TCTI: Too Crazy Too Ignore
 Dave Ross
paul_ryan.jpg

I detect artistic license

August 30, 2012 @ 7:07 am (Updated: 8:45 am - 8/30/12 )

cedargrove
Every good drama needs a cliffhanger. And the federal budget is approaching the mother of them all. (AP image)

I like conventions. They're the only TV show where the audience just sits and listens to speeches. But like any dramatic performance, a good speech requires artistic license.

And Paul Ryan was very good at that, for example, talking about the President's Debt Commission:

"They came back with an urgent report he thanked them sent them on their way and then did exactly nothing," Ryan said in his GOP convention speech.

But if I may insert a dramatic flashback, there's a clip from December 2010, where Paul Ryan explains to a breakfast meeting that he himself was voting against the urgent report of that same debt commission:

"So obviously I'm not going to vote for it. The reason I can't vote for the thing is because it not only didn't address the elephant in the room, health care, it made it fatter," Ryan said.

It made health care fatter, he said in 2010. But, jumping back now into the present, here's what he said last night about health care, specifically Medicare:

"A Romney, Ryan administration will protect and strengthen Medicare for my mom's generation, for my generation and for my kids and yours," Ryan said.

Now, it depends on the definition of "strengthen". But if we define it as providing more services than it does now, and covering every generation equally, does that sound less fat? Maybe if doctors and nurses take huge pay cuts. Otherwise you'd have to raise taxes, which Ryan has signed a pledge not to do.

So it remains a mystery. But every good drama needs a cliffhanger. And the federal budget is approaching the mother of them all.

Listen to Dave's commentary:

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Comments (28)


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  • Rick W7PSK wrote...
    are you going to question the Democratic convention
    August 30, 2012 7:53 am
    with the same style and conviction Dave.

    Somehow I doubt not.

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  • ron prevost wrote...
    There you go again with the 'cliff' thing, Dave.
    August 30, 2012 8:11 am
    Cliffhanger / granny off the cliff. ...Getting old.

    But to Medicare. Regardless of any plan Romney/Ryan may present, the was NOT to strengthen Medicare is to cut out $715 BILLION to help fund ObamaCare. ... If for no other reason that WHATEVER services may be provided by 'affordable health care' they can not nor will not be as good as Medicare provides now. Or does the Wizard of Oz hope to keep that little detail hidden? ........ Like 'cutting the payroll tax', which essentially under funds the same Social Security that whatever passes for an Obama budget is constantly diverting to other funding.

    Way to go, guys. And you claim the REPUBLICANS would destroy Medicare and Social Security? ... Heck, give Barry another 4 years and there won't be anything LEFT to destroy.

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  • wsualumn wrote...
    Ron
    August 30, 2012 8:26 am
    No. They won't destroy it. Actually, both sides can take blame. They have chosen to raid it for other programs. It was never intended for other purposes. And both parties can take blame. The GOP approach(The arty that never wanted either one in the first place)wants to privatize social security(great news for Wall Street)and turn Medicare into a voucher program. What insurance companies wnat to take on seniors with major health problems? The Dems want to increase the social security tax and raise the Medicare tax as well. Take your pick. I prefer we stay away from a voucher system and privaitzed social security. Especially when The GOP wants to reduce regulations on Wall Street even more.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Well, Wazzu, that $715B theft ain't going to help anything.
    August 30, 2012 9:03 am
    But (and we still need to see the details) if no one currently 55 or older will even be able to move to whatever system Romney/Ryan present, AND sticking with current SSI/Medicare remains an option, what we are talking about is my kids rolling the dice. IF they want to.

    But, I've seen nothing, at least from Obama, to raise social security and Medicare taxes. Quite the opposite, at least with the payroll tax. Although (along with legalizing and SSI taxing undocumented workers) I've always contended that an upper income limit of - what is it now? - on SSI payments should be eliminated. Make $10M, pay SSI on $10M.

    But, in case you hadn't noticed also, Obama seems to have preempted the GOP on Wall Street.

