Rediculous Reporting on the Ryan Plan

Well Jacob Weisberg of Slate, who normally seems like a reasonable intelligent person has gone off the deep end on the Ryan Proposal, calling it “brave, radical and smart”.

http://www.slate.com/id/2290509/

Well, Ryan certainly gets the “Radical” tag.  Of course, the fact that the report details no major programs, does not identify the tax provisions that would be changed and requires that the President, not the Republicans to come up with changes to Social Security kind of  negates the “brave” part.  And smart, yes, if your goal is to spin Radical Conservative Philosophy, but not very smart if your goal is a serious policy discussion.

Weisberg’s main issue is Medicare.  Of course, since the changes in Medicare in the Ryan proposal won’t take place for at least 10 years, the proposal does nothing during the 10 year focus of the policy.  Weisberg also alleges that Medicare pays 100% of doctor and hospital bills, conveniently forgetting about deductibles and co-pays.

In truth, the Ryan Medicare proposal does not cut or reduce the growth in health care.  It is a cost cutting measure only for the Federal Government, shifting health care costs from the government to individuals.  The Medicare proposals should never become law, but if they do one hopes to live to see Mr. Weisberg at age 75, trying to get private health insurance even with his government voucher.  The health insurers of the world are not going to be lined up to get his business.