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Is two a trend?

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* As we’ve already seen, Republican Congressman Bob Dold used his mom in a TV ad to bolster his claims that he won’t harm Social Security or Medicare. Republican Congressman Bobby Schilling uses his grandmother to make the same point, but with a harder edge at the end…

Thoughts?

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 12:24 pm

Comments

The pattern continues of the GOP attempting to position themselves as the defenders, and Dems the enemies, of Medicare, that old socialized medicine entitlement they used to love to hate.

Dems would bankrupt Medicare? That is boldly cynical, my friends.

If the GOP can pull that off, it will be the greatest re-branding campaign since Miller took a watery, cheap, swill beer called Meister Brau Light and re-branded it as Lite, turning it into an industry monster.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 12:39 pm
Cong. Kristi Noem, the fast-rising freshman from SD, used her g’mama in an ad a couple weeks ago — more in the Dold mold, but funnier. So, I’d say what we have here is a bona fide gaggle of Repub grandmothers hitting the airwaves before they hit the beaches in Florida: http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=FiT4YSmJjDU

Comment by Hyperbolic Chamber Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 12:50 pm
===The pattern continues of the GOP attempting to position themselves as the defenders, and Dems the enemies, of Medicare, that old socialized medicine entitlement they used to love to hate.===

I know, right? It’s breathtaking. Up is down, black is white. It’s the triumph of Rovian politics in a post-factual world.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 12:51 pm
It’s a great idea. From a political perspective Medicare privatization relies on convincing seniors that it’s only going to screw everyone younger than they are. Opposition to it relies on convincing seniors that it won’t.

On the technical merits, a great move.

Also, yes it’s very much a national trend. There’s probably a Frank Luntz memo somewhere encouraging it: http://www.slate.com/blogs/weigel/2012/10/11/video_republicans_enlist_moms_to_say_they_won_t_actually_cut_medicare.html

Comment by Will Caskey Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 12:53 pm
Schilling was the guy who wanted to discount the Thomson prison by about $90,000 dollars. He’d be a sure thing to save Grandmas Medicare. He’d get her a voucher for $65.00 a month to get private insurance.

Maybe Gram could pull herself by the boot straps
and ask a job creator for a job.

WORD nailed again.

Comment by mokenavince Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:08 pm
Sorry it was $90 Million not $90 thousand.

Comment by mokenavince Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:09 pm
That ad gives new meaning to throwing grandma under the bus. Schilling backs the Republican voucher plan, as younger healthier people, that are now under 55, drop from the Medicare rolls, Medicare will collapse. All insurance works on the principle of shared risk.

Comment by Paul Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:15 pm
For crying out loud, these are some of the dumbest commercials I’ve seen. I’d sure hope our moms and grandmas would vote for us…almost irregardless of the circumstances.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:18 pm
It’s okay to use your grandma in a commercial but not anyone who you don’t identify (and is involved in politics on some level).

The GOP is nuts.

Comment by Lil Enchilada Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:25 pm
Schweppe should run for some office

Comment by PolySciGuy Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:28 pm
Candidates remain popular with their moms.

That, and sports, at eleven.

Comment by TJ Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 1:30 pm
Didn’t Schilling have a problem with Bustos using supporters in ads recently? Does his grandmother not support him?

Comment by UISer Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 2:03 pm
:( VanillaMan did I not say it was a great ad concept and even provide further reading for interested parties?

No pleasing some people.

Comment by Will Caskey Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 3:08 pm
Anyone who can’t get his own mom or grandma to say something good about him…

There is a reason why you don’t list your mother as a reference on a resume.

Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 3:34 pm
I do agree with the notion that Congress (and the President as well) can’t ignore the problem with Medicare’s finances. Ultimately, there have to be cuts of some sort, the federal budget is already in disarray and can’t absorb the coming insolvency of the Medicare part A “trust fund”. The big policy decision is whether those cuts will come from what Medicare pays providers, as planned in “Obamacare” - which must eventually lead to some providers dropping out of the program - or by reducing the benefit package, as proposed by the GOP Congress. Either way, seniors are going to be hurt, whether now or down the road.

In the federal budget realm, both the Medicare and Social Security “trust funds” are such in name only, their only assets are federal IOUs. While Illinois’ pension systems are badly underfunded compared to future liabilities, there are at least real assets in those pension funds.

There is a common theme, though, between Illinois’ pension woes and those of Medicare and Social Security. Someone, whether it’s the taxpayer or the program participant, will end up worse off - either by paying more for the promised benefit or by getting less benefit than promised. I don’t envy any politician who has to run on the tagline “Promises made, promises broken.”

Comment by cover Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 3:48 pm
–I know, right? It’s breathtaking. Up is down, black is white. It’s the triumph of Rovian politics in a post-factual world.–

They ain’t won yet, daddio.

And seriously, the GOP Medicare position is too weird to think that they will.

The right-wing brand for 60 years has been railing against “socialized medicine entitlements. ” You can’t turn that on a dime.

You might be able to fool some of the people all of the time, but I doubt that you can fool seniors, and their children, when it comes to Medicare and Medicaid. Too much money at stake.

My old mother-in-law was a rock-ribbed DuPage Republican during her working life. The day she retired, she became a rock-ribbed Democrat.

Her reason?

“You can’t trust the Republicans on Social Security and Medicare.”

She was not unique, by any means.

VMan, by the way, you’re in way over your head. It’ impressive that you can parrot BS talking points, but seriously, dude, you can’t peddle that stuff here.

If you want to start crunching numbers, I suggest you get another box of Crayola 64. With the sharpener.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 7:10 pm
===You might be able to fool some of the people all of the time,===

But you can fool all the people some of the time, and there’s just a few weeks to go.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 7:12 pm
–But you can fool all the people some of the time, and there’s just a few weeks to go.–

I’m with you, Abe, but I can’t see it with Medicare. Too many miles over the years.

But, if it works, it will the “The Audacity for Dopes.”

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 7:47 pm
What is truly amazing is that Romney’s polls are rising in Florida. Old people are far more gullible than I thought possible.

Comment by wishbone Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 7:51 pm
word, it’s working. They’ve obviously poll tested and focused grouped this message.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 7:58 pm
Because if it wasn’t working, Schilling would be ten points down right now. He ain’t.

Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 7:58 pm
Rich, I guess we’ll find out. I know the GOP is all in on it, and they must have thought they saw something in the research.

Still, can you flip a decades-long story 180 degrees in one election cycle? I don’t think so.

If folks want to believe the right-wing GOP are the defenders of Medicare, well, then, careful what you wish for, you just might get it.

And if the Dems let them get away with it, their already obvious confusion and cluelessness this go-around will be that much more magnified.

The Dem Big Brains on the presidential and House levels are still fumbling around looking for their car keys.

No game plan, at all, against these guys?

Did they think the election was Dec. 6? No crying when you screw the pooch.

The Senate is different. The GOP put up some dogs in winnable states. Old Bourbon Breath Mitch is whistling past the graveyard right now.

If Donnelly beats Mourdoch in Indy, Mitch’s walk of shame might be right out of leadership.

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Oct 16, 12 @ 9:03 pm