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In an op-ed for USA Today, Mitt Romney explains how he would cut federal spending. He lists a number of cuts that would bring spending down by $500 billion by the end of his first term, and acknowledges that long-term spending restrating will require reforming Medicare. Here's how he would do it: 

Reforms should not affect current seniors or those near retirement, and tax hikes should be off the table....

Tomorrow's Medicare should give beneficiaries a generous defined contribution and allow them to choose between private plans and traditional Medicare. And lower-income future retirees should receive the most assistance. I believe that competition will improve Medicare and the coverage that seniors receive. 

Although this is only the broadest of outlines, it seems like Romney has something like the plan developed by Alice Rivlin and Pete Domenici of the Bipartisan Policy Center. See, for instance, this recent testimony by Rivlin: 

Romney will have to offer more details about his plan before it can fully be evaluated, but at the very least it should be noted that an approach along these lines could yield significant Medicare savings, and would almost certainly improve the quality of Medicare. 

There are at least two reasons why Paul Ryan's premium support model could prove to be a better choice. In terms of policy, Romney's Medicare reform might be easier for a Democratic president to reverse, because it would keep traditional Medicare in place. Politically, it's more feasible than the Ryan plan, but that could also prove to be a weakness: it's not a strong opening bid. All the same, the fact that Romney is sketching out a plan for reforming entitlements is probably one reason that Ryan is comfortable with the prospect of a Romney presidency.

View all comments (7) | Leave a comment

Chuck| 11.3.11 @ 5:41PM

Romney "hints" defines the article to come. Medicare, Medicaid, Obamacare and every other entitlement known to mankind will go untouch. What Romney says evasively always I might add and what he does is the same broken down scratchy record that is played over and over and over again.

Bumr50| 11.3.11 @ 5:44PM

Why is anyone still talking about Mitt Romney?

PFarthing| 11.3.11 @ 5:51PM

Because he's the likely nominee, probably.

Bumr50| 11.3.11 @ 6:38PM

That's a crying shame, because he's never going to be President.

PFarthing| 11.3.11 @ 7:34PM

If Mitt gets the nomination the ONLY way he loses to Obama is if there is a Conservative third party challenger. And the only way you end up with a Conservative third party challenger is if the Tea Party is stupid enough to ... okay maybe you're right.

bkirkwood| 11.3.11 @ 7:28PM

Oh, look everybody! Mittens actually dipped his big toe in the Entitlement Pool! What does he demand in return? A gold medal in the 200m backstroke?

LC JB| 11.4.11 @ 12:22AM

"A gold medal in the 200m backstroke?"

Nope, he wants a coupon book good for a world tour of hair salons.

But he does look presidential, eh? You know the same one seen on late-night ambulance chaser TV ads.

Just in case anyone thought differently, is it really, REALLY surprising that MM and PJM are joining the Cain mud fest? I mean, Allahpundit would like to play prison showers with Mittens after-all.

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More Blog Posts by Joseph Lawler

http://spectator.org/blog/2011/11/03/romney-hints-at-medicare-refor

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