Republicans long have had a rocky relationship with Medicare.

Such GOP icons as Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan saw Medicare as a socialist, if not communist, plot back around when it was created in 1965.

As late as the mid 1990’s, Newt Gingrich, then riding high as Speaker of the House, famously – or infamously – said he would like to see Medicare “wither on the vine.”

Times change.

Nowadays, Republicans know full well that messing with someone’s health care is risky business. And that is precisely why GOP attempts to repeal Obamacare, which allowed states to expand Medicare’s sister
program, Medicaid, failed to materialize.

This brings us to Jay Webber, the Republican congressional candidate in the 11th District. Webber may be a Reagan disciple, but he’s sharp enough to note the changing landscape.

A new Webber TV ad proclaims that the Republican will “strengthen and protect Medicare.”  The add shows Webber talking about the importance of Medicare with his father, Jim.  (An earlier ad featured Webber, his
wife, and his seven children. At this rate, you’ve got to figure the family dog will be next).

Supporting Medicare is hardly controversial these days, although Webber quickly moves his message to another level. He says that his Democratic opponent, Mikie Sherrill, supports “Medicare for all.”

Webber’s ad calls that a “dangerous socialized medicine scheme that would cost $32 trillion” and end Medicare as we know it.

Let’s chew on this for a minute.

The ad says Medicare for all would be a socialized medicine scheme.

But that is exactly what conservative critics long have said about Medicare itself.

Make no mistake. Medicare is very much socialized medicine. The government provides health care to those who are 65 and older. The ad illogically suggests that the current Medicare program is great, but that expanding it would be evil socialism. Those who support so-called Medicare for all simply want to offer the health care  Jim Webber seems to enjoy to everyone.

Would this cost tons of money? Of course.

Is it feasible? It may not be, at least in the short term.

But it certainly is a legitimate goal.

Webber’s latest ad makes the claim that if you try to expand a popular program, you’re going to end it.

While that’s not the most logical premise in the world, the ad clearly shows how Medicare has become so much a part of American life that today’s conservatives must support it.

Barry Goldwater wouldn’t be happy.