Medicare politics trigger concerns in debt-deal talks

The Hill reports that some Republican lawmakers are growing "wary" that, in regard to Medicare, a recent Democratic upset in a New York special congressional election is a "canary in the coalmine." Meanwhile, Democrats are working to position themselves as the Medicare protectors -- even as a fact-checker questions some of their comments.  

The Hill: Reeling From Ryan Budget, GOP Wary Of Debt Deal Vote
The source, who requested anonymity, added that Republican "rank-and-file members are very, very concerned that this was the canary in the coalmine on Medicare and it's going to affect all of the other difficult votes that leadership is going to ask them to make" (Hooper, 6/10).

CNN (Video): Sen. Sherron Brown On Budget Negotiations And Why Medicare Should Not Be Cut
Vice President Joe Biden resumes budget talks with top lawmakers on Thursday at the White House. The impasse rests on GOP refusal to raise the debt ceiling without significant spending cuts - and that may not even be enough for some. Conservative Republicans, including the powerful Club for Growth, are demanding more than spending cuts - they want other reforms including a balanced-budget amendment. One of the items Democrats want off of the table in any deal is Ryan's "Medicare" proposal (6/9).

The Washington Post: A Pox On Both Their 'Mediscare' Houses
We have, however, assigned many Pinocchios to Democrats such as Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.) for comments that mischaracterized GOP plans for Medicare (Kessler, 6/9).