Slash and Privatize: How House GOP's Shadow Budget Eliminates Deficit ... In About 50 Years
Christina Bellantoni | February 4, 2010, 9:26AM
President Obama has read it, and the detailed plan is the only thing the Republicans have so far, but it seems like Rep. Paul Ryan is out there on his own with a budget blueprint that cuts the deficit by slashing Social Security and Medicare benefits and by creating private accounts and a voucher system.
The talk about Social Security changes that would essentially amount to privatization of the entitlement plan raised eyebrows earlier this week - and even prompted some in the GOP to back away - but it's right there in black-and-white in Ryan's formal budget plan released last week.
The official line from House Republican leadership is that Ryan's budget is not the GOP alternative. Leadership aides pointed TPMDC to last year's far less specific budget proposal and stressed their plan will be presented during floor debate that is likely to happen this spring. Ryan, the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, will write that plan too.
The current Ryan plan includes a disclaimer: "This document was prepared with the assistance of the Republican staff, Committee on the Budget, U.S. House of Representatives. It has not been approved by the full committee and therefore may not reflect the view of individual committee members."
more:
http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/one-gopers-budget-vision-social-security-and-medicare-benefit-cuts.php?ref=fpa