Karl Rove, new convert to Democrats' plan to strengthen Social Security.
In what has become a biennial sport, Karl Rove's Crossroads is running attack ads
from the left against Democrats on Medicare and Social Security. Every two years Republicans recognize the fact that the programs are wildly popular and accuse Democrats of trying to cut them, then Republicans get in office and reintroduce all their old legislation to decimate the programs. So why should 2014
be any different? Greg Sargent:
The other day, I noted that Karl Rove’s Crossroads GPS is up with a new ad that slices and dices Dem Senator Mark Pryor’s quotes to create the impression he supports raising the Social Security retirement age in ways that should frighten today’s seniors. Just as they have in the last two cycles—in which Republicans have built national campaigns around dishonest attacks on Obamacare’s provider-side cuts to Medicare—this ad shows Republicans once again hitting Dems from the left on entitlements.
Now Rove’s Crossroads is back with another ad that does pretty much the same thing, this one hitting Senator Kay Hagan in North Carolina over Social Security’s retirement age. The spot, which is backed by more than $1 million, says Hagan is a “big believer” in a “controversial plan” that “raises the retirement age,” while the words “raises Social Security retirement age” flash on the screen. It also claims the plan Hagan supports “increases out-of-pocket Medicare costs.”
That controversial plan? The Simpson-Bowles catfood commission. Endorsed by
Third Way and now too far right for Karl Rove. Which sort of begs the question of why any Democrat ever would feel the need to kowtow to the deficit fetishists on Social Security and Medicare. It won't inure them from attacks from Republicans, and even Karl Rove recognizes unpopular policies when he sees them.