The irony in this discussion with SOME idiot old people...

[Drunken Irishman]

If medicare were established today, it would not pass.

If I'm Obama, I say we dissolve medicare. Let's see these old people get all up in arms over that and then throw it in their faces that they're protesting the dissolving of a government-run healthcare plan, yet openly oppose one that might help their grandchildren.

Are these old people really that selfish?

They get it, we can't? How fucked up is that?

So let's take theirs away and see how they act. If normal non-old people can't have government-run healthcare, than they don't deserve it, either.

I did a slight edit, so I don't paint everyone with a broad brush... ;)

[rucky]

1. I'll know they're serious when I see them burn their Medicare cards.

until then, we continue to find a cure for teh stupid.

[Drunken Irishman]

3. It's the American way...

Screw everyone else, but the second they're impacted, they demand everyone rally behind them.

:eyes:

[enough]

2. It's interesting that in the past doomsayers have predicted a growing hostility to old people

coming from younger folks who have to pay into social security for a growing number of elderly in the population. Instead, we're seeing this other kind of hostility going the other direction, some kind of preemptive hostility by the elderly toward the rest of the population.

I have to say, though, I don't think it's an innate emotion. It's clear this anger is being promoted and nourished by vicious propaganda intended to play on older people's fear and confusion.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. It's just sad the old people can't wake up.

And I surely don't mean all elderly, but it seems they are the most vocal (specifically older men).

These same people have no problem cashing their SS checks and using medicare - while a good number of Americans go without.

Ridiculous.

[Indenturedebtor]

21. Actually I'm pretty damn angry about having to pay for SS and Medicare

Me and mine will likely get neither. Those who came before also gutted our infrastructure, our education, and our environment.

Yeah I'm pissed. Now they're marching around at these town meetings telling me I can't have national healthcare.

Take away their SS and Medicare. Why should I pay for that shit when they are so unwilling to give anything back to the country they gutted.

And I mean hell... most of the selfish sacks of crap you're talking about don't even pay appreciable taxes anymore.

[jkshaw]

5. I'm for single payer, actually, Irish, or for something close to

it. I think the socialist controversy is about the stupidest argument I've ever heard.

And guess what? I'm enrolled in Medicare, and I'm a member of the "Old People", and I'm not selfish.

[Drunken Irishman]

6. Well obviously I used old people in general terms.

But you get the point.

[Old Codger]

7. Well

I am an old people,and I have medicare and I am damn glad I do and I would hope that they end up passing a single payer at least equivalent to it for everyone.... The crazies you see in right wing feeding frenzies are not representative of how most people feel (at least the ones with half a brain left).

[Drunken Irishman]

8. But I fear it is.

I think teh stupid is contagious and it's sweeping across this country like the fucking swine flu.

:(

Please tell me your friends agree with you.

[Old Codger]

20. For sure

LOL the main problem with "stupid" is it isn't painful to the "stupid" only to the rest of us and like Ron White says yo can't fix stupid... I have a few friends my age and they actually do agree with me, my Mother , my sister, and a few other friends ..

[PatSeg]

9. There are a lot of "old people" right here on DU

Obviously not all elderly people are fighting universal health care, anymore than all "young people" are apathetic and indifferent.

[Drunken Irishman]

10. Most young are apathetic and indifferent.

Just as it seems most old people would rather fight true reform without a hint of irony.

[PatSeg]

13. Unfortunately we're looking at those who have been

represented at the Town Hall meetings, people who have been easily manipulated by right-wingers. There are plenty of well informed older people among us. I just don't think we should lump people into such broad categories.

I even know a few Irishmen who aren't drunks!!!


:toast:

[Drunken Irishman]

15. True...

I think that's what blows the most.

It starts with a small and vocal minority and since they're so vocal, they get all the air time and then Average Joes start thinking they're the majority.

Blah.

[PatSeg]

17. Exactly

The ones making the most noise end up on TV, making it look like it represents a certain demographic, when it really represents the ignorant and fearful.

[DevonRex]

12. But ours aren't the "idiot" old people. Ours are well informed. :) nt

[Canuckistanian]

11. You'd think that older people have seen BS come and go

And so, would have a better perspective on what's going on.

But sadly, no. Seniors these days seem to buy into BS that is beyond reason and accept it as gospel.

If that's the predominant movement behind the anti-reform movement, hopefully it won't last long.

[PatSeg]

14. Narrow minded older people

were once narrow minded young people. Not all of them have grown wiser, just older.

[Better Believe It]

16. Why are you so hostile to senior citizens?

When politicians start talking about "saving" hundreds of billions of dollars by employing "cost cutting" measures in Medicare why are you surprised that old and disabled people get nervous? To them that sounds just as threatening as privatizing Social Security!

Don't you really get it?

Instead of cutting costs off the backs of the elderly we need to go after the profit hungry insurance, hospital and drug industry.

[valerief]

18. Critical thinking has been conditioned out of Americans. nt

[moondust]

19. They have been bombarded with RW/corporate propaganda.

I think they were Obama's weakest demographic in 2008. They are the least adaptable to change and most fearful of it. They vote in droves. Some have money. The RW/corporate propagandists know all that and that they watch a lot of TV, no doubt a lot of Fox News on all day long.

Seniors have been programmed by RW/corporate propagandists to believe that Obama is going to cut Medicare to pay for all those people who don't have insurance now. Half a trillion dollars to be cut from Medicare! (Obama himself has mentioned something like that but he only plans to cut waste and inefficiency.) "Pulling the plug on Grandma!" The propagandists are having a field day with them. Many are essentially defenseless against the outrageous lies and are scared shitless. Just listen to the bullshit they are repeating at these town halls. They get it from Fox News and 60Plus and manure shoveler Grassley and umpteen other places.

[Touchdown]

22. I thought they wer protesting to bring back Matlock and Effordent.

:shrug:

[TheKentuckian]

23. They are knee jerk stupid and I see no reason to excuse those with the most experiece

Obama wants to cut the hyper-insane subsidies that are thrown into Medicare which diverts resources from helping anyone but the uber-rich companies and I'd think anyone sane would look into something as out there as a death panel.

They are seeking out the lies and holding on to them for dear life. It is a fairly willful indoctrination, I see my mother going down that path quick, the only thing that might slow it down is some left over sense from before the mid-nineties. How you change your ideology over a blow job is beyond me but that is my only guess. It would seem if you could be a lefty til 50+, that you would be fairly stuck in your ways but 12 years later she's just left of fundie socially, authoritarian, and right of center economically.
They start down the dark path and are forever dominated but they take the steps. Old people aren't children, if they are of right mind they should know better and if they aren't in their right minds then they don't belong running the streets and disrupting town halls.

I don't know. I'm very angry today. Very angry and not really in a ME type way but I'd be lying like a rug if I was to act like that I don't have a little venom for the senior demographic tonight. I know the majority of them are trying to scuttle the country and stick us with nothing but the bill.