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Political Hay
Paul Ryan’s Adult Conversation
The liberal crowd asked for it. Now they can’t deal with it.
Before Paul Ryan’s 2012 budget released yesterday, the Liberal Establishment was telling us that what was needed was an adult conversation on the budget and entitlements. Now that they have got their adult conversation, they can’t handle it.
The Washington Post’s E.J. Dionne began the brain-dead name calling, labeling the Ryan budget “radical,” “irresponsible,” and “extreme.” This began the Post’s shameful institutional policy of not reporting to its readers what the Ryan budget actually does, as compared to President Obama’s budget, which I will show by the numbers below is actually what is radical, irresponsible, and extreme. The Post’s institutional policy is to mislead its readers on the issue, in service to Democrat party politics.
Ryan’s budget is actually careful and restrained, making sure that no one who is vulnerable is hurt by the undeniably necessary changes he proposes on behalf of the majority House Republican Conference. His budget carefully begins the process of fundamental entitlement reform, exempting anyone in or near retirement from any change at all, and adopting proven reforms that would actually benefit the poor, as I show below. Again, that is in sharp contrast to Obama’s budget, which irresponsibly ducks any entitlement changes at all.
Three months ago in this space, I explained that the new big picture was now Ryan v. Obama. Ryan’s 2012 budget released yesterday shows what I meant. The battle over the 2011 budget, which last year’s Democrat-controlled Congress never provided for, has distracted from this real, big picture, with the Republicans trying to make marginal cuts to that 2011 spending with the fiscal year now more than half over. The government remains unfunded for the rest of this year because the Democrat-controlled Senate has never gotten around to providing for it at all. The House Republicans, and only the House Republicans, by contrast have passed numerous continuing resolutions funding the government for the rest of the year. Harry Reid and his Senate Democrats need to show up to work and do their job, or resign and let someone else do it.
But Reid and Obama are convinced that their base at least and enough of the public is stupid and will be easily misled by their party-controlled media allies into blaming the Republicans for any shutdown that occurs. So they seem to want to cause a shutdown over 2011, all the more to distract the public from Ryan’s blockbuster Tea Party budget for 2012.
Real, Powerful Spending Cuts
Ryan fully delivers on the campaign promise of Republicans to cut federal spending, cutting the spending President Obama proposes in his disgracefully inadequate budget by $6.2 trillion over the first 10 years alone. In contrast, President Obama’s budget actually proposes to increase runaway federal spending by $400 billion over the old CBO current policy baseline. President Obama has actually already increased federal spending by 28% compared to 2008, to $3.819 trillion this year from $2.983 trillion in 2008, after promising repeatedly in the 2008 election that he would adopt a “net spending cut.” He then proposes in his 2012 budget to increase federal spending by another 57% to $5.756 trillion by 2021 according to CBO. That’s not radical, irresponsible and extreme? Ryan’s budget would spend a trillion dollars less in 2021 alone.
Ryan’s budget would reduce domestic federal spending to below 2008 levels, restoring pre-stimulus, pre-bailout spending, again as promised. Federal spending is reduced to below 20% of GDP, the long-run, postwar, historical level, by 2015. With that level of federal spending prevailing on average for 60 years since World War II, to call it radical, irresponsible, and extreme is itself unprofessionally irresponsible and misleading.
To achieve that, Ryan’s budget would defund and repeal Obamacare. It would eliminate hundreds of duplicative programs, and slash corporate welfare. That would include President Obama’s “expensive handouts for uncompetitive sources of energy,” establishing instead “a free and open marketplace for energy development, innovation and exploration,” as Ryan explained in yesterday’s Wall Street Journal. Ryan also explained that his budget “gets rid of the permanent Wall Street bailout authority that Congress created last year,” in President Obama’s Dodd-Frank so-called financial regulatory reform bill.
Ryan’s budget reduces the federal deficit to below $1 trillion by next year, while President Obama proposes his fourth year of federal deficits over $1 trillion, at $1.2 trillion according to CBO. CBO projects that under Obama’s proposed 2012 budget, the federal deficit is still $1.2 trillion by 2021. That’s not radical, irresponsible and extreme? Ryan’s deficit by that year is $385 billion, after achieving what is called primary balance by 2015, meaning that the budget is balanced apart from interest on the national debt.
Ryan’s budget achieves full, permanent balance soon thereafter, with federal spending reduced to 15% of GDP by 2050, less than half the level of federal spending by that year under President Obama’s budget. Indeed, by 2050, President Obama’s budget would double federal spending as a percentage of GDP from the long-run, postwar, historical average, which is disgracefully radical, irresponsible and extreme.
Ryan’s budget reduces the national debt by nearly $5 trillion relative to the President’s budget in the first 10 years alone. As result, the national debt as percent of GDP is reduced every year, until the national debt is ultimately paid off entirely! President Obama’s budget, by contrast, would double the national debt in his first term alone, and triple it by 2021. That’s not radical, irresponsible, and extreme?
Fair and Competitive Tax Reform
The Ryan budget also begins the process of tax reform, restoring the federal tax burden to 18% of GDP, again the long-run, historical, postwar average. This would be achieved by reducing the top income tax rate to 25% for those earning over $100,000 a year, and 10% for those below that, in return for eliminating what Ryan calls a burdensome tangle of deductions, credits and other loopholes.
