Aaahhhh! Why do you do this to me?!?!

When I saw that Michael Steele op-ed I was severely disappointed.  What's worse, it's a total flip-flop for Steele too - in 2006 he said he would want to look at cutting Medicare. 

Steele's article also undermines up-and-coming Republican leadership.  Rep. Ryan (R-WI) published a "Roadmap for America's Future" last summer detailing his hopes for Medicare in the years to come:

"As the long-term fiscal burden of Medicare becomes more unsustainable, it is clear that — to fulfill the mission of Medicare — small and gradual changes to the program will not suffice. The entire methodology of the program must be converted away from a program that shelters beneficiaries from prices — and is therefore inefficient in restraining rising costs and proficient at sheltering prices from beneficiaries — into one in which Medicare beneficiaries choose the most affordable coverage that best suits their needs."

After reading Steele's commentary, Chris Edwards of the Cato Institute, wrote:

"One of the most disturbing things about the current health care debate is that some Republicans are positioning themselves as defenders of Big Government Medicare and against efforts to trim the program’s costs.

Yet the taxpayer costs of Medicare are expected to more than double over the next decade (from $425 billion in 2009 to $871 billion in 2019), and the program will consume an increasing share of the nation’s economy for decades to come unless there are serious cuts and reforms. Even the Obama administration talks about “bending the cost curve” to slow the program’s growth."

RINO's like Steele need to go.  That's why some conservative blogs have been criticizing his performance since he took his job.  

All of that being said, most Republicans think Steele is doing this to setup another political obstacle for Obama to pass health care reform.  By rallying seniors to stand against the reform, it would make it that much harder for Dems to pass any significant legislation.  That being said, this was the complete and total wrong way to go about it.  It sends the wrong message to the American public who are desperately looking for fiscal sanity and responsibility in D.C. - not more defense of unsustainable debt and spending.

no one seems to remember that the govt has been deducting from paychecks for social security and medicare.  There was no choice and one may not opt out of it.  Therefore, seniors, and others, have paid for that coverage which they don't want reduced.  Makes sense to me.

doesn't affect me though

that is besides the fact that I'm still getting payroll deductions for something (medicare) that I won't use.  Can you say refund?  Figure those odds.