(off for a few days to get the feel of real America.)
The title ,which refers to Senator Kyl's preposterous statements on Planned Parenthood, now has become the calls for Democrats on almost anything the GOP has been saying in Congress. Finally there is a catchy way to call out all the lies that are being said everyday on everything.
Paul Krugman picked up on Congressman Ryan's attack on President Obama's deficit speech by saying it was "wildly inaccurate." Krugman noted that this comes from someone who made a $200 billion error on the interest America will have to pay and even a bigger error on Medicaid costs.
The Ryan Plan ups the age of Medicare eligibility to 67. And there is literally no statement from the health insurance industry they would even insure seniors. That is totally an unknown to this plan. In any event, the Plan would incrase insurance premiums for all seniors above the value of the so-called vouchers. As the President noted, this plan would vastly increase out of pocket expenses.
This morning the House soundly defeated the budget proposal of the Progressive Caucus. What's so interesting about their proposal was that it would actually produce a budget surplus by 2021. That's fiscal conservatism at its best. The point was drilled home in a Q and A by Congressman Keith Ellison, who asked his Republican counterparts when the Ryan Plan would produce a surplus. The answer was a resounding crickets. It would not.
This morning the Republican Study Group offered an even more draconian budget plan, which would have ended the entitlements and virtually gutted all discretionary spending, while providing really enormous tax breaks for the rich. In a wonderful parliamentary maneuver, the Democrats, knowing that the Republicans expected them to provide the votes to kill the Plan, decided to vote "present", which would have allowed this totally mad plan to pass. It failed by a 119-136 vote and split the Republican House. Well-played. The visuals of Republicans scrambling to change their votes is a delight to see.
Before leaving for Easter recess, the House really did take a vote on the Ryan Budget. Only one year earlier,the same Republican members campaigned that Democrats would gut Medicare. And now in a politically stunning move, they opted to vote on a plan that would change Medicare in a way that has never existed and would gut Medicaid. President Obama had been right that this was an attack on the way America has been for generations.
For weeks, Republican strategists said that such a vote might lose the Republicans the House in 2012. Democratic strategists were salivating for members to put their names to this radical proposal, which is opposed, depending on the poll, from 59 to 76%.
The Vote was 235 Republicans for and only 4 against. All 189 Democrats voted no.
Missing from any commentary on any of this is the fact that such wholesale changes to programs affecting tens of millions of Americans were never debated in committee, never discussed openly. We never heard from the health insurance industry what they felt about this and they are the big funder of the Republicans. There were no technicians to suggest tweeking this here or there. The whole Democratic process was ignored.
Remember when Republicans howled that the Affordable Care Act had been rammed through Congress. Like in 18 months of endless televised debates. This was all done in secret and the public only heard about the bare bones of the plan for two weeks until the House decided to approve it.
These people are not serious about solving any serious problem facing the country. They are serious about their ideology, and serious about their wiful ignorance.
David Brooks is hurt. He says the two most brilliant people in Washington are Paul Ryan and Barack Obama. He laments the two didn't bond and he faults President Obama for not inviting Ryan to lunch. This social gaffe, according to Brooks, means there can be no compromises. Sadly, there is some truth to the Republicans feeling left out and therefore voted to dismantle programs affecting nearly 100 million people because their feelings were hurt. And that was meant to be a factual statement.
Showing posts with label Paul Krugman on Ryan's Plan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Paul Krugman on Ryan's Plan. Show all posts
Friday, April 15, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Beats Me
So Barack Obama caved to the Republicans on the budget deal. Or did he? Now AP reports that Obama protected all his priorities in the deal and gave in on things that either could not be spent anyway or weren't important to him. Boehner, they said, came away with more budget cuts than he wanted. But then again he didn't defund Planned Parenthood and Obamacare.
Progressives are hopping mad because Obama has bought into the whole cut,cut frame of the debate when we still have to secure a strong economic recovery. The right's criticism of the budget deal is so batshit crazy no one can figure it out.
Paul Krugman is still punching away on the Ryan Plan. It's not that it is too radical, it's just that it is fraudulent, says Krugman. It basically doesn't deal with anything in the real universe in any timely matter. And the numbers do not add up.
From a different point of David Stockman blasted Ryan's plan for not addressing the deficit and debt problem. Stockman claimed that any serious plan would have to deal with revenues (Ryan's doesn't), defense cuts (Ryan's doesn't) and entitlements (which, according to Stockman, doesn't except to hide the issue by privatizing Medicare.)
