NYT: Republican Policies Will Cause Destruction
Days before his 2012 budget was released, Congressman Paul Ryan (R-Wisc.) predicted that he and it would be demagogued by the Left.
Doing its part is the New York Times which began its editorial Monday, "Six months after voters sent Republicans in large numbers to Congress and many statehouses, it is possible to see the full landscape of destruction that their policies would cause — much of which has already begun":
They approved on strict party lines the most regressive social legislation in many decades, embodied in a blueprint by the budget chairman, Paul Ryan. The vote, from which only four Republicans (and all Democrats) dissented, would have been unimaginable just eight years ago to a Republican Party that added a prescription drug benefit to Medicare.
Mr. Ryan called the vote “our generation’s defining moment,” and indeed, nothing could more clearly define the choice that will face voters next year.
His bill would end the guarantee provided by Medicare and Medicaid to the elderly and the poor, which has been provided by the federal government with society’s clear assent since 1965. The elderly, in particular, would be cut adrift by Mr. Ryan. People now under 55 would be required to pay at least $6,400 more for health care when they qualified for Medicare, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
Notice the hyperbole "destruction" and "The elderly, in particular, would be cut adrift."
The Left have been using this playbook for years, and the question is whether people are going to buy it this time.
After all, cutting adrift is an absolute term. But Ryan's plan, counter to what hysterical and dishonest media have been claiming since its release, does not end Medicare. It necessarily reforms it.
For decades, economists have been predicting the end of Medicare in its current form without serious adjustments. One of those is former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan who just Sunday said on "Meet the Press" that he was suddenly more optimistic about our chances to resolve our budget deficit because people are finally "putting on the table that this issue requires a major cut in entitlement spending."
A "major cut" in Medicare spending means seniors in the future will need to shoulder more of the burden for their healthcare than today's seniors are. There's no denying that unless you're on the left believing folks like Greenspan are wrong and the answer is just raising taxes on the rich.
Unfortunately, that wouldn't solve the problem. Medicare currently has an unfunded liability of $89 trillion, which means that you could take all the income from the so-called rich and Medicare would still go bankrupt in the not so distant future.
With this in mind, Medicare is much like the Titanic - the most luxurious cruise ship to date that's about to hit an iceberg resulting in most of its passengers' deaths.
According to the Times and the rest of the dishonest Left, Ryan's plan sets those onboard adrift.
Not so. What Ryan is offering is almost as nice a ship for seniors, but that they'll have to pay for some of the gas to power the engines.
Those in the lower levels - the less fortunate - will be required to pay less, while those in the upper decks and the suites - the rich - will pay more. But all will have accommodations that allow them to safely continue their voyage with a little more expense than they originally thought.
This is the option Ryan is offering. The Times is offering only that Titanic continue heading towards that iceberg leaving most aboard to drown.
So who really is proposing a policy that results in the elderly being cut adrift leading to their eventual destruction?
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Comments
Yeah, yeah...
Submitted by johnsonl on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 9:55am.
we're all gonna die and it's the republican's fault. Seniors will starve, children will die and a great flood will envelope the earth.
Stop it. Idiots.
The people have to understand
Submitted by Dan The Man 2 on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:06am.
The people have to understand we the USA don't have any more money and they need to understand where the money is coming from. TANSTAFL.
So how's that "new civility"
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:07am.
So how's that "new civility" thing working out for you??
Bill Maher, call your office!
Destruction?
Submitted by jon_torlin on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:11am.
Liberals have a real funny idea of what they call destruction.
-Jon
Congressman Ryan's 2012
Submitted by jdhawk on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:13am.
Congressman Ryan's 2012 budget proposal doesn't affect seniors whatsoever. If you are 55 and older, there is nothing to see here, move along, now.
The above is the key point that must be emphasized over and over, because, if they are allowed to get away with it, the dimocrats will claim the opposite and the press will swear to it.
Meanwhile, the S&P placed a negative outllook on our AAA rating. This is the first minimal step in saying to the world that we will begin to have the same problems meeting our fiscal obligations as Greece, Ireland, and Portugal. It the S&P downgrades our AAA rating, it will immediately begin to raise the cost of our massive borrowing. From there it is a death spiral for our dollar as it would lose value like never before.
Because of the above and because Greece is unable to bring their debt under control and more drastic measures will have to be taken, the world's stock markets are starting the week down 1 to 2 percent.
Hold on
Submitted by dgv on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 8:16pm.