Ryan proposes the same on the corporate side as well, reducing the federal corporate rate to 25%, in return for eliminating the loopholes that allowed a megacorporation like GE to earn $14 billion in profits last year while paying no taxes. This responsibly restores some competitiveness to American business, which will soon otherwise bear the highest corporate tax rates in the industrialized world. Counting state corporate taxes, American businesses bear a corporate tax rate of nearly 40%, while the average corporate tax rate in the European Union has been reduced from 38% to 24% over the last 10 years. Yet, President Obama irresponsibly proposes to do exactly nothing about restoring American competitiveness. No wonder that under President Obama America has suffered the worst economic recovery since World War II.
About the Author
Peter Ferrara is Director of Entitlement and Budget Policy at the Heartland Institute, General Counsel of the American Civil Rights Union, Senior Fellow at the National Center for Policy Analysis, and Senior Policy Advisor on Entitlements and Budget Policy at the National Tax Limitation Foundation. He served in the White House Office of Policy Development under President Reagan, and as Associate Deputy Attorney General of the United States under President George H.W. Bush.
Letter to the Editor View all comments (81) | Leave a comment
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drudge ette obama| 4.6.11 @ 6:13AM
This is what we asked for - so stand by it and him. He will need all the help that he can get.
Bill Hussein O'Stalin| 4.6.11 @ 6:53AM
The fiscal insanity inside the beltway will continue because the Senate will never go for most of this and that means that the public will have to wait until 2012 for significant changes to come.
Ken (Old Texican)| 4.6.11 @ 7:24AM
Peter,
once again, thank you for the concise "punch-line".
Best regards.
Mimi| 4.6.11 @ 7:31AM
Peter...Thanks for this great and informative comparison of the two plans...for our future. This will most likely be the 2012 presidential ELECTION in a NUTSHELL !!
Paul Ryan has done a terrific job in bringing us a " SIGN OF HOPE "....He has carefully placed order to a world of CHAOS . A thanks to him and all his commitee for their effort. As YOGI said..,," It ain't over 'til its over".....A lot of WORK to do to bring on a sucessful win for 2012. !!!
Merlin| 4.6.11 @ 7:35AM
Is there anything more irresponsible (radical and extreme) than spending more money than you have year after year after year . . . . ?
FastJohnny| 4.6.11 @ 7:40AM
Paul Ryan is articulate and has the unswerving ability to verbalize the proposal to the American public. The critics of his budget plan seem to speak in generalizations, while he speaks in specifics. The critics have not done one iota of work on their own, but have no problem attacking someone who is working very hard and taking this seriously. Hopefully, Ryan will be able to appeal to the sensibilities of the American public, hopefully all those tingly legs will be non-plussed by the Hope and Change stuff and other empty rhetoric. I just wish Ryan would consider a run in 2012. I have always thought he would be a good choice. Young, good looking, squeeky clean and well spoken this man exudes responsibility and adult maturity.
martin j smith| 4.6.11 @ 7:56AM
First off, ALL REPUBS should be out there supporting RYAN--anyone one who is not is NOT A CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENT OR EVEN TO BE IN THE REPUB PARTY AT ALL.
Second: Ryan and a group of other leaders should challenge the Demz to a debate--NOT OFFICIATED BY PBS NPR OR ANY MSM OUTLET. The topic: our economy and what to do about it. The mood of the challenge should be: We think there is a sever economic crisis--we have a plan where is yours ?
Lets get beyond the name calling and get into putting our cards on the table.
Ryan's plan of what I have seen and heard is a very good start.
If the Demz refuse: THAT IS AMMUNITION AGAINST THEM RIGHT THEN AND THERE.
George True| 4.6.11 @ 8:11AM
The Democrats are childish bullies who are used to getting their way by throwing tantrums. It does not matter how logical and how undeniably true the facts and figures presented to them, they will demagogue and name-call no matter what. They do not care if their policies will cause our currency to collapse, and cause everybody to lose everything. They will just continue to blame everybody else, confident that at least 40-50% of the electorate is too stupid to figure things out or too distracted to care. The Democrats are an existential threat to our economic survival as a country and as individuals.
Dee See| 4.6.11 @ 8:11AM
NOT UNTIL we write off our own underwriting
debt 'incurred' building up the awesomely genocidal
RED Chinese regime via GATT etc.
NOT UNTIL the EUGENICS driven, ultra-rich,
TAX FREE 'chair-IT-Abel' 'benny-violent'
capstone foundations are called out, investigated,
audited, and prosecuted for conspiracy against
the republic and crimes against humanity
NOT UNTIL likewise with their 'fave' tool
for 'social engineering' (i.e. economic manipulation and cultural subversion)
--the PRIVATE 'Federal Reserve'
will anything stop getting worse, let alone 'better'.
"Come out from among them.
Do NOT partake of their sin."
Karl Lucifer Marx| 4.6.11 @ 8:12AM
If the government shuts down due to stasis, the benefits to the public will be rather straight forward and immediate.
