40 GOP senators back plan to transform Medicare

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.

/ AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite

Updated 6:23 p.m. Eastern Time

Forty Republican senators voted for a controversial House budget proposal that transforms Medicare into a voucher-like system late Wednesday afternoon in a vote orchestrated by Democrats to put members of the GOP on the record as either supporting or opposing the plan.

As expected, the House Republican budget plan failed in the Democrat-controlled Senate by a vote of 40-57. It won no Democratic or independent votes.

Moderate Republican senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Scott Brown of Massachusetts voted against the bill. So did Tea Party-linked Kentucky Republican Rand Paul, who said it did not go far enough to balance the budget.

(Three senators - Republicans Kay Bailey Hutchison of Texas and Pat Roberts of Kansas and Democrat Chuck Schumer of New York - declined to vote.)

The $3.5 trillion budget plan, from House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, passed the House in April with the support of all but four Republicans. It mandates Americans currently under 55-years-old would get a Medicare subsidy to purchase health insurance when they turn 65 instead of the government directly paying their health care costs.

Democrats have assailed the plan as an attempt to destroy Medicare, and it appears they've found traction on the issue: Medicare appears to have been a major issue for voters in a conservative New York district in which the Democratic candidate won an upset special election victory Tuesday.

"Democrats in Congress and even some candid Republicans know the plan to kill Medicare is irresponsible and indefensible. Last night voters showed the country and the Congress that they know it too," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said before the vote Wednesday.

Sen. Patty Murray, Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, called Wednesday's vote "a defining moment for the next election."

"The Republican budget is a toxic political liability for the GOP and Democrats will continue to drive the debate and play offense this cycle," she said.

The Senate vote was designed to force Republican senators to either sign onto the plan - thus making them more vulnerable to Medicare-based attacks - or oppose it, which could prompt questions among Tea Party supporters over whether the senator is serious about addressing the deficit and debt.

Republicans, meanwhile, forced a vote Wednesday afternoon on President Obama's February budget proposal, which Democrats Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Jon Tester of Montana have said did not go far enough to reduce the budget deficit. It failed 0-97. Democrats said before the vote they would oppose the Obama budget because it had been supplanted by his April deficit reduction plan.

Votes were also planned on bills from fiscally conservative Republicans that cut more from the budget than the Ryan plan. They were also expected to fail.

In fitting with the convoluted nature of the Senate, the votes were not on the bills directly but on motions to begin debating them. In addition, the budget bill itself is not actual legislation but rather a blueprint for future bills.

Senate Democrats have effectively halted negotiations on passing a budget pending negotiations involving Vice President Biden and senior congressional lawmakers on a bill to cut spending, a move that has prompted criticism from Republicans. The spending cut compromise is meant to be passed in conjunction with a vote to raise the debt limit, which many Republicans are refusing to do without major spending cuts. The government has said the debt limit will be crossed on Aug. 2nd, with potentially catastrophic consequences for the U.S. economy.

[WCKit]

Where does the 500 Billion go to? I have not heard of this. Obviously if it is true (not likely) the Republicans would benefit as well. Please provide a source and explain by name which 'cronies' received how much $ and for what. Also how the Republicans were excluded. I think your 500 billion is phony number. . .but I'll be happy to hear your correction.

[Lindag10]

Nothing like grabbing "the third rail" with both hands. That'll make the voters turn out next election.

[imnho]

The republican vote reminds me on an old politicaly saying:

'This is the first time I have seen rats swimming towards a sinking ship.'

[ammo17]

how about we put on every state ballot that every congressmen and senators have to be under obama`s medical plan,lets see how fast this bill dies.look at all the companies obama has given special compenasation to get out of this medical plan,wake up people before it is too late.

[noloyalisti]

The only jobs these Republicons can get are as corporate lobbyists or working for their fascist corporate masters. Those are the only people the Republicons care about and serve.

[slatep]

With the jobs market as it is today, these 40 should start looking now.

Taxpayers have long memories.!

Just because you have control of the House, it doesn't mean you can disregard what the American people have stated repeatedly they do NOT want.

NOVEMBER 2012 is not that far away.

[noloyalisti]

I can't really say what is worse, the Republicons who have not done even one good thing for America is more that 30 years or the ignorant, gullible, frightened fools who follow them off the cliff.

[MikeRight1]

I think the title should have read "All 53 Senate Democrats Vote to Let Medicare Go Bankrupt" - it would be equally accurate.

[obboy2037]

Equally accurate?

Not by a long shot. But nice try, extreme right wing propagandist!

[1bdby]

Either way, you're going to pay for healthcare when you get old. It's not free! You can pay a little more into the Medicare system now by raising the FICA payroll rates from $4.25% to 4.50% to cover expenses, or if you live long enough, under the Republican "Voucher - Subsidy" plan, you can pay thousands of $'s more later and get less. In 1964 the Dem's passed the Medicare Program to make healthcare affordabale to all Seniors for generations, and now healthcare premiums are very affordable to Seniors. But, the Rep's on the other hand, want to abolish this wonderful program or turn it over to pricey Ins. Co's. The Ryan Plan is the first step to abolishing Medicare

[san850]

You're right....the Ryan Plan will be a death sentence to seniors. Their out-of-pocket expenses will be 4-5 times higher than they are now. Most will not be able to afford the care they need. But do the Repugs care? No. They would rather keep feeding the Big Oil subsidies and Military Industrial Complex....this is their bread and butter.

[catmomtx]

Right now quite a few Medicare recipients are having problems paying for prescriptions under the Medicare Part D plan Republicans gave them. I mean who pays a premium and not get any benefits? Are they really that out of touch with average Americans?

[KittyKitty123]

All I have to say is watching the Republicans commit political suicide does my heart good. They have now shown their true colors!!