Quoted Text

April 5, 2011 4:18 PM
Paul Ryan's budget: What's in the GOP plan?
Posted by Jill Jackson

House GOP Budget chairman Paul Ryan of Wisconsin unveiled a budget today that would reduce the deficit by $4.4 trillion over ten years by repealing the Democrat's health care bill, reforming entitlements like Medicare and Medicaid and making cuts to defense that were endorsed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates. It also imposes hard spending caps on domestic spending.

The reforms and cuts already have Democrats accusing Republicans of trying to balance the budget on the backs of the poor and will surely be a hot topic for GOP presidential contenders in 2012.

The House Budget Committee will begin amending the plan tomorrow. The House budget with spending targets could be on the floor as early as next week, but could be delayed by the ongoing fight over this year's budget. Once the House passes a budget resolution, it is up to the regular committees to decide how to implement the Ryan plan and what specifically to cut to reach his targets.

Paul Ryan lauded for putting forth plan - but many in GOP silent on the specifics

Here are some of the most controversial elements of the House GOP's 2012 budget titled "The Path to Prosperity:"

Health Care:

The GOP budget would fulfill a 2010 campaign promise to repeal President Obama's most significant accomplishment, the Affordable Care Act. A significant chunk of the GOP's cuts come from overturning this provision. They save $725 billion by repealing the subsidies that customers would have received to help buy health insurance.

Medicare Reform:

Medicare would drastically change as part of the Republican budget. Instead of the government reimbursing doctors and hospitals for certain medical services, seniors would purchase a private health care plan among numerous options on an exchange. The government would then pay the private insurer in the form of a subsidy up to a specified amount.

This provision, which is based on a proposal the budget chairman crafted with former OMB Director Alice Rivlin, would increase help for the sick and poor while shifting more cost to wealthy seniors. Republican proponents say this will bring down the price of health insurance because of increased competition and shifting of resources to those who really need it. Democrats claim that Republicans are cutting benefits for the elderly.

Changes to Medicare in the plan would not affect those currently age 55 and over.

Medicaid:

House Republicans would overhaul Medicaid by changing the way the federal government finances the program. Today, it is a matching program which means if a state adds more Medicaid recipients to the rolls in the case of a recession, the federal government helps with that cost by matching a certain percentage.

The GOP plan would change the program by block granting it - which means giving a set number of funds to the states. Proponents of this plan say it will give governors the flexibility to administer the Medicaid program as they see fit while giving the federal government some control over the cost.........................>>>>........................>>>>..........................http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20050970-503544.html

Quoted Text

and making cuts to defense that were endorsed by Defense Secretary Robert Gates.

Isn't this how we actually got to a balanced budget, or a surplus budget for some time under Bill Clinton?  And to think, if our military stayed strong, GWB wouldn't have had to spend all the money rebuilding the military to go and fight in Iraq after it was decimated at home.

Let's face it.........it isn't medicare, medicaid, social security or obamacare that keeps america safe........IT'S THE MILITARY......whether we like it or not!! We live in a volatile world and every country needs to be on the defensive.....whether we like it or not!

I'm glad Ryan got it out there.
The problem is the 'pubs always let the social side of their party steer the ship.
They want to cut the EPA, Planned parenthood, and the Health care funding... these are DOA and so will the 'pubs come re-election time if they don't keep their eye on the ball.

The new polls are showing that the majority of people want these types of cuts so the Dems may be reading the this incorrectly. Taxpayer money should not fund abortions, the EPA has overstepped their authority with regulations per the courts, and the taxpayers were lied to to get Health-Care passed. Health-Care won't save us money and will cost much more money than we were lead to believe. The 105 billion dollars cut from the budget were never discussed with Congress but slipped in in the dark of night without approval of anyone but the writers of the bill.

The people spoke through their votes in the last election that they wanted the spending stopped!! And they were apparently looking to the reps to accomplish that for them. So they better do what the voters sent them to washington to do....or they will be out too!