April 03, 2014

Newest Version of Ryan Budget Still Unfair to Current and Future Seniors

Paul Ryan Can’t Fool the American People with his Latest Budget

The following statement was issued today by Mike Pyne, President of the Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans:

“House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled a Republican budget that once again proposes privatizing Medicare and turning it into a voucher system, while lowering tax rates on the wealthy and large corporations.”

The newest incarnation of the Ryan budget asks seniors to pay more for preventive health services and prescription drugs while again ending the Medicare guarantee.  The Ryan budget clearly chooses tax breaks for the wealthy and large corporations over health care for millions of working families.”

“Moving to a voucher system for Medicare, as the Ryan plan outlines, is just a way of cutting Medicare.  It shifts health care costs onto retirees, most of whom cannot afford the changes and wouldn’t get the health care then need.”

“This year, Chairman Ryan did add something new, but it is erroneous.  He is saying that the Social Security Trust Fund is not a real savings account-questioning the value of U.S. bonds.  In 1936, Alf Landon made the same charge when he was the presidential nominee, and the sentiment is as wrong now as it was then.”

“Paul Ryan can’t fool the American people with his latest budget.  His newest version is still just as unfair to current and future seniors, and is still based on flawed logic.

Mike Pyne, President

WI Alliance for Retired Americans

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The Wisconsin Alliance for Retired Americans, representing over 107,000 Wisconsin retirees, provides public education and advocacy with and for current and future seniors on state and federal programs affecting them and other working families.    www.wisconsinara.org