First, there will be no more taxpayer financed multi-million dollar vacations for the President. That also applies to Congressional travel which costs the taxpayers over 12 million a year. Yeah, that's small, but the entitlement mentality exists within the walls of the White House and the U.S. Congress so that explains a lot of the driving force against cuts in both parties.
As far as the rest of the federal government they travel too but the actual costs are hard to determine. In short, it isn't the Ryan plan that should be embraced but the actual shut down.
The ruling class is trying to avoid it because the public would soon wonder what the fuss is all about. About 90% of many agencies could be replaced with a sophisticated web site.
That's the real discussion we should be having. How much government do we need and what functions could be done using technology?
The budget drama is just another ruling class drama, full of sound and fury, amounting to nothing.
Spoonman| 4.6.11 @ 8:27AM
Peter, you have presented a very nice, conscise and understandable summary of Representative Ryan's proposed budget. This is the exact format that the Republicans need to repeat until the cows come home! They must keep the message simple and they must not attempt to directly rebutt each individual democrat statement in opposition, many of which are already being voiced. Keep it simple - all working Americans understand that we cannot continue to spend like a drunken sailor and a simple and direct approach can carry the day - if the Republicans will continue to push it.
JimH| 4.6.11 @ 8:36AM
Ryan is walking the walk. He must be given serious consideration for 2012. If only his first name was Jack. He’d win in a landslide.
Tired Taxpayer PRM| 4.6.11 @ 8:36AM
Using small words that my tired old brain can understand, can someone please explain the following to me: "As result, the national debt as percent of GDP is reduced every year, until the national debt is ultimately paid off entirely!".
What does the size of debt as percent of GDP have to do with paying off the national debt? Isn’t it possible for the size of the debt as a percent of the GDP to shrink while the actual debt grows?
Where does the paying off of the debt come in?
If the deficit is projected to be $10T over the next ten years and Ryan plans to cut that by $6T where does the debt reduction come from?
Tired Taxpayer from the People's Republic of Michigan
Louis Jenkins| 4.6.11 @ 8:37AM
You can hear the liberals crying now. "Whaaa...what about the old people, they'll be without medical care, Whaaa...you'll be starving the children of the poor, Whaaa...you'll be throwing the down trodden out of their tar paper shackes, Whaaa...aunt Bessie won't receive her Social Security check..." and on and on. How about all the money that is being wasted by 70 plus duplicate programs? How about Pelosi and Reid drying their fake tears and getting down to a better, more economically sound budget? Ryan may be the man to get things done. If the government shuts down then let it do so. I'm curious to see how much that will cost us.
Intelligent Design| 4.6.11 @ 8:43AM
It's a far better plan than the Democrats have, which is no plan at all. But instead of tinkering with the federal income tax system, Republicans should go for enactment of the Fair Tax legislation which has been pending in Congress for a few years now. It would completely eliminate the federal income tax system, and the IRS, and replace revenues with one simple national sales tax. This is not the same as a VAT or a flat tax. See www.fairtax.org for details. It would end all payroll withholding taxes, Socialist Security taxes, taxes on capital gains, dividends and interest, death taxes, the AMT, complicated IRA rules, etc. Neither corporations nor individuals would pay federal income taxes, or have to file income tax returns. Billions in compliance costs would disappear. About 60,000 pages of IRS regulations would hit the trash can. The Fair Tax would result in unprecedented economic growth in the U.S.
Anthony| 4.6.11 @ 8:46AM
Yes, Kudos to Boehner and especially Mr. Ryan. I've been tough on the Rs and Boehner, but it appears they did man up after all.
Ryan's presser was brilliant. He was articulate, knowledgable, clear and easy to understand. He made the complicated easy w/o the inside Washington lingo, like "markups" and other legislative gobblygoop.
The Rs have learned to communicate and make their case in a clear and concise fashion.
The Ds are pathetic, weak, and morally and intellectually bankrupt. Pelosi, Reid, Van Hollan and Schuner are the lowest of the low.
We the people will prevail. Job well done guys!!!!
Keep the pressure on!!!
Mimi| 4.6.11 @ 8:50AM
Can you just IMAGINE the freedom we would have???.....We pay the taxes when we spend money...we choose what to spend, how much etc. Ah...gotta love that FREEDOM !
Redstateboy| 4.6.11 @ 9:37AM
I like martin j smith's suggestion of a debate.. As far as I can tell.. the Slave Party (that is my new and forever way I'll refer to the Democrat Party) has no ideas on what to do - to them it's just... "Spend Money!" It's becoming so apparent that the Slave Party's only solution is to bribe half of America to keep their train going - now That's shameful.
sha44ss| 4.6.11 @ 9:51AM
TEA PARTY HAS TO UNITE BIG BEHIND RYAN AND WE WILL WIN!
martin j smith| 4.6.11 @ 10:05AM
Here is the point; the socialists have NO PLAN-THAT IS THEIR PLAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So again I say CHALLENGE THEM TO DEBATE HOW THEY WANT TO FIX THE ECONOMY-- I BET THEY FIND VERY "GOOD EXCUSES" TO AVOID IT.
Steve A| 4.6.11 @ 10:05AM
I saw Ryan interviewed last night on Fox & 2 things struck me:
#1: This guy has what it takes. He could easily be Pres. in 2016. Quite possible.
