Paul Ryan!!

[_Abyssinia]

Obamacare Makes Vice President Ryan Possible

While it’s true Democrats will run a Mediscare campaign like they did in 1996, Romney and Ryan have three powerful rejoinders this time around:

1. Medicare is already broken. We either reform it or let it destroy our public finances.

1. Obamacare exacerbates the problems in the Medicare system, since it takes $700 billion from Medicare to fund the newly created entitlement. Even the chief actuary for the Medicare and Social Security systems, Richard Foster, concludes that Obamacare will likely yield cutbacks in services to senior citizens rendered by Medicare.

1. While the original Ryan roadmap retains these Medicare cuts (though it eliminates the Independent Payment Advisory Board and uses them all to reduce the deficit rather than create a new program), Romney has indicated disagreement with this. Expect the ultimate Romney-Ryan plan to restore all funding to Medicare, just like the more recent Ryan-Wyden plan, which is cosponsored by Oregon’s liberal senator Ron Wyden.

Combine these three points, and Team Romney can say that, if you’re a senior citizen who is worried about Medicare, your best bet is to vote for the Republican ticket. The Republicans will protect the system; the Democrats are taking half a trillion from it over the next decade to fund a new entitlement.

It is true that Democrats are licking their chops. And that they will claim a vote for them is a vote to save Medicare. But that’s misguided.

Put another way: Because Obamacare already messes with entitlements, there is greater urgency for reforming the entitlement system. That is, Obama and Biden are the ones who touched entitlements, and Romney and Ryan are coming in to fix them.

There is more to the story. The coming debate over Medicare feeds into the larger theme that Team Romney has clearly been developing – and it gets to why I think Silver and Crowley are wildly off base.

Romney has been hinting at this message for some time: Under the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States has fallen into decline. The entitlement problem hasn’t just remained the same; the problems have been exacerbated.

The country needs real changes to restore American greatness. A vote for Obama-Biden is a vote for unsustainability. A vote for Romney-Ryan is a vote for change, and therefore hope that America’s best days are ahead. Or, we might say, Team Romney is all about hope and change – a campaign theme that is known to work rather well!

Romney has not fully developed this argument yet – and for good reason, since it is still the summer and voters aren’t yet paying too close attention. The full deployment of Romney’s message begins at the convention, as this is the time the swing vote is going to start paying attention.

Ultimately, Ryan advances this message, and with Obamacare messing with entitlements, and with Republicans pledging sustainable reforms, picking the intellectual leader of the Republican party was a smart move.

weeklystandard.com/blogs/msm-misunderstands-ryan-pick_649810.html

It would be easier for Obama to attack if he did not have ObamaTax as an albatross. How can he argue against Ryan’s plan gutting medicare when ObamaTax guts medicare and will hurt seniors by cutting Medicare Advantage payment rates by 2017 an average of $3700 for every person. 27% below what recipients would receive with out ObamaTax. If they lose $3700 annually in Medicare from 65 years old until their death at 78 they would lose $44000 in benefits and medicare spending would increase $25 billion with ObamaTax

 

[_Abyssinia]

Last April, the US Catholic Bishops sent a blistering message to the House Ways and Means Committee saying that any federal budget must be judged by the way it protects the ‘least of these.’ In Bishop Blaire’s words: “The House-passed budget resolution fails to meet these moral criteria.”

The architect of the budget the Bishops deemed immoral was Rep. Paul Ryan, a Catholic, who has now joined Mitt Romney as his running mate on the GOP ticket.

huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/18/ryan-budget-catholic_n_1434919.html

Two Bishops criticised the plan, Bishop Pates and Bishop Blaire and they are entitled to their opinion. Bishop Earl criticised those 2 Bishops criticism of the budget and Bishop Naumann has said solutions that place emphasis in enrolling people in government programs have been ‘tried for decades’ and failed.

