Medicare Privatization

The Republicans' Medicare plan to privatize Medicare and give vouchers to Seniors, continues to be unpopular even amongst Tea Partiers. 70% of Tea Partiers say they are against using Medicare to pay down the debt. In a new Quinnipiac poll the numbers painted an even starker picture as a little over 70% of respondents say they were against limiting Medicare to lower the deficit.

Half of the 1,408 voters surveyed were told Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid and defense comprise 60 percent of the federal budget; the other half was not told. Yet responses were similar. Voters who were told of the 60 percent figure oppose limits to entitlement growth:

70 - 27 percent against limiting Medicare; 75 - 23 percent among those not told; 72 - 26 percent against limiting Social Security; 72 - 24 percent among those not told; 57 - 40 percent against Medicaid limits, compared to 59 - 38 percent.

Voters informed of the 60 percent figure support cuts in defense spending 54 - 43 percent, while voters not told split with 47 percent for defense cuts and 49 percent opposed.

"So much for the idea that if the public only understood the budget numbers they would be much more amenable to reductions," said Brown. "Except for defense spending."

Also the poll showed that almost 70% of voters favor raising taxes on those making more than $250k to help with deficits. So why are Republicans hell bent on not listening to the American people?