How’s this for turnabout?

In response to a Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) u-tube video aimed at scaring older Americans into opposing entitlement reform, Heritage Action for America has rolled out an opposing video that cuts into hard financial realities that face younger generations. The Democrats have never dealt honestly on the question of entitlement reform, but a broad cross section of Americans now recognize that Medicare and other entitlement programs are not sustainable. Moreover, there is more parity in the news media, which allows for reform efforts to find greater expression.  

The Heritage Action for America video opens with a simple, inescapable fact.

“It will cost our kids billions to pay for the promises we made to ourselves.”

It then shows school age children with a shopping cart scrapping around a dumpster. It also shows one digging for a quarter out of swimming pool.

 “Because liberals voted not to reform entitlements…” The younger generation is stuck with the bill.

The children in the ad hold up signs reading:

 “America is Broke” “Please Help” “God Bless You”

The Democratic ad has all the appropriate sourcing from the Center for American Progress (CAP) and recycles the same shrill, fear mongering message of previous campaigns.

But the DCCC ad does not move the conversation forward toward meaningful policy changes that Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.), and other lawmakers have proposed, Michael Needham, CEO of Heritage Action for America, said in an interview.

“Medicare is not on a sustainable path and is not a program on its current trajectory that is going to be there for future generations,” Needham said. “What the Ryan plans and others have done is to take the program and make certain that it is preserved and that it can continue to exist beyond where the current path will allow it.”

Over the next 20 to 30 years, young people today will be facing $44 trillion of accumulated debt, he added.

“There isn’t the type of monopoly in the media that use to exist,” Needham said. “The disadvantage is that there is an opening if you want to demagogue something, but those of who want to have adult conversations have an obligation to take advantage of the opportunity with new media to get our message out.”

Needham also said the country has a new appreciation for the entitlement situation and the rising sea of red ink.

“The writing is on the wall.”