The next real big battle--incredibly so--is raising the debt ceiling. Nate Silver did an excellent piece on his website 538 where he shows that the Republicans in poker language have shown the "tells", the signs they have no leverage despite the bluff.
Silver actually summarizes what a cataclysm would actually happen if the US did not raise the debt ceiling. Even the White House spokesman is using terms like cataclysm and armaggeddon about it. Silver points out that the dire consequences of failing to raise the debt ceiling would mean that every incumbent, including President Obama would be voted out of office. The results, which would last years, would be unbearable for Americans, even the wealthy.
Barack Obama is again caving say the progressives when he will address the nation on his plans to cut the deficit and the national debt. It is rumored that he will embrace the Bowles-Simpson--The Catfood Commission's-- recommendations. Not all that is bad.
He would ask the wealthier to contribute more to Social Security, which would put it on secure grounds, and he would ask for increased taxes on the wealthier Americans and propose cuts in defense spending. Over 81% of Americans favor a surtax on those people earning over $1 million a year and on billionaires. Interestingly, Dave Stockman said that these taxes would not be enough and that the middle class would have to pay more.
So will Obama cave? And what does that mean? Richard Wolfe says that the Obama White House has been planning for this moment since the December deal. He claims that President Obama was waiting for the unveiling of the Ryan Plan and the torrent of criticism of it. Then President Obama will emerged as the only sane person in the room and set the language of the debate. Wonderful if true but alot of people are concerned that the insane is dictating the terms and rhythmn of the debate. This means Obama always ends up negitiating with himself before he even meets Republican obstructionism. There is real concern among progressives about Obama's true identity. Is he really a Democrat?
Meanwhile PPP has a devastating poll out on attitudes toward the Republican House. Americans were happier with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats by wide margins. Democrats has over a 5 point generic lead right now. John Boehner is finally beginning to be known by the public and he isn't liked. Some of the state polling is fascinating. For instance, in New Hampshire the approval ratings for the new Republicans have gone through the floor--making Scott Walker look popular. Charlie Cook still holds to the view that the Republicans will lose the House in 2012 if they allow the vote to privatize Medicare. As of today, they really are going ahead with it. Make our Day!
Oh by the way, Mitt Romney announced for President on the fifth anniversary of Romneycare. He adopted the same campaign slogan as John Kerry. And he's running as a CEO who knows how to create jobs--even though he never has. It all came off clumsy and he comes off as an empty suit. But who knows--Mormons are in this year.
Progressives are hopping mad because Obama has bought into the whole cut,cut frame of the debate when we still have to secure a strong economic recovery. The right's criticism of the budget deal is so batshit crazy no one can figure it out.
Paul Krugman is still punching away on the Ryan Plan. It's not that it is too radical, it's just that it is fraudulent, says Krugman. It basically doesn't deal with anything in the real universe in any timely matter. And the numbers do not add up.
From a different point of David Stockman blasted Ryan's plan for not addressing the deficit and debt problem. Stockman claimed that any serious plan would have to deal with revenues (Ryan's doesn't), defense cuts (Ryan's doesn't) and entitlements (which, according to Stockman, doesn't except to hide the issue by privatizing Medicare.)
The next real big battle--incredibly so--is raising the debt ceiling. Nate Silver did an excellent piece on his website 538 where he shows that the Republicans in poker language have shown the "tells", the signs they have no leverage despite the bluff.
Silver actually summarizes what a cataclysm would actually happen if the US did not raise the debt ceiling. Even the White House spokesman is using terms like cataclysm and armaggeddon about it. Silver points out that the dire consequences of failing to raise the debt ceiling would mean that every incumbent, including President Obama would be voted out of office. The results, which would last years, would be unbearable for Americans, even the wealthy.
Barack Obama is again caving say the progressives when he will address the nation on his plans to cut the deficit and the national debt. It is rumored that he will embrace the Bowles-Simpson--The Catfood Commission's-- recommendations. Not all that is bad.
He would ask the wealthier to contribute more to Social Security, which would put it on secure grounds, and he would ask for increased taxes on the wealthier Americans and propose cuts in defense spending. Over 81% of Americans favor a surtax on those people earning over $1 million a year and on billionaires. Interestingly, Dave Stockman said that these taxes would not be enough and that the middle class would have to pay more.
So will Obama cave? And what does that mean? Richard Wolfe says that the Obama White House has been planning for this moment since the December deal. He claims that President Obama was waiting for the unveiling of the Ryan Plan and the torrent of criticism of it. Then President Obama will emerged as the only sane person in the room and set the language of the debate. Wonderful if true but alot of people are concerned that the insane is dictating the terms and rhythmn of the debate. This means Obama always ends up negitiating with himself before he even meets Republican obstructionism. There is real concern among progressives about Obama's true identity. Is he really a Democrat?
