Special Election a Referendum on Medicare Reform?

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Moving on now to up politics in this country Democrat -- -- Now the congresswoman elect in New -- -- upstate district 26.

She won 47% of the vote in a district that has been held by Republican.

Since -- 1960.

And some -- her victory as a referendum on Paul Ryan's Medicare reform and -- -- didn't waste any time vowing to stop any changes to Medicare.

We can balance our budgets there right away and not on the backs of our seniors.

Wisconsin congressman and chairman of the House Budget Committee Paul Ryan -- us now live from DC good morning to congressman.

Good morning -- and -- good morning I'm doing just fine how would you responds to the newly elected congresswoman.

About the fact that she fought on the backs not of seniors but -- saving entitlement.

It's I guess she's against Obama -- then that must be.

-- repealing the president's health care law because.

The president's health care law takes 500 million dollars from Medicare.

To spend on Obama care.

And starting next year puts a panel of fifteen unelected bureaucrats.

In charge of rationing and price controlling Medicare.

What's the Medicare actuary tells us about 40% of Medicare providers are gonna stop taking Medicare now and so we repeal of that in our budget.

I assume then she's against Obama care what's happening here is first of all yet it.

Democrat ranks of Tea -- -- -- couple million dollars his own money that obviously made this a difficult racer but wait the Medicare story here is.

The president and his party have decided to shamelessly gonna -- -- demagogue this issue.

Our budget what's ironic about -- our budget says if your 55 years of old age or above.

We're not changing your Medicare benefits and all we're actually guaranteeing them repealing the -- on Medicare from obamacare were repealing this board of bureaucrats that are gonna ration Medicare.

And then for those of us -- -- fifty form below we're saving the program using an idea that came from Bill Clinton's Medicare commission idea that has bipartisan support.

Where we subsidize.

The insurance that is offered by Medicare.

-- seniors who choose from a list of Medicare guarantee coverage options.

More for the poor and the sick in the middle class and less for the wealthy this saves Medicare to -- us the ability to guarantee the current system as it's currently designed.

For current seniors as a contrast.

To president's health care law which cuts benefits for current seniors.

And rates half a trillion dollars to fund this other program.

So congressman what we've seen is that the Democrats used the threat have you are planned where you wanted to fix Medicaid.

Medicare.

And they're using that as the -- To get -- have a little -- and gave them.

Yeah exactly I had some some going forward congressman is this though is what happened yesterday in New York's 26 district that -- just a preview of coming attractions and.

It is is a preview scare tactics distortions demagoguery.

Trying to scare seniors to voting for them.

And the irony of it is where the one direction protecting Medicare part -- benefits for current seniors.

They're the ones that passed the law and actually compromises their Medicare and allows a program to collapse.

So we have a year and a half.

And I believe in a year -- time the truth will get out the facts will be known whenever I do town hall meetings and discuss -- for seniors and senior senators.

Once they understand the facts they want these solutions they want to make sure that the promise that government made them is -- which is what we're doing.

And that the program is solvent for their children and grandchildren which is what we're doing let's contrast of the president's plan.

But congressman wasn't it.

You're really stepping out when you came out with your plan because you -- blunt this attack me.

I'm I'm ready to win this right we know that is dress isn't isn't -- all about the fact that that Americans have been so used to having these entitlements that no politician.

Has ever gone where you have gone before because you don't get elected when you tell the.

Right that's exactly right direction but here's the problem.

If we keep kicking the can down the road if we keep making empty promises to voters to get elected we're gonna have a debt crisis.

This program will collapse it's going bankrupt in nine years we need truth we need leadership.

And that is in order to prevent a debt crisis from hitting people who are already depending on these programs.

If we allow this demagoguery to work if we allow these distortions to continue taking place.

And do not offer solutions and alternatives to fix this problem America we'll have a debt crisis America we'll have another recession I believe.

And the people who depend on -- promise emotional ones are gonna get hurt the first in the worst.

And so leaders need to leave and that's what we're doing.

And if we keep kicking this can down the road and failing to fix these problems and the drivers of our debt.

Don't have a real problem on our hands we want to be on the right side of history -- We want to do what's right and I believe in -- -- time the American people see the facts and they were more the political leader who's actually solving the problem.

Then the demagogue -- politician who's actually making empty promises.

Then congressman and it's been about ten days ago since -- Newt Gingrich made some comments regarding your plan I I heard them yet.

He has sense tried to explain what you're talking about are things -- -- between you and the former speaker now.

Look I don't think these things personally he was wrong -- heatley was grossly inaccurate description of our plan he knows that.

He's retracted that they'll still use these comments against us nevertheless.

So -- was clearly wrong with this.

We're not changing anything for -- -- he's above the age of 55 review and the kinds of reforms are Medicare guarantee coverage options that you select from.

It's just how Medicare Advantage were today tell the picture of the drug benefit works it's the same system we have in congress and federal employees have -- -- so I think he's pretty reasonable on gradual.

Now that -- all the attacks as a politician a lot of people are wondering whether or not you're gonna throw your hat in the ring and actually run for president next time around.

Are you running for president 2012 you know I I have no plans to do that.

I feel like I can make a difference where I am the chairman of the Budget Committee we -- in -- debt crisis moment we're in a big budget fight.

But the senate has a pass the budget for 754 days they're now saying they're not even gonna bother trying to pass a budget we have a budget crisis on our hands.

They're not even passing something I feel that I can make a big difference where I am.

Working here in congress trying to get our fiscal house in order and -- debt crisis -- that is a gigantic.

Something to do when your to do list congress and we and we.

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Special Election a Referendum on Medicare Reform?

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