#2: If attempting to balance the budget results in him being labeled & demagogued, he actually welcomes that. This is the approach that needs to be taken to defeat the left. His approach is to simply tell the truth & let the chips fall.
Flatulus Ancien| 4.6.11 @ 10:13AM
Perhaps the Democrats will understand
"If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall".
But, then, probably not.
Idiots all.
Gordon W.| 4.6.11 @ 10:14AM
This article says little to nothing of what Paul Ryan's plan actually entails. It only mentions outcomes. For a section relating to the poor and elderly the article only says "extends this proven reform success." I think the end of the article shows how much credence we should actually give to Ryan's plan: Tea party vs. Obama. The majority of republican politicians, including the only one who has confirmed he is running for president does not endorse Ryan's tax cuts. Instead they endorse the principles behind them. Meaning they like the idea of reducing debt.
George S| 4.6.11 @ 10:22AM
The budget is not the problem; it is what got us to it. Only with an overreaching federal government confiscating the wealth of individuals to transfer to others combined with an grossly large, unaccountable bureaucracy can a free, prosperous country be taken to the brink of bankruptcy. No amount of sophistication or gloss will cover that up. Until our republic respects the limits of federal power as outlined in the Constitution, Paul Ryan's proposal is no less of a pipe-dream than Obama's insistence that ObamaCare itself saves money. We cannot balance anything as long as entitlements and unconstitutional bureaucratic fiats remain in place.
Donna| 4.6.11 @ 10:35AM
If the deficit is projected to be $10T over the next ten years and Ryan plans to cut that by $6T where does the debt reduction come from?
Ahkhem, revenues.
Revenues from public sector payroll taxes, a growing economy (GDP) and reduction in tax code craziness like $0 taxes were paid on 14T of profit AND NO re-payment of TARP money given for bailing out GE Capital.
Conservative View| 4.6.11 @ 10:39AM
A national debate on the Federal Budget is a grand idea. It should be televised, and reporter free. That is, two members of both sides of the asile will present their views. No reporters asking questions. Side one will present a view point, then accept questions from side two. Then side two will present its view point and accept questions from side one, and at the end both sides get five minutes to sum it all up.
Now, the trick is to get the sides to agree to the debate. The American people deserve to hear it from both sides, deserve to hear what they are going to do to fix the Federal debt.
But, unfortunately, elected officals much rather hide than be put on record. Neither side would agree to such a debate and, it is We, the American voters, that suffer because of it.
"Resolve, our plans to reduce the Federal debt are more effective than your plans to reduce the Federal debt."
Gordon W.| 4.6.11 @ 10:42AM
The point I was making is that the article does not submit anything you said.
Ahkhem, Obama submitted the same generic ways to reduce the debt and they don't amount to much. Ryan also proposes to reduce taxes for everyone, which reduces revenue. If that is wrong tell me how taking 10% of my income instead of 20% of my income raises revenues. 10% of 100 is 10 where 20% is 20.
vtwin| 4.6.11 @ 10:48AM
The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office, in an analysis released late Tuesday, said future retirees those now under 54 would spend more for healthcare under Pal Ryan’s plan.Asked to comment on what happens to those who can’t afford the additional costs, A senior Republican in the House is reported to have said “f**kem.”
The Bruce| 4.6.11 @ 10:59AM
"They do not care if their policies will cause our currency to collapse..."
I'm beginning to think this is one of their unstated goals.
martin j smith| 4.6.11 @ 11:01AM
I THINK A LOT OF GOOD HARD ISSUES THAT WOULD BE CRITICAL OF OBAMA AND HIS FELLOW SOCIALISTS ARE AWAITING EXPOSURE. " THE ECONOMY" WHICH MEANS BOTH COSTS AND REVENUE ARE OPEN TO USE. PRIME EXAMPLES; ENERGY COSTS,GOVERNMENT EXPANSION VS PRIVATE SECTOR, INFLATION ,FED POLICY OF MONITORIZATION OF THE DEBT. OBAMA CARE . COME ON THRE IS SO MUCH JUICE OUT THERE. ITS TIME TO CHALLENGE THE SOCIALISTS--AND NO MSM ENVIRONMENTS OR SO CALLED MEDIATORS.
The Bruce| 4.6.11 @ 11:03AM
Gordon W wrote: "If that is wrong tell me how taking 10% of my income instead of 20% of my income raises revenues. 10% of 100 is 10 where 20% is 20."
Because he's simultaneously closing loopholes like the one that currently allows a company like GE, that made $5B in profits last year, to pay no taxes.
vtwin| 4.6.11 @ 11:07AM
If ”closing loopholes like the one that currently allows a company like GE, that made $5B in profits last year, to pay no taxes” is a GOD idea why not just close the loopholes?
vtwin| 4.6.11 @ 11:07AM
Sorry GOOD idea.
Steve A| 4.6.11 @ 11:10AM
I would take closing all loopholes as long as you lower the base rate for ALL taxpayers. Especially those who pay the most taxes (AKA ;the rich)
Couple this with huge spending cuts & Obama would be reelected in a landslide because the economy would zoom. Never happen though. He does not have it in him.