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  • wsualumn wrote...
    Ron
    August 30, 2012 9:58 am
    What is the differnce between the the $715 Billion theft that you and Ryan claim he is doing and what Ryan is going to do with his $700 Billion reduction? Wouldn't that be considered theft as well? Is this some sort of a game? You say you haven't seen Obama have any plan to raise social security and medicare taxes. I haven't either. I can tell you this though, Obama and Boehner were close to coming to an agreement on a budget. It called for spending cuts and some tax increases. Boehner bailed when he knew he wouldn't get support from The GOP and Grover Norquist because it called for some tax increases. As long as we have this current group of GOP politicians in that will not allow ANY tax increases, little can be done. The Dems are willing to go with cuts and increases. The GOP with only cuts.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Budgets are budgets........... and SSI/Medicare ???
    August 30, 2012 10:14 am
    Wazzu, let's not confuse the budget with Medicare funding. I've got a feeling the GOP just might OK increased SSI, etal. Doubt Obama would, however. And (still) let's make Warren Buffett pay a lot more SSI.

    But what's the difference? Near as I can tell, if EVERYONE chose to stay with the current Medicare, forever, the Ryan plan would need to be rethought as there WOULD BE no reduction. ......... The other is that Obama doesn't even admit to the $715B.

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  • wsualumn wrote...
    RON
    August 30, 2012 12:07 pm
    The GOP will agree to Medicare funding if it comes from anybodt other than Obama. They would view that as a feather in his cap and that won't happen. Warren Buffett would be willing to pay more in SSI. And it's real foolish when I hear The Fox News pundits say "then go ahead and do it." I would do the same if it made a difference. It has to be a collective effort to make a difference. My understanding on The Obama reduction was based upon money that would be saved from this new plan. I know, projections usually don't match reality. My belief is they are both reducing money from Medicare, but which reduction serves the best purpose will be debated from both sides.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Well, Wazzu, I'd tell Buffettt to 'go ahead and PROPOSE it'.
    August 30, 2012 12:34 pm
    Problem being, he said millionaire should pay more INCOME tax, but never a word about SSI.

    The really disappointing thing, however, is that both Social Security and Medicare would be in much better shape had not both sides been screwing things up for the past 20+ years. .

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  • SeattleD wrote...
    When I look at Paul Ryan
    August 30, 2012 7:55 am
    All I see is a freakin lying sack of human excrement.
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  • ron prevost wrote...
    Uh, D.
    August 30, 2012 9:04 am
    that's a mirror you're looking at.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    @Seattle D
    August 30, 2012 5:19 pm
    That is really DEEP...Man you always bring so much intelligence with your post's. Keep up the good work for your fellow Democrats...You really have no clue as to how smart Ryan is, but you'll see when he debates Mr. Drunkeypants Joe Biden
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  • mpgunner wrote...
    Rick - no he won't
    August 30, 2012 7:56 am
    Dave (and Luke) like to use their "critical thinking" on the GOP and laugh. Yet, the bar drops to the ground for the Dem's. Even though Obama provides TON's of material you never hear it on discussed or examined. I think Dave lost his glasses.
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  • hnuh wrote...
    08-30-2012 I detect...
    August 30, 2012 8:09 am
    Yes, yes, very good at identifying the mote in the other fellow's eye aren't we.
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  • Chuck Gould wrote...
    Ryan means he wants to financially strengthen Medicare.
    August 30, 2012 8:26 am
    Not offer more services. Make it last a lot longer, by cutting back what it provides.

    During the zenith of American prosperity, generations labored in exchange for a promise. The promise was, "Give us 15% of your wages every year (7.5% paid by employer before you ever see it, and another 7.5% deducted from your gross pay), and in exchange we will see that you have a modest monthly income and access to medical care in your old age."

    It sounded good on paper, and worked for about 70 years following WWII. However, entire industries emerged to separate elderly Americans from their Medicare benefits. Geriatric health care and nursing home prices went through the roof, and why not? "Somebody else" was paying the bill, it wasn't like it was real money after all.

    Then we figured out how to have as much sex as we wanted while producing substantially fewer offspring. The pyramid began shrinking at the bottom.

    To financially strengthen Medicare you need to cut a lot of people off the program. There's some heartless come-to-Jesus stuff on the near horizon and has to be, regardless which party wins some election or another. We could avoid kicking people off the program by (1) Rigorously resisting price increases by medical service suppliers. (This doesn't work very well- a lot of physicians then simply refuse to accept Medicare patients). Or we could (2) infuse more tax money into the system. (That isn't going to work either, in fact, one of the reasons we need to realize more savings in Medicare is to make possible another tax decrease for the richest few percent of Americans).

    We have painted ourselves into a corner with Social Security and Medicare. Somebody's ox is going to be gored. We can be sure that the rich aren't going to be taxed to balance the books. Current and future retirees can probably expect roll backs, just like several cities have cut pension benefits for previous employees who are *already* retired!

