The Same Politicians Voting to Repeal New Health Law Have Already Voted to Demolish Medicare and Cut Medicaid

The Affordable Care Act is already working. And those who vote to repeal it will hurt the 2.5 million college age kids who are now covered through their parents' plans -- the 24 million seniors who got checkups through Medicare or the 17 million kids who can no longer be denied coverage due to a pre-existing condition.

But by insisting on a vote to repeal the Affordable Care Act, even though they know it will not pass the U.S. Senate, Republicans in both houses are making it clear they are setting themselves up to take into the election a clear GOP plan to get rid of popular health benefits – and they are reminding voters that virtually the whole Republican delegation are already on record as voting for the Ryan budget, which would turn Medicare into a voucher system and would dramatically cut the benefits of middle class and low income Americans who depend on Medicaid for both long-term nursing care and for health coverage.

All the polls show strong majorities of Americans want Medicare to be strengthened, not turned into a confusing and inadequate voucher for their parents and themselves. Having set themselves up as enemies of Medicare, Republican incumbents are now announcing that, if elected, they would take us back the broken system we had before where insurance companies could deny coverage to people with pre-existing conditions and drop people when they get sick. And, in the House, Senate and Governors mansions across the country, Republicans are also going after Medicaid.

House and Senate Republicans and Mitt Romney would rather have more families go bankrupt. And House and Senate Republicans are establishing their party and their candidates as consistent enemies of popular health care benefits for Americans.

We urge Democrats to go on the offensive as champions of health care – and as strong opponents of politicians who would dismantle these popular programs

Views expressed on this page are those of the authors and not necessarily those of Campaign for America's Future or Institute for America's Future