CNN - "Paul Ryan: Popular by pushing the unpopular" - Killing Medicare Is Bold and Brave! Woot!

[TomCADem]

Here is the corporate media once again taking another shot and promoting Republican efforts to privitize social security and Medicare. When a Democrat merely entertains the idea of making minor cuts that preserve the structure of Medicare and Social Security as federal funded and run programs, the corporate media happily highlights stories of folks attacking Democrats on both the left and right. Yet, when Republicans push the radical idea of completely destroying these programs, the corporate media narrative is that these efforts to attack programs benefitting the middle class are "bold" and "brave."

So, Republicans have doubled down on their proposals to privitize Medicare and Social Security and the corporate media continues to run interference for them. The left is duped into blaming Democrats, while Republicans get a free pass on efforts to completely eradicate the social safety net. It is a double standard. Right now, Republicans should be getting a brand new round of scorn for their renewed and expanded efforts to destroy the social safety net.

Instead, the corporate media hails such efforts, thus when the Republicans win in 2012, they can perhaps credibly claim that they have a mandate to completely wipe out the social safety net.

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-09-26/politics/politics_gop-paul-ryan_1_ryan-plan-paul-ryan-government-spending?_s=PM:POLITICS

Ryan had the deficit in his sights for years. At first, even Republicans steered clear of some of his more controversial budget ideas like Medicare reform. But then the economy went south and the tea party became the rage. Suddenly, the push to slash budget deficits became popular.

So popular, in fact, that Ryan's budget outline overwhelmingly passed the Republican-controlled House in the spring.

* * *
It cuts $6.2 trillion over 10 years in federal government spending. That's big bucks, and Ryan does it by gradually transforming Medicare into a program in which recipients receive vouchers to help buy private insurance. He also gradually raises the program's eligibility age and transforms Medicaid into a block grant program. On the tax side, the Ryan plan includes major tax reform that reduces the top rate for both individuals and corporations.

* * *
And how would Ryan make Social Security financially sustainable? By gradually raising the eligibility age, tying the benefits for more wealthy recipients to inflation and offering workers under the age of 55 the option of investing some of their taxes into personal retirement accounts.

[FarLeftFist]

1. Let them run on that and watch them all get swept from office.

[flamingdem]

2. Poor CNN such a boring race: the Psychopaths vs. the Rest of Us nt