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Paul Ryan Blasts Dems, Explains Why He Didn’t Run for President

Rep. Paul Ryan blasted the Democrats’ plan to raise taxes on millionaires and said he feared the U.S. economy could collapse into a European-style debt crisis, reports The Atlantic.

“The arithmetic just doesn’t add up,” he said of the new proposal to place a surtax of five percent on incomes of more than $1 million to fund the president’s $450 billion “jobs plan.”

In the interview at the Washington Ideas Forum with David Leonhardt of the New York Times, Ryan promoted his long-term deficit plan, which cuts taxes and spending and proposes dramatic entitlement reform.

The first step toward entitlement reform, Ryan said, is to “do away with loopholes in the corporate tax code to pay for lowering the rate.”

“I really think there’s a shot at bipartisanship on the corporate [tax reform] side,” he said. “Both parties have made a mess of the system.”

He then went on to explain his criticisms of the new healthcare law:

The Atlantic reports:

Leonhardt questioned the idea that lowering taxes was a panacea for growth. Taxes increases didn’t prevent growth in the 1990s, he said, and tax cuts produced disappointing growth in the 2000s.

Ryan responded that “growth occurs on the margin” and when you raise taxes on work, savings, and investment, you get less work, less savings, and less investment — and less growth.

In the 1990s, Ryan added, other factors such as stable interest rates and a productivity boom helped to compensate for higher tax rates on income and capital.

The session’s longest exchange on was about health care reform. Ryan has proposed a free market plan that would repeal Obama’s law, decouple the health insurance tax benefit from employer, and make a tax benefit portable for every worker.

Ryan said he supported universal coverage without a single payer that used the tax code to encourage people to buy insurance.

“I think [the Supreme Court] will knock down the [individual] mandate,” Ryan said, without which the health care law will “death spiral.”

Ryan then explained why he turned down requests for him to run for president in 2012, “I love being a policy maker. I don’t have this burning desire. We like our life. I didn’t have it in the gut.”

Watch Ryan Explain His Decision Not to Run For President:

Comments (27)

  • Kara_ite
    Posted on October 20, 2011 at 11:27am

    Today I found a piece of trivia that makes me like the most honorable Rep. Paul Ryan even more. He used to work for Oscar Mayer as a driver of the weiner mobile. Really, I am not lying. I love him even more.

    Report Post » Kara_ite  
  • UnreconstructedLibertarian
    Posted on October 12, 2011 at 6:41pm

    Here’s where I diverge from the Ryan camp.

    Obamacare needs repleaded – yes.

    There should be no talk of REPLACEMENT legislation of ANY kind at the Federal level. If anything, this is the responsibility of the States – they make appropriate changes quicker and with more fiscal responsibility than the Feds.

    Wipe the slate clean of the issue – let the market forces of healthcare work itself out.

    Report Post » UnreconstructedLibertarian  
  • Bill Burns
    Posted on October 12, 2011 at 2:50am

    There are 4 things that can be done to stimulate JOBS:
    1) Repeal ObamaCare
    2) Replace Obama
    3) Repeal Dodd-Frank
    4) Pass Trades bill (This will likely get done after Republicans have pushed for passage for months and months.)

    Report Post » Bill Burns  
    • bruce_baker
      Posted on October 12, 2011 at 3:40pm

      Good start, but you forgot:
      #5 disband and defund the EPA
      #6 repeal every regulation the Obama administration has passed

      Also, we must demand accountability from our elected officials as to whom they got contributions from, and how their votes affected issues that involve their contributors. Our entire government is bought and paid for by special interests. We have the best government money CAN buy.

      Report Post » bruce_baker  
  • MTdave
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 11:35pm

    i still dont get how taking money from someone creates job – they have less money ! Governmnet cant create job – it can only create an environment to allow jobs to flurish……they are really sick thinking. Its like the drunk who says – give me one more bottle and then i will quite”…governmnet says “ give me one more tax hike and then we will have enough money”…………
    just doesn’t add up.

    Report Post »  
  • The Third Archon
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:28pm

    “PAUL RYAN BLASTS DEMS, EXPLAINS WHY HE DIDN’T RUN FOR PRESIDENT”
    Because not everyone who is in Congress wants to run for President.

    Report Post » The Third Archon  
    • BloodyArtist22
      Posted on October 12, 2011 at 12:19pm

      Yeah it’s like asking a E-7 if they’re willing to become an O-9. ….it’s just not going to happen. Some military folk don‘t want to become officers because they’re the pen pushers. Enlisted are the rule upholders. And they like working that way. They feel they can get more stuff done by staying out of the big limelight.

      Report Post » BloodyArtist22  
  • CulperGang
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 6:08pm

    ROTFLMAO http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wJfsLafye4&feature=youtu.be

    some levity

    Report Post » CulperGang  
  • packeryman
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 1:01pm

    Ryan did not run because he knows he could not win. The only people in the party who support this guy’s wacky ideas are the far right bible thumping religious fanatics and tea bagging lunatics.He could not win the GOP nomination much less a national election. Talk about somebody that would stimulate and motivate the Dem’s and Independents, that is Ryan. His political ideology is insanity. We don’t need to destroy our social safety net programs, we need to fix what is wrong with them. SS/Medicare can be saved by lock boxing the funds that come in so politicians can’t steal them for foreign aid, wars, and occupations.They need to clean up the fraud by health care providers. They need to lift the cap so all taxable income is counted toward SS/Medicare. If necessary due to the baby boom levy a 1% increase on employer and employee until the crisis is over. If you want to repair and rebuild our crumbling infrastructure bring home all troops and close all military bases as Ron Paul says,stop being the worlds policemen. Again in his words revisit all failed free trade policies and make them fair trade agreements.Place troop from TX to Pacific, cut all social programs for illegals,give 5yr mandatory for hiring illegals, empty all prisons of illegals/deport, end anchor baby program. those without jobs would self deport. Five year moratorium on H1-B visas. Then setup a temporary work program. Lets rebuild America. We cannot make deep cuts during a recession just to beat Obama. Insan

    Report Post »  
    • DrFrost
      Posted on October 11, 2011 at 5:42pm

      “Ryan did not run because he knows he could not win.” – Packer

      And you know this how?

