In case you haven't noticed, the Paul Ryan budget plan that eliminates Medicare as currently constituted hasn't exactly been winning a lot of converts – not if you trust public opinion polls.
But it's not just Democrats and independents who oppose the plan – even some Republicans, such as Florida Senate President Mike Haridopolos, aren't willing to support a program that would force those on the entitlement program to be given a voucher to pay for their medical expenses, and hope that its value wouldn't run out before they're treated at the end of the year.
Most Democrats adamantly oppose the plan and have milked that opposition to great effect this year.
On Tuesday in the heart of East Tampa, Hillsborough area Congresswoman Kathy Castor announced that she was creating a task force of concerned local officials to come up with ways to try to preserve the program.
This article appears in Jun 23-29, 2011.