Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Now that Rep. Paul Ryan, chairman of the House Budget Committee, has presented the GOP's budget proposal for fiscal year 2012, I've been waiting for David Limbaugh to admit that the document is so splendid--so precisely what we had all been hoping for in every regard--that we
should put right out of our minds any thoughts of muddying matters by shutting down the government. Brother David having apparently been detained, though, I thought I'd say a word.
Paul Ryan's document is historic. By cutting more than $4 trillion from the budget over the next decade, it exceeds the recommendations of the budget commission President Obama established (and then ignored). For that matter, it exceeds the fondest hopes of nearly everyone I know, including the most ardent members of the Tea Party. The budget cuts discretionary spending, as it must. But it takes on--forthrightly, unapologetically, and systematically--the major entitlement programs, especially Medicaid.
In a word, this budget represents the first concerted, credible effort to shrink the federal government since the birth of the welfare state seven decades ago. But not only that. The document--and this is a critical matter, both as to policy and to the politics of the day--doesn't merely shrink and slash. It isn't merely concerned with balancing the books. It promotes growth.
Here's the way Ryan described the budget this past weekend on Fox News Sunday:
By cutting spending, reforming entitlements and growing our economy. Look, we intend
to not only cut discretionary spending and put caps on spending, you have to address the drivers of our debt. ...
Now the good thing we have going for us is we have time to fix this problem. So the kinds of reform we're going to be putting out there won't make changes to people who are already in or near retirement. If you're 55 or older, you won't see changes. You won't have to reorient your lives around these things.
But if we keep kicking the can down the road and keep making more empty promises to people, then we'll have the European kind of pain and austerity. Then you have cuts to current seniors, tax increases that slow down your economy.
By addressing the drivers of the debt now, we do it in a gradual way. ... And we are going to put out a plan that gets our debt on downward trajectory and gets us to a point of giving our next generation a debt-free nation. That in and of itself will help us grow the economy today and create jobs.
The GOP budget represents the most consequential domestic policy proposal in our lifetimes. Republicans, the Tea Party, conservatives, libertarians--we should drop all other fights. This is where to make our stand.
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Apr '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Peter Robinson
Kenneth: It disguises the magnitude of the near-term crisis - $400 billion out of a $1.7 trillion deficit is just the slightly slower boat to hell. · Apr 4 at 5:00pm
Edited on Apr 04 at 05:01 pm
Slow boat to hell? Doesn't look that way, Kenneth. The Wall Street Journal just posted Paul Ryan's op-ed piece for tomorrow's paper. There's a limit to how much I can quote, but I figure the fair use doctrine will permit me to reproduce the accompanying chart. Ryan assumes the economy will start growing again--that and other assumptions certainly deserve scrutiny. But his proposal actually reduces federal indebtedness.
A slow boat? Yes. But not to hell. To heaven. · Apr 4 at 5:13pm
That's a whole lot of assumptions...
for starters, like those receiving entitlements are just going to give them up because this budget proposal says so. I guess this budget proposal is a start, but it's a long road to 'not-heaven'. I'm not about to take yours or the WSJ's word for it. Been burned too many times...
Jul '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Peter Robinson
Kenneth: It disguises the magnitude of the near-term crisis - $400 billion out of a $1.7 trillion deficit is just the slightly slower boat to hell. · Apr 4 at 5:00pm
Edited on Apr 04 at 05:01 pm
Slow boat to hell? Doesn't look that way, Kenneth. The Wall Street Journal just posted Paul Ryan's op-ed piece for tomorrow's paper. There's a limit to how much I can quote, but I figure the fair use doctrine will permit me to reproduce the accompanying chart. Ryan assumes the economy will start growing again--that and other assumptions certainly deserve scrutiny. But his proposal actually reduces federal indebtedness.
A slow boat? Yes. But not to hell. To heaven. · Apr 4 at 5:13pm
I dunno, Peter. When a politician tells me he can predict GDP growth out 70 years, my question is, "So, um, if you're that good, how come you don't own a mega-yacht and half of the Bahamas?"
Jun '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Nobody said this wouldn't be a fight. 1000p. Now is the time for us to keep our heads up.
May '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Kenneth: It ticks me off when politicians of any stripe parse their proposals in terms of "ten-year" projections.
Makes for a nice fat, eye-catching number. But no Congress can tie a future Congress' hands.
Agreed. It's good to plan long-term, but nobody knows whether it will be Republicans or Democrats in control in 2016.
Peter Robinson
Why permit the Democrats to paint our side as heartless and extreme over the paltry few billions at stake in the continuing resolution? Why now, when--at last!--we have before the country something truly worth fighting for?
