Paul Ryan getting defensive - denial that he's trying completely rehaul Medicare.

More evidence of the popularity of Social Security and Medicare: Paul Ryan's denial that he's trying completely rehaul Medicare.

"The Democrats' political machine has attacked my contribution to this debate," wrote Paul Ryan, "making the false claim that the only solution put forward to save Medicare would 'end Medicare as we know it.'"

This is a baffling line of argument. There's nothing false about the claim that Ryan's plan would end Medicare as we know it. In fact, it's unambiguously true. Currently, Medicare is a government-run insurer that pays the health-care costs of all senior citizens. Under Ryan's plan, senior citizens would be given vouchers that they could use toward private insurance. Poor seniors would get more-generous vouchers, and rich seniors would get less-generous vouchers.

Why is Ryan trying to lie about what his proposal does? Clearly, because he knows how unpopular messing with Medicare and Social Security as we know it is. Which makes ads like this one from Americans United for Change all the more effective.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPtcc_2I-HY

The Republican proposals are politically disastrous--even Ryan apparently recognizes that--and would be equally disastrous policy. Democrats need to keep pushing back, and pushing back hard, on protecting Social Security and Medicare.