NYT: The Careless House Budget

[ProSense]

Editorial

The Careless House Budget

As he rolled out his 2013 budget on Tuesday, Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman, correctly said that he and his fellow Republicans were offering the country a choice of two very clear futures. The one he outlined in his plan could hardly be more bleak.

It is one where the rich pay less in taxes than the unfairly low rates they pay now, while programs for the poor — including Medicaid and food stamps — are slashed and thrown to the whims of individual states. Where older Americans no longer have a guarantee that Medicare will pay for their health needs. Where lack of health insurance is rampant, preschool is unaffordable, and environmental and financial regulation are severely weakened.

Mr. Ryan became well known last year as the face of the most extreme budget plan passed by a house of Congress in modern times. His new budget is, if anything, worse, full of bigger, emptier promises. It is largely in agreement with the plans of the Republican presidential candidates.

<...>

These extreme cuts and changes would greatly impede the nation’s economic recovery, and hurt those on the middle and lower economic rungs who suffered most from the recession. The contrast with President Obama’s budget, which raises taxes on the rich to protect vital programs while reducing the deficit, could not be more clear.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/21/opinion/the-careless-house-budget.html?hp

[pinto]

1. Good to see the NYT state it so clearly.

[FSogol]

2. Someone (L. O'Donnell?) last night mentioned that Ryan's plan creates 2 tax

rates, 10% and 25%, but does not tell what income rate qualifies for which rate. Ryan is nothing more than a grandstanding politician with little to no understanding of economics, budgeting, taxes, etc. He's a idiot follower of Ayn Rand combined with Reaganesque feeble-mindedness. He's telling the tea-baggers, mouth breathers, and freepers that they can have all the candy they want without repercussions.

[JHB]

4. The last time there were only two artes (1988-1990)...

...the higher rate kicked in near or below the median income (depending on how it was filed: married/single/etc.).

Of course, what happened to the deficit was just the opposite of the predictions made by those who pushed this through. It was so bad Poppy Bush had to go back on his "read my lips" line, and we all know how conservatives thanked him for it.

[Yavin4]

3. It's a Budget for the 1%

This is who the Republicans work for. EVERYTHING else that you hear from that party is nothing more than shameless pandering to the dullards, the misogynists, the homophobes, and the racists.