Only Acceptable Dem. position: Kill the Ryan Bill outright

Although not having actually resolved the issue of whether a government shutdown is about to occur, the Republicans, led by their fiscal guru Paul Ryan (R-WI), appear to have moved on to their big budget bill, which purports to set in motion some pretty radical changes over the next ten years. (See this.)

Chief among their plots, (1)cut now; and (2) at the end of ten years:

• Eliminate Medicare for anyone not eligible by the 10-year culmination of their scheme. (Replace it with a Republican plan that oddly resembles the current Health Care Law for everyone else, and which essentially shifts the risk and increased costs onto beneficiaries).

• Eliminate Medicaid, replacing it with wing-and-prayer block grants to states. 

I call on all Democrats, and all progressives everywhere in America, to say HELL NO! to this radical scheme.

We just cannot, must not, and will not accept this kind of rollback of basic public services for the elderly and poor, and we will fight them in the halls of Congress, with the Veto pen, and at the polls to prevent it from happening!

Basic medical care for the poor and elderly (in fact for all citizens) are fundamental government services in almost all modern, first world countries. The United States is nearly the sole exception when it comes to health care for all. But the very notion that we should now eviscerate the programs that have existed for nearly fifty years to provide basic health care just to the poor and elderly is a bridge way, way too far, and if the Republicans think they have a winning issue on this, I say, bring it on! We'll cream you.