Anthony| 4.6.11 @ 11:16AM
vtwin, This is the same CBO that "scores" bills according to the assumptions given to it by those who ask the questions. Thus, garbage in, garbage out. Same with this "analysis". I suggest that quote you found applies to those who prepared this analysis.
Ryan was a member of Obozo's famous Deficit Reduction Commission, you remember that, don't you? You don't? That's ok, neither does Obozo, it was just a phony prop.
Ryan has incorporated many of the suggestions made by reasonable Ds, yes, the three that still inhabit the planet, including those of Slick Willie's budget director Erskine Bowles.
Guess you'll have to sell your tricycle to fund your healthcare costs, eh vtwin? Well as V.P. Biteme said, "we all have to have skin in the game".
Warrior | 4.6.11 @ 11:25AM
Flat or fair tax can close all loopholes and do away with a majority of the IRS.
SilentNoMore| 4.6.11 @ 11:30AM
Ryan and his colleagues need to be VERY careful over the PR campaign with this budget. I can see it now: Ryan's budget (or some very close compromise) gets passed and it does many of the things that it promises over the next 1-2 years. The economy and standard of living significantly improve as a result. What happens next? The 2012 election! And who gets the credit? Obama.
Ryan and the conservatives MUST control the debate, expose the Dems for the demagogues that they are, and take credit where credit is due and NOT let Obama and his cronies steal the spotlight. This must be done preemptively and effectively. Our Repub Reps and Senators should be taking this message to the public as the MSM will not, and while talk radio, the internet, and Fox News are large outlets, there are many "independents" who are not plugged in and will believe anything that hisses from the forked tongues of slick snake-oil-salesman Dem politicians or MSM newscasters.
Pelligrino| 4.6.11 @ 11:45AM
When does the swift reduction and elimination (about 20-25) of federal agencies and bureaucracies begin?
Until we have an intial 20% reduction in ALL budgets for ALL US Federal government agencies with follow-on annual 10% reductions for 10 years...we will make no meaningful forward progress.
The only way to tie these cheats' hands is to ELIMINATE, physically eliminate government itself.
Additionally, until the US Government has its books balanced and isn't placing American citizens into debt, all employees of the Federal government (AND those on Federal government retiree pensions) have their salaries reduced by 20%. 50% salary reductions for all those in the US Congress and in the upper tiers of the executive and judicial branches.
Wayne | 4.6.11 @ 11:59AM
He has done a pretty good job, but it is only about half way their. We should be talking about tax cuts to fuel a recovery. We need to cut departments like the Department of Education and the Department of Energy. We need to get out of the business of funding research. We need to get out of the business of being the world's policeman and we need to drop government salaries to be more in line with the private sector.
But we know that in order to implement this we need a conservative house, senate and white house. Hopefully that's not too late.
Who Knows?| 4.6.11 @ 12:04PM
Another bulls eye shot, Mr. Ferrara!
I always try to be realistic, and so with all due respect to all the “Paul Ryan is bitchin’” excitement about his simply brilliant proposal---which, by the way, is actually just good old American common sense: where’s THAT been in D.C., for decades????---
Hope for the best, and expect---and prepare for---the worst.
The American political sausage machine, ‘er, lawmaking system, is PURPOSELY created to be “conservative”, in that there are so many checks and balances. Thus, it always takes a LOT of time and convincing effort, with usually an obvious crisis thrown in, to bring about big changes.
Therefore, as we all really already OVER-know, the Ryan plan is just the first shot in the battle to save America.
It will go nowhere.
Everybody in D.C with the least amount of historical awareness knows this.
They aren’t almost all LAWYERS, there, for nothing!
So, the fact is that the ONLY date that truly matters is the first Tuesday in November of 2012.
Obama and the Senate, under the control of the jackass party, vastly outweigh the House Republicans, right?
The old saw about “the president proposes, the Congress disposes”, still basically applies, even though Obama is quite the reluctant “proposing” type.
We’re just going to have to live through the next 580 days or so, trying to win the argument, and day by day keep the jackasses from spending too much, until that election day arrives.
Keep in mind this---
“You see an egg and demand a crowing cock, see a crossbow pellet and demand a roast dove.” Chuang Tzu
That’s a NO NO!
W| 4.6.11 @ 12:05PM
vtwin, thank you for the updates from SEIU
Drunken Sailor| 4.6.11 @ 12:31PM
Is it just me or does Vtwin just not seem to have his enthusasim for bashing the Republicans today? Vtwin, are you not feeling well or just having a hard time trying to find a way to punch holes in Ryans plan since he had a few Democrats help craft it and it aligns with much of the debt commsions recommendations? Just curious.
Doug| 4.6.11 @ 12:42PM
You kind of answered your own concerns. Does Obama and Reid think their side is stupid? Yes they do, and they are correct. Afterall, Obama got elected with a horrible record of not showing up for votes, hiding all personal information, having no experience, and coming from a racist America hating church. Reid got reelected after all his bafoonery.
Grzmlyk| 4.6.11 @ 12:48PM
Well, well, well. Vtwit is back from his morning's rape and pillage sorty.
What was your plunder today, Vtwit?
ENOUGH ROPE| 4.6.11 @ 12:58PM
Let us pray that the Democrats have been given enough rope to hang themselves for generations.
