ELECTION 2012: 24th CD - Democrats want to ignore Medicare problem

To the Editor:

Dan Maffei's TV ads that state that Rep. Ann Marie Buerkle supports ending Medicare and increasing costs over $6,000 extra for seniors are totally false. The Paul Ryan plan of which he speaks clearly holds Medicare unchanged for those over 55, and provides enough to pay for either of the two lowest-priced plans for those under 55. Maffei and President Obama would stick their heads in the sand and pretend that Medicare's pending insolvency is not an issue. Buerkle wants to act; Maffei want to kick the can down the road to future generations.

Worse yet is Maffei's and Obama's desire to spend even more ''stimulus'' money. The first round did little to stimulate private investment with future returns and permanent payrolls. Given that the federal government collects only enough money to pay interest on the national debt plus current entitlements and borrows all of the money to run the government, including defense, it is obvious that more than just minor cuts to government are required to solve the debt problem, which has the whole government headed toward insolvency, just like Greece.

Add Obamacare to the equation and the numbers get very scary, as Obama and Maffei bumble merrily along the path to bankruptcy, seemingly without a care for paying the bill. Clearly, their promises cannot be met for very long, and entitlements must be reduced. Taxing the rich won't make a dent in it. Be thankful for Buerkle's votes to address our ever-increasing debt and for the Romney-Ryan courage to confront a painful issue.

Peter Donohoe