Schumer targets GOP moderates on Medicaid, Social Security

• But he plans to isolate GOP moderates ahead of the vote on Social Security, Medicaid and veterans' care — then make them pay in the upcoming midterms.
• Some Republicans are already wary of aspects of the GOP budget reconciliation plan, which includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, offset by $2 trillion in spending cuts.
• "Most people would say they can't be that clueless — but maybe they are," Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) told Axios on Wednesday.

The big picture: "This is taking away health care from poor people to take that money ... and put it into the pockets of the wealthiest Americans," Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told Axios on Wednesday.

Zoom out: Some Senate Democrats are looking at the GOP's failed attempt to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2017 as a blueprint for success.

• The plan failed after the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) famously gave a "thumbs down" while voting to tank the bill in a final vote.

• Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) said Democratic messaging helped sink that effort: "We look back to what we did in 2017. We ultimately made it so unpopular they couldn't pass it."
• Kelly said Wednesday that Democrats need four Republicans to vote like McCain to stop the GOP reconciliation plan: "There's got to be four that sees this for what it is."