IF only we could get more Paul Ryans...

[Jacob]

And I think a winner for the Democrats is "They want to take away your MediCare."

Palin taught both parties that your slogans and catch-phrases can't be too short or too misleading.

From only a year ago:

President Obama at the GOP House retreat, January 2010:

“We're not going to be able to do anything about any of these entitlements if what we do is characterize whatever proposals are put out there as, ‘Well, you know, that's -- the other party's being irresponsible. The other party is trying to hurt our senior citizens. That the other party is doing X, Y, Z.”

President Obama today:

“One vision has been championed by Republicans in the House of Representatives and embraced by several of their party’s presidential candidates…This is a vision that says up to 50 million Americans have to lose their health insurance in order for us to reduce the deficit. And who are those 50 million Americans? Many are someone’s grandparents who wouldn’t be able afford nursing home care without Medicaid. Many are poor children. Some are middle-class families who have children with autism or Down’s syndrome. Some are kids with disabilities so severe that they require 24-hour care. These are the Americans we’d be telling to fend for themselves.”

[il Padrino Ute]

From only a year ago:

Is anyone really surprised that a politician would resort to comments like this? Obama has this down better than even Mrs. Clinton did when her husband was POTUS. Nobody is able to match his bullshit.

[Borderline Divine]

Drill Baby Drill

[Devildog]

Drill Baby Drill

Hell Yeah!

Drill baby... Drill.

[RobinFinderson]

The argument that the president is making is one I brought up earlier in this thread -- by capping Medicare below the rate of health care inflation, you basically offer Medicare patients a coupon for health insurance. Over the years, as the coupon decreases in value, health insurance will fall out of reach of a increasing number of Americans. The reason I supported this was because it would finally put some Sr. skin into the game, which I think is what we need to push the whole system toward single-payer. We will never get single-payer as long as Sr.'s have no skin in the game.

On NPR I finally heard Ryan address this point. He argued that Medicare is one of the major contributors to the rate of health care inflation, and that by capping it, the upward spiral of costs would slow or stop. I understand the argument, but one complaint about Medicare is that it already pays well below the market rate for services, so I'm not sure how much that program alone is driving up costs.

[byu71]

From only a year ago:

I saw that clip back to back this morning. Obama was the man talking about him transcending normal politics. He has the gift to talk out both ends better than any politician I have ever seen, even Clinton.

I try to like the guy, I really do. He is congenial. He has a great family. I don't begrudge him his vacations or a lot of the crap folks like Hannity, Beck and Limbaugh throw his way.

That being said, he is the type of guy if I were dealing with. I would watch my back closely. He reminds me of the guy you're dealing with who keeps reminging you he is on the Stake High Council.

[Goatnapper'96]

I saw that clip back to back this morning. Obama was the man talking about him transcending normal politics. He has the gift to talk out both ends better than any politician I have ever seen, even Clinton.

I try to like the guy, I really do. He is congenial. He has a great family. I don't begrudge him his vacations or a lot of the crap folks like Hannity, Beck and Limbaugh throw his way.

That being said, he is the type of guy if I were dealing with. I would watch my back closely. He reminds me of the guy you're dealing with who keeps reminging you he is on the Stake High Council.

Either what he did with his wednesday speech was a stroke of genius or it was the beginning of his end. Essentally, he appointed himself as the spokesperson for the Democrat Party on deficit reduction. Fundamentally, he is out of his league in that area wrt to Paul Ryan. Second, this debate is presently on the Republicans terms. The average American is worried about his or herself. I don't think feel good rhetoric about disabled kids or poor ol grannies will provide the Dems the same clout it has in the past. The pervasive debt concern is a new phenomnon within US politics. So from that perspective Obama is setting himself up to be annhilated and lose the independents/middle ground.

On the other hand his support amongst his base is starting to slip. The Democrats did not make the rabid lefties happy with the results of the 110th Congress when they had fillibuster proof majorities. Then Obama swung to the middle with extending the "Bush Tax Cuts" and his deal with Republicans to cut spending for the 2011 Budget. Throw in his growing up a bit about the real world and how that impacted his red meat for the rabid left campaign promises about Gitmo and military tribunals and he gots an issue with the base. So in order to reve up support and money for his reelection campaign we get a feel goodie speech about meanie Republicans, an infinite references to Bush Tax Cuts being responsible for all evils of the world and devout promises to defend dying grannies when meanie Republicans and Bush Tax Cuts conspire to kill them. Obama knows that his plan has about as much chance to be accepted by the middle and indy crowd as God returning to earth to repeal "Thou Shalt not committ adultery." So he knows in the end he is likely to get some tax hike and Ryan is likely to get some of his spending cuts. The indy crowd will likely approve and perhaps Obama can leverage his support from his base to electoral victory next year. His threat is that if he pounds the same drum set he did wednesday too long, he might drive away too much of the Indy crowd who helped elect him.

