Democrats fought off President Bush's attempt to privatize Social Security in 2005, says Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi, and they will fight off an effort from Donald Trump and Paul Ryan to privatize Medicare in 2017.
In that 2005 fight, Pelosi recalled, Democrats actively avoided developing an alternative plan to Bush's. Instead, Democrats said their plan was to defend Social Security, a very popular government program. At the time, some Democratic strategists warned against uncompromising opposition. But the gamble paid off. Observers noted that Bush's plan sank in popularity as Dems remained unified behind a refusal to budge in defense of Social Security, a move that was widely credited with helping to put Dems on track to winning back Congress in the 2006 elections.
Pelosi argued that if Republicans did try to privatize Medicare, it would afford a chance to underscore "the difference between Democrats and Republicans" at a time when Democrats are trying to regain their footing after this year's loss. "This is such a stark difference that people know we have to be unified," Pelosi said. […]
Pelosi adamantly stated that Democrats would not give any ground on the core ideological dispute here, which is over whether to maintain a government coverage guarantee. "We are not going to a casino — this is a guarantee," Pelosi said. "This is a value system for us, and we will fight for it. Is it a guarantee, or not?" […]
"Medicare, Medicare, Medicare — this is the plan," Pelosi said. "It's ideological with the Speaker to take away the guarantee of Medicare. But that is a fundamental pillar of health and economic security. And we will not go down that path."
Bush came into 2005 fresh off his 2004 re-election believing he had a real mandate. Then he ran into the buzzsaw of Democratic opposition and a real grassroots fight. Ryan and Trump both share some of that Bush bluster, and egos that don't let them question their own popularity, or the popularity of their ideas. Lots of other Republicans, though, will have a better idea of just where their constituents are on this one. A unified Democratic front opposing it could give some cover to Republicans who want to break away.
Any Democrats who might be considering straying should consider what happened in 2006, when Democrats took back both the House and Senate. Uniting against—and fighting!—unpopular ideas works.
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