DEAR EDITOR:
I would like to know what makes the tea party Republicans so giddy about wanting to destroy Medicare and Social Security. Along with their hero, Paul Ryan, that's exactly what they are trying to do. One of Ryan's ideas is to put over 45 million seniors on vouchers. With insurance companies running the show, you can pretty much kiss the Medicare program goodbye.
This ridiculous plan with the voucher system would increase seniors' out-of-pocket costs by $5,900 per person. Seniors would be forced to pay more for their coverage than they do now.
Paul Ryan and his millionaire- and billionaire-loving budget would force five million seniors back in the donut hole. This would cost the average senior around $12,000 between 2012 and 2020. Seniors have saved a lot of money since health reform went into effect.
Ryan's evil budget would require that seniors pay deductibles, co-insurance and co-pays for many preventative services which are now covered by Medicare, which include cancer screenings such as mammograms and colonoscopies. As a result of this, fewer seniors will be able to afford these services so they just won't go. Is this what the tea party wants? Are they really that evil?
I don't think so. I think that they are being brainwashed by people like Paul Ryan, John Boehner and especially Mitt Romney.
This is where all seniors have to step up and say no way are Paul Ryan and the Republican Congress going to destroy Medicare and Social Security. Take things into your own hands and vote Democrat in November. You'll have to if you want to keep your Medicare and Social Security.
Bud McKelvey
Hermitage, Pa.