I beat up on the Republicans a lot, but I want to point out the alternative budget proposal put forth by Wisconsin Republican Paul Ryan. His proposal eliminates the deficit and takes care of the entitlement crisis. It does so by eliminating Medicare and giving seniors vouchers they can use to buy health insurance. If health insurance premiums go up at a higher rate than the voucher amount, it will fall to seniors to make up the difference. His proposal is not something I’d support, but it is an honest attempt to engage with the budget problems the country faces long term, which is more than you can say for most of what Republicans put forth. He argues in favor of his proposal in this interview with Ezra Klein.
February 3, 2010 at 10:36 am
Kevin Drum was not as impressed: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2010/02/paul-ryans-smoke-and-mirrors
February 3, 2010 at 11:03 am
I’m just impressed that he’s willing to put a plan out there that openly states that a “real” Republican agenda means slashing spending on almost everything. That’s a lot more honest than we get from most Republicans.