Eddie Munster seems to believe the 2012 election, in which he and his running mate were decisively trounced, never happened.
In an Electoral College landslide, Americans rejected Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan and all their little ideas. A big part of what they said no to was the celebrated Ryan budget, which Mitt characterized as "marvelous" when he brought the young congressman onto his ticket.
Upon further review, however, the public came to understand Ryan's budget would eviscerate the social safety net while sparing the wealthiest Americans any sacrifices at all.
But that was four months ago. We're moving on, right? Wrong.
Ryan unveiled his so-called "Pathway to Prosperity" budget today and it's nearly identical to the one voters nixed. It will cut spending by $4.6 trillion through 2023 by killing or maiming most everything Obama has been able to do since taking office in 2009.
You have to admire Ryan's arrogance. He represents Wisconsin's 1st District, a blighted Rust Belt backwater, but thinks he's Master of the Universe.
Ryan lunched with the president last week as part of Obama's charm offensive with select members of congress and reportedly the two had a productive meeting.
But now Ryan is behaving like he's the one in the White House and it's Obama with his cap in hand. Ryan says it's about time for Obama to stop "campaigning" and come over to his way of thinking.
Then Ryan, who fancies himself presidential material in 2016, started campaigning. "People do not find happiness in grim isolation or by government fiat," he opined. "They find it through friendship — through free, vibrant exchange with the people around them. They find it through achievement. They find it in their families and neighborhoods, their places of worship and youth groups. They find it in a healthy mix of self-fulfillment and belonging.”
How would Ryan know any of this? He's been inside the Beltway since before he graduated college 20 years ago, feeding at the public trough and producing budgets his fat cat benefactors call marvelous.
What Ryan's budget does do is eliminate Obamacare, which even House Speaker John Boehner calls the law of the land. So that's D.O.A.
Medicaid would lose almost a trillion dollars. Food stamps and agricultural subsidies would be cut by $31 billion. Pell grants would be chopped. Ryan was forced to back off his threats to voucherize Medicare. He'd prefer you shop for health insurance with your $6,000 government voucher when you're 88 years old, but that'll have to wait.
No mention anywhere of closing tax loopholes for wealthy Americans or big corporations, so those deductions for private jets are safe if Ryan gets his way.
Fortunately, his budget proposal is as meaningless as Ryan's presidential ambitions.
The tax increases Obama wrested from Republicans in January along with sequestration cuts are already putting a dent in the deficit. The Senate will present its budget next week, one that's sure to be in line with what the majority of Americans think is reasonable.
There are even signs that some Republicans in the House have begun growing backbones, sick of the self-serving games guys like Ryan are playing. Chances are good a true bipartisan budget could be forged, one that continues to reduce the deficit without putting the entire burden on the poor, elderly and middle class.
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Accuracy is not something you are familiar with.
[crickets]
You need to stop cheering for the defeat of America.
But, Democrat friends, help me understand and reconcile Obama's words. I'm sure the subtleties of his message are not getting through my tin foil hat.
*** July 3, 2008, campaign event in Fargo, ND...
“The problem is, is that the way Bush has done it over the last eight years is to take out a credit card from the Bank of China...[blah blah blah]...so that we now have over $9 trillion dollars of debt that we are going to have to pay back.
That's irresponsible. It's unpatriotic."
*** March 13, 2013, interview with Stephanopoulos...
"...we don’t have an immediate crisis in terms of debt. In fact, for the next ten years, it’s gonna be in a sustainable place..."
Since the election, Obama has been slamming the Republicans at every turn. The sequester hurricane was exposed to be nothing more than a whirly wind. Certain journalists - who are no conservatives - criticize the White House for bullying. Obama's approval ratings drop. Obama tries to make nice with Republicans by taking them to dinner [Note: it was reported that Obama ordered arugula salad and his Republican guests ordered sirloin, spanked once on each side and thrown on the plate]. The Senate produces a budget with deficits as far as the eye can see and Obama says it don't matter.
Lessee, what's next on the plate. Ah, yes, the Continuing Resolution.
Interesting times, eh, Mr. Foley?
@ Rhinehart - You know what's meaningless and mindless crap? CPAC. Your failed candidate is the featured speaker tomorrow. Congrats!
Typical liberal crap. Meaningless and mindless.
Let's explore one pillar of Obamacare to see if it's "fair." That pillar is community rating.
Suppose you are 30 years old, eat brocoli for breakfast and go to the gym 3 times a week. Your neighbor, Joe Six Pack, is 58 years old, 5 foot 8, weighs 350, drinks beer for breakfast and plays poker for excercise.
Who is the bigger health risk? Who SHOULD pay a higher health insurance premium?
Under "community rating" you both will pay the same premium, except, maybe, for a limited (not actuarially based) age differential.
Is that fair?
ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!?!?!? SURVIVAL GUIDE?!?!?!?
Is this legislation so bad, so convoluted, so Byzantine, that we need "survival guides?"
Is there something wrong with this picture?
For those who want the Gubmint to solve problems, you got it.
Ya really think the Gubmint does a swell job estimating? From a report released by the Senate Joint Economic Committee, original estimates made in 1965 for Medicare Part A predicted that annual outlays would be about $9B by 1990. The actual 1990 Part A spending? $67B
Read the article, folks. Leviathan grows.
From the AP article you cite: "The government estimates its online application will take a half hour to complete, on average. If you need a break, or have to gather supporting documents, you can save your work and come back later. The paper application is estimated to take an average of 45 minutes."
I just filled out an application for private health insurance through my company. It took me well over an hour. So what's the big deal?
For those who want the Gubmint to solve problems, you got it.
Ryan will be remembered in our history as a footnote, unlike President Obama who will always be recalled at the 44th President of The United States.
Ryan's home town was carried by Obama, Ryan's district was a narrow win for the GOP, the state of Wisconsin was carried by Obama by a 7 point margin. Ryan will continue his fight against The Affordable Care Act which is the law of the land. That decision was made on November 6th, 2012.