Corroded Clockwork

Like corroded clockwork, the Republicans once again find themselves in the middle of a public relations disaster the size of Ganymede, Jupiter’s largest moon. Specifically, it’s all about their plan to reform Medicare, which some folks say is akin to a tornado’s plan to reform trailer courts. I’m talking about Paul Ryan’s “Roadmap for America’s Future,” in which he utilizes a rusty chain saw to perform major surgery on Medicare without benefit of anesthetic. And don’t even think of staying overnight: this is an outpatient procedure.

The scheme involves replacing blanket care for elders with fixed value vouchers. You know, like coupons. That’s right: he’s going to hand out health care coupons. Why? Because it would save lots of money, which then could be given to wealthy people through increased tax cuts. And besides, everybody knows old people love coupons. Perhaps a Schedule Two Roadmap Fix will enlist Groupon to move into the health care field. “Designer Colonoscopies $2,250. ($5,000 Value) Save 55%. Today Only! Need to pre-sell 2,500 by 4 p.m.” Then we phase in Early Bird Organ Transplants. And make discounted cardio defibrillators available at the local neighborhood Dollar Store.

Cognizant of seniors’ tendency to mislay important objects, Ryan thoughtfully unburdens them with having to actually handle the grubby little coupons physically: those will be given directly to the insurance providers for safekeeping. And when people run out of coupon value, banks could be enlisted to suck out account funds for a nominal transaction fee.

You know, for our convenience.

Not everyone is toeing the bright red line down the hall. Newt Gingrich, in an unguarded moment on Meet the Press, called the idea right wing social engineering, no better than left wing social engineering. However, after a spin transfusion in the bowels of a GOP reeducation camp, the Newt recanted, going on to warn that any ad Democrats air using his TV quote is a lie. Which is redundant, because pretty much every ad using any of his quotes is a lie. After all, he is a known politician.

The GOP running is scared over a recent special election where Democrats hammered the Medicare issue to win a New York Congressional seat that had been in Republican hands since Ichabod Crane ran on the Whig ticket. Guaranteeing that in the next election, every Democrat in every district all across the country will revive the NY script right down to the placement of the colons. In an attempt to preempt these anticipated attacks, Republicans are demagoguing Democrats for demagoguing them with “Mediscare” tactics. This from the same people who accused Obama of creating death panels last year. If the hypocrisy coming out of their mouths could be bottled and sold to Los Angeles as a studio lubricant we could pay off the national debt in a week with enough left over for a down payment on Beijing.

Obviously the American voters have the attention span of high speed lint and it’s a long way to the 2012 elections. But you might want to install a protective filter on your TV for the impending tsunami of ads featuring parades of elders being attacked by Paul Ryan’s Tax Cut Zombies from the Planet NO!

Excuse me while I slip into the fetal position behind the couch under a blanket of coupons for the next 17 months.

The New York Times says Milwaukee native and Emmy-nominated comedian and writer Will Durst “is quite possibly the best political satirist working in the country today.” Check out his website, willdurst.com, to find out more about upcoming standup performances or to buy his most recent CD, Raging Moderate or his book, The All American Sport of Bipartisan Bashing.