The Dems' senior problem

To add to Politico's excellent analysis that I've excerpted below, seniors not only vote at a higher rate than any other age group, in non-presidential election years, that rate is even higher, i.e. 2010.

Democrats have a senior citizen problem.

Frustrated older Americans are packing the town halls on health care. They are incredibly passionate about their Medicare benefits. Polls show senior citizens largely disapprove of health care reform ideas so far.

And of course, they vote — in larger numbers than any other demographic.

But so far, Democrats have focused much of their health care sales pitch on middle-class Americans and the uninsured — a slight that has been noticed by senior citizens, who hold great influence with members of Congress.

Which shows that Barack Obama and the Democrats aren't as smart as they think they are. It is they who perfected the "Scare Granny" TV commercials that implied the Republicans will grab their Social Security checks and "gamble" them away in the stock market.

Technorati tags: politics Democrats health universal health care seniors retirement 2010 health care reform medicare