The Republican ‘Budget’
Isn’t this a terrific plan?
The right-wing of the Republican party, led by House Budget Committee chairman Paul Ryan has released their federal budget plan. Ryan claims it will knock off trillions of dollars from our national debt. He thinks it’s a great plan. And why not? It sure cuts out of a lot of bothersome “people” programs. Thankfully, most of the trillions of dollars of federal spending cuts only affect the health care of the old and the poor (Medicare and Medicaid), so that’s cool. Oh, and even with the $4 trillion in corporate tax cuts included in Paul’s “special” plan, our Treasury will still save trillions of dollars according to this financial whiz-kid.
Yeah, great plan there Eddie Munster. Break up Medicare into a voucher system used to obtain healthcare from private insurance companies instead of the United States government. I can just see an 85 year old grandmother with heart disease, diabetes, cancer or dementia shopping around for a policy from a for profit private health insurance company. I’ll bet they’ll be waiting in line like sailors at a brothel for good customers like her. What a brilliant plan! Especially since there’s no provision for it to be backed up by federal oversight. Bye-bye, grandma. What, did you think you had a right as an American to live as long as the average Costa Rican?
As for healthcare for the poor, this genius has another great idea. Just give states block grants of money to let them do what they want for their citizens. Healthcare for the poor, as with old, will be shifted away from the federal government and on to private companies and state governments. Bulletproof plan there Dr. Widow Peak.
Oh, and lets not forget the $4 trillion in reduced corporate tax rates (from the current top rate of 36% to an absurd 25%), this, despite the fact that due to all of the corporate tax loop holes, around 70 of the top 100 U.S. companies paid ZERO federal income tax last year anyway, many actually getting rebates… paid for by you and me.
So, that’s pretty much the gist of his Master Plan. Privatize Medicare with vouchers, shift Medicaid/Medical responsibilities to state governments and give trillions in tax breaks to big businesses. I mean, what could go wrong?
Of course his ridiculous plan has as much chance of becoming law as Sarah Palin has of being invited to join MENSA. What an anti-American, anti middle-class entity the Republican Party has become. They’re shameless whores to their billionaire overlords, as their ludicrous economic proposals clearly attest to.
I may hate what Republican politicians do (prostitute themselves to big business), but at least they’re clever enough to get paid for it. They obviously have no morals and no concern for the lower 98% of the population. Their true constituency is the top 2% of the population who pay to get them elected and reelected — but they survive because of the sheer ignorance of tens of millions of Teabigots and Fox News zombies who are so brainwashed, that they routinely vote against their own economic interests, time after time after time. And then they wonder why America is slipping down the porcelain fixture.
That’s the GOP of today. Beaten down by their own right wing racist Tea Party, and oblivious to the concerns of anybody but the billionaires who pay them to bring down the country. If Barry Goldwater or Ronald Reagan were to come back to life tomorrow, they’d both proclaim themselves liberal Democrats.
Related posts:
Author: Bruce Lindner
10:05 pm
“Of course his ridiculous plan has as much chance of becoming law as Sarah Palin has of being invited to join MENSA. ”
What makes you think this won’t be voted in if/when the GOP buys the election again? They’ve got the idiot Tea Party/Faux Propaganda machine cranking out lies faster than job opportunities, and a great many people educated (or rather, NOT educated) in the dumbed-down system they have de-financed over the past 30 years. In a ‘normal’ election, the results were always quite close, even when there was no logic to it (why vote against yourself?) In a purchased political machine as we have become, there are so many ways to claim victory regardless of the actual outcome, starting with the voting machines and ending with the Supreme Rubber Stamp…
10:05 am
yall seem to have it all figured out republicans are racist yet ab lincon an his administration was republican hmmm..an im sure all these illegals an others on gov assistance having more babies they paid there fair share of taxes last year an how many people do they employe? riddle me that kool aid drinkers
3:19 pm
Well Mr. Fitch, I don’t know who told you that we think most Republicans are racists, that’s simply not so. What we’re saying, and the proof is in the pudding, is that many CONSERVATIVES these days are racists.
Take for example, the Democrats of the last century in the deep South, many of whom were Klansmen. Nope, not Republicans, but definitely racists (they’re now yours, by the way). And while Abe Lincoln was indeed a Republican, he was hardly a conservative. He was probably the most progressive president in the history of the GOP, followed by Eisenhower. See how easy this is? So be of good cheer on this Easter weekend! If someone accuses you of being a racist merely because you’re a Republican, you stand up straight and proud, and deny it!! Tell him that it’s your conservative ways that led you to become a racist.
I hope this helps.
6:55 am
“the path to american prosperity… for some”
is this serious? how is this guy not being burned at the stake. selfish jackass. if the government wants to stop spending so much money on people, they should just implement my super awesome “mandatory birth control plan”. thanks~ and for anyone who thinks that they have the “right” to have kids because “i’m an american dammit”… well guess what? did you not read this article?? the government needs to trim the fat somewhere. and this guy wants to start with the poor and the old. stop having kids if you’re poor. stop bleeding america dry. that is all.
