To: Republican Voters
From Reince Priebus
Outgoing Republican National Committee Chair
K Street
Washington DC
Dear Republican Voter:
Congratulations! Now that Republican Donald Trump has been elected by a solid minority of American voters with an assist from Vladimir Putin, House and Senate Republicans you also voted to represent your interests are chomping at the bit to enact the most ambitious parts of the agenda they’ve been cultivating—but were unable to enact due to the annoying, obstructive “Democrat” presence of President Obama--for the last eight years. The American people need to encourage them to do so.
I’m speaking, of course, about the privatization and ultimate elimination of both Social Security and Medicare, two “Democrat” initiatives from the 30’s and 60’s, respectively, that—let’s be frank-- have outlived their usefulness. We will be taking on Medicare first.
There is absolutely no reason why we taxpayers should be subsidizing the (increasingly expensive) health care of senior citizens who are too old to continue on as useful, productive members of our economy. It makes no sense, and more to the point, it’s economically inefficient. It prevents a decent (albeit small) portion of our citizenry --folks just like you and me-- from fully enjoying the pleasures that come with the unimaginable wealth currently stolen from them in the form of back-breaking taxes. If certain “older” Americans haven’t reached the point, financially, when they can afford private health insurance to cover their bills, then let’s not sugarcoat it—they are losers. You know it, and the President-Elect knows it.
It’s time for a voucher—or better yet, “premium support” system-- where the government provides a small, fixed sum to go out into the “marketplace” and “shop” for your insurance—and no more. Picture yourself at the old farmer’s market, looking over the green peppers and tomatoes, rejecting the ones with the blemishes and carefully selecting the ones that are just right for you! That's how health care ought to work, right? If you can’t make do with that, then maybe you should have born in some other country. Seriously, ask yourself just how you are making America “great again?”
So we need to push back against Democrats and liberals who would suggest that the privatization of Medicare is somehow some kind of political “death ride” for Republicans.
[T]his would be a huge, messy battle that would almost certainly be wildly unpopular. Medicare is probably even more beloved than Social Security, after all. A battle like this could easily up in an epic defeat, and wipe out whatever goodwill the new Congress has.
Nothing could be further from the truth. The fact is that Seniors will welcome with open arms such cuts by Republicans to their Medicare benefits and eligibility. Especially those who voted for Trump; after all, the most important thing was keeping that woman with the ”shrill” voice out of office, right? She was coming for your guns, after all.
Just a small contribution from you is what we need to put a halt to this type of rampant Democratic disinformation and propaganda (don’t worry, we’re enlisting the help of some IT folks from Belarus on this one):
Democrats say that premium support would privatize Medicare, replacing the current government guarantee with skimpy vouchers — “coupon care for seniors.” The fear is that the healthiest seniors would choose private insurance, lured by offers of free health club memberships and other wellness programs, leaving traditional Medicare with sicker, more expensive patients and higher premiums.
Such liberal garbage! The reality is that Medicare reform will usher in a new era of American self-sufficiency. No longer will aged Seniors bankrupted into destitution by medical costs be compelled to seek solace from some government bureaucracy. They will die, yes—some of them in terrible agony and despair —but they will die as proud and free Americans. Or (the stronger ones) will demand that their children foot the staggering medical bills necessary to keep them alive. The abolition—or, “reform” --of Medicare would usher in a whole new era in family relationships and family values, the bedrock of our society.
Along those lines, your contribution will go a long way to nip these kind of sob stories in the bud:
“I am terrified of vouchers,” said Kim Ebb, 92, who lives in a retirement community in Bethesda, Md., and has diabetes, atrial fibrillation and irritable bowel syndrome. “You get a fixed amount of money to draw on for your expenses. Then you are on your own.”
Charles R. Drapeau, 64, of East Waterboro, Me., said he was rattled by the Republican plans.
“I’m scared to death,” said Mr. Drapeau, who has multiple myeloma, a type of blood cancer, and takes a drug that costs more than $10,000 a month. “We don’t know exactly how it will work, but just the fact that they are talking about messing with Medicare, it’s frightening to me.”
All of this unreasonable, “anecdotal” hysteria does no one any good. It just encourages the Democratic leader in the Senate to keep spouting this kind of over-the-top rhetoric:
Minority leader-elect Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) released a defiant statement on Friday in response to reports that Congressional Republicans plan to shift Medicare towards a more privatized system now that the GOP controls both chambers of Congress and the White House.
"The Republicans’ ideological and visceral hatred of government could deny millions of senior citizens across the country the care they need and deserve," Schumer said in the statement. "To our Republican colleagues considering this path, Democrats say: make our day. Your effort will fail, and this attack on our seniors will not stand."
Please write to Senator Schumer and ask him why he’s standing in the way of cutting off free health care, prescription drug coverage, and hospitization for ourselves, our parents and grandparents.
And please contribute to the Republican Party today.