Rep. Paul Ryan on Increases in Health Insurance Premiums

Don't Mess With Paul Ryan

RedState has a posting about our congressman from Wisconsin's First Congressional District

Congressman Paul Ryan is the ranking Republican on the House Budget Committee, and this clip of him schooling Katrina vanden Heuvel - one that’s been going around the blogosphere lately - is well worth watching. Ryan lays out the problems with the Democrat approach, and demonstrates vanden Heuvel’s misunderstanding of the issues superbly:



But the real surprise is not that Ryan did so well, it’s that vanden Heuvel didn’t come better prepared. Ryan has been consistently taking apart his liberal opponents for a while now.

Click here to read the entire post and to watch the montage of video clips of Rep. Ryan.

The False Choice versus The Patients’ Choice

From The JournalTimes.com:

The False Choice versus The Patients’ Choice
President Obama Talks Health Care in Wisconsin, Congressman Paul Ryan Responds

I applaud President Obama for bringing national attention to two things I’m passionate about: health care reform and Wisconsin. I am eager to work with the President and Democrats toward a bipartisan solution to health care. However, the Majority has chosen to exclude such collaboration. After reviewing the President’s remarks in Green Bay today, I have one basic observation to make. The difference between the President’s rhetoric and the substance of his plans is nothing short of astounding. In fact, non-partisan experts continue to claim that the President’s “public plan option” will cause as many as 120 million of Americans to lose the health insurance they already have and like. This makes it difficult to keep the insurance they like.

The President reiterated a false choice that is damaging the open, honest health care debate that we deserve. The President frames the debate as: The government must take over the management of health care OR continue with the failed status-quo of today. He continues to challenge his critics by asking, “What is the alternative?” He knows that there are alternatives – better alternatives where the patient, not the government, is at the center of health care in America. He knows that we have introduced the Patients’ Choice Act of 2009. He knows this, and is simply hoping that the American people don’t know it. It should be noted that Democrats haven’t yet introduced a bill – we have. The Patients’ Choice Act is a real proposal with actual legislative text, demonstrating that we can have universal health insurance in this country without the government taking it over.

Another favorite refrain of the President is that entitlement reform is health care reform. With health security threatened by the unsustainable growth of Medicare and Medicaid, serious reform of these programs is no longer an option. Last year, I introduced comprehensive reforms of both programs, and yet again – nothing but rhetoric from Washington. What’s worse, the Administration’s current strategy to fixing our entitlement crisis is to add yet another entitlement program to an already unsustainable fiscal future. You can't create new government entitlements, impose trillions of dollars of new taxes, and call this cost containment. We already spend over two-and-a-half times any other country on health care. The problem is not that we don't spend enough money, but that we don't spend it efficiently or effectively.

The President highlighted innovative reforms in Wisconsin by providers and patients alike, and used these market-driven reforms to argue that the federal government should take it from there. It takes an uncomfortable faith in Washington to believe that bureaucratic waste will be replaced by innovation and efficiency if only we gave government more control. Again, there is a better path forward on health care reform, and pretending there are not alternatives is a weak argument against our proposals.

What is at stake in this health care debate is nothing short of our definition of America. The outcome of this debate will reshape, in deep and enduring ways, our nation's historic sensibilities. Will we reaffirm our first principles where the government is purposefully limited and the individual is purposefully empowered, or will we sacrifice liberty with a sense of passive security and dependence? Do we want to follow the stagnant European welfare state model, or do believe that there is something unique about our founding, something unique about America that still endures today?

President Obama made the case today in Green Bay, Wisconsin, for a government-centric approach to reforming an issue of tremendous economic and personal importance for all Americans. We will continue to make the case for an approach where patients and doctors are the nucleus of health care in America. We will continue to make the case for health care reform rooted in faith in the individual. We stand ready to engage in a serious health care debate, and are hopeful President Obama and Congressional leaders in Washington are willing to give the American people a health care debate they deserve.

Let the (health care) debate begin

From the Washington Times:

Halfway through 2009, the Obama administration and the Democratic majority in Congress seem to have forgotten that the 2008 election is over.

Hoping that rhetoric and promises can continue to substitute for substance, Democrats remain stuck in campaign mode on an issue that requires an open and thorough debate: health care reform. Their promise of date-certain results on universal health care lacks one critical component: a legislative proposal.

While it is within the majority's power to ignore the Republican minority, a group of people that shouldn't be ignored are the American people. The closed-door internal debate -- focused mainly on the insistence of a government-run "option" and what current (or future) Americans will be taxed to pay for it -- is a debate they've calculated is too risky to hold in public view.