What's the difference? Whether it's now or later, American voters must decide if they're willing to face the music on entitlements. Why can't Republicans make the argument now?
I hope you're not suggesting Republicans try to get elected without addressing entitlements in their campaigns. To do so would make us no better than radicals like Obama. If the majority of American voters do not embrace entitlement reform, then that might doom us. But we are a representative government. Freedom means allowing people to make bad decisions, too.
Make the argument now. Let the voters decide.
Jun '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Kenneth:
"I dunno, Peter. When a politician tells me he can predict GDP growth out 70 years, my question is, "So, um, if you're that good, how come you don't own a mega-yacht and half of the Bahamas?"
Where do you get 70 years? The chart shows zero debt by 2050. Thirty-eight years is a long time, no doubt, but we have been building this debt for eighty years, have we not? And even if GDP growth is not as he predicts, aren't we still better off? What are our alternatives?
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
I don't know why you all are acting as if Ryan's budget is something we didn't know was coming. He's been talking about this for months. So the idea that some weren't persuaded before today confuses me. I also detect a condescending attitude among some here about the masses (and in context that includes the conservative grassroots) -- that they only have so much energy to fight for the very survival of this nation. What the grassroots has been angry about is that our side hasn't fought enough. Why are so few of you acknowledging that? And why do some of you, like Ken Sweeney, act as though there's no possible continuity between the two battles? Finally, and I guess I'll keep saying this until I'm blue in the face: Ken, just as I told Peter, this isn't about what you and I think about the whether the GOP should hold the line at $61 billion. It is the long-term impact of them doing it or not. You all seem to be arguing about whether the base should be mad; not whether they will be. Only the latter will matter.
Jul '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
cdor: Kenneth:
"I dunno, Peter. When a politician tells me he can predict GDP growth out 70 years, my question is, "So, um, if you're that good, how come you don't own a mega-yacht and half of the Bahamas?"
Where do you get 70 years? The chart shows zero debt by 2050. Thirty-eight years is a long time, no doubt, but we have been building this debt for eighty years, have we not? And even if GDP growth is not as he predicts, aren't we still better off? What are our alternatives? · Apr 4 at 7:10pm
Uh, the chart goes through 2080. So excuse me, I mispoke - it's 69 years.
Anyway, your argument is irrelevant to my point. I didn't say we wouldn't be better off under Ryan's plan. I said I don't trust politicians 10-year - and 69-year projections.
Think I'm wrong? Uh....what was Medicare supposed to be costing us by now?
Edited on April 5, 2011 at 5:50amOct '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
I hate to be a contrarian but what if this dooms the GOP's chances of regaining the WH?
Brit Hume's playbook for easy Obama reelection: Bipartisan entitlement reform 'Fox News Sunday' panelist explains his strategy to make Obama bulletproof for the 2012 election
Jun '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Kenneth
cdor: Kenneth:
"I dunno, Peter. When a politician tells me he can predict GDP growth out 70 years, my question is, "So, um, if you're that good, how come you don't own a mega-yacht and half of the Bahamas?"
Where do you get 70 years? The chart shows zero debt by 2050. Thirty-eight years is a long time, no doubt, but we have been building this debt for eighty years, have we not? And even if GDP growth is not as he predicts, aren't we still better off? What are our alternatives? · Apr 4 at 7:10pm
Uh, the chart goes through 2080. So excuse me, I mispoke - it's 70 years. · Apr 4 at 7:16pm
Uh, yea, you're excused. My mistake...trying to engage in reasonable conversation.
May '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Well said.
Sep '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
I watched Ryan on Chris Wallace's show yesterday. Now Wallace is a pretty good interviewer, but Ryan was so good that Wallace was reduced to mumbling. I'm sold. Settle for a real $33B reduction for the 2011 budget and then let's go for the whole enchilada. $4T or bust!
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
And for those of you who apparently have a more sensitive finger on the pulse that I do, I cite this Rasmussen poll re 57% of voters okay with govt. shutdown if it leads to deeper budget cuts. A government shut down is not the big deal you all are making it out to be -- even the esteemed Michael Barone said the 1995-1996 one did not redound to the detriment of the GOP as the revisionists have claimed. Paul Ryan says it's not that big of a deal. Ryan has also said the GOP would block a bill they perceived as too weak, indicating that he too, favors a shutdown at some level. I just wonder if you all who disagree with me -- which I suppose is nearly everyone on this site -- believe there is any amount the Democrats propose on the remainder of this year's budget that would warrant a shutdown. If $30 billion wouldn't warrant it, how about $25 billion? $20B? $15? $10? $5? How about no cut at all, which is where we began this thing -- and we fought. Were we wrong to fight? Is the public mad? Fatigued?