Steve A| 4.6.11 @ 1:08PM
Grzmlyk, Go easy on vtwin. He is trying to get 1 right. He is currently on an 0 for 365 streak & has been pressing a bit.
Yesterday I suggested he simply guess on his opinions. This should bring him around 50% but I don't think he is taking my advice.
ann| 4.6.11 @ 1:10PM
The democratically controlled main stream media will begin to shout that seniors and children will starve, the poor will suffer, etc. etc. blah, blah, blah and the "nation of sheep" will believe everything that is printed in the NYT and Paul Ryan's budget will be headed for the papershredder.
Grzmlyk| 4.6.11 @ 1:21PM
Steve A, I am trying to go easy on VTwit.
But if you can't hit a fast ball, you shouldn't keep going to bat, no?
And besides, I take no pity on rapists.
Even ones who are merely trying to serve their lord and master by regurgitating pre-fab platitudes, pabulum and phony statistics to support lies - all so they can keep cashing checks they didn't earn and patting themselves on the back for calling their thuggery "compassion."
Steve A| 4.6.11 @ 1:31PM
Grzmlyk, You make some excellent points, as usual.
PS: Never mind a fastball, vtwin is a swing & miss on the tee.
Purpleguy| 4.6.11 @ 1:38PM
This, from the party of "Kill the Beast" and "Government is the Problem" ... budget balancing my foot. This is good ol' fashioned bait & switch pushing the right wing ideology on all America. People are not that stupid. Only Ryan and the new Republican Governors could unite Seniors, Union workers (and their families), Students, Hispanics and assure you will have President Obama again for the 2013-2017 election cycle. Good Job, Paul!
Notice there is little or no mention of Defense budgeting or raising taxes on the wealthy. Oh, and how psychic with the unemployment rate dropping to say that a million more jobs will be created in the next year ... how interesting, since the 2012 budget doesn't go into affect until October 2012, a full year and half from now. What has that budget got to do with jobs now?
In the meantime, gutting Medicare to privatize it - and that's what that is in Ryan's proposal - gutting Medicaid so the States can "handle" it themselves, right, and Social Security isn't far behind. The American people will see this shill for what he is .. a corporate hack in pretty clothing and will reject these horrible policies. Luckily, this bill will be DOA and will not get past the Senate or the President - despite Eric Cantor's lack of knowledge of how a bill is passed through the American Government.
Grzmlyk| 4.6.11 @ 2:06PM
True, Steve A:
Still, I'd like to think that Vtwit might serve some function on this planet - other than as an insensate, serial-raping moron spouting lies for the corrupt state, of course.
Just as some of history's most egregious criminals have donated their bodies to science so their diseased brains can be studied, I'd like to ask that Vtwit finally make himself useful and allow us to open his cranium and dissect the small piece of gray matter that isn't crowded out by leftist propaganda regurgitation equipment.
I'd love to get in there with a very powerful microscope (it would have to be) and find those pathology-infected cells that tell the collective liberal false consciousness (for each liberal is merely a separate tentacle emanating from the same cancerous organism) that it can plunder, steal, vandalize, rape and otherwise destroy society to its heart's content; it can force one group of people it doesn't know or care about to give its money to another group of people it doesn't know or care about and, as long as it spouts empty platitudes about "social justice" and "fairness" and "compassion," it can look in the mirror and see a "good" person staring back at them.
And those who receive a piece of the action from this institutional theft are somehow even better human beings BECAUSE of their abject corruption. I mean, is liberalism great or what? The shittier you are, the better you are!
I'd love to know the mechanism by which liberals have arrived at the conclusion that they are inoculated against evil and, as a result, they can be as selfish, greedy, nihilistic, avaricious, craven and vain as they want to be - and the piéce de résistance is that they still get to blame conservatives for the ugliness they alone have created.
Because, frankly, I’m stumped.
somnolence| 4.6.11 @ 2:08PM
I couldn't possibly support Paul Ryan for President. He voted for TARP and the GM bailout among other discrepancies. However, this is a start perhaps on his road to redemption.
Don| 4.6.11 @ 2:13PM
Your Purpleness,
The 2012 budget goes into effect in October 2011. You open your mouth and remove all doubt, don't you?
Paul Ryan for President.
ann| 4.6.11 @ 2:17PM
reply to VTWIN: how about the democrats give all US citizens the same health care package as Harry Reid and Princess Pelosi? The dems don't care about seniors, if Obamacare stays put the death panels will wipe out seniors faster than you can say f*em
Drunken Sailor| 4.6.11 @ 2:21PM
Purpleguy.
You stated: "since the 2012 budget doesn't go into affect until October 2012, a full year and half from now. What has that budget got to do with jobs now"
Hate to rain on your rant but the 2012 fisical year starts Oct 2011. You know, 6 months from now.
I get you don't like the plan. What is yours and what are your credentials that tell us you know what in the hell you are talking about?
skip| 4.6.11 @ 2:35PM
Interesting acronym.
Grounded Responses Zinging Mendacious Liberal Yellow Knavery?
Re 2:06 pm post: Perhaps liberal behavior is proof satan exists.
Grzmlyk| 4.6.11 @ 2:38PM
Yeah, Purple Guy, the American People are just itching to throw more money into the insatiable maw of big goverment.
