ST AUGUSTINE, Fla.-- Medicare is quickly becoming the hot issue of election 2012. Today--at a rally in Saint Augustine, candidate Mitt Romney said this:
"We want to make sure we preserve and protect our Medicare," he said.
His supporters believe him.
"The thing I love the most is this man is a man of integrity and they are not going to squash us old people. They are not going to do that. They are going to reapply and do some restoration which is needed in our programs social security medicare and all those things," Judy Mize said.
Protestors across the street from Monday's event ha ve a different view. They see a Romney-Ryan ticket as a threat to Medicare.
Bernadette Reeves has been a Medicare recipient for several years.
"The thing that's really bothering me and I want to get a point out to the seniors...when you hear words like reform from Republicans. Reform, to the Republicans, means taking from the poor and middle class and making sure the rich get more tax cuts," she said.
There's no doubt Medicare is a hot button issue in the Sunshine State. In 2010, 18% of the state population received benefits. Newly appointed running mate Paul Ryan says he would offer Americans a choice between traditional Medicare or a government voucher beginning in 2022. He would eventually begin increasing the Medicare eligibility age by one month each year.
Romney ended his speech Monday with a final rally cry and a push for the future."
"We're going to keep America the hope of the world," Romney told supporters.
