Rep. Paul Ryan Concedes GOP Alternative Budget Would Increase The Deficit ‘A Lot’

[babylonsister]

http://thinkprogress.org/2009/03/30/ryan-gop-budget/


Rep. Paul Ryan Concedes GOP Alternative Budget Would Increase The Deficit ‘A Lot’


Last week, the House GOP presented its alternative budget proposal. Members of the media, including conservative commentators, widely panned the document for being scant on details and appearing more as “campaign-style talking points.” Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI), ranking member of the House Budget Committee, has said he will release yet another budget proposal, but this time with more specifics.

Though Ryan has been most critical of the deficit impact of Obama’s budget, he has been unable to assess the deficit impact of his own budget. After being repeatedly asked this weekend by Bloomberg’s Al Hunt about “how large” the deficit would be under the Republican plan, Ryan finally respond, “A lot”:

HUNT: But the Obama budget deficit is $1.4 trillion. How, roughly, how large will yours be?

RYAN: Their budget deficit is $1.8 trillion. <…>

HUNT: Gimme an idea of how large yours will be?

RYAN: A lot. Let’s put it that way.

HUNT: Pardon me?

RYAN: Now I can’t give you the specific numbers because we’re still waiting for some numbers back from CBO. But clearly we don’t want to have this kind of run up of deficits and debt.

Watch it at link~

As ThinkProgress previously noted, Rep. Mike Pence (R-IN) also stumbled and refused to offer a number when questioned by MSNBC about the deficit under the GOP plan.

Citizens for Tax Justice analyzed the income tax provisions of the GOP alternative budget and concluded that they would cost $300 billion more annually than the President’s income tax plans.

Ryan’s refusal to provide a deficit number only reinforces the statement made by OMB Director Peter Orszag that Republicans have gone from “the party of ‘no’ to the party of ‘no detail.’”

Update: The Wonk Room’s Pat Garofalo notes that Ryan was also asked about the deficit impact of the House GOP budget on C-Span by Politco’s Patrick O’Connor. Ryan again dodged the question.

[Beetwasher]

1. D'OH!!!!!

:rofl:

[babylonsister]

2. I know. Can't wait to hear how they spin this! nt

[BlueIdaho]

3. From the party of "NO" to the party of no brains. nt.

[Supersedeas]

11. No accountability; no straight-forward ideas; no genuine bipartisanship

[virgogal]

4. I'm shocked ----a politician dodging a question and being evasive?

What on earth is going on?

(sarcasm off)

[monmouth]

5. They really have nothing, do they...n/t

[lamp_shade]

6. Ooooooohhhh reeeeeeallllyyyyy?

[Fuzz]

7. Idiots.

[babylonsister]

8. Confusion in the GOP??? Senate can't be bothered with a budget...

http://blogs.abcnews.com/thenote/2009/03/despite-mccain.html

Despite McCain's Comments, Senate GOP Not Offering Detailed Budget

March 30, 2009 3:50 PM

Rick Klein reports:

Much has been made in recent days about divisions inside the House Republican caucus over how to frame the party’s opposition to President Obama’s budget.

On Thursday, House Republicans did wind up offering the frame of an alternative budget -- but then they were widely panned for not releasing a more detailed alternative to the Democratic proposals.

That’s what made an exchange Sunday with Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” intriguing.

DAVID GREGORY: “Do you think that Republicans should provide a detailed budget alternative?”

McCAIN: “Yes.”

GREGORY: “With numbers?”

McCAIN: “Yes.”

GREGORY: “Will that happen in the Senate?”

McCAIN: “We're working on it, working very hard on it.”

So -- are they?

Actually, no.

According to a spokesman for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., the Senate GOP's plan remains the same: Republicans are planning to offer individual amendments to the Democratic budget but not a detailed, comprehensive budget of their own.

Sen. Judd Gregg, R-N.H., the top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, has pointed out that if the GOP amendments are accepted en masse (which will not happen), the amended budget would be the Republican alternative. Senate GOP leaders have also pointed out that Senate Democrats didn’t offer a detailed alternative budget in 2005 and 2006, when Republicans last controlled the Senate.

In any event, a full budget alternative may be what McCain wants, but it’s not going to be what happens.

This is far from the first time that McCain is wandering beyond the boundaries of the party line. But it does suggest that, as Democrats brand Republicans as the party of “no,” the splits over in the House GOP may emerge in the Senate, too.

[jillan]

9. haha! What a bunch of idiots.

[gratuitous]

10. Wow . . . a lot

The detail is just excruciating! I'm getting dizzy from all the numbers and stuff. Whoaaaaaa.

[Odin2005]

12. Hey GOP, your shipment of FAIL has been delivered!