Ezra Klein: Paul Ryan's plan would end Medicare as we know it

[ProSense]

Paul Ryan's plan would end Medicare as we know it

"The Democrats' political machine has attacked my contribution to this debate," wrote Paul Ryan, "making the false claim that the only solution put forward to save Medicare would 'end Medicare as we know it.'"

This is a baffling line of argument. There's nothing false about the claim that Ryan's plan would end Medicare as we know it. In fact, it's unambiguously true. Currently, Medicare is a government-run insurer that pays the health-care costs of all senior citizens. Under Ryan's plan, senior citizens would be given vouchers that they could use toward private insurance. Poor seniors would get more-generous vouchers, and rich seniors would get less-generous vouchers. The way Ryan saves money is by holding the growth of the vouchers beneath the growth of health-care costs, so as care costs more and more, the vouchers cover less and less.

This might be a good reform or it might be a bad reform, but it's undoubtedly a wholesale transformation of Medicare. Ryan should argue that this is a good thing, rather than try to obscure what he's attempting to do.

More on Ryan's op-ed

Ryan's op-ed is a nice excuse to reprise my pleading for newspapers to stop publishing columns from politicians and instead offer legislators who want access to the newspaper's reader an interview with a member of the editorial board that will then be published as a transcript. Ryan's piece is a lot less informative than a Q&A with Ruth Marcus would've been. The value add isn't in giving readers the opportunity to read politicians. In the age of RedState.com and House.gov, the value isn't in giving readers a place to read politicians offering talking points. It's in giving them the opportunity to see politicians testing their arguments against informed interviewers.

[flpoljunkie]

1. Take that to the bank. K&R

[FrenchieCat]

2. He'll be someone's VP nominee in 2012.

He thinks he's cute and smart......