Students get sneak peek at GOP budget plan
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Joe Van Rooy
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Paul Ryan
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Adam Rieder
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Rob Zerban
WASHINGTON — An hour before Capitol Hill heard about the 2013 House GOP plan for a federal budget, student researchers from Janesville's Washington Seminar were briefed by the budget's author, Rep. Paul Ryan.
The Janesville congressman who serves as the House Budget Committee chairman met with the Craig and Parker Advanced Placement government students for 30 minutes before conducting his press conference on Capitol Hill to announce the Republican budget plan.
"It was another historic moment for the Washington Seminar program," said Joe Van Rooy, Advanced Placement teacher and director of Washington Seminar. "These are invaluable experiences made possible over the years by congressman Ryan."
Ryan told the students his plan has little, if any, chance to become law, but he felt it was his duty to propose a solution to a major problem facing the United States.
"Your future is in doubt," Ryan told the students. "Both parties have contributed to where we are now—we borrow 40 cents on every dollar, and we are in a debt crisis."
Ryan likened the economic situation to historic challenges that have faced the country such as the Civil War, the Great Depression and two world wars.
"This is a defining moment when we will determine your future," Ryan told the class. "We cannot continue to do nothing. If we don't act, we will enter into a serious economic crisis of historic proportions."
Other events Ryan planned Tuesday included an appearance on Joe Scarborough's "Morning Joe" show, a press conference to roll out the plan, and an appearance at the American Enterprise Institute.
But Ryan gave the Janesville students an early scoop on one of the budget's most expensive components—defense spending.
Craig student Adam Rieder asked Ryan how his budget deals with sequestration, an automatic $1 trillion budget-cutting plan that trims defense and discretionary spending equally.
"This budget takes a realistic approach to spending cuts," Ryan said. "Yes, we need to cut spending, but not arbitrarily. This budget forces Congress to do what it's supposed to do, and that is to make informed decisions on defense spending that do not jeopardize the lives and safety of those serving our country."
Ryan proposed to maintain current spending levels for defense in 2013 and then look at specific areas for cuts or possible spending increases made possible by additional revenue from efficiencies in other large budget items such as Medicare.
"I was pleased with the answer he gave," Rieder said. "In a way, his plan just puts off for a year the tough decisions, but I also understand the argument that we should not just make uninformed decisions on cuts until we have a better idea of how much funding we will have, what our needs are and where the money is coming from."
Immediately after Ryan's briefing on the budget, the students met with Wisconsin congresswoman Tammy Baldwin, a Madison Democrat running for the U.S. Senate. She said she had not heard Ryan's comments on the budget plan but disagreed with what she understood the plan to be.
"I believe we need to have sequestration in place or we won't ever deal with the needed defense budget cuts," she said. "If not this specific plan for cuts, some sort of mechanism to force Congress to act."
By the time the students were briefed by Sen. Herb Kohl in the afternoon, Ryan's budget plan was the top topic on Capitol Hill.
"I know Paul Ryan, and I respect him," Kohl said. "I give him credit for putting forth a plan. Unfortunately, we have such vast divisions among us today that there's little chance of compromise and, therefore, consensus on his or any other budget plan."
The Washington Seminar students are in D.C. this week to conduct field research on a variety of federal issues. They return Saturday and will begin next week to write research papers and then op-ed pieces, some of which will appear in The Gazette.
Zerban blasts Ryan proposal
The Republican House budget plan unveiled today by Republican Rep. Paul Ryan was called a "misguided handout to Wall Street" by his likely opponent in the fall election, Democrat Rob Zerban of Kenosha.
Ryan's plan calls for what he calls choices, "including a fee-for-service Medicare option and competition that forces health plans to deliver high quality at low costs." The plan allows seniors to opt for traditional Medicare coverage while providing various subsidies for those choosing to enter private plans.
Zerban said Ryan's budget "ends Medicare for our senior citizens.
"I oppose any plan that includes guaranteed Medicare benefits or creates health care vouchers," Zerban said.
Zerban also took issue with Ryan's plan to pare down the individual tax brackets to two—10 percent and 25 percent. In the past, Ryan said the higher rate probably would apply to income of $100,000 and more. He also would reduce the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 25 percent.
"Paul Ryan's 'Path to Poverty' … provides tax breaks only to Paul Ryan's campaign contributors and places the weight of making up the loss in revenue on our already struggling families," Zerban said. "His latest budget plan is designed to place the blame for his 14 years of poor decisions on the backs of our hardworking families."
Zerban criticized Ryan's budget plan for not laying out a framework for employment.
"Instead of a laser focus on creating jobs, he focused solely on removing safety nets for our most vulnerable populations," Zerban said.
Mar 22, 2012 at 8:30 p.m.
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http://www.forbes.com/sites/beltway/2012...
Mar 22, 2012 at 7:46 p.m.
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Obama did it all by himself.
Mar 22, 2012 at 6:16 p.m.
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poorrichard, does anyone here know that Social Security and Medicare are both funded through payroll taxes and have had miniscule impact on the nation's accumulated $15 trillion debt?
Does anyone here know that Paul Ryan voted for $6T in deficits during his first ten years?
Does anyone here know that in December 2010, Ryan said the nation cannot afford $38 billion in unemployment compensation but reversed that position when the Bush tax cuts were extended in a deal to simply lift the debt cap, adding another $858 billion to the nations debt burden?
Does anyone here know that Ryan wanted greater tax cuts to lessen CBO projected surpluses back in 2001 and today he wants greater tax cuts to lessen projected CBO deficits?
Mar 22, 2012 at 5:51 p.m.
