Paul Ryan’s ‘Compassionate’ Budget Would Gut The Food Safety Net

[cal04]

Paul Ryan’s ‘Compassionate’ Budget Would Gut The Food Safety Net
http://thinkprogress.org/2011/04/15/ryan-budget-no-food/

The House today will vote on House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) 2012 budget, his radical plan to dismantle Medicare and Medicaid while providing a healthy tax cut for the rich and corporations. Ryan’s budget has received a fair amount of criticism — and is making some House Republicans queasy — so Ryan took to the Washington Post today to defend himself:

Our budget offers a compassionate and optimistic contrast to a future of health-care rationing and unbearably high taxes. We lift the crushing burden of debt, repair the safety net, make America’s tax system fair and competitive, and ensure that our health and retirement programs have a strong and lasting future.

This so-called “compassionate” plan would double health-care costs for seniors, endanger vital Medicaid services, and likely increase taxes on the middle-class to finance tax cuts for the rich. But it would also undermine another important part of the social safety net: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps):

Converting SNAP to a block grant, as Chairman Ryan proposes to do beginning in 2015, would hurt the tens of millions of Americans who rely on the program. SNAP would largely lose the ability to respond to rising need, forcing states during economic downturns to cut benefits or create waiting lists for needy families.

[leftstreet]

1. OMG Wait 'til the Democrats hear about this n/t

[DCKit]

2. His entire defense is yet another string of lies.

"...a compassionate and optimistic contrast to a future of health-care rationing and unbearably high taxes. We lift the crushing burden of debt, repair the safety net, make America’s tax system fair and competitive, and ensure that our health and retirement programs have a strong and lasting future."

Tell those Teabaggers back home you're going to take away their Medicare, SS and Rascal scooters, and you won't be able to be elected dog catcher. Dumbass.

[Angry Dragon]

3. Why does ryan hate the American people so much??

Why does he have a job??

Why does he hate children??

Why does he hate so much??

[atreides1]

5. That's easy

His real masters are the top 2% who he idolizes...and if some old people or children die in the process of Ryan pleasing his masters, then so what...afterall it's not anyone he's related to!:grr:

[prairierose]

4. It is a heartless, cruel and greedy budget, not a compassionate one...n/t

[atreides1]

6. These are Republicans

The real evil in this world...Saddam Hussein isn't even in Ryan's league, when it comes to cruelty...

[prairierose]

9. I really think you could be right about that.....n/t

[xchrom]

7. recommend

[indepat]

8. Saying anything about Ryan's budget is compassionate, except to large corporations and

the uber-wealthy, is as blatantly false as saying the Nazi's methods of extermination were humane. :grr: :patriot:

Edited for context