      “The only people in the party who support this guy’s wacky ideas are the far right bible thumping religious fanatics and tea bagging lunatics.” – Packer

      Does this include all the people in Wisconsin who voted for him?

      “His political ideology is insanity. We don’t need to destroy our social safety net programs, we need to fix what is wrong with them.” – Packer

      I’m not familiar with his whole political ideology but what I have read from him makes perfect sense to me.

      “You can’t have a program to which you contribute (on average) $150,000 and pull out (on average) $400,000. ” – Paul Ryan

      Hard to argue with that. His thoughts on making medicare a defined contribution program also resinates with me. I guess you need to throw “crazy libertarians” in your list of Ryan supporters since I don’t seem to qualify under your other categories.

      Report Post »  
    • Vital
      Posted on October 12, 2011 at 4:17pm

      Rose-Ellen you always sound the same

      Report Post » Vital  
  • bigdaddyt46
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 10:53am

    Paul Ryan is one of the very few(Scott Walker and Tommy Thompson) people in this state that have made Wisconsin half-way bearable to live in.

    Report Post » bigdaddyt46  
  • Skan
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:41am

    Obama would be very, very afraid if Paul Ryan ran for President. Ryan would make a total fool of Obama in the presidential debates. He would win by a landslide. I’m so sorry he decided not to run. But we need to win senate seats if the new Republican president will have a chance to undo all this mess. And people, let’s not forget the Supreme Court. If Obama wins, there will be another appointee, 5 to 4 slanted left, and there goes our Constitution.

    Report Post »  
  • DJR
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 8:02am

    Paul Ryan is right, he can be more helpful to the country as a congressman. Maybe down the road he’ll change his mind and run, but for now he’s more affective in the congress.

    Report Post »  
  • lukerw
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:57am

    Ryan… for Secretary Of The Treasury!!!

    Report Post » lukerw  
  • trench99
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 7:39am

    Good job Mr. Ryan!! Keep up the important work you do!

    Report Post »  
  • Bill Rowland
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 6:31am

    Ryan is, without a doubt, one of the few sane voices in congress. We need more like him and not the rabbler rousers on the liberal side. His fiscal sense and his common sense are both worthy of note.
    I would vote for him.

    OMG – Psalm 109:8

    Report Post »  
  • OccupyMainStreet
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 4:58am

    Yea i‘m betting on i’m not sure who, maybe Herman Cain can take on Obama because he’s not a “career politician” like Romney (whos less principled but more “electable” than Perry) but who knows..the field is wide open.

    Report Post »  
  • conservideo
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 3:01am

    I have to say… He would’ve been my first pick. What a brain, common sense is perfectly intact, and what candor and demeanor. I wish he had it in his gut to do it. I think he would’ve blasted the stage.

    Report Post » conservideo  
  • OccupyMainStreet
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:12am

    If Paul Ryan ran for president I would be honored because he came up with such a specific, concise plan to cut our deficit REALISTICALLY. But it looks like the class warfare over the next decade may bring an end to normal American civility as we have known it. My new name is a mockery of those who wish to misdirect their anger toward SOLELY the financial sector, rather than lay the blame at the feet of un-checked corrupt BIG gov’t hubris. I see both sides of the equation but I still believe nothing will work with true democracy (republic for the people for elected reps to serve US) other than Capitalism. But, greed isn’t “good”, ambition and determination is. I am abit split on Romney’s view that “corporations are people too”, i’m not sure about that..so i’m actually quite politically moderate though i have fiercely conservative values morally.

    Report Post »  
  • steveh931
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 2:06am

    The Federal Government has no business being involved in health care. It should be left up to the State Government to collect taxes and provide Medicare / Medicaid, think about it. What a better place to monitor Medicare / Medicaid than at the State level to help the elderly in each State and help prevent fraud. We also need to allow competition between the Insurance Companies over State lines. The Federal Government has developed large programs through the history of the United States usurping the power away from the States and leading this nation into a heavy taxation and fraud. If the taxes stay at the State level they are circulated at the State level and help create jobs in the healthcare fields. Citizens that move from one State to another would simply have to fill out a form and file it with both States via the U.S Postal Service, Notarized and Registered of course. The State and the Federal Government would have to work together to get it done, but it can be done. All programs that have nothing to do with Foreign Affairs, Defense and Commerce, need to be at State level or thrown in the trash. Say no to BIG GOVERNMENT. Run our government per the original ratified U.S. Constitution or get out of the way, we don’t need you! Lyndon B. Johnson and every Progressive Socialist after him own the majority of the responsibility of making the United States a “Great Society” Civil Rights, Public Broadcasting, Medicare and Medicaid all belong to him, creating dependency.

    Report Post » steveh931  
  • hudent
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:29am

    I don’t care what other people think about this guy…He is going to be President of the USA.ok
    and if you don’t think so ..tough

    Report Post »  
  • Alucard
    Posted on October 11, 2011 at 12:08am

    Correct me if I‘m wrong but didn’t the cheer come after Ron Paul said something about personal responsibility not when the commentator said should we let the individual die?

    Report Post »  
  • thetreyman
    Posted on October 10, 2011 at 11:57pm

    well, there you have it.

    Report Post » thetreyman  

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