Braveny’s Garden

From the Washington Monthly

Is the ad true? Actually, yes. Most Republicans really did “oppose Medicare from the start.” As recently as the 1996 presidential campaign, Bob Dole bragged about having voted against the original bill. And for years, GOP leaders have “called for cutting Medicare.” Indeed, the McCain/Palin platform called for significant cuts to the popular program.

But did Republicans vote to “end,” “abolish,” and “kill” Medicare? It’s provocative, but it’s a supportable claim. In April, 137 Republicans voted in support of a GOP alternative budget. It didn’t generate a lot of attention, but the plan, drafted by the House Budget Committee’s Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) called for “replacing the traditional Medicare program with subsidies to help retirees enroll in private health care plans.”