Decision 2012: For Romney-Ryan, Medicare Takes Center Stage

Republican candidate Mitt Romney's selection of Wisconsin Representative Paul Ryan as his running mate has made Ryan's proposals to overhaul Medicare a top issue in the presidential campaign. Some campaign watchers say the issue could hurt the GOP ticket -- particularly in the key swing state of Florida which has a large percentage of older voters who rely on Medicare.

Class discussion: Check news reports to see what Ryan proposes to do with Medicare. Why does he want to change the program? What do his opponents say about his plan? How much of the federal budget goes to Medicare? How much of Medicare money is spent on patient care compared to private health insurance premiums? Ask someone receiving Medicare what they think of Ryan's plan to change the program.