8:18 am
Julia, that is fine and dandy and all about the awesome birth control pill, but what do we do about the people that is here now and have already been born? Did you forget the Catholics do not believe in taking any form of birth control? This video was not predicated on having a bunch of babies. This uneducated racist idiot who had none of his facts correct nor researched was outlandishly incorrect on every single statement he made. I feel ashamed of America. I am still wondering where he recieved his information on the supposed trillions of dollars in reparations given to the Blacks and Nigeras? Yea, we were suppose to get it since America was built on the backs of slaves, but it is written everywhere throughout the world it was NEVER RECIEVED BY ANY PESON OF COLOR!
6:31 pm
Good article, but the blind refuse to see. See also
http://www.wweek.com/portland/article-17350-9_things_the_rich_dont_want_you_to_know_about_taxes.html
6:29 pm
You are my monster of the id and all that implies.
3:56 pm
You’re not very smart are you? I only needed to skim your opinion piece to find outright lies in the form of omission of facts. The plan calls for the elimination of tax loopholes, whereby decreased tax rates and a more stable revenue stream for the government can be realized. Moreover, high corporate tax rates are born by the customer in reality, not the company, and high tax rates encourage companies to move jobs overseas. Basic economic theory. Basic economic theory. Read a book. Learn a few things before you comment on something you know absolutely nothing about and offer only a misguided shadow of truth to the readers.
6:27 pm
Sounds to me like someone’s mad that the author of this article is exposing the Republican “budget” for the scam that it is. You mad, bro? So sad, bro.
6:27 pm
What? No snappy come back for the part about killing off Americans through sub-par health care via Medicare vouchers and non-regulated Medicaid?
6:30 pm
You are a jerk. Guess u r a teabagger. Get the f*ck outta here
6:41 pm
Gosh… I take it you disagree then, Steven? Whatever can I do to draw us closer? I’m not feeling the love.
Since I do own my own business, and have a rudimentary understanding of economics (oh, and I read too!), it really isn’t necessary for you to lecture me from Mount Olympus on Republinomics. We’ve tried it before, and it failed miserably. Now your boy wants to put on steroids.
Thanks, but no thanks. One Republican depression per century is plenty.
7:18 am
Here here!
10:03 am
One or more economic crisis in a century is way too much!
9:56 pm
You’re a fucking idiot Stephen but don’t let that stop you from letting everyone know it.
10:26 pm
So…. 12 years of giving huge tax breaks to corporations has lowered prices for the consumer and preserved jobs?
Damn, my corner of Texas must actually be a deeply inland territory of Mexico, because last I checked, these companies were shipping the jobs overseas anyways because whether they pay more taxes or not, it’s still cheaper.
And have you been to that fancy food library they call a “grow-shure-ee stoar?” A loaf of cheapy cheapy white bread, that’s 70% air and can be crushed into oblivion by a toddler is a buck a piece. Doesn’t sound like a lot, but considering bread like that was cheaper a decade ago, I’d say you’re arguing out of a textbook instead of the real world.
By the way, wanna help me sell my kidney? I need to buy some gasoline.
7:19 am
Fancy food library … I might have to shamelessly steal that. Classic!
7:17 am
Basic economic theory huh? Well, I thought taxes were AFTER the transaction between customer and corporation. That means that taxes have no bearing on the price passed on to the consumer whatsoever. The taxes would be on any profit that the corporation makes off of the customer so the incentive would be to offer a very low to minimize their income tax. But what do I know. I’m just a 21 year old college student.
7:52 am
So rather than the political economic ‘law’ of supply and demand where the tax is shared by shareholders and customers, what really happens is that firms operate cost plus pricing gouging customers.
Good of you to admit, but a rare example of ‘honesty’.
8:40 am
You state you only “skimmed” but were able to detect “omissions.” ROFLMA!!! Read a book?!? Read the article dude!!!
12:54 pm
Steph,
OK as an economist I will explain the Ryan budget in a more honest way.
Ryan’s budget cut taxes on the rich to 25% and then pays for that loss by, “Broadening the base” of the tax pyramid. This is Paul’s explanation.
Broadening the tax base means having a greater percentage of taxes come from the lower and middle classes to make up for the lose of money from the rich.
Next, the old Republican lie that “corporate taxes are passed along to the consumer”. Taxes are calculated as a percentage of profits, AFTER costs. Business charges the most it can get based upon the market and competition. If a business added to prices to cover taxes it would increase the price above what had been set by the market. A business tax is not the same as personal tax. In other words the biggest effect of a corporate tax is the amount of money “passed on” to investors and those people at the top of the corporate ladder in terms of dividends and bonuses. To put it simply, a corporate tax cut is the same as another tax cut for the rich. Finally 70 of the U.S.’s top 100 companies pay ZERO taxes or get tax refunds. This is the truth from an actual economist.
3:08 pm
Thank you Inquisitor, I appreciate you breaking it down for us like that. You put it far batter than I did (but I still claim the award for being a bigger smart ass).