Paul Ryan's "Roadmap for America"

by: Gary Patton

Mon Sep 13, 2010 at 12:22:46 PM EDT

"We're in trouble. Big, big trouble," says Agent G. "Word of Republican Congressman Paul Ryan's 'Roadmap for America' has leaked. News is spreading about Ryan's plan for Medicare and Social Security that he wants to become law after the November election. The public will be shocked if it finds out about his plan."

"Well, just what's so terrible about Ryan's plan?" says Agent O.

"Just listen," replies Agent G. "Here's what Ezra Klein writes in the Washington Post. 'To move us into surpluses, Ryan's budget proposes reforms that are nothing short of violent. Medicare is privatized. Seniors get a voucher to buy private insurance, and the voucher's growth is far slower than the expected growth of health care costs. Medicaid is also privatized . . . And beyond health care, Social Security gets guaranteed private accounts that CBO (Congressional Budget Office) says will actually cost more than the present arrangement, . . ."

" . . . The money seniors would get to buy their own policies would grow more slowly than their health-care costs, and more slowly than their expected Medicare benefits, which means that they'd need to either cut back on how comprehensive their insurance is or how much health-care they purchase ."

"And here," continues Agent G, "is what Frank Rich writes in the New York Times. 'His (Ryan's) much publicized Roadmap for America's Future . . . not only revives the failed Bush proposal of partially privatizing Social Security but tops him by replacing Medicare with a voucher system that, like Ryan's skewed tax cuts, would benefit the superrich while raising taxes and medical costs for everyone else."

"Well, if Ryan's plan is so bad," says Agent P. "Let's just run from it. Pretend that it isn't a Republican plan."

"We can't do that," replies Agent G. "Too many Republicans have endorsed it. Wisconsin congressman Sean Duffy, Pennsylvania senatorial candidate Pat Toomey, Indiana Senate candidate Dan Coats, and Kentucky Senate candidate Rand Paul all favor Ryan's privatization of Social Security. Do you realize that seniors would have lost trillions during the recession had Social Security been privatized? Because Social Security was government-run and not tied to the plunging stock market, no one lost a penny."

"Okay," says Agent P, "we'll try something else. Let's say that the plan is pie-in-the sky; that Ryan is a nobody so nothing will come from his plan."

"But Ryan isn't a nobody," responds Agent G. "He's very influential. Here's what Frank Rich wrote about Ryan in the Times, 'Take Representative Paul Ryan of Wisconsin, who has been relentlessly promoted by the right as the intellectual golden boy of the G.O.P. and who would be elevated to chairman of the powerful budget committee in a Republican House.' After the election, Ryan will be in a great position to put his plan into effect. But we've got to stop voters from finding out about his plan before the election, or they'll be very upset."

"What's the opposition saying about Social Security," says Agent O.

"Democratic congresswoman Carol Shea-Porter signed a letter to the President which reads in part, "We oppose any cuts to Social Security benefits, including raising the retirement age. . . . We also oppose any effort to privatize Social Security, in whole or in part . . . if any of the Commission's recommendations cut or diminish Social Security in any way, we will stand firmly against them." (Barker, Blue Hampshire).

"The voters will like what she said" blurts Agent G, "We're in trouble. Big, big trouble. We can only hope voters don't find out about Ryan's plan before the November election. Just keep your fingers crossed."

This column appeared first in The Forum. It appears here with the permission of The Forum