At a town meeting held by Rep. Frank Guinta (R-NH) last night in Manchester, NH, Guinta faced a rowdy crowd and an unusual challenger, a teenager.
A 73-year old man stood up and criticized the plan to cut Medicare, which has become one of the most controversial aspects of the budget blueprint that was drafted by Representative Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, and approved earlier this month by the House.
"Why congressman Guinta?" he said. “"Why in the world did you ever vote for the Paul Ryan Medicare plan?"
Guinta began to answer, by saying many of the changes likely wouldn’t be phased in in time to affect him.
"What about me?" shouted Joe Platte, an eighth grader from Stratham, NH. "I'm 14! What am I going to do?"
Guinta went to great lengths to explain that anyone over 55 wouldn't be affected by the plan, which is not only untrue, but underscores one of the big problems Republicans have defending it: if it's going to be so critical to the country's survival, why aren't they imposing it on everyone now? In reality, they are. Drastic Medicaid cuts will certainly hurt current seniors as they age or if they or their parents are currently in long-term care facilities with Medicaid assistance.
And, of course, it would drastically alter the future of Joe Platte.
The crowd was definitely worked up, with Guinta making a big pitch for finding "common ground, saying “It is getting more contentious. I’d like to see an America that doesn’t pit people against each other. I’d like to see an America that comes together." A meeting attendee called Guinta out on that, pointing out that he wasn't calling for civility during the campaign last year, in which he—a Carol Shea Porter supporter—received death threats and encountered armed Guinta supporters. It's at the end of the ABC News video here:
Like so many of the other Republicans who have faced tough crowds back home during this recess, Guinta is a freshman. It would appear that there's a lot of buyer's remorse out there among the electorate, and some of these seats—many in swing districts—could be ripe for another turnover in 2012.