GOP frosh protest Dems' rhetoric on Medicare

A group of House Republican freshmen, tired of getting hammered on Medicare, is leading a fresh protest against Democrats' tactics on the senior citizen health care program.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger sent a letter to the White House Tuesday signed by 41 of his classmates “calling on President Obama to end the 'MediSCARE' tactics,” according to a release today.

“As new members of Congress, we are committed to having a fact-based conversation immediately. Our mission must be about the next generation, not the election—this is something we cannot lose sight of,” the letter reads. “Will you join us to stop the political rhetoric, work to advance America’s interests, and end this cycle of debts, deficits and indecision?”

The latest freshman demonstration comes just weeks after some of the new members faced tough questions from constituents in town halls after their vote to alter Medicare by turning it into a program that provides federal subsidies for the purchase of private plans. Some of the freshmen who made headlines for their raucous town halls, including Pennsylvania Reps. Pat Meehan and Lou Barletta, and Florida’s Allen West, signed onto the letter.

This is the second such event for the freshmen class. During the last continuing resolution debate earlier this year, Arkansas Rep. Rick Crawford led his colleagues in a daily protest of Senate Democrats on the Capitol steps. Those protests grew daily—and were frequently joined by upperclassmen, including Reps. Mike Pence, Paul Broun and GOP senators.