On Medicare, It’s Ryan Plan Versus Bureaucrats: Ramesh Ponnuru

Dear (Republican congressman): So you voted for Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget plan, including its Medicare reforms, and now you’re worried about it. Most of the poll numbers on the plan look pretty bad, and now your party has lost a special election in New York for a House seat -- an election in which Medicare was the top issue. Now you’re afraid you’re going to lose your seat, too.

You shouldn’t be surprised. Remember how many of your fellow Republicans went on and on about how "brave" you were all being? As your consultant, I told you at the time: When they say you’re being brave, it means you’re putting your re-election at risk. So congratulations: You were certainly brave.