You know, because it's fun to support a metastasizing, malignant bureaucrat class, a cancer that is starving the shrinking productive class of nutrients. (I know, I know: as long as we have printing presses and IOU's, what's to worry about?)
After all, while home prices plumet everywhere else, real estate keeps going up, up, up in the DC area - and why not? Everybody's scrambling to get on the gravy train! All aboard (except for you suckers who are footing the bill)!
So purple guy, what's your take of the stolen loot? Come on, share with the group.
George True| 4.6.11 @ 3:39PM
Griz, Purp can't answer you, because like all leftists he has no argument. All he can do, just like Vtwit and Jfart, is name-call and demagogue, just like their leftist handlers and overlords. But a logical argument? They would not have a clue what such a thing looks like.
Purp was again beating the drum about "taxing the rich", as if that would solve anything. Peabrains like him do not care that "the rich" already pay 95% of all federal income taxes collected. I know a number of people who are "rich" and even with high-dollar CPA's, they pay through the nose. They already pay many times more in taxes each year than most of the rest of us earn. "The rich" are already taking it in the shorts each year and yet that's still not enough for the likes of Purp and his kind. If the government taxed "the rich" at 100% and confiscated all their assets, it would STILL not be enough to cover the shortfall in revenue.
The left has no solutions, and no logical arguments. They CREATED the problems that now beset all of us. Like a hoard of locusts, they destroy everything in their path, and then move on to the next thing they can suck the life out of and leave a dessicated husk in their wake.
And then, after destroying EVERYBODY's economic safety net, they have the gall to say, "Oh, it's for the children! And for the poor old people!" Never admitting that it is their own rapacious tax and spend policies that has put the children and the poor and the oldsters on the brink of the cliff in the first place.
Grzmlyk| 4.6.11 @ 4:06PM
Hi George: Yes, the left uses women and children as human shields to protect them from being rousted from their very well-feathered nests.
The only way they can justify their macro-economic philosophy is to view individuals - which the constitution, when we honored it, used to protect - as abstractions; various classes of oppressed groups who are nothing but theoretical inventions.
In addition to your point about how much the rich already pay for a freeloading society off of whose teat Purpleguy, Vtwit and other classic trolls suck, another inescapable fact is this: You could confiscate all of the wealth in America right now and it wouldn't even put a dent in our long term debt problems; indeed, as history shows, all it would do is accelerate profligate spending.
Fundamentally, liberals choose to ignore how wealth is created. They believe there is a finite amount of cash in the world and it's all being hoarded by greedy republicans who have it locked in a room somewhere.
Never mind the fact that good liberal charlatans like Al Gore can siphon off billions of dollars from productive companies by selling the snake oil of global warming; the truth is that a great many of the wealthiest people in this country - Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs et al come to mind - are Democrats in good standing.
But it's only fun being a Democrat if you're spending other people's money - not your own. And even though Gates is an example of a guy who gives away tons of money, it's HIS money and he's spending it as HE wants to; in addition, I notice he's still living mighty large. Why, how many oppressed "undocumented workers" could take shelter in Gates' gigantic house? Selfish bastard. I think we ought to invoke Kelo and confiscate his house - you know, for the common good.
Another thing liberals don't get is that socialism can only survive if the capitalism they hate so much is thriving. Socialism is a classic parasite that sucks the nutrients of capitalism out of the free market and feeds the ever-growing tumor of state largesse. Inevitably this leads to the tumor becoming larger than the host and eventually killing it off.
Socialism produces absolutely no wealth; it is, however, extremely efficient at producing misery, chaos and shortages.
Purpleguy| 4.6.11 @ 7:38PM
I am rich ppl, I'm just not a selfish, nasty, greedy bastard like some of you seem to be. I don't need the government, but it never ceases to amaze me how many of you who need the government now and then, if not always will downgrade the government. But then, if I hadn't made it in life I might have to attack someone else for my deficiencies.
Glein| 4.6.11 @ 8:27PM
Bravo Paul Ryan! Attack! Ignore Boehner and the the running dog Republicans, Democrats, and Obama, who will not face reality in order to preserve their privileged positions. Wake up America this is a fight for our Democratic Republic! This is a fight for the future! Defeat Obama in 2012!
Bruce Berger| 4.6.11 @ 8:49PM
Purpleguy,
C'mon. Does the 2012 budget take effect on October 1, 2011 or on October 1, 2012? You are so smart (and so sure of yourself), please do tell.
Impeach Don't Wait| 4.6.11 @ 9:00PM
George True said: "The Democrats are an existential threat to our economic survival as a country and as individuals."
Well said. Could it be any clearer? My goodness, I don't know how in the world this got to be a bonafide, recognized, accepted political party in the USA. Should have been outlawed. I mean, we used to shun Communism. But look at us now. Being destroyed from within... Happens every time....
Some say he ain't perfect, but Paul Ryan's the best we got, and he never fails to bring hope where it's sorely lacking.
