As the first Wisconsin U.S. Senate debate nears, video showing Tommy Thompson telling Tea Party activists that he would “do away with Medicaid and Medicare” and that Medicare should wither on the vine because it is “impossible to fix,” has gained national attention.
Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate went on “The Ed Show” Monday to condemn the remarks in the video, first published by ThinkProgress. Thompson campaign senior adviser, Brian Nemoir, has confirmed that Thompson did in fact make the comments to the Tea Party group.
In the taped remarks to a Tea Party group, Thompson, who has cashed in on his connections working for an elite Washington lobbying firm, not only said he would “do away with Medicaid and Medicare,” he also said that Wisconsin seniors would “not accept” Medicare and will instead choose his private voucher plan. Thompson’s plan on Medicare will provide billions in new profits for big insurance companies and a voucher for seniors instead of the guaranteed benefit they paid for, sticking them with $6000 more in out of pocket costs.
“Tommy Thompson is promising Tea Party groups that he’ll do away with the promises we’ve made our seniors. They’ve paid into Medicare and earned these benefits through years of hard work and we owe it to them to protect Medicare, not privatize it,” Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Mike Tate said Wednesday. “Tommy Thompson isn’t interested in keeping that promise. After cutting sweetheart deals with drug companies and then cashing in on his connections, he’s now on tape telling the truth for once- he will ‘do away with Medicare’.”
Some recent coverage:
John Nichols: Tommy just says it: ‘Do away with Medicare, Medicaid’ (Capital Times, Sept. 25, 2012)
Video Shows Thompson Saying He Wants to End Medicare (Political Wire, Sept. 25, 2012)
So Long, Tommy (Talking Points Memo, Sept. 25, 2012)
GOP Senate Candidate Tommy Thompson: ‘Who Better Than Me… To Do Away With Medicaid and Medicare?’ (ThinkProgress, Sept. 23, 2012)
