Tuesday night, and nominated Democrat Chris Murphy and Republican Linda McMahon as the state’s two Senate candidates and Paul Formica as the Republican candidate for Congress in the Second District in the primary elections.
But the real news came after the victors were announced. Patch interviewed the chairs of Waterford’s Democratic and Republican Town Committees, and received conflicting viewpoints.
First, Patch interview Democratic Town Committee Chairman J.W. “Bill” Sheehan, and asked him how the town committee will help bring Democrats to the polls. Sheehan said the committee will point to the budget plan proposed by recently-tabbed Republican vice presidential nominee Paul Ryan, which he said will hurt Medicare.
“What people didn’t realize is the selection of Ryan energized the Democrats almost as much as it energized the Republicans,” Sheehan said. “All we have to do is explain properly how the Ryan plan will affect everyone.”
After, Patch called Republican Town Committee Chairwoman Kathleen McCarty, and told her Sheehan’s answer. McCarty said the Ryan plan doesn’t hurt Medicare, but in fact saves Medicare, which is currently financially insolvent.
“I disagree fully and totally with (Sheehan’s) statement,” McCarty said. "The fact is the Ryan plan will save Medicare.”
“The Democrats don’t have a plan,” she added. “If we leave things the way they are, there won’t be Medicare.”
The Issue
The Ryan plan is a budget proposal put forth by Ryan, a seven-term Wisconsin congressman. The plan touches on almost every aspect of the federal budget and federal tax policy, but its plan for Medicare has drawn the most attention.
Ryan’s plan gives future retirees a set amount of money and lets them choose to use traditional Medicare fee-for-service programs or to use it to buy private insurance, according to the Miami Herald. Ryan later told reporters he would not be afraid to take on previously untouchable issues like Medicare, saying, “We won’t duck tough issues, we will lead.”
Sheehan said the plan will hurt future retirees. When he was first asked how he was planning to bring Democrats to the polls, his answer was, “How do you spell Medicare?”.
McCarty refuted Sheehan’s take, saying the Democrats were using “scare tactics” rather than address the real issue. She said the town committee will be very active this election season to educate people on the issues.
“There is really becoming a clear choice in this election,” McCarty said. “The Republicans are going to have a plan, and we are going to educate the public.”
