Fifty-three percent of Americans say Medicare is OK as is or only needs minor changes

Based on a recent WSJ/NBC telephone poll, 15% of adults feel Medicare is ok the way it is.  Thirty-eight percent think it needs minor modifications.

Twenty-eight percent feel major changes are needed and 16% believe a complete overall is in order, so much for the Ryan plan gaining popular support.

What is really interesting is that among Democrats 60% say Medicare is Ok or only needs minor changes, while for Republicans it is 49% and for Independents it is 51%.

It would appear that not only do we have philosophical differences, but each group has its own math as well.   How can people look at a program such as Medicare assess the actuarial studies and trustee projections, the demographics and all the rest and come to such different conclusions?  Of course the answer is that they do not look at all that, rather they listen to the rhetoric of politicians and are swayed by that based on political affiliation. 

One might speculate that these same people believe they are paying for their Medicare and that their working year tax payments also paid for their Social Security.  They may also believe that the U.S. Treasury does not have to borrow more or print money to redeem the Social Security trust fund bonds. 

A social conscience is a lovely thing; it just needs a better accountant.