The progressive advocacy group Americans United for Change is taking on the GOP, running versions of this ad on broadcast television in the districts of Reps. Steve King (R-IA), Sean Duffy (R-WI), Chip Cravaack (R-MN), and Paul Ryan (R-WI).
"What are House Republicans thinking asking millions of seniors, the less fortunate and the disabled to make more sacrifices and the richest among us to make less," says AUC executive Tom McMahon in a statement.
If Republicans have their way, there would be no more guaranteed Medicare benefits for America's seniors, only a guarantee of paying more and more out of pocket for less care after being left to the mercy to the private insurance industry. There would only be a guarantee that millions of Americans would lose their jobs - only a guarantee that America's poor and disabled will live sicker and die younger while millionaires get another tax break they don't need and the nation cannot afford. This is not a path to prosperity, only a path to bankrupting seniors so Paris Hilton and BP can have another tax break. And there's nothing courageous about that.
The television ads are in addition to robocalls the organization began making last week in 23 districts for a total 360,000 calls. But Americans United for Change isn't the only game in town. The House Majority PAC, a new Democratic Super PAC, has launched a six-figure ad buy with radio ads targeting 10 Republican House members.
In what it's calling a "substantial" media buy, the House Majority PAC is rolling out 60-second radio spots accusing Republican members of voting to "gut Medicare."
"Just days ago, Sean Duffy voted for the Republican budget plan that’s going to have the wealthiest Americans lining up at the trough," says one spot targeting freshman Rep. Sean Duffy (R-Wis.). "It protects billions in subsidies for big oil, and cuts taxes by trillions for the wealthiest Americans and big corporations. That’ll just make the deficit worse."
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The nine other GOP targets are Reps. Paul Gosar (Ariz.), Rick Crawford (Ark.), Allen West (Fla.), Chip Cravaack (Minn.), Charlie Bass (N.H.), Ann Marie Buerkle (N.Y.), Joe Heck (Nev.), Francisco "Quico" Canseco (Texas) and Blake Farenthold (Texas).
The biggest chunk is being spent against West, in FL-22. The good news is outside progressive and Democratic groups recognize the political value of protecting Medicare. Hopefully they'll help convince Democratic electeds that the push for austerity and the subsequent hurt on the middle class is a really bad idea.