Ever since House Republicans proposed and passed their budget plan to effectively end Medicare and extendtax breaks for the wealthy, constituents have beenvoicing their displeasure at town halls across thecountry. That trend continued this week at a Pompano Beach, FL town hall held by Tea Party favorite Rep. Allen West (R-FL).
The Florida congressman was asked by a constituent why he, along with nearly all of his Republican colleagues, voted for the Medicare-ending House GOP budget. West sidestepped the question, insisting instead that he doesn’t “think it destroys Medicare.” This earned West a chorus of groans, followed by chants of “hands off Medicare! Hands off Medicare!”:
The Florida congressman was asked by a constituent why he, along with nearly all of his Republican colleagues, voted for the Medicare-ending House GOP budget. West sidestepped the question, insisting instead that he doesn’t “think it destroys Medicare.” This earned West a chorus of groans, followed by chants of “hands off Medicare! Hands off Medicare!”:
WEST: I don’t think it destroys Medicare.
[Audience groans]
CONSTITUENTS: Hands off Medicare! Hands off Medicare! Hands off Medicare!
WEST: I will take my hands off Medicare and when there is no Medicare, then I will come see you sir. Next slide.
CONSTITUENTS: Hands off Medicare!
Watch it:
West’s angry constituents aren’t alone. Indeed, a Washington Post poll shows that 84 percent of Americans oppose Medicare cuts like the ones in the GOP plan, authored by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), including more than 7 in 10 Republicans. Similarly, other polls shows that over two-thirds of Americans want Congress to raise taxes on wealthy Americans making more than $250,000 per year.
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