Bishop Morlino of [Wisconsin](http://www.faith(name removed by moderator)ubliclife.org/blog/wisconsin-catholic-bishop-contradicts-usccb-to-support-paul-ryan) has said Ryan’s ‘approach’ was responsible and ‘in accordance with Catholic principles’ on EWTN’s world over live:

MORLINO: Congressman Ryan has made his prudential judgment about how best to serve the long-term needs of the poor. He has done that in accord with Catholic principles. I don’t have to approve his decision or his budget or anything else. What I do approve of is that he is a responsible Catholic layman who understands his mission and carries it out very responsibly. I feel very strongly about that. The details of his solution are not mine to approve or disapprove, that’s not my field

 

[buffalo]

And you know this from listening to Mr Romney state his stand on issues? Hats off to you! I’m waiting for the real Mitt to stand up - minus the etch-a-sketch of course…

You can see it here

 

[buffalo]

What is to be done with the people over 65 who are now collecting SS benefits. Should they be cut?

I believe the adjustments will affect people 55 and under.

 

[salusanimarum17]

Yes but they’ve haven’t been able to stand the idea of Barack Obama as POTUS since the day he was elected. They would turn out for Romney regardless. I see posts on CAF all the time where people say Romney might not have been their first choice but because of Obama they’re voting for him.

If a politician’s base is only voting because of the defects of the other candidate, that politician will not win–there will be an enthusiasm gap. McCain was dealing with this very circumstance. He tried to remedy it with Palin, thinking she would energize the base. It did, but it then blew up. The base needs to be enthusiastic so that they can convince others (who don’t really care or see the difference between the parties) to vote for their guy. Ryan adds enthusiasm to the base. Conservative talk radio is a good barometer for this–we’ll see what their shows and callers are like next week. I predict a huge uptick in energy.

 

[Trader]

What is to be done with the people over 65 who are now collecting SS benefits. Should they be cut?

I am in awe that this was your only objection. If we act soon enough, benefits for current retirees would not have to be cut. The unfunded liabilities would have to be paid from general revenues. In Greece, benefits for current retirees were cut. I hope we don’t continue on that road.

We should stop making even more unpaid for additions to benefits like the cost of living increase given as part of the Obama stimulus plan. I would also get rid of the penalties that cause retirees under 72 to have more of their benefits taxed or actually reduced if they work part or full time. If people can and want to work, they should not be penalized for that.

You also may not realize that if a person works part-time nearing or after retirement, he still has to pay the SS tax, but will get no additional benefit from SS unless he earns enough to raise his average earnings. With the mandatory savings alternative, a worker’s savings would continue to increase with additional employment.

A lot of things have changed since 1938. Many people are able to work after 65 now, but the penalty for doing so remains a drag on economic growth.

 

[poker10]

People have to remember, if elected, Ryan would just be the VP!! That’s it!! Think back to what the VP actually does. Not much. Lots of luncheons and speeches.

Biden delivers the occasional gaffe, Cheney probably had a lot of influence, but that was because he was Cheney and Bush was Bush. Al Gore was more famous for losing and his global warming stuff. Quayle did nothing. Bush Sr. got elected president, but only lasted one term.

The VP stuff is overrated IMHO.

 

[JoeBowen7]

Many people are able to work after 65 now, but the penalty for doing so remains a drag on economic growth.

But by working after 65, are they not taking up a position which could have been given to a younger worker? See post #306?

 

[salusanimarum17]

…he’s also a longtime devotee of Ayn Rand, the novelist and anti-statist. Ryan tried to deny his devotion, but has spoken at Rand foundation events and expressed his admiration and acknowledged her influence. The problem is: Rand was a vehement atheist, adamantly anti-church. So what does Ryan really believe?

Catholics have long borrowed what was good from non-Catholic sources. St. Thomas Aquinas is the best example–look at the influence the PAGAN philosopher Aristotle had on him. Look at the use Aquinas made of the Muslims Avicenna and Averroes. This is not to compare Ryan to Aquinas but to point out that there is nothing wrong with “baptizing” non-Catholic’s ideas for our own Catholic purposes, as long as our Catholic fundamentals are intact. Ryan’s own bishop thinks they are, for Ryan. That’s good enough for me.

