Republicans and Medicare

[Geee]

National Review:


Republicans are quite right to point out that their defeat in the special election for New York’s 26th Congressional District was not entirely a referendum on Medicare. The Republican sex scandal that occasioned the election, the phony “Tea Party” candidate, the Republican candidate’s missteps: All of these contributed to the loss. The New York Republican party is particularly hapless, and has now played a role in two special-election defeats too many by letting insider self-dealing determine the candidates.

But there is no denying that Medicare also played a role. The program is popular. People would prefer not to see it cut, and they are nervous about reform. And while Jane Corwin made some mistakes, the Republican party’s strategy cannot depend on all its candidates running flawless campaigns. It has to do what it can to foster a national political climate that helps not-so-great candidates win.

House Republicans almost all voted for Paul Ryan’s plan, which reforms Medicare for future senior citizens by giving each of them money toward the purchase of insurance. Because the amount of money spent would rise only with inflation, the program would be much easier for the federal government to afford than the unreformed version will be. The introduction of market forces into the program should also help restrain health-care costs generally. The reform is sensible, and voting for it was politically brave.