By Adam Reilly
May 23, 2011
BOSTON — Both of Massachusetts' senators are voicing opposition to a proposal in Congress that would turn Medicare into a privatized, voucher-based system.
On Monday, Democratic Senator John Kerry visited Kit Clark Senior Services in Dorchester and panned the voucher plan, which is a key part of the so-called “Ryan Budget,” named for Republican Congressman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin.
“I was against the Ryan budget the moment I saw it, folks,” Kerry said to loud applause. “Because I saw that it was a budget that would destroy this country. The Ryan budget is not a budget that is a pathway to prosperity. It’s a roadmap to poverty. It would destroy many of the things that make a difference in our country.”
In an op-ed published by Politico on Monday, Republican Sen. Scott Brown wrote he won’t support Ryan’s budget plan either. Brown said he’s grateful to Ryan for jump-starting a serious conversation about the nation’s debt — but also warned that Ryan’s Medicare plan could lead to increased deductibles and co-pays for seniors.
Earlier this month, Brown seemed to indicate support for the Ryan budget in a speech to the Greater Newburyport Chamber of Commerce and Industry. But after the Massachusetts Democratic Party seized on Brown’s remarks, a Brown aide said the senator’s comments had been misconstrued and that he was still weighing his vote.
