As a young Mainer, I am troubled by this newspaper’s opinion “Interparty battle all but over; GOP has to shift focus,” April 5, because it attacks Republicans for trying to start a national dialogue about possible reforms that our country so desperately needs.

The newspaper criticizes the Ryan Plan because it caps spending on Medicare. The newspaper, however, doesn’t explain that U.S. Rep. Paul Ryan’s plan would allow seniors to buy Medicare plans with a subsidy, which is the same plan offered to federal employees. Each senior could see which plan would fit his or her needs, not a one-size-fits-all approach of the current system.

I would like the newspaper to explain President Barack Obama’s Medicare reform plan. It would be hard, because the president doesn’t have a plan. He routinely speaks about saving “Medicare as we know it.”

Medicare is a broken system and will continue down a path toward bankruptcy. Our president could provide executive leadership and a plan to save Medicare, but he chooses instead to frighten the American people with campaign rhetoric.

In his health care law, Obama cuts Medicare by $500 billion, which the newspaper somehow forgot to mention.

Why would the newspaper criticize Ryan’s plan without providing an alternative? In our republic, deliberation is the best recipe for success, because each citizen can hear both sides and make informed decision through democratic elections.

The newspaper would appear to agree with this assessment, because it states at the end of the opinion, “Now the real debate about the proper role of government in the economy and people’s lives can begin.” Let’s start the debate, but don’t criticize Republicans for trying to provide the American people with possible solutions, if the president provides only campaign rhetoric.

Joe Turcotte

New Vineyard

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