulations away from Medicare Advantage allowed -- to compete more the total cost would sink below a dollar -- and and and you have all these additional preventative.

May well you know Carlos what get a -- and is that that is what it will end up being is that seniors want -- paying more.

Out of pocket not folks who are seniors now but people who are seniors in the future.

Well you know they'd they'd look at the house Republican budget for example.

And and they and they look there and they find out that there are some seniors who would pay more.

For example under the house Republican budget which is not the Romney plan but which obviously Paul Ryan had a lot to do with.

If you're a senior making 400000.

Dollars or more a year in -- family income.

You're already you're working -- seven years old you're still working on Wall Street and you make 400000 dollars a year you'll have to pick up about 65.

Hundred dollars it cost if you make more than a 160000.

Dollars your family income.

You'll have to make up a -- out.

About fifty -- 4500 dollars in cost and that you would otherwise be covered by Medicare and if you're less than a 160000.

Dollars a year.

Annual income as a senior as a senior.

There's no change whatsoever now that's the house budget that's not -- rob -- and Romney's plans different than that.

But it's just like -- -- -- why why are we paying more for the health -- paid as much for the healthcare of Warren Buffett and Bill Gates as we do the work command working woman who.

You know -- drug drove a -- -- waited tables who worked in a warehouse yeah.

Life -- if -- there's a means testing Allen meant to this.

That is of great interest especially when you look at the fair share argument that's been made and people paying higher taxes the same folks don't want them to pay the fair share.

When it comes to Medicare -- -- I do want to get to your map because I'm fascinated buyer.

Weekly electoral maps here and and we -- to -- in some of the changes that have happened is since last week.

We'll start with South Dakota and South Carolina and you can see that both of those are in the red column now -- -- they were not.

Last week so red for Romney in South Carolina and and South Dakota according to -- map I'm just gonna what do these quickly -- thoughts on the New Hampshire.

Is now late blue leaning Obama and that may be why we see.

Romney and Ryan in New Hampshire today campaigning ahead of of the convention.

Also Ohio goes to toss up from leaning Romney.

So that is a very critical part of this map as well and Wisconsin -- the addition of Paul Ryan.

Is light blue but is less dramatically light blue -- it was on last week's map right -- -- one correction Martha yes Ohio went from lean Obama to -- -- so there's a yeah the Atlanta say thank you in the in the Obama in the Obama total of fourteen electoral votes.

And in those all -- and toss up.

And I and and look Joseph Trippi an -- talking about this the last couple of days -- we both believe that Wisconsin by this time next week will be in the tossup category.

Recent polls are showing it trending that way and I've seen some private polls -- indicates it is it is now leaning towards -- so we're likely to see this move.

From light -- to -- -- That you know things are -- very interesting is people are more focused on the election and the numbers as we get closer of course get a little bit -- At least -- did you know that that would appear to be the case dot SE coupled story's popped up over the weekend.

Getting a lot of attention around some of other media outlets the -- Aiken story.

And what he said about legitimate rape as a quote he had to.

Do some serious.

Correction.

On that comment over the weekend and then there's this skinny dipping in the Sea of Galilee story also make in the headlines as well what do you make of these two stories how significant are they.

And do they deserves the attention again.

Well look.

-- than the -- story will be important inside Missouri and you know my suspicion is it.

Congressman Kevin Yoder of of Kansas who is who's allegedly the skinny differ in the -- Galilee is gonna have some explaining to do back -- But look the major issues are -- be the ones that that when you were alluding to earlier did deficit jobs the economy economic growth.

That they are entitlement crisis our debt crisis all these things are gonna be more important but.

But this gives a personal flavor of the campaign and a fascination that it -- the Sea of Galilee story.

And the other story about.

Congressman a -- of Missouri -- Actually is that gonna hurt my -- and -- -- Well it did let's see how it plays out here I mean he's got some real explaining -- -- there's also another stories because stories there's another story that's gonna pop today that I think is -- be.

Frankly far more important -- because it and it it it is a major element of the Obama.

Campaign strategy they -- in large measure in 2008 because they outspent.

John McCain between June and November Obama and the DNC spent 850 million dollars to McCain and the currencies 525.

Million.

It last week the Republicans announce it raised a 101 million dollars NG in July and at a 185 million dollars cash on hand.

The Democrats announced that they had -- 75 but did not issue their cash on hand number they have to release it today.

At the end of April the Democrats had a 95 million dollars more in the bank than Republicans at the end of may 61 million dollars at the end of June 23 million dollars -- my sense is is that today.

The that cash advantage will be wiped out and the Republicans will have more money in the bank for the for the fall campaign now that's amnesty despite their president's -- they thuggery and heartbreak at Carl thank you so much Casilla.

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