Republicans ought to be embracing Paul Ryan’s fiscal roadmap. That they refuse to hurts the GOP’s efforts to be seen as a credible, deficit-fighting party. And the claim on the part of many Republicans that Medicare need not be cut–or even means-tested–simply cannot be taken seriously. Everyone knows–or ought to know–that the current entitlement structure is simply unsustainable. One cannot acknowledge that, while claiming at the same time that Medicare benefits cannot or should not be reduced.
It is bad enough that Democrats have proven themselves to be so lacking in seriousness when it comes to putting forth a responsible fiscal policy. Republicans should do better than to play down to the standards Democrats set on this issue.
February 5, 2010 – 10:09 pm
Matthew Continetti’s words are definitely worth noting:
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
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Posted in Blogs, Chequer-Board
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Also tagged Barack Obama, budget, Budget Deficit, Congress, Democrats, Fiscal Responsibility, health care, Health Care Policy, Health Care Reform, National Debt, Obama Administration, Paul Ryan, Peter Orszag, Republicans
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February 4, 2010 – 12:17 am
Paul Ryan is one of the most substance-oriented members of Congress around; a respected and admired voice on budget and economic issues.
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
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Posted in Blogs, Chequer-Board
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Also tagged budget, Budget Deficit, Ezra Klein, Fiscal Responsibility, health care, Health Care Policy, Health Care Reform, National Debt, Paul Ryan, Peter Orszag
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December 24, 2009 – 6:53 pm
“CBO has been asked for additional information about the projected effects of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), the pending health care reform legislation, on the federal budget and on the balance in the Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund, from which Medicare Part A benefits are paid.”
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
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Posted in Blogs, Chequer-Board
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Also tagged Barack Obama, budget, Congressional Budget Office, Douglas Elmendorf, Economic Ignorance, economy, health care, Health Care Policy, Health Care Reform, Obama Administration, Peter Suderman
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December 21, 2009 – 9:04 am
Let’s go down the Christmas list and handicap the damage to the economy of the anticipated passage of the blended, mashed up health care legislation. First, health care will rise from one-sixth of the economy to nearly one-quarter, and possibly more. The government today controls about half of this activity, and soon they’ll control all of it. The fundamental things you lose are flexibility and capital efficiency.
December 11, 2009 – 8:41 am
The latest alternative to the public option is being praised as a way to break the logjam in the Senate over health care reform. But the Medicare buy-in is, in many ways, as flawed as the public option itself:
November 15, 2009 – 1:16 pm
I am in favor of means-testing for programs like Social Security and Medicare; which would constitute one of the better policy responses to the out-of-control entitlement spending we are seeing take place. Something has to be done to control spending for entitlement programs, and means-testing is one of the most effective somethings there is out there.
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
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Posted in Blogs, Chequer-Board
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Also tagged Barack Obama, Congress, Democrats, Economic Ignorance, Economics, economy, Greg Mankiw, health care, Health Care Policy, Health Care Reform, House of Representatives, Obama Administration, Throwing Seniors Under The Bus
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October 27, 2009 – 8:44 am
After all, what could possibly go wrong with a government-run health care plan?
October 8, 2009 – 8:36 am
Today’s Coffee and Markets podcast focuses on the latest news from Washington about health care reform — the Congressional Budget Office’s scoring of Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus’s Chairman’s Mark gives the Senate the cover they need to pass a plan, one that proves powerful disincentives for success.
October 6, 2009 – 2:28 am
Spelled out by James Capretta, it involves serious entitlement reform, smaller government, and lower taxes.
By Pejman Yousefzadeh
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Posted in Blogs, Chequer-Board
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Also tagged Barack Obama, Democrats, Entitlement Reform, Lower Taxes, Obama Administration, Small Government, Social Security, tax policy, taxes, The New Middle Class Contract
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