Group Tied to Democrats Targets Medicare (and GOP)

Group Tied to Democrats Targets Medicare

By DAVID ESPO, AP Special Correspondent
2 hours, 19 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - Americans United, a group with close ties to congressional Democrats, is completing plans for a campaign-style attack on the new Medicare drug benefit, hoping to "mobilize a popular insurrection," inflict political damage on Republican supporters and build momentum for changes.

"We believe that we can fan the smoldering embers of discontent ... into a firestorm of opposition," says a memo that sets out a strategy modeled on last year's successful drive to doom President Bush's Social Security legislation.

The effort dovetails with recent steps taken by Democrats in Congress, and underscores the extent to which the party hopes to turn the new drug program against majority Republicans in the 2006 congressional elections.

Democrats voted overwhelmingly in 2003 against creation of the program known as Medicare Part D, in which private companies design and sell insurance plans offering prescription drug coverage. In general, the Democrats favor an alternative approach with benefits provided directly by the government rather than through private companies.

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http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060310/ap_on_go_co/medicare_politics_1