Pelosi: 'Medicare is on the ballot' with Ryan on GOP ticket

Rep. Paul Ryan's (R-Wis.) position as the GOP vice presidential nominee is good news for Democrats who oppose his plans for Medicare, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said Thursday.

"[Mitt] Romney embraced the repeal of Medicare" by choosing Ryan as his running mate, Pelosi said.

"Governor Romney is making it easier" for Democrats on the campaign trail "by embracing the repeal of Medicare," she said. 

The comments closely mirror remarks from Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee chief Steve Israel (D-N.Y.), who said Thursday that Ryan is a "down-ballot disaster for Republicans across the country."

Pelosi spoke on the issue during her weekly press conference.

"This is a value on the ballot, not an issue," she said of Medicare.

Ryan, who serves as House Budget Committee chairman, has proposed to partially privatize the entitlement, allowing seniors to enroll in the traditional program or take a subsidy to buy private insurance.

Republicans argue that the reform is necessary to ensure Medicare's solvency and survival for future generations. Democrats say, as Pelosi did Thursday, that Ryan's plan would "sever the Medicare guarantee" for seniors by making them contribute more toward their healthcare.

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