Meanwhile PPP has a devastating poll out on attitudes toward the Republican House. Americans were happier with Nancy Pelosi and the Democrats by wide margins. Democrats has over a 5 point generic lead right now. John Boehner is finally beginning to be known by the public and he isn't liked. Some of the state polling is fascinating. For instance, in New Hampshire the approval ratings for the new Republicans have gone through the floor--making Scott Walker look popular. Charlie Cook still holds to the view that the Republicans will lose the House in 2012 if they allow the vote to privatize Medicare. As of today, they really are going ahead with it. Make our Day!
Oh by the way, Mitt Romney announced for President on the fifth anniversary of Romneycare. He adopted the same campaign slogan as John Kerry. And he's running as a CEO who knows how to create jobs--even though he never has. It all came off clumsy and he comes off as an empty suit. But who knows--Mormons are in this year.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Paul Ryan's Magical Mystery Tour--The Call For National Suicide
The economists--those pointy-headed liberals--have all weighed in on the 2012 GOP budget and --well--they politely point out that none of the assumptions are realistic and the numbers don't work, even if you agree that the federal government should be eviscerated.
The Washington Post gave the Ryan's plan two pinocchios on the fact-checking its accuracy. Paul Krugman, who initially got deflected by the stunning abolition of Medicare, recovers today to say that Paul Ryan's visions depends an awful lot on unicorn sightings--a belief in the impossible. Contrary to fellow new York Times' op-ed writer, David Brooks, Krugman writes, "This is not a serious proposal! It's a strange combination of cruelty and insanely wishful thinking."
Dean Baker, the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, discovered another nugget to contemplate. Ryan's healthcare plan would mean that seniors would end up paying most of their income for healthcare. Incredible. On the United States eventually having a 2.1% unemployment rate, Dean Baker believes that the authors of the Ryan plan "just misprogrammed it." He points that the unemployment rate drops to this level in the outyears, even though the budgets says they will have created only 900,000 extra jobs.
Since the unemployment figures are all based on the Heritage Foundation's analysis, MIT economist Jonathan Gruber says,"the Heritage numbers are insane." For the full array of disbelief, check out Benjy Sarlan's piece in www.talkingpointsmemo.com .
I haven't even looked at the Republican war against infrastructure funding and education yet. But the glimpses of the America, Ryan wants is pathetic. With the new GOP 2012 budget,$89 billion will be privately invested in residential real estate. Over the next decade,nearly $1 trillion would be invested and this will be where the majority of the new jobs will be created. Not only is all that b.s. but it tells you that the Repubicans are committed to a FIRE economy--Finance, Insurance and Real Estate. This is precisely the reason the country is losing its competitive edge and the quality of its life style. What you see is doubling down on a commitment to an economy that can not be sustained and nor should it.
But let's face it, the primary funders of the New Republicans are these industries. The health insurance industry gets a guaranteed permanent livelihood. The finance industry with their lobbyists writing the laws get their piece of the pie. And the real estate interests are encouraged to be the engine of the economy. Remember the arsenal of democracy and the industrial power that generated the recovery from the Great Depression, now we will be powered by Groucho Marx selling real estate in Florida. If you want an ideological plan that was developed by intellectual pygmies, this is it.
Oh yes, no alternative energy sources and no high-speed rail. Now that is the preference of the oilies but think about it. Ryan's economy envisions an immediate boom through 2050. So it's natural to think that oil consumption would rise enormously. And we do have other competitors with real economies eating the same oil. So where does the energy come from?
More nonsense:
Interest rates in the Ryan plan will fall from the CBO baseline by roughly .35%--even though interest rates are at historic lows now. By 2021, the percentage of GDP spent on discretionary domestic budget items, excluding non-health items and social security, will fall from the current 12% to 6%. By 2050, this will be down to 3%. Of course, Paul Ryan will not tell you what programs are being cut.
Mark Halperin weighs in that at least the GOP have a plan but where's Obama's. beam me up, Scottie. I distinctly remember President Obama releasing a 2012 budget with cuts, a freeze on government salaries, and investments in alternative energy and education. And it seems to me a more rational point of departure for the debate then to debate whether we should have a government in this time of economic uncertainty.
More political types have analyzed the Ryan Plan and observed that it guts Medicare, which is one of the programs President Obama expanded to cover health care costs for children and the underprivileged. What this means is that the Republicans want to prevent any implementation of health reform.