 

[_Abyssinia]

Obama Campaign Lies About Ryan Medicare Reform

Medicare reform generally does not poll well. For example, one ABC/Washington Post poll

in April 2011 found that 78 percent of Americans oppose “cutting Medicare” to reduce the deficit. But when voters learn that Medicare reform doesn’t affect those over 55, the plan is an electoral wash.

A Wall Street Journal/NBC poll from June 2011 asked Americans if they would be more likely or less likely to vote for a candidate who “supports changing Medicare for those under 55 to a system where people choose their insurance from a list of private health plans and the government pays a fixed amount, sometimes called a voucher, towards that cost.” Thirty-eight percent of Americans said they were more likely to vote for a candidate who supports such a reform reform, while 37 percent said they were less likely to vote for that candidate. Eighteen percent said it made “no difference” in determining their vote, and 7 percent were not sure.

weeklystandard.com/blogs/obama-campaign-lies-about-ryan-medicare-reform_649808.html

 

[JoeBowen7]

Catholics have long borrowed what was good from non-Catholic sources. St. Thomas Aquinas is the best example–look at the influence the PAGAN philosopher Aristotle had on him. Look at the use Aquinas made of the Muslims Avicenna and Averroes. This is not to compare Ryan to Aquinas but to point out that there is nothing wrong with “baptizing” non-Catholic’s ideas for our own Catholic purposes, as long as our Catholic fundamentals are intact. Ryan’s own bishop thinks they are, for Ryan. That’s good enough for me.

The only problem here is that the core idea of Ayn Rand, as I understand it, is the elevation of selfishness as a working principle to bring about a better society.

 

[Rich_Olszewski]

The only problem here is that the core idea of Ayn Rand, as I understand it, is the elevation of selfishness as a working principle to bring about a better society.

You are correct. The principle is called Objectivism, and it rejects altruism.

 

[seekerz]

The only problem here is that the core idea of Ayn Rand, as I understand it, is the elevation of selfishness as a working principle to bring about a better society.

Exactly, borrowing an idea here or there is patently different from endorsing or emulating core ideologies. The “I, me, mine” of today’s individualism has been insidiously incorporated into our socio-political milieu with nary a peep from many of us who should know better.

 

[Trader]

But by working after 65, are they not taking up a position which could have been given to a younger worker? See post #306?

The number of jobs is not a constant number to be divided up by the population. More people working mean more production and more consumption which creates new jobs. When people are free to choose what they do, the things they produce will meet actual needs, not government wants.

One of the original goals of SS was to get older people out of the work force, so that the large number of idle young people would not overthrow the government. That may seem extreme now, but it actually happened in Germany, Italy, and Spain. It may happen again with Spain’s current 25% unemployment and similar rates in Greece.

In 1938 most jobs were more physical and younger workers could be more productive than older workers. In today’s knowledge based economy that argument has been largely reversed.

 

[Prodigal_Son1]

Government confiscation to give to others is not sharing. What I have been saying is that old age is perfectly predictable, and it is something that people can easily prepare for. But with Social Security and Medicare has encouraged an entitlement mentality where people start to expect others to take care of them instead of taking care of themselves.

In the 1880s, over 75% of men who were 65 and up were in the labor force. Today that number is around 15%. We have people who are able to work and choose not to. Which is fine, except when you demand that working people pay for it.

I categorically reject the prosperity gospel. I think we have a lot of us in the US are rich and just too stupid to know it, because we determine whether or not we are rich by looking at our neighbors. But even lower income people can save for their old age. If someone saved even $2000 per year from age 22 to 32 and saved nothing else, at age 65 they would have over $800k, assuming a 10% return (the historical return on stocks). But our entitlement mentality does not encourage this sort of thing.

Entitlement? The money paid in, with an understanding it would come back, is not an entitlement.

This country was built on taxes, ‘confiscation’, to some. It’s shown to be the biggest issue in this discussion, to some. This is evident by the quickness to go straight to medicare, medicaid and social security; without mention of abortion or gay marriage.

