I want you to take a look at this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DJIC7kEq6kw

Now I want you to take a look at this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8t_Cj9ygHU

Does anything stand out to you?  They were posted to YouTube on the same day: May 24, 2011.  The first video is Rep. Paul Ryan explaining our troubles with Medicare and how he intends to fix it.  This morning that video has a little over 24,000 views.  The next video is the final performance of some chick on the American Idol finale.  That video has 110,300 views.  Now I know that Medicare is by no means a sexy issue, but it is an issue that will actually affect your life … especially if you are under 55.  The outcome of American Idol makes absolutely zero difference to your life, unless you’re the winner. 

By now you know that a Democrat, Kathy Hochul, defeated the Republican Jane Corwin in a special election for the 26^th Congressional District seat from New York.  That is the seat once held by Jack Kemp.  The conventional wisdom is that the race went to the Democrat because of Paul Ryan’s proposals for Medicare Reform.  Simply put, the Democrats demagogued the issue .. big time.  How about a picture of an evil Republican pushing a grey-haired old woman off a cliff in a wheelchair? 

The outcome of the special election in New York is not surprising, considering the fear mongering and scare tactics that went into the campaign over Medicare.  We can expect more of this as we gear up for 2012.  It is clear that the scare tactics worked, and it will be a go-to issue for the Democrats.  Can’t blame them.  But even Bill Clinton told Paul Ryan that he hopes the Democrats don’t use this situation as an “excuse to do nothing.”  But that is exactly what will happen.  Why?  Because doing nothing will translate into more Democrat votes.  But then Bill Clinton turned around and had this to say about the Paul Ryan Medicare plan: "… people will use less, get sicker and die quickly. Or they will be poorer because they'll have to spend so much of their money on health care."

See what I mean? 

What’s really outrageous is that young people aren’t up-in-arms over this Medicare debate.  The fact is that they are too ignorant – thanks to government schools – and too apathetic – thanks to our celebrity worship culture – to give a damn about it.  But they will be the ones paying for it.  Democrats can get away with screwing younger Americans because there aren’t enough younger Americans saying “stick it where the sun doesn’t shine.”

Make no mistake.  Medicare will bankrupt us if it is not wholly reformed.  Bankruptcy is down the road, though, and elections are around the corner.  Maintaining or gaining political power is job number one – we can worry about our future financial health some other time.