[oxcoug]

I will hump Paul Ryan's leg until security drags me away if he makes a late run at the presidency. [Bishop/Dr Vandelay pls feel free to add that to your sig as well].

Only this morning I had a dawning moment asking myself - how effing insidious is this quiet acceptance of the notion that Ryan, Christie or Rubio shouldn't run this year because they're "not ready" or it's not "their turn"?

It's completely bass ackwards.

Ryan or Christie would route Obama. Rubio might have a tougher haul but I think he would as well.

Meanwhile, we maintain this gentlemanly queue in which Romney/Pawlenty/Huntsman/Huck or whatever other shmuck has "paid dues" will step forward for ass-whipping and force the country to wait until 2016 for a change in this tragicomedy of a presidency. I can't believe Obama is serious. And it's true, I voted for him.

P.S. - the last congressman to be elected as president: Abe Lincoln. Like Ryan, Abe would have listened to Metallica if he were around today. You know he would have.

[Lost Student]

The argument that the president is making is one I brought up earlier in this thread -- by capping Medicare below the rate of health care inflation, you basically offer Medicare patients a coupon for health insurance. Over the years, as the coupon decreases in value, health insurance will fall out of reach of a increasing number of Americans. The reason I supported this was because it would finally put some Sr. skin into the game, which I think is what we need to push the whole system toward single-payer. We will never get single-payer as long as Sr.'s have no skin in the game.

On NPR I finally heard Ryan address this point. He argued that Medicare is one of the major contributors to the rate of health care inflation, and that by capping it, the upward spiral of costs would slow or stop. I understand the argument, but one complaint about Medicare is that it already pays well below the market rate for services, so I'm not sure how much that program alone is driving up costs.

I disagree with that notion. I don't think that what the majority pay for medical services is market rate because it is so skewed by external influences.

[Borderline Divine]

I will hump Paul Ryan's leg until security drags me away if he makes a late run at the presidency. [Bishop/Dr Vandelay pls feel free to add that to your sig as well].

Only this morning I had a dawning moment asking myself - how effing insidious is this quiet acceptance of the notion that Ryan, Christie or Rubio shouldn't run this year because they're "not ready" or it's not "their turn"?

It's completely bass ackwards.

Ryan or Christie would route Obama. Rubio might have a tougher haul but I think he would as well.

Meanwhile, we maintain this gentlemanly queue in which Romney/Pawlenty/Huntsman/Huck or whatever other shmuck has "paid dues" will step forward for ass-whipping and force the country to wait until 2016 for a change in this tragicomedy of a presidency. I can't believe Obama is serious. And it's true, I voted for him.

P.S. - the last congressman to be elected as president: Abe Lincoln. Like Ryan, Abe would have listened to Metallica if he were around today. You know he would have.

A poll released today put Trump at the top of the pack. Man, you guys aren't even trying...

[SCcoug]

Excellent read on trimming the defense budget.

http://www.time.com/time/politics/ar...5108-1,00.html

[Jacob]

Ryan's out with a new video for everyone to nitpick. His medicare plan is actually different from a voucher system.
http://youtu.be/DJIC7kEq6kw
Why can't I figure out how to embed?
<iframe width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/DJIC7kEq6kw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Pelado]

Cass Sunstein coming to the defense of Paul Ryan (didn't see that coming):

With respect to occupational requirements, Ryan is on firm ground. True, some such requirements are justified; people should not be allowed to practice medicine or law simply because they hold themselves out as specialists. But all too often, the public-interest justification for licensing requirements is a facade -- the real goal is to insulate existing providers from competition. That insulation is especially harmful to low-income people: They are deprived of potential jobs even as they also face higher prices for licensed services.

Ryan is on the right track insofar as he suggests that occupational licensing is a big problem and that regulatory agencies should take steps to reduce or eliminate adverse effects on people who are struggling. Democrats and Republicans should be working together to solve the problems that Ryan has identified.

[Omaha 680]

Cass Sunstein coming to the defense of Paul Ryan (didn't see that coming):

Cass channeling Milton Friedman.

[Jacob]

Cass Sunstein coming to the defense of Paul Ryan (didn't see that coming):

I'll disagree with Cass if he doesn't think the licencing requirements for Medicine and Law are absurd. There could be a lot of improvement by relaxing occupational licencing, especially in medicine. Nobody should have to pay the full price of a doctor's visit for a lot of the simple problems they have to visit doctors for.

As for lawyers...well there are far too many of them, so maybe they should make the licencing even more difficult. And then lawyers could charge even more and provide even less value to society.