Wake Up Call

All four of Oklahoma’s Republican Congressmen got their wake-up call on Tuesday, May 24. That long-distance call came from upstate New York where a stunning upset occurred. Kathy Hochul, a Democratic challenger, defeated Jane Corwin, a well-financed Republican insider, in deeply red Congressional District 26.

Medicare became the defining issue in that campaign and, most likely, will define numerous 2012 elections as well.

Regarding Medicare, Oklahoma’s Republican Congressmen agree with defeated Jane Corwin’s position. In fact, Congressmen John Sullivan, Frank Lucas, Tom Cole, and James Lankford, voted “yes” for Rep. Paul Ryan’s budget bill (HCR 34) which ends Medicare as we know it.

Today’s Medicare would end for people now under 55 when they become elderly. Instead of Medicare,they would get a voucher as partial payment on health insurance from a private company. One person
at a time trying to buy health insurance would greatly increase the price and a lone individual could easily be denied coverage because of age.

If these four Oklahoma congressmen prevail, good luck to granny, who is supposed to enjoy her “freedom” from the “bonds of the mean old government” with its guaranteed health coverage.

Wanda Jo Stapleton