McConnell says foes have no Medicare plan

WASHINGTON, May 29 (UPI) -- U.S. Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell warned Sunday "Medicare is going down" and his Democratic colleagues have no ideas to save it.

Speaking on NBC's "Meet the Press," McConnell, R-Ky., said the Obama administration and House Democrats agree "Medicare needs to be on the table," as does everyone "except the Democrats in the Senate, who have no plan at all."

"Medicare is going down," he said. "Doing nothing is not a plan."

But McConnell refused to be pinned down on whether he supports the overhaul proposed by Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., which failed in a Senate test vote last week.

The GOP leader also said "we're pretty unenthusiastic" about the new Consumer Financial Protection Board and especially "the possibility of Elizabeth Warren" leading it. He said the agency could pose "a serious threat to our financial system."

On the same program, Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., declared: "The only way we're going to come to an agreement on the budget and the debt ceiling is if Senator McConnell and his Republican colleagues take the Ryan plan off the table, and take it off now."

He said Republicans are trying to end Medicare, while "we believe in preserving the current system."