Others observe that the Ryan Plan omits any discussion of increasing revenues for government, except the pie-in-the-sky thought that tax cuts generate revenue. Instead, the middle class, the poor and the elderly will absorb a greater tax burden and they get to see costs for health care ,etc. rise.
Still others observe the curious lack of any historical precedents or comparative examples. In other words,there is nothing in this plan that has ever been test-driven and proved successful. And the consequences for failure here is truly calamitous.
To get a sense of how the Ryan Plan would work,watch the experiments in state government in Florida and Michigan. These are the two states that have taken the radical measures advocated by Ryan and deserve watching closely.
The Washington Post gave the Ryan's plan two pinocchios on the fact-checking its accuracy. Paul Krugman, who initially got deflected by the stunning abolition of Medicare, recovers today to say that Paul Ryan's visions depends an awful lot on unicorn sightings--a belief in the impossible. Contrary to fellow new York Times' op-ed writer, David Brooks, Krugman writes, "This is not a serious proposal! It's a strange combination of cruelty and insanely wishful thinking."
Dean Baker, the co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, discovered another nugget to contemplate. Ryan's healthcare plan would mean that seniors would end up paying most of their income for healthcare. Incredible. On the United States eventually having a 2.1% unemployment rate, Dean Baker believes that the authors of the Ryan plan "just misprogrammed it." He points that the unemployment rate drops to this level in the outyears, even though the budgets says they will have created only 900,000 extra jobs.
Since the unemployment figures are all based on the Heritage Foundation's analysis, MIT economist Jonathan Gruber says,"the Heritage numbers are insane." For the full array of disbelief, check out Benjy Sarlan's piece in www.talkingpointsmemo.com .
I haven't even looked at the Republican war against infrastructure funding and education yet. But the glimpses of the America, Ryan wants is pathetic. With the new GOP 2012 budget,$89 billion will be privately invested in residential real estate. Over the next decade,nearly $1 trillion would be invested and this will be where the majority of the new jobs will be created. Not only is all that b.s. but it tells you that the Repubicans are committed to a FIRE economy--Finance, Insurance and Real Estate. This is precisely the reason the country is losing its competitive edge and the quality of its life style. What you see is doubling down on a commitment to an economy that can not be sustained and nor should it.
But let's face it, the primary funders of the New Republicans are these industries. The health insurance industry gets a guaranteed permanent livelihood. The finance industry with their lobbyists writing the laws get their piece of the pie. And the real estate interests are encouraged to be the engine of the economy. Remember the arsenal of democracy and the industrial power that generated the recovery from the Great Depression, now we will be powered by Groucho Marx selling real estate in Florida. If you want an ideological plan that was developed by intellectual pygmies, this is it.
Oh yes, no alternative energy sources and no high-speed rail. Now that is the preference of the oilies but think about it. Ryan's economy envisions an immediate boom through 2050. So it's natural to think that oil consumption would rise enormously. And we do have other competitors with real economies eating the same oil. So where does the energy come from?
More nonsense:
Interest rates in the Ryan plan will fall from the CBO baseline by roughly .35%--even though interest rates are at historic lows now. By 2021, the percentage of GDP spent on discretionary domestic budget items, excluding non-health items and social security, will fall from the current 12% to 6%. By 2050, this will be down to 3%. Of course, Paul Ryan will not tell you what programs are being cut.
Mark Halperin weighs in that at least the GOP have a plan but where's Obama's. beam me up, Scottie. I distinctly remember President Obama releasing a 2012 budget with cuts, a freeze on government salaries, and investments in alternative energy and education. And it seems to me a more rational point of departure for the debate then to debate whether we should have a government in this time of economic uncertainty.
More political types have analyzed the Ryan Plan and observed that it guts Medicare, which is one of the programs President Obama expanded to cover health care costs for children and the underprivileged. What this means is that the Republicans want to prevent any implementation of health reform.
Others observe that the Ryan Plan omits any discussion of increasing revenues for government, except the pie-in-the-sky thought that tax cuts generate revenue. Instead, the middle class, the poor and the elderly will absorb a greater tax burden and they get to see costs for health care ,etc. rise.
Still others observe the curious lack of any historical precedents or comparative examples. In other words,there is nothing in this plan that has ever been test-driven and proved successful. And the consequences for failure here is truly calamitous.
To get a sense of how the Ryan Plan would work,watch the experiments in state government in Florida and Michigan. These are the two states that have taken the radical measures advocated by Ryan and deserve watching closely.
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