NY 26 Poses a Threat for Candidates in 2012
Political pundits are eager to portray the Democratic win in the NY 26 congressional race as a referendum on Paul Ryan's budget plan. Democrats particularly want to elevate the Medicare issue all the way to the Presidential level into the campaign for the next year's elections.
But Democrats would be wise to avoid being too cocky about NY 26. For starters, Democrats have to overcome two major obstacles--the trillion dollar stimulus package that did not work, and the Democrat's enactment of the costly Obamacare law despite overwhelimg rejection by voters. Together, these problems add to an already unsustainable national debt and have not reduced the exceptionally high unemployment rate, as promised by Democrats. America is insolvent, the lock box is broken, and the treasury is empty.
Furthermore, to remain competitive in 2012, Democrats will have to do more than attack Paul Ryan's budget legislation. Democrats must be specific by introducing their own debt reduction legislation that includes entitlement reforms. Democrats must also engage voters in an honest conversation about the unsustainable cost of entitlements as part of a larger discussion about reducing the ever-increasing national debt. If Democrats attempt to replay the strategies of NY 26 as the basis for their 2012 re-electon campaigns, they will have another shellacking.
Republicans also have to do a better job of explaining Paul Ryan's budget plan. Republicans must explain to voters that doing nothing about Medicare and Social Security is not an option. The future of America is at risk if our political leaders do not increase jobs now and reduce the national debt immediately. The Republican-controlled House is the only legislative body that actually has a bill which tackles these problems. Meanwhile, Democrats are whistling by the graveyard.
Democrats have been silent about their plan to tackle the costs of entitlements, even though Obama pledged to reduce the cost of entitlements in February, 2011. By failing to offer their own solutions for entitlement reforms, it puts more responsibility upon Democrats .Demagoguery and lies about the Paul Ryan plan, as compared to the Democratic Party which has no plan, will make it harder for Democrats running for re-election in 2012. Without a plan to reform entitlements, Democrats face the possibility of a voter backlash similar to the November 2010 elections.
The majority of Americans are in favor of repealing Obamacare. Many believe that Obamacare will be the financial ruin of America. Republicans need not fear a conversaton with voters about reforming Medicare. It was Obamacare that actually cut $500 billion from the existing Medicare program, which the majority of voters want repealed. Even President Bill Clinton warned Democrats against demagoguing the Republican Medicare reforms, asserting that it will not enable them to win in 2012.
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