What do you call a society that uses everyone’s wealth, to each individual as needed? You can read an example in Acts 2.

 

[Havard]

Ryan is most certainly not a devotee of Ayn Rand. Watch the interview with Raymond Arroyo, linked in the beginning of this thread. He clears up the misunderstandings associated with this issue.

Edit - Here it is, so people don’t have to go looking for it. The interview starts at about 10:00:

bing.com/videos/search?q=ewtn%2cpaul+ryan%2cyoutube&mid=1A49BA79D2C54B827E821A49BA79D2C54B827E82&view=detail&FORM=VIRE7

 

[seekerz]

The problem with your argument is the assumption that a newly minted education degree holder stays unemployed because a job is already taken. And of course in the real world they move on and go to school in nursing, or engineering, or some field where we have a shortage of workers.

In the real world, most newly-minted education degree holders graduate with too much college debt to immediately switch to another field. Heck, I know of people who remain in a field they fell out of love with in college, simply because they can’t afford to move on to train in something else.

 

[Schism_hater]

Hopefully the faithful Catholics will realize this is a Faithful Catholic!
This is a good choice!

Someone who has expressed his admiration many times for Ayn Rand is a not a “faithful Catholic”.

 

[Schism_hater]

Ryan is most certainly not a devotee of Ayn Rand. Watch the interview with Raymond Arroyo, linked in the beginning of this thread. He clears up the misunderstandings associated with this issue.

Edit - Here it is, so people don’t have to go looking for it. The interview starts at about 10:00:

bing.com/videos/search?q=ewtn%2cpaul+ryan%2cyoutube&mid=1A49BA79D2C54B827E821A49BA79D2C54B827E82&view=detail&FORM=VIRE7

The following quotes by Paul Ryan prior to the clean-up job when he became a national political figure speak for themselves:

“I just want to speak to you a little bit about Ayn Rand and what she meant to me in my life and [in] the fight we’re engaged here in Congress. I grew up on Ayn Rand, that’s what I tell people.”•
“I grew up reading Ayn Rand and it taught me quite a bit about who I am and what my value systems are, and what my beliefs are.”
• “It’s inspired me so much that it’s required reading in my office for all my interns and my staff. We start with Atlas Shrugged. People tell me I need to start with The Fountainhead then go to Atlas Shrugged [laughter]. There’s a big debate about that. We go to Fountainhead, but then we move on, and we require Mises and Hayek as well.”
• “But the reason I got involved in public service, by and large, if I had to credit one thinker, one person, it would be Ayn Rand.”
• “And when you look at the twentieth-century experiment with collectivism—that Ayn Rand, more than anybody else, did such a good job of articulating the pitfalls of statism and collectivism—you can’t find another thinker or writer who did a better job of describing and laying out the moral case for capitalism than Ayn Rand.”
• “It’s so important that we go back to our roots to look at Ayn Rand’s vision, her writings, to see what our girding, under-grounding [sic] principles are.”
• “Because there is no better place to find the moral case for capitalism and individualism than through Ayn Rand’s writings and works.”

 

[Abba]

As my friend’s late Sicilian uncle used to say about politicians as he turned off the television: “It’s all-a bulls–t.”

Lol, he sounds like a person I would have enjoyed a nice discussion with a double espresso, a fine cigar and preferably under the shades of a tree in Sicily.

His understanding which I share, reminds me of my late father’s favorite poem. It is one written by Quevedo who was a poet and member of the king’s court who shared a similar understanding. In the poem he makes good use of that last word of your friend’s uncle. It happened that the king had many guests from different kingdoms (politics) and they were getting bored. The king asked Quevedo to do something about it and he made up the poem on the spot which expressed his thoughts at the moment. He even writes about rolling in it and the conclusion is the echo of that word. It’s a masterpiece! I don’t know the title, I just know it by heart. If you ever want to look it up, it start very eloquently with: Yo, en otro tiempos con dorada liras, - I, in another time with a golden lyre…