Democratic Candidate Links Meehan to "Prosperity' Plan

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By Vince

Sullivan George Badey, the Democratic candidate ion the 7th Congressional District, launched a salvo Monday against his opponent, claiming that U.S. Rep. Patrick Meehan, R-7, of Upper Darby supports the budget plans of the newly christened GOP vice presidential choice, Paul Ryan.

Fellow Democratic congressional candidates Manan Trivedi and Kathy Boockvar, who are seeking seats in Pennsylvania's 6th and 8th districts, respectively, joined Badey outside of a Philadelphia senior center on South Broad Street on Monday afternoon. The event came two days after presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney named U.S. Rep. Ryan, R-Wis., as his running mate.

Ryan was the primary author of the last two GOP budget proposals in the House and opponents characterize his plans, dubbed the "Path to Prosperity," as an outline to gut government programs like Medicare.

"We're here today because Medicare's future is under attack," Badey said, according to an emailed copy of his remarks from his campaign. "Mitt Romney's decision to pick Congressman Paul Ryan as his vice presidential candidate makes clear that he has his sights firmly set on privatizing Medicare next year -- replacing the security of Medicare with a voucher that comes with no guarantee of coverage."

Badey, a Radnor attorney who is trying to unseat Meehan after his first term in Washington, linked his opponent to Ryan's plan, saying Meehan has twice supported the upheaval of Medicare. Badey said this is a point of serious divergence for the two candidates.

"This is a crystal clear difference between me and Congressman Meehan," Badey's said in his remarks. "He voted twice to end Medicare as we know it and force seniors to pay … more … I'm running to protect seniors and middle-class Pennsylvania families from this reckless agenda."

The Meehan camp fired back Monday, saying the incumbent supports Medicare and wants to see it continue.

In the emailed response to Badey's charges, the campaign said the challenger supports the Affordable Care Act, known as "Obamacare," which the Congressional Budget Office says will cut more than $700 billion from Medicare over the next decade.

"Pat Meehan is the only candidate in this race working to save Medicare for today's seniors and future generations," the statement read. "George Badey not only supports the raid on Medicare by cutting it $700 billion for today's seniors, he wants to ration Medicare for seniors through the Independent Payment Advisory Board, which even liberal Democrats say could "endanger the health of America's seniors.'"

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