    Economic reality is probably that health care of any kind, at any age, is a privilege reserved for the financially elite. Beyond trying to contain communicable diseases so the children of the rich don't catch something deadly from the offspring of the rabble, maybe there really isn't any practical way for the government to provide free-market access to health care for anybody; 8 months, 8 years, or 8 decades old.

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  • Roark wrote...
    Good response, but what about option 3?
    August 30, 2012 8:41 am
    The third option is to put "market forces" back into the system. You correctly pointed out why costs went out of control. The impression that "It's not real money" takes market forces out of play. If people have incentives to shop around and go with the best deal, other providers will have to lower prices or go out of business. This happens every day in "normal" commerce. Why should health care be any different?
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  • circuitfr wrote...
    just so were clear
    August 30, 2012 11:41 am
    You can tax the " rich " 100% and you wouldn't begin to tickle the wank of liabilities we owe to SS and Medicare. We're beyond the stupid tax argument. Someone's going to get screwed out of all this. The simplist way is to give SS to everyone with a age cut off and forget about it for the rest of younger crowd. If anyone banks of SS for their retirement living, they are fools. I'm 30 and have been paying in for 13 years so far, but I don't expect to see a dime. I would gladly let the feds keep all that money if they would stop sucking it from me from this point forward. Sounds fair to me.
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  • maplefish wrote...
    Good Post Chuck
    August 30, 2012 5:24 pm
    And the truth about ObamaCare is that it will be rationed, the cost will fall squarely on the backs of the middle class and the rich will be able to afford the best. No change, just more bureaucracy and waste....and early death for those the government deems not worth the cost.
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  • Roark wrote...
    Your interpretation of "stronger" is wrong.
    August 30, 2012 8:34 am
    He wants the current system to continue to be funded for 55 and over. He's going to change it for 55 and under by giving other options. If I know that YOU know that Dave. You are using artistic license now aren't you? As for his not voting for the commission's plan, it was precisely because it didn't deal with costs. That's different than criticizing Obama for doing "exactly nothing" with the other ideas that came from the commission. Obama didn't have to take all ideas the commission presented. But he took NONE. Again, if I know this YOU know it Dave.
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  • JayEmmel wrote...
    @Roark, exactly right. Especially Dave's (typical) misleading
    August 30, 2012 2:49 pm
    Obama did nothing with the commission's plan, Ryan improved on it. He's strengthening it by putting reforms in place to keep it viable for the long run. He's doing that by giving those under 55 the option of buying a more cost-effective plan (still funded by their Medicare contributions, but more efficiently spent so the Medicare funds go further and the taxes can be reduced eventually, aka. 'cut'). Ryan's plan does not change current benefits and leaves in the option for those under 55 to choose the same/current plan (which they would be foolish to do, since Dr's won't take it). Dr's & nurses will not get paid less under this reform since it will not be necessary for Gov't to reduce reimbursements if the money is saved elsewhere (by using the money to buy better & cheaper private plans). Dave either doesn't understand the plan or is blowing smoke to purposefully confuse & scare people, as Democrats always do.
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  • Kitsapbass wrote...
    Wow. What a day.
    August 30, 2012 9:17 am
    I agree with wsualumn (well, the first part) and Chuck Gould on the same thread. Imagine that.
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  • DesertRez wrote...
    That's because
    August 30, 2012 10:30 am
    when a pol says "I will form a commission" it means I am washing my hands of this problem and will do nothing.
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  • irony wrote...
    auto bail out fail
    August 30, 2012 10:57 am
    the 2nd auto bail out was needed so they could pay off the first bail out. now the volt isn't selling as much as hoped so it might take another bail out to save it. i will never buy chevy again, not even used.
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  • Hayduke wrote...
    Hmm, what does FOX News have to say about Ryan's speech?
    August 30, 2012 2:08 pm
    "Dazzling, Deceiving, and Distracting":

    http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/08/30/paul-ryans-speech-in-three-words/#ixzz251rvLkSe

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  • maplefish wrote...
    Hayduke You're a Moron
    August 30, 2012 5:31 pm
    Sally Kohn is one of the DEMOCRAT commentators on FOX. Like Alan Colms, Bob Beckell & Juan Williams....You are so desperate that it's pathetic. Your Messiah is a FAILURE and there is nothing anyone on the Left can do to save his sorry A S S
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