Oct '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
I agree with Peter. Paul Ryan’s budget is where we should fight, not the continuing resolutions. However, we should not underestimate how difficult this battle will be. This will be correctly understood by Democrats as a direct assault on the foundations of the liberal project. Every lie and emotional appeal possible will be used to try and discredit Ryan’s proposal. We must stay together, not despair with the temporary setbacks that will occur, and begin a daily effort to educate and convince the voting public that this type of plan must be implemented if the great American experiment is to continue.
Oct '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
My exact point is that there is ZERO long-term impact of the 2011 CR budget battle going on right now. I understand your point that if we can't dance on the graves of our enemies over $31 billion, we can’t achieve the $4 trillion reduction. I reject that construct. Making mountains over mole hills makes us look stupid. Shut down the government over $31 billion? There will be negligible consequences to the American people in the short term if nothing happens on entitlements in the 2012 budget, while the dramatic impact of a shut down will have affected them more substantially.
My concern is that Republicans will be full of sound and fury, signifying nothing, in a government shutdown.
Jul '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
cdor
Kenneth
cdor: Kenneth:
"I dunno, Peter. When a politician tells me he can predict GDP growth out 70 years, my question is, "So, um, if you're that good, how come you don't own a mega-yacht and half of the Bahamas?"
Where do you get 70 years? The chart shows zero debt by 2050. Thirty-eight years is a long time, no doubt, but we have been building this debt for eighty years, have we not? And even if GDP growth is not as he predicts, aren't we still better off? What are our alternatives? · Apr 4 at 7:10pm
Uh, the chart goes through 2080. So excuse me, I mispoke - it's 70 years. · Apr 4 at 7:16pm
Uh, yea, you're excused. My mistake...trying to engage in reasonable conversation. · Apr 4 at 7:22pm
Well, if that's what you truly desire, you might start by demonstrating at least a rudimentary understanding of your interlocutor's argument before you jump in.
May '10
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
If Democrats know that Republicans are afraid of a shutdown, then they will make Republicans pay an ever higher price to avoid one. Whether we want a shutdown to be on the table or not, it's a threat that's not going away.
If Democrats believe a shutdown will devastate Republicans, then they will do all in their power to ensure it happens.
Mar '11
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
David, I wholeheartedly agree with you. If the Republicans cannot stand firm on the little things (33 billion) how can they stand firm on the big things? I understand the strategy of focusing on the bigger battle, but it would be more convincing if leadership had any history of fighting at all.
It is one thing to be encouraged by a plan, it is another to be convinced by results.
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Ken Sweeney
My exact point is that there is ZERO long-term impact of the 2011 CR budget battle going on right now. I understand your point that if we can't dance on the graves of our enemies over $31 billion, we can’t achieve the $4 trillion reduction. I reject that construct. Making mountains over mole hills makes us look stupid. Shut down the government over $31 billion?
You manifestly don't get my point. It doesn't matter whether you "reject that construct," but whether the people do. The fact that you all can call $31Billion a mole hill is a sad day for America. And I DON'T want to dance on anyone's grave -- where do you get that? You say fighting over that mole hill makes us look stupid? Do 57% of the people agree or disagree with you?
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
I can only speak for myself, of course, David, but whereas we have indeed known for a good long time that this proposal was coming, I'd offer two points:
1) I wasn't about to believe it until I saw it. The pressures on Ryan to fudge or compromise were no doubt intense. But now? I see--and I believe.
2) I didn't know the proposal would prove quite this daring. Neither did anyone else to whom I've spoken in these past few weeks. Cuts of $5.8 trillion over a decade? That's almost forty-five percent bigger than the $4 trillion over a decade that the President's deficit commission recommended, and everybody (including me) thought those cuts were pretty darned big. This is simply huge--and nobody knew about it until just a day or so ago.
Re: Paul Ryan's Budget: The Most Important Domestic Proposal of our Lifetimes
Dr. Evil will add a couple of final comments, David, then offer the last word to you.
1. You're wonderfully gracious. Several times now you've noted that you're not sure you're right. I'm not sure I'm right, either. (Promise you'll never tell my wife.)
2. I had to chuckle when I read the little passage I've quoted above. You think most people here at Ricochet disagree with you? But I'd thought most disagreed with me.
Okay, over to you.
Darned. It's hard fighting with a guy who's just so nice.