Because it doesn't effect seniors now doesn't mean it doesn't effect seniors. People who are 55 will be, yep, seniors very shortly. Why pass the buck? The baby boomers elected all the politicians who spent all the money, why shouldn't they have to sacrifice?
And standard and poor's named all those sub-prime mortgage securites triple A. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't loan the US money, but S&P are a bunch of jagwagons.
Obama's plan to save
Submitted by motherbelt on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:14am.
Obama's plan to save Medicare, Medicare, and Social Security, endorsed by the left:
We can fund these programs in perpetuity without any cuts, if we just tax rich people more.
S&P warning
Submitted by bkeyser on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:21am.
So the S&P places a 1 in 3 chance that they'll downgrade the US AAA rating within the next two years.
Drudge has the links.
Three pieces so far on this - the headline link to CNBC, the WSJ report, and a Reuters piece carried by -guess who?- Yahoo. Only the Reuters piece interjects opinion and they could apparently only find one to note: "It is not good news, and it is not good news because to move toward austerity when the U.S. economy is not on sound footing is not a good idea," said Hugh Johnson, chief investment officer of Hugh Johnson Advisors LLC in Albany, New York.
Surprise! It's the GOP's fault. Never would've guessed that one.
Policies and Destruction
Submitted by NVRAT on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:35am.
What a statement from the NYT. They have done more to destroy the US than any publication in history, now, they are worried about Ryans Plan...what a laugh. Those of us that watchand listen to Ryan concerning his plan can see that it is a win-win for those that are 55 and younger. All the plan does is restructure the TAX Code by closing loop holes for businesses (which will bring in more tax dollars) and making those that are considered rich pay their fair share, in addition it will put those that retire later on the same medical plan as congress is today and not have to suffer Obamacare panels for controlled healthcare. So, if you listen to the MSM and NYT consider them a bunch of Obama puppets controlled by White House strings or they have not researched Ryan`s plan and as usual know nothing of which they talk about.
Obama's secret.
Submitted by okiehawk44 on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:47am.
Democrats have been led to believe that there is a magic weight reduction pill and a secret carburetor in Detroit and now a secret way to pay down the immense national debt without any pain at all -- OBAMA'S SECRET IS TAX THE RICH those filthy vermin and their money will get us out of this mess we've caused. Tax 'em all -- er um all but my friends like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Jamie Dimond, George Soros, M/M Theresa Heinz Kerry, the Kennedy clan, etc, etc, etc. -- they're good guys who deserve their filthy lucre unlike those horrible people who own businesses and work 18-hr days to keep us employed. TAX 'EM NOW and TAX 'EM OFTEN. Makes a Democrat feel like things will be alright and tomorrow I start taking the diet pill on my way to buy that secret car with the carburetor that will get me 200 miles per gallon.
Or how about we stop spending like there is no tomorrow because I think we are at tomorrow today.
The real path to destruction
Submitted by richb313 on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:49am.
Unless we as a people come to understand a systemic change is needed in what we expect from government services and how they are delivered a tax rate of 100% would not raise enough revenue to continue. We are already close to that point. Our country is not alone in this quandry.
The economic fallout from the banking debacle is coming to a head. Soon, if no real action is taken, there will be a loss of confidence in all of the worlds currency and when that happens there will be chaos on a scale not seen since the fall of the Roman Empire.
So long as Republicans keep bowing to Democrats,
Submitted by Ashrak on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 10:54am.
I agree with the headline.
I submit that the way to "fix" Social Security and Medicare is to make them needless. Back off the taxation, back off the regulation, back off the micromanagement of individual liberty and watch the American people prosper their way away from government dependency.
Gee, why wouldn't career politicians want that???
"I agree with the headline."
Submitted by Dave. on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:05pm.
So do I.
The repubs can't even bring themselves to hold a floor vote in the House on totally de-funding something as hated as Obamacare - and they are the ones who control the money.
Four months into this new congress, I remain unimpressed, as they haven't slowed down Obama even a little bit.
I guess they are all worn out from reaching across the aisle.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
Seniors Cut Adrift from the Sinking Ship
Submitted by freecitizen on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:10pm.
When the ship is sinking, cutting the survivors adrift is probably your best idea.
Guess the tax and spend
Submitted by eaglewingz08 on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:31pm.
Guess the tax and spend democrap policies aren't any cause for concern and aren't a disaster?
The NYSlimes continues its traitorous conduct unabated.
WRONG!
