Medi-Scare and Playing the Republican FieldDear Mark: You Republicans are a bunch of crybabies. You are all whining that Democrats are unfairly misrepresenting Rep. Paul Ryan's plan to get rid of Medicare. Paybacks are hell, and you are getting what you deserve for demonizing and lying about President Obama's health care overhaul. What the heck is the difference between the two scenarios? — Waa Waa Waa in Wyoming Dear Waa Waa: I will not rehash the health care debate and all of the problems associated with Obamacare that we are seeing today. The major difference between your two scenarios is that with Obamacare, the president and his minions provided their solution to a problem that didn't exist. Do you remember how Obamacare was rammed down the throats of Americans when 85 percent of the people were satisfied with their health insurance coverage? Today with Medicare, Democrats don't want to provide a solution to a major problem that really does exist. They simply want to demagogue the proposed solution Rep. Ryan submitted. As opposed to Obamacare, there is bipartisan agreement that Medicare will begin bankrupting the country by 2024 if nothing is done to change it. Even though altering Medicare is politically dicey, House Republicans passed Ryan's proposal anyway. Ryan earned the respect of millions when he told David Gregory on "Meet the Press": "Leaders are elected to lead. I don't consult polls to tell me what my principles are or what our policies should be. Leaders change the polls, and we are leading in the House." Touche! Dear Mark: As a Republican, I am worried that the Republican field for the 2012 presidential nomination is weak, and I'm not sure if any of them can defeat President Obama. Can you talk me off of the ledge? — Concerned Conservative in Conroe Dear Concerned: It appears that you have been following the mainstream media too much lately.
Don't make the mistake of confusing "weak" with unknown. The field may appear weak today because the people who have officially announced their candidacy are not household names just yet. Give them a chance to campaign for a few months before passing judgment on the overall worthiness of the competitors. The Republican field actually looks quite formidable when you consider that it includes popular governors, successful businessmen, former ambassadors and legislators who have held national office more than a year or two before running for president. Obama defeated a mediocre opponent in John McCain by a mere seven percentage points back in 2008, and with a slew of able-bodied candidates to choose from on the Republican side, defeating him in 2012 is quite possible. Generally, when a president is up for re-election, the race is a referendum on the incumbent, and Obama's track record should be easy pickings for a well organized and disciplined campaign. Unemployment remains high, Obamacare is already increasing insurance premiums, the economy is a mess, and the Obama foreign policy doctrine is burning more bridges than building them ... and those are the positive aspects of Obama's accomplishments. Obama's 2008 victory was fairly close considering the vagueness of his positions and the messiah worshipping euphoria surrounding his campaign. Today, we know where Obama stands on the major issues facing our country, and I look for a much different race in 2012 with a much different outcome. Be patient. Dear Mark is a public platform for your enrichment and entertainment. E-mail your questions to marklevy92@aol.com. To find out more about Mark Levy, and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit www.creators.com. COPYRIGHT 2011 CREATORS.COM 
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