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Bebe53, Nobody has a produced a budget that would win approval by the American people, and that especially includes Ryan's Heritage Foundation Rand-tainted manifesto remix. DC not producing a budget is obviously a total bipartisan failure, but no budget has had little effect on whether the poor and downtrodden are cared for. Considering our circumstances, I would rather have no budget than one produced under one party rule. Like we had shoved down our throats in Wisconsin.
Paul Ryan has nothing to show for after 14 years. He is an embarrassment to our community and stands for everything that is wrong with America.
Usaret, my answers are better than your empty attacks on Democrats and that what counts.
Mar 22, 2012 at 4:27 p.m.
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youkillme: And your answer is the best you can provide?
Mar 22, 2012 at 4:17 p.m.
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I wish somebody would ask those students who they thought was doing a better job for us.
Also myviews2 gave many views but not his- Have you read Ryans bill? Would you read it if you could? Does'nt anyone on here know that SS and medicare is going BROKE-running out of money-empty pockets. Somebody has to do some thing and soon or we're gonna be up the creek without a paddle.
Mar 22, 2012 at 2:29 p.m.
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Boy, now there's a BAD ROLE MODEL for the students.
Mar 22, 2012 at 1:20 p.m.
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Nobody should oppose or criticize Ryan's dystopian budget plan until they can produce their own. That's the best defense Ryan's supporters have? Imagine if we lived in a world like that.
Mar 22, 2012 at 1:20 p.m.
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Nobody should oppose or criticize Ryan's dystopian budget plan until they can produce their own. That's the best defense Ryan's supporters have? Imagine if we lived in a world like that.
Mar 22, 2012 at 11:40 a.m.
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When the Dem's can actually produce a budget plan then maybe but all they produce is the hurt the poor, the elderly stuff. How does this help anybody? Talk of a party of Do-nothing's, no one can hold a candle to the Dem'. Dem's hope someone else will solve the problem for them so that they can spin it to where it was their plan in the first place. Those days are long gone. Don't like the Ryan Plan? Well, what is yours?
Mar 22, 2012 at 6:36 a.m.
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I wonder if myviews also agrees with the priest he quoted here on the subject of Obama's insistence of Catholic institutions providing birth control coverage in their insurance plans?
Mar 22, 2012 at 6:09 a.m.
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Let's have a critique of the plan the democrats have.
Mar 21, 2012 at 11:40 p.m.
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kidsfirst ask the dems that run the senate when they will vote on a budget so the house and senate can finally agree, in committee, and put it forth for the president to sign.
Mar 21, 2012 at 11:38 p.m.
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"give us all your reasons for the greed and transferring more money from the poor to the wealthy."
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LOL.
There is one important reason to stop spending more than we have...
http://www.usdebtclock.org/
But don't let that get in your way of wanting others to give more while never stepping up and doing what you want others to do.
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:32 p.m.
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So before "offering" his plan, Ryan admits that it will not succeed. What kind of "solution" is that? Offer something so outrageous that it will fail and then claim, "Well, at least I tried." Pooooh and Boooooh on Ryan.
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:17 p.m.
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Your turn kaysbrew/wislady/Fedup/and others - give us all your reasons for the greed and transferring more money from the poor to the wealthy.
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:14 p.m.
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Rev. Chuck Currie, United Church of Christ Minister released a statement saying:
The Ryan budget leaves the least of these behind while aiding millionaires and if adopted would force faith communities that partner with government agencies to close programs that assist children, the elderly and unemployed workers living with their families in shelters. Rep. Ryan’s budget would increase poverty and suffering. That is why I join so many religious leaders across the nation in calling on Congress to reject this immoral blueprint for America’s future.
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:11 p.m.
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The Rev. Michael Livingston, director of the National Council of Churches’ Poverty Initiative:
“Rep. Ryan’s budget uses the deficit as an excuse to pursue an ideological agenda that punishes poor people who can’t find a job. If Rep. Ryan wants us to take his moralizing about the national debt seriously, he should have the courage to ask for shared sacrifice from his millionaire donors instead of kicking poor families while they’re down."
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:09 p.m.
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The Rev. Dr. Sharon E. Watkins, General Minister and President, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Indianapolis, Indiana noted:
When Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself,” he didn’t just mean exchanging cups of sugar with the family next door. In the story of the Good Samaritan, Jesus showed that being a neighbor means reaching out to anyone, anywhere, in their need. A federal budget that slices away at funds for hungry children and their families, that abandons senior citizens, that reduces life-sustaining foreign aid, is a budget that goes against the teachings of Jesus. America can do better! The Good Samaritan saw a need, reached out to meet the need, and then enlisted the aid of others to help. Through a compassionate federal budget, we can do the same – and be a stronger nation for it!
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:05 p.m.
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Father Thomas Kelly, a Catholic priest and constituent of Ryan’s, regarding Ryan's budget:
“As a constituent of Congressman Ryan and a Catholic priest, I’m disappointed by his cruel budget plan and outraged that he defends it on moral grounds. Ryan is Catholic, and he knows that justice for the poor and economic fairness are core elements of our church’s social teaching. It’s shameful that he disregarded these principles in his budget.”
Mar 21, 2012 at 8:02 p.m.
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Ryan's so called plan is virtually the same as last years plan with the exception of some new edits to update the numbers. For the most part the plan is probably written by staffers at the Heritage Foundation. The report goes to great length to show how the health care bill has to be repealed to save money. This is hogwash since the bill has built in funding that pays for the bill. In fact, it is closer to being revenue neutral. Ryan's report only looks at the cost of the bill and not at the revenue generators.
The report is a policy commercial and an attack on the current administration. There is very little valid justification for the numbers.
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