Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Ever since Rep. Paul Ryan introduced his plan to kill Medicare as we know it, there's been a growing chorus of people speaking out against it. Last week, that chorus added an unlikely member: The leader of the South Florida Tea Party, Everett Wilkinson.
Wilkinson put out an email to his supporters articulating the group's position on the Ryan plan and how it relates to their overall 2012 strategy. The first reporter to take notice was George Bennett of The Palm Beach Post. The note is up on the South Florida Tea Party's website if you you'd like to read it in full.
Today, I talked to both Bennett and Wilkinson about this story to learn a bit more. Wilkinson is in the district currently held by Tea Party favorite, Rep. Allen West. Wilkinson says he thinks Rep. West could see some fallout over his support of Paul Ryan's Medicare plan.
Wilkinson also calls his opposition to Ryan's plan both "political and policy-based." He continued, "It's a politically unfavorable position. I've sat down with people on both sides of this thing. I'm all for budget cuts, but this is very pointless." On the policy side of the argument, he says Ryan's plan would create a "system of coupons that's vague and distorted and no one understands if it's going to work or not."
As for those people on both sides of the issue that Everett Wilkinson talked to, he tells me me that included FOX Newser Dick Morris, Republican political consultant Roger Stone, people at The Heritage Foundation, NBC reality TV star Donald Trump (he refers to this as a conversation in passing), and "other lesser known respected policy experts." Trump, you may remember, is (interestingly enough) one of the people calling Ryan's plan political poison for Republicans in 2012.
As Ryan's proposal gets more and more radioactive (only 22% supported it in the most recent NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll), it's going to be interesting to see how Republicans who've thrown their support behind it square that circle.
Leave a Comment:
It would certainly help Ryan' plan if his proposal actually resulted in significant defecit reduction -- of course it doesn't. It also hides a massive loss to the consumer market of over 7 trillion dollars over the next eight years as seniors have to re-apportion their income to health rather than other products. With the economy already facing a "demand crisis", that's just a disaster waiting to happen.
Why arent the Dems all over the "VoucheRyancare"?The only reason I can think of is the Dems are going to cave in like they usually do.I would be willing to bet there will be no tax increase for the wealthy,but there will be cuts to S.S.and Medicare.Whats wrong with these dems?Ryans plan will cost future retirees $12,000 per year.Why arent the dems all over this.Most middle and lower class seniors dont have an extra $12,000 to spend every year,but the ones that get the huge tax breaks do!
The problem of the Democrats not having anything to say lately is getting weird. The only thing they talked about was Weiner. The silence is becoming alarming. I haven't seen them talking anywhere let alone taking advantage of the massive fodder being handed to them on a silver platter. It's obscene. If there is one more caving I will not waste a vote on any of them. I haven't seen Barnie Frank, Boxer, Pelosi, talking about anything on MSNBC. What the heck is wrong with them?