GOP Plays Mediscare in West Virginia
The NRSC has a message for West Virginia voters: Joe Manchin supports getting Big Government in your Medicare!
A new ad opposing Governor Manchin in his quest to replace Robert Byrd runs as follows:
"Manchin supports Barack Obama's big government agenda...Manchin supported the government takeover of healthcare that cuts Medicare..."
The words "Government takeover of healthcare" are actually juxtaposed with "Cuts Medicare" on the screen.
httpvh://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbElTuHnM2M
Ironically, the cuts to Medicare were among the only responsible parts of Obamacare. Do these newfound entitlement-lovers think that these cuts were made because Nancy Pelosi enjoys watching old people suffer? The cuts to Medicare are assumed to be made up for through increased quality elsewhere, and are there to help pay for the new provisions. I think that this approach is misguided -- FrumForum's own David Gratzer has written a book and a pamphlet explaining why -- but the NRSC's implications are simply preposterous.
West Virginia is one of a few sleeper races that have unexpectedly become competitive. Businessman John Raese, who entered the race after Congresswoman Shelley Moore-Capito declined to run, is mostly self-funded and hopes to upset Manchin, whose approval ratings are in the 60s -- although, after this race, we may have to say that they were in the 60s. It will be an astonishing measure of voter anger at the Democratic Party if one of the country's most popular governors cannot win against an anonymous businessman.