It is not an unwise strategy, as it would be difficult to reconcile the administration's and the majority's rhetoric with their oft-discussed (but not yet introduced) new gov- ernment health entitlement or their oft-discussed (but not yet introduced) federalization of health insurance with stifling mandates. You can't create a public program -- where the government serves as both the referee and the player in the game - setting up a stacked deck where private insurers would quickly dump 120 million Americans onto government insurance -- and call that greater choice and fair competition.

Read the entire piece here.

The GOP's Health-Care Alternative

Four Republicans in Congress -- Sens. Tom Coburn (Oklahoma) and Richard Burr (North Carolina) and Reps. Paul Ryan (Wisconsin) and Devin Nunes (California) -- will today introduce a bill that moves away from federal centralization. Aptly called the Patients' Choice Act, it provides a path to universal coverage by redirecting current subsidies for health insurance to individuals. It also provides a new safety net that guarantees access to insurance for those with pre-existing conditions.

Read the entire WSJ article here.

Rep. Paul Ryan Nails It! ... AGAIN!

I think I might look into this SCHIP thing. My household of 4 makes less than $80,000 a year. If I stop my health insurance through the business my husband and I own, that would save us over $3000 per year (for crappy insurance.) That money would go directly into my pocket - ca-ching!

Heck! I'll tell all the employees to get on SCHIP to save my business thousands more -- more money in my pocket.

Taxpayers = Suckers

Rep. Paul Ryan on CNBC

Rep. Paul Ryan was on CNBC this past Monday to talk about his "Roadmap for America's Future."

Click here to see the segment.

Thanks again Rep. Ryan for trying to get Congress to address this looming problem we in the younger generation are facing.

Congressman Paul Ryan says "drill".

I had the pleasure of volunteering yesterday at the Kenosha County Dairy breakfast.

It was a great event that was super organized and a lot of fun.

The event was held at the Lois Bros. farm way out in Wheatland, just a few blocks from the school.

Rep. Samantha Kerkman gave a great speech honoring the family that had been farming for 150 years.

Even though tornadoes ripped through that area in January, the Fox river swelling and engulfing their farms back in August of last year, and again swelling right now- the farmers are determined and hard working. Still they help get food on the table for Americans across this country.

Thank you Kenosha County Dairy Farmers!

I had a brief moment at the end of the event to sit down for a quick breakfast with Congressman Paul Ryan, his lovely wife and three children. The kids were super excited about seeing the animals and the congressman was just thrilled to be able to spend time with his wife and children. I got a kick out of the Congressman's middle son digging into some super hard ice cream that finally gave way, flipping ice cream across the bill of his baseball cap and across the table towards his older sister. He giggled and dug right back into that hard ice cream looking for a bite to put into his mouth.

Being the political addict that I am, I could not help but finally ask "Hey Congressman, what are you going to do about these gas prices?"

I already knew what my Congressman believed in, but it is always nice to hear.

He gave me a quick, simple one word answer- "Drill".

The Congressman is right, we need to drill.

If you are tired of high gas prices, we need to drill.

If you are tired of foreign terrorists countries taking our money and then trying to blow us up, we need to drill for our OWN oil.

If you are tired of our jobs going overseas, we need to give Americans high paying secure jobs by drilling right here in America.

If you do not want the Chinese and the Cubans drilling for oil a few miles off of our coastline and taking our share of oil, then drill for oil now!

Support high paying American jobs and drill for oil in America NOW!

Shoot you can even help Americans with jobs by building a few oil refineries all over America.

Sign the petition and join the cause- Drill Here. Drill Now. Pay Less.

The status quo is not an option

The Wisconsin State Journal had a great opinion piece about Rep. Paul Ryan's "Roadmap to America 's Future"

The status quo is not an option

A Wisconsin State Journal editorial

If you are 30 years of age or younger, pay close attention.

If the federal government maintains the status quo in spending, it will virtually assure that just when you are in your peak earning years, around 2030, your taxes will be at least 33 percent higher than they are now.

Click here for the entire piece.

This piece is right on the money. As a woman in her 30s, I know this is the future for my generation. Hopefully politicians are listening, because we need this reform. I know I'm putting into Social Security, but I'm not relying on getting any when I retire. My generation needs to stand up and say, "Fix it NOW!"

It is called Leadership(for those who do not recognize it)

It may be hard to recognize, but it is called leadership.

