As another diary noted, Paul Ryan stated previously:
“Your solution has always been to put things together, including entitlement reform,” asks Baier, using Republican code for privatizing Medicare. Ryan replies, “If you’re going to repeal and replace Obamacare, you have to address those issues as well…. Medicare has got some serious issues because of Obamacare. So those things are part of our plan to replace Obamacare.”
Let them burn it down to the ground. The ones that benefit the most from Medicare overwhelmingly voted for Trump and the GOP. They have been voting overwhelmingly for the GOP forever. I am sick of the Democrats fighting for ungrateful idiots. Democrats saved the auto industry 8 years ago over the objections of the GOP and their bag men who wanted to pick through the carcasses of GM and Ford and then Ohio and Michigan turn around and overwhelmingly support the GOP. Let Trump and Ryan turn Michigan, Ohio, Wisconsin and every Red State into Kansas.
The Democrats need to fight for the people that stood behind them, mainly minorities, single women and young voters. We are going to lose every battle anyway, but forget about the filibuster for saving Medicare, or anything else that is going to hurt people who voted for Trump. Want to privatize Social Security, be my fucking guest Mr. Trump.
Fight for the rights of minorities. Fight for equality for the LGBT community. Fight to try and save the environment. Fight to protect Planned Parenthood and the right to choose. Fight to protect welfare. Fight to protect Medicaid. We are going to lose anyway on most of this stuff, but the middle class older white voters that reliably vote for the GOP aren’t going to learn anything unless they get their hands burnt. Let them have a little taste of Ryan’s Ayn Rand fantasy land. In the end, when they face a fate similar to Rand, i.e. destitute and in need of Government assistance, maybe this will be enough to cure them of their racism, bigotry and misogyny.
We need California and other overwhelmingly progressive States to step up and start providing some kind of social safety net, and they are going to have to increase taxes to do so. They should increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for it. New York City/State should be imposing a supplemental wage tax on every trader and broker who is making over half a million dollars. Sin taxes should be placed on pot, cigarettes, booze, soda, fast food, etc. to help subsidize healthcare for those in need. California and other progressive States need to become sanctuary States. California should place a tax on every fucking head of lettuce, avocado, almond and piece of fruit, that leaves the State. Make the taxes enough to help pay for in-State college tuitions.
Let the Red States in the Midwest all turn into Kansas. Democrats have been fighting for people who don’t vote for them. Where did it get us? It is not going to get better for us collectively until it all burns to the ground.