Submitted by blazermaniac on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 1:37pm.
The only thing that can cause destruction, already has and that's the New York Times, still in operation!
So, the elderly in the 50's and 60's were adrift?
Submitted by CobraMan on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 2:00pm.
So, the prosperity that all of America enjoyed in the 50's and 60's, prosperity that is undeniably attributed to the lower taxes and regulations that the Administration promoted in the 50's and the 60's in combination with the increases in productivity that automation provided, which, if anyone happens to remember, is when the prosperity and longevity of the elderly saw it's biggest increase in history, actually set those people adrift to, presumably, to die poor, hungry, and suffering?
Well, since the elderly DID prosper in th 50's and 60's, DID see massive increases in wealth, longevity, and health care opportunities, maybe it's time, once again, that they were cast adrift from government dependency. But, of course, that makes too much sense, doesn't it?
The Citizens of each State shall be entitled to all Privileges and Immunities of Citizens in the several States. The US Constitution
Unless you're a fetus. The US Supreme Court
Or Anwar al-Awlaki.
Totally Predictable and Expected
Submitted by scottyusmc on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 2:06pm.
The story line is a central theme of "EVERY" story ever written by the NYT's. They are doing their level best to carry the water of the liberal dependency class. I wouldn't expect anything different and it must be remembered that they are only speaking to their mindless followers and their ability to persuade through reasoned argument died long ago.
Liberals are such cruel task
Submitted by dscott on Mon, 04/18/2011 - 3:38pm.
Liberals are such cruel task masters of the poor. Obama would crush the poor and the elderly if left to his own devices, i.e. his profligate spending.
We don't even need to consider the issue of Obama and his liberal buddies running a deficit more than all the income of all the rich people in the country. Forget that, eat the rich... In fact, increasing the top rate to 50% on everyone over $250K will not pay even for a quarter of Obama's deficit spending. Tax the Rich is an obfuscation, Sloganeering to hide the real issue. Forget the idea that Obama, Reid and Pelosi engaged in a twist of the PONZI scheme by FORCING the taxpayers of this country to INVEST in their Keynesian scheme leaving us on the hook for trillions of dollars of debt with no way to pay it back and for no descernable benefit to the country at large to pay off their constituencies to stay in power.
The real issue and most crushing apocalypse upon the poor and elderly is INFLATION. Barack Obama, the chief of the Ponzi scheme has set the stage for massive inflation in which even that little bit of which the poor and the elderly do have will be taken away. Barack Obama is a very cruel man because he doesn't give a crap about the poor or elderly, just look at the total effect of his policies. The crux of ALL of Obama spending is based upon his delusional interest rate projections that the current low interest caused by the Fed printing money will continue forever! Our current cost of interest is around $200 billion a year due to miniscule interest, i.e. less than 1%. What happens WHEN (NOT IF) interest rates rise to 5% or more? Yeap, that's right, it jumps to $1 trillion per year without ANY MEANS TO LOWER IT. So that absurd $1+ trillion per year deficit spending projected by Obama becomes $2 trillion per year!!!!!!!!! Who is going to loan us $2 trillion a year? NO ONE! The Fed would be forced to PRINT that money as they are doing right now. It doesn't take a genius to realize inflation would zoom in short order.
Here's a little hint for you Keynesians (useful idiots), Obama is planning to inflate away our debts thus your student loan and home mortgage and his government debt will be paid off with worthless dollars. Isn't that great, you will be living debt free, IF YOU HAVE A JOB... The common element in all hyper inflation events is companies close down and most people who work for wages loose their jobs. You can thank Barack Obama. Oh, and you people on food stamps...it sucks to be you. When all the grocery stores are closed where will you redeem your food stamps???? Think about that one for a minute. One only needs to look at Zimbabwe to see where Obama is taking the country by refusing to stop deficit spending. Ironic that Obama engaged in PROJECTION by claiming the Ryan Plan would turn the US into a third world country....
BTW- Mr. Ryan, what is your interest rate forecast with your budget????? Answer the question sir because your proposal is now too little too late. I submit you have the same fundamental flaw as Obama does, interest rates. The Ryan plan is a modest plan and therefore can't work BECAUSE we are out of time. Cut the credit card now, DO NOT RAISE THE DEBT LIMIT and set priorities for the revenue that is coming, not on what you WANT to spend it on.
NYT
Submitted by g55rumpy on Tue, 04/19/2011 - 1:42am.
shouldn`t their name really be New York Marxist Times?