JACKSON - Today the Jackson Citizen Patriot labeled a new TV attack ad from the NRCC as "false." The story also says, "The ad falsely states Schauer voted to cut $500 billion from Medicare and contains an audio clip taken from a local radio station without permission, which the host says is a violation of copyright laws."

"The NRCC got busted for making false claims about Mark's Schauer's record of protecting Medicare for Michigan seniors," said Zack Pohl, spokesman for Schauer's campaign. "Their ad is nothing more than a cynical ploy to distract voters from the fact that Tim Walberg supports a bill that would abolish Medicare and privatize Social Security."

During an interview with the Tea Party group Independence Caucus earlier this year, Tim Walberg called a budget plan that would eliminate Medicare, “a great bill.” According to a recent story in Time Magazine, the plan, “suggests abolishing Medicare and replacing it with vouchers for private insurers.” [iCaucus.org, 6/25/10; Time, 9/4/10]

The complete Citizen Patriot story is available below:

http://blog.mlive.com/jackson-politics/2010/09/post_49.html

NRCC begins its first attack on U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer over health-care vote; radio host calls for ad to be changed

Chris Gautz | Jackson Citizen Patriot

The National Republican Congressional Committee is out with its first attack ad of the campaign season in the 7th District, going after U.S. Rep. Mark Schauer for his vote for health-care reform.

The ad falsely states Schauer voted to cut $500 billion from Medicare and contains an audio clip taken from a local radio station without permission, which the host says is a violation of copyright laws.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlmj9-RD84s

The ad centers around the false attack that has been used several times already, and likely will continue to be used, that the health-care bill cuts $500 billion from Medicare.

The bill does not cut Medicare. The $555 billion in cuts are cuts in the future growth of the program over the course of the next decade.

Even with the "cuts," Medicare will still cost more than $7 trillion in that time period, according to the non-partisan website factcheck.org.

Those who find themselves in the prescription drug "doughnut hole" will actually see an increase in benefits because of the new bill.

Part of the reduction in future spending is in relation to the Medicare Advantage program. The government has been providing private insurance companies a special subsidy so they can offer seniors extra benefits, and it's the subsidies that are being cut.

Because the insurance companies have received these subsidies, they have been able to offer seniors lower co-pays and other perks like gym memberships and vision care.

As those subsidies are removed, insurance companies could either raise the cost of the plans or trim the special benefits they offer.

By law, they cannot reduce the basic level of care that Medicare plans provide.

Factcheck.org has noted that "None of the "savings" or "cuts" (whichever you prefer) come from reducing current or future benefit levels for seniors."

The ad uses Schauer's own words that were "caught on tape" saying that "There are Medicare cuts."

The sound bite cut from a radio interview he did last year on the Lansing-based, The Walt Sorg Show. The clip has been on the NRCC's YouTube channel for more than a year.

Schauer's campaign responded in a statement that contained a letter from the radio show host, who called on the NRCC to remove the sound bite because it was taken without his permission and was a violation of copyright laws.

Radio host Walt Sorg added that "the audio has been edited in a way that misrepresents Mr. Schauer's position."

"You use a short soundbite to "prove" that Congressman Schauer was supporting cuts in benefits to Medicare recipients. He very clearly was talking about cuts in reimbursements to insurance companies administering Medicare Plus," Sorg wrote in his letter to NRCC Chairman, Congressman Pete Sessions. "Later in the interview he very clearly states that he opposed any cuts in benefits to recipients.

The NRCC will not take the ad down.

"We stand by our ad because Michigan families have a right to hear Mark Schauer, in his own words, talk about his cuts to Medicare," NRCC Spokesman Tom Erickson said in an e-mail Monday morning.

The Schauer campaign also points out that his opponent, Republican Tim Walberg supports Rep. Paul Ryan's bill, which would change Medicare into a voucher program for future generations, which he has called a "great bill."

“To be perfectly clear, I would never support any legislation that cuts Medicare benefits for Michigan seniors,” Schauer said in a statement. “While I fought to strengthen Medicare by closing the prescription drug donut hole, Tim Walberg has called a plan to abolish Medicare ‘a great bill.’ Unlike my opponent, I would never turn my back on Michigan seniors.”

The Schauer campaign has put together another "Truth Squad" video response.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FteiNv5qv60

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