NEWS FROM THE FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY

For Immediate Release: April 21st, 2011
Contact: Eric Jotkoff, (850) 222-3411

Hasner Praises Plan to End Medicare, Fellow Republican Senate Candidates Do Nothing to Protect Seniors

Florida Democrats: “This is a plan that needs to be stopped, not praised.”

Medicare in Florida is in trouble. Likely Senate candidate Adam Hasner has shockingly endorsed a reckless plan to end Medicare as we know it and hand out tax cuts to billionaires and oil companies, and his would-be opponents, George LeMieux and Mike Haridopolos, are refusing to say anything critical about the plan. The reaction from Republican Senate hopefuls just a week after Republicans in Washington passed a plan to end Medicare is a clear message to all Floridians that Medicare is under attack.

“Adam Hasner, George LeMieux, and Mike Haridopolos have the wrong priorities when it comes to Florida’s seniors. The Republican plan to kill Medicare as we know it and hand out tax breaks for billionaires could not be more misguided and dangerous,” said Eric Jotkoff, spokesman for the Florida Democratic Party.  “This is a plan that needs to be stopped, not praised. The fact that none of these Republicans understand that tells Floridians everything they need to know about who these Republicans will stand up for in Washington. It’s most definitely not Florida’s seniors or the middle class.”

Adam Hasner Praised The Reckless Republican Plan To End Medicare.“House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s plan to cut the deficit by $4.4 trillion in the next decade is a “bold” plan and Republicans need to stand firm and not worry about political consequences, former Florida House Majority Leader Adam Hasner told Newsmax.TV.” [Newsmax, 4/18/11]

Hasner Supports Eliminating Medicare as We Know It.In March 2011, Hasner said he supported privatizing Medicare. He said, “I think the Paul Ryan road map is a great beginning in terms of how to provide people with the opportunity for accessing Medicare through, I hate using the word voucher, but for lack of a better term, to be able to access Medicare that way.” [Speech to Tampa Bay Young Republicans, 3/22/11]

Haridopolos Praised Medicaid Block Grants In Republican Budget Proposal, Did Not Comment On Medicare. In a statement released by the Senate President’s office, Mike Haridopolos praised the portion of Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget proposal that would give Medicaid block grants to states. Haridopolos’ statement did not address the Medicare portion of the proposal.  [Senate President’s office release, 4/5/11]

George LeMieux has remained silent on this issue. [Crickets, 4/21/11]

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