All of a sudden, now that his job is in serious jeopardy from a challenge by Democrat Deborah Ross, Sen. Richard Burr (R-NC) is rethinking some of his big ideas. Like how it would be so great to turn Medicare into a voucher plan. For the past four years he's been promoting his plan to do that. What a difference a viable opponent makes.
On Wednesday, Ross’ campaign released its second TV ad in North Carolina, highlighting the Burr-Coburn plan, and calling it a move to “privatize Medicare.” Ross charges that Burr’s proposal—dubbed the Senior’s Choice Act—would change Medicare in a way that would benefit insurance companies who have donated to Burr’s campaigns and hurt senior citizens through reduced quality and higher costs.
Burr’s office countered that the Burr-Coburn proposal would have particularly benefited low-income seniors and would have capped out-of-pocket costs for Medicare patients, according to a statement sent to McClatchy on Wednesday. […]
However, Burr no longer plans to introduce the proposal formally as a bill, said Becca Glover Watkins, his Senate spokeswoman.
Burr's office declined to explain why he was going to pass on offering up this great plan for low-income seniors this year. Gee, I can't imagine why he doesn't want to tout it on the campaign trail. Because, just a few weeks ago his campaign was defending it, saying "the Seniors’ Choice proposal preserved traditional Medicare and additionally offered enhanced benefits, including to protect seniors from high out-of-pocket costs, so that they could choose what could work best for them." He also said, again a couple of weeks ago, that Ross's claims about his plan were "laughable." But he's abandoning this totally great plan for seniors now.
Burr is clearly running scared. Let's help Ross keep the pressure on.
Can you pitch in with $3 to help Deborah Ross win in North Carolina?