Paul Ryan has released his new budget. Relying in part on the January tax increases, it nonetheless proposes major but necessary spending reforms. In doing so, Ryan's plan achieves a small Federal Govt. surplus by 2023. Crucially, the budget addresses the imperative of restraining health care inflation in Govt. entitlement programs (the core driver of our national debt). This approach makes the hard choices that are necessary to restore fiscal balance for the post-baby boomer era. Ryan's total savings = $4.3 trillion.
Later today, Senate Democrats will also offer a 'budget'. Their first in four years. Unfortunately however, by considering the pre-released details of their proposal, it's obvious that the Democrats are messing around. And a sad joke at that, it actually increases 'stimulus' spending by $100 billion! The budget also raises $500 billion via closed tax loopholes (which will almost certainly focus on the man/woman behind the tree aka don't tax me- I want my government for free!) and vague health care savings from providers. Further, it only removes half of the DoD sequester cuts (a policy which would be catastrophic for the US Military). In short, this Democratic budget is about as serious as a Monty Python sketch. All this, for a paltry total savings figure of $1 trillion.
$1 trillion vs $4.3 trillion. It's apparent that Democrats are utterly disinterested in resolving America's debt crisis.
One final point, Paul Ryan has consistently said that he would be willing to negotiate with Democrats in pursuit of a final budget. In fact, re- his health care reforms, by being open to changes, Ryan was able to win the support of a liberal Democrat. Unfortunately, on the flip side the story is much different. Senior Democrats much prefer slander to dialogue.
Paul Ryan's "new" budget proposal looks quite familiar to the one that he espoused on the Romney/Ryan ticket. So he is essentially trying to pass a partisan budget in a partisan Congress, great. This excerpt from Jared Bernstein sums up the whole ordeal quite well.
ReplyDeleteWe’re about to scrum around like crazy analyzing two very different budgets that can’t possibly be reconciled. Practically, that means that for the near future we’ll continue to muddle through with continuing resolutions that just extend current budget levels, debt ceiling fights, and all the rest of it.
My point is that all this talk about how “we must have a budget!—the Senate hasn’t had a budget for years!—the President’s budget is late!” is pretty much nonsense talking points. Do you think House R’s are criticizing the President’s tardiness because they want to hurry up and implement his budget plan?
I’m not saying these budget documents are pointless. I’m looking forward to seeing what Senate Budget Chair Patty Murray comes up with and agree that it’s about time that Senate D’s release their budget priorities. But as the Ryan budget, which is really quite divorced from reality outside the hyper-conservative House and has absolutely zero chance of enactment, shows, these budgets have little to do with the actual agreements that determine actual revenues, outlays, and policies. Right now, I’m afraid they’re just guideposts pointing the way toward gridlock.
Except that Ryan's budget has three huge objectivity advantages that Murray's doesn't. 1) It takes on entitlement reform. 2) It finds the $4 tn/10 yr magic number/it's trend stable. 3) Ryan has signaled (and shown a willingness to negotiate)
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