Only Waxing: Real Time With Bill Maher- The Paul Ryan Budget

Source:Only Waxing– Elliot Spitzer on Real Time With Bill Maher.

Source:The Daily Times 

“Andrew Sullivan Schools Maher and Spitzer on Paul Ryan and Budget. Very surprising.”

From Only Waxing

What Representative Paul Ryan (Chairman of the Budget Committee) tried to do in the last Congress and so far in this Congress, was an attempt at least on paper to balance the Federal budget. But by only concentrating on around 15-20% of the Federal budget.

And most of those cuts coming from non-Social Security and Medicare social-insurance programs. And if you saw Bill Maher in this video someone who I normally disagree with layout, Chairman Ryan attempts to balance the budget by going after the small appetizers or side dishes. Imagine a meal consisting of steak, mashed potatoes and lets say a caesar salad (good meal, right) instead of targeting the meat of the meal or even the potatoes the stuff that fills people up in the meal normally. What Chairman Ryan goes after a couple of leafs in the meal. “Big meal with too much food, we are going to take away a couple of leafs and call it fat reduction instead of deficit reduction.”

The meat and potatoes in the United States Government’s budget is defense, Social Security, Medicare and to a certain extent Medicaid. And then there are a bunch of public assistance programs of around 30 trillion-dollars or so that aids workers who do not make enough money, or are unemployed. Which is why I believe Paul Ryan and his followers are as interested in deficit reduction, as the typical career politician (lets say House or Senate) is interested in raising taxes or cutting Social Security during an election year when they are up for reelection, or getting a real job and earning their money. In others words: not at all.

If House Republicans were serious about deficit reduction, then they would write and pass a plan that solves the problem by going at the meat of the Federal budget. And not just picking away at salad leaves in it. Chairman Ryan is right I believe about the seriousness of the debt and deficit, but is not ready to solve the problems.

If I’m starving and its late at night and I haven’t had anything to eat all day, I don’t snack on a couple of crackers thinking my hunger will go away. I make myself a meal or buy one. The same thing with deficit reduction, that if you are serious about the budget you go where the meat is. Or in this case the money and you cut back in areas where you can afford to save money. That will help you solve the problem.

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Chicago Tribune: ‘A Deficit of Ambition’

Source:Bloomberg News– with a look at budget deficits.

“There is no one alive more revered and beloved among Democrats than Bill Clinton, who showed at last year’s national convention what a rock star he is. One of his most historic achievements as president was something that eluded Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush: balancing the federal budget. He did it four straight years. For Democrats, it was cause for great pride.

But that was a long time ago. Last week, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Patty Murray, D-Wash., produced a budget plan — the first one to come from the Senate in four years. She did so shortly after House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., unveiled his.

The two blueprints have many differences, but the biggest of all is that Ryan’s aims at eliminating the annual federal deficit by 2023. Murray’s would balance the budget … well, never. In 2023, the Democratic budget’s deficit would be $566 billion. Over the coming decade, her plan would add $5.2 trillion to the total debt — more than four times the $1.2 trillion the Ryan version would add.”

From the Chicago Tribune

At least Senate Democrats are honest when they talk about their priorities (to sort of defend them against this Chicago Tribune editorial) when they say their number one priority right now is the economy. And they also acknowledge to have a strong economy deficit reduction needs to happen now and into the future.

But deficit reduction can’t be the only only goal right now because without a strong growing economy with more people working and out of poverty, you can forget about ever reaching a balance budget. Or achieving serious deficit reduction because the costs that comes from lack of economic growth and high unemployment will wipeout whatever savings you make from cutting spending which is something that. The House Republican Leadership simply doesn’t understand or won’t acknowledge.

The Republican Leadership economic policy is still built around increasing the defense budget at a time when the Defense Department doesn’t need anymore money, they just can’t afford to be cut further. And tax cuts in the trillions of dollars that most benefit the wealthy and aren’t paid for. Back to George W. Bush borrow and spend economic.

Democrats want a combination of spending cuts but doing it in a way that doesn’t hurt anyone who needs that assistance. And not just targeting areas where most of the money in the Federal budget isn’t like in infrastructure, research, poverty assistance. But targeting areas that need to be reformed like in entitlements and defense and the tax code. As well as investing in things that benefit the economy like infrastructure.

If both sides were serious about deficit reduction, then both sides would present a serious plan that goes where the money actually is. Entitlements, defense and the tax code and reforming those areas and looking for savings there. As well as presenting plans that would boost economic growth like in infrastructure and tax cuts that encourage economic development in America instead of sending that money oversees. But we are still in the early stages of this debate and both sides aren’t ready to do that yet.

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Thom Hartmann: ‘Paul Ryan: Social Security Means Test’

Source:Thom Hartmann– Pumping Up Social Security, with Paul Ryan.

“Thom Hartmann looks at the potential effects of Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) on U.S. Social Security. If you liked this clip of The Thom Hartmann Program, please do us a big favor and share it with your friends… and hit that “like” button!”

From Thom Hartmann

It’s not everyday, week, month, year, perhaps I could go farther (but I’ll spare you for now) that you see a politician or in this case politicians and (let’s use the House GOP as an example) especially in Washington where you see politicians put their neck on the line (in this case political careers) for a vote because they thought it was the right thing to do.

But thats exactly what the House GOP did back in April, by voting to reform Medicare by turning it into a voucher system where seniors would be forced to get their health insurance somewhere else. Because they would eliminate the health insurance part of Medicare. Leaving Senior Citizens with less choice in where they get their health insurance.

It’s really that simple and Congressional Democrats both in the House and Senate have been making the House GOP pay for it ever since especially at House GOP town halls, where these GOP Reps have been getting hit hard because of their vote for the Paul Ryan Medicare plan. They’ve gotten hit so hard by it, that now Speaker Boehner has taken the Ryan plan off the table as far as reforming Medicare and paying down the Federal deficit and debt.

It’s a damn shame for the House GOP because they had all the momentum going into 112th Congress and for about three months were controlling the agenda. Despite the fact that democrats still control the Senate and White House.

On fiscal policy the House GOP has gotten a lot of their budget cuts through and will probably get more. Senate Democrats were unsure on how to deal with the House GOP. The Senate GOP Leadership were just playing off the House GOP and letting them control the ball and backing what they do.

But I’m not sure Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell believes thats a great idea anymore. And they’ve started to offer their own legislation to counter Senate Democrats. But with the vote on the Ryan Medicare plan passing with almost all GOP votes in the House.

And with how unpopular with a consensus of Americans disapproving of the plan, the House Democratic Leadership will try to use it almost exclusively to win back control of the House in 2012. They think they can take this issue to the bank.

And the Senate Democratic Leadership will force the Senate GOP to take a stand on the Ryan plan one way or the other by forcing votes on it because they are still in control in the Senate.

The Ryan Medicare plan is an example of what can happen when you wish for something too much, because you can get it and get more than you bargained for.

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