I like martin j smith's suggestion of a debate. With all the work Ryan's doing, I'm afraid Americans will do their usual sloppy work and not READ it, then go out and vote for Obama because, you know, he seems to really care about the poor... and he seems like such a nice guy... blah, blah, blah.
tom B| 4.6.11 @ 11:08PM
I am all for a flat tax or fair tax in principal they both much to commend them. However, I would only support either of these concepts if the Constitutional amendment which allows our present income tax be repealed otherwise the tax and spend boys will find away to tax us twice, once when you earn it and again when you spend it. By the way, yes the 2012 budget does go into effect in Oct. 2011. It is a financial year not a calendar year, it has been this way for about 30 years. Where have you been???
Grzmlyk| 4.6.11 @ 11:54PM
Purple guy, you haven't made it in life.
Needing government "now and then" is a far, far cry from the bloated, corrupt, lazy, Leviathan that exists now, sucking every dollar it can find out of honest people's pockets - who in fact do not "need" government to do anything that isn't laid out in the constitution.
As for you, if you've "made it" and are rich - and it's funny how many trolls insist they're wealthy - why the fuck don't you give it all to the government and live on $45k a year? Put your money where your lying mouth is.k
Dee See| 4.7.11 @ 12:26AM
STOP the dithering
Retroactive IMPEACHMENT of our last
4 Globalist-front administrations
-----HUAC meets NUREMBERG----
for conspiracy and TREASON against the
republic, and, of course,
as ever, mass covert EUGENICS a la this latest
Fukishima cover-up.
Reagan's Penis| 4.7.11 @ 10:28AM
"...brain-dead name calling..." calling out name calling with more name calling.
Stay classy American Spectator
Sticks and Stones| 4.7.11 @ 10:46AM
Want to have an adult conversation? Stop calling it the "Democrat" party and the ACA "ObamaCare". Behave like an adult and maybe someone might take you seriously.
Toady| 4.7.11 @ 1:09PM
I prefer a national sales tax instead of a flat tax. Once we have a flat tax everyone will be claiming a reason why they should be exempted. Almost half the filers pay no federal income tax at all because of the numerous deductions.
With a national sales tax, EVERYONE pays and everyone contributed to the country's expenses.
Toby Calvert-Lee| 4.7.11 @ 1:45PM
I may be being dense here, but why doesn't the house just pass it already and send it to the presidents desk, where he will surely veto it turning any sort of blame for the gov't shutdown onto him
Peppermint Tea| 4.7.11 @ 1:49PM
Too little too late?
We have a $1.65 trillion deficit. If Bernanke doesn't QE3 up this summer, interest rates will double, and double again. If Ben keeps dropping money from helicopters, the inflation rate will continue to soar to 10 percent, 20 percent, 30 percent. The deficit is the reason everything from oil, grain, gold, stocks is rising. We can blame Ben, but the problem is Congress and us.
Nice try, Ryan, now come back with a budget that is balanced in 2012--and make the connection between inflation and deficits, that inflation is a tax on us all!
tom B| 4.7.11 @ 3:42PM
I must be missing something, the Democrats don't want to be called Democrats and Obama's center piece healthcare legislation should not be called Obamacare. I would think that he should be proud to have it named after him if it going to be such a great thing for the American people. Democrat and Obamacare names to be remembered down through the ages......?????
Lou Sarah| 4.7.11 @ 9:21PM
Only someone who believes in the Tooth Fairy would believe that a return to Trickle-Down Economics would take us to 2.8% unemployment. As if the Federal Reserve wouldn`t scramble to slow the economy long before such a scenario surfaced.
The USA needs a return to Trickle-Down Economics like a fish needs a bicycle.
Loaiine| 4.8.11 @ 2:45AM
The worst economic depression since WWII was caused by Bush and his two wars, his "gift" to the rich. Obama is trying to get us out of the hole.
Rev Trask| 4.9.11 @ 9:12AM
We need an adult conversation about this--NOT a return to failed Trickle-Down Economics.
LibertyAtStake | 4.9.11 @ 11:59AM
"With Ryan's budget, the battle lines have now been clearly drawn..."
Precisely. That is why the 2012 budget will necessarily not be resolved without the 2012 election. Which means the debt ceiling fight is our last chance to exact real 2011 cuts.
d(^_^)b
http://libertyatstake.blogspot.com/
"Because the Only Good Progressive is a Failed Progressive"
rusureuwant2know| 4.9.11 @ 1:59PM
The problem is his plan is still a "growth" plan. Government is the sole cause of inflation (requiring businesses to raise prices to pay ever increasing property and income taxes) If his plan doesn't tie government salaries to the cost of living, and if they don't start dealing with the exponential factor of government growth (at all levels) by freezing government salaries and benefits, getting rid of all subsidies, and doing away with handouts to municipalities, we'll be stuck in the same holding pattern we've been in all along; nothing will have changed.
h wladvogel| 4.9.11 @ 7:39PM
Any Republican proposed budget that claims to cut corporate welfare and close tax loopholes is an obvious fraud.
They will be happy to use block grants to cut Medicaid. Those people don't vote Republican anyway.
His medicar e proposal will create a new insurance industry whose profits are based on Congress's wim. A free market to create more PAC money.
They will be happy to stop the millions Obama proposes for alternate energy but won't cut the billion subsidizing the oil companies.
They will be happy to set max tax rates at 25% but never get around to closing all the loopholes.
Creative Recreation | 8.10.11 @ 10:43PM
is good