Lately, not only the national GOP, but all across the state of Wisconsin, real leaders are difficult to find.

I know it is an election year and very few folks are willing to stick their neck out and lead this state into better direction.

Yesterday, Congressman Paul Ryan broke with the status quo, stuck his neck out and proposed a new plan to address America’s looming fiscal crisis. It is called “A Roadmap to America’s Future”.

Now whether you agree or disagree with the plan, you cannot deny someone finally stepped up and showed some leadership.

These days it is becoming more and more difficult to address the real problems of this state or this nation because too many lawmakers are running for office on a continual basis.

After the entire budget repair fiasco, I have become convinced that Wisconsin has an extreme shortage of leaders.

Not a Republican or a Democrat in our state legislature took a strong stand and lead their fellow lawmakers during the budget repair process.

Sure there were folks like Rep. Nass that got all huffy and puffy, but that is not leadership. He offered up nothing to move the debate forward. We already have plenty of backseat drivers and we do not need more.

What I truly wanted to see was someone willing to take a bold stand, buck the status quo and actually offer up a plan to fix our state budget. This was Rep. Huebsch’s responsibility, but he cannot do it alone.

We have a state that is billions of dollars in debt and our legislators just continue add to that debt.

Governor Doyle, because he is not running for re-election, pretty much got a free pass and could do whatever he wanted to do with this budget repair bill.

The Governor pretty much did what he wanted with the exception of the hospital tax.

The budget repair bill that was passed by the state legislature was pretty much vetoed and reworked by the governor. The legislature could do very little about it.

The Democrat’s leadership faired no better that the GOP. Governor Doyle trounced right over the top of all of them also.

We have plenty of elected officials that talk the talk. They tell the electorate exactly what they want to hear.

What we do not have are elected officials that will walk the walk.

Most Wisconsinites could tell you exactly what it would have taken to fix the budget fiasco. It is time to cut spending. Yes, that does indeed mean that programs will be cut, employees will be cut and people’s feelings are going to hurt.

This is the reality that is taking place all across Wisconsin at this very moment.

Every single Wisconsinite is facing the same fiscal decision.

Due to the horrible gas prices, do I take that trip over Memorial Day weekend, like I do ever other year?

Small business owners are asking themselves whether or not it is time to lay off an employee or two.

This is life. This is reality.

It is time for someone in our state legislature to break with the status quo, just like Congressman Paul Ryan did, and lead us in a better direction.

Our future is at stake in Wisconsin.

Where are the leaders?

A plan for America's future

Earlier today, GOP Gal posted "A Roadmap for America's Future" that was in the Kenosha News this morning, started by Congressman Paul Ryan.

I just received an email to a website that provides a ton of details.

Check it out:

"A Roadmap for America's Future"

As a nation, we are in some serious trouble.

Over the last 40 years, American politicians have made commitments to the American people that absolutely cannot be sustained.

Entitlement programs have ballooned into a massive burden that we cannot pay for.

America has fallen behind in the global race for jobs and job security.

Just like Wisconsin legislature and governor did last week, American politicians have just continued to push our debt out further and further. Someday that debt will have to be paid.

For all the baloney talk that we hear from today's presidential candidates, not one single candidate has any plan for the future. They have nothing. Obama and Clinton continue to promise more and more in entitlement programs, even though we cannot pay for the ones we have. (ie. universal health care) Adding to our debt and entitlement programs does nothing more than make the future more bleak and unsustainable. McCain has promised to stop the tax increases and the massive pork barrel spending, which will help, but that is still not a plan for the future.

Congressman Paul Ryan has launched a program that has a good chance of fixing our massive debt, job problems and sustaining entitlement programs.

There is no instance fix, but it is a plan. Something that few others have even attempting to launch.

One thing is clear, this plan is a start of a conversation that Americans must have.

Americans must plan for the future and that conversation needs to start now.

Check it out.

Any questions, email him. His offices are very good about responding.

CongressmanPaul.Ryan@mail.house.gov

Rep. Ryan's "Roadmap for America's Future"

Congressman Ryan has done it again. His forward (not progressive) thinking and genuine care for America has prompted him to write a new comprehensive reform package that will stabilize government taxing and spending for future generations.

Click here for an article from the Kenosha News about a preview of this program entitled, "Roadmap for America's Future."

Thank you Paul, you give hope to a generation of Americans who believe, even though we've been putting money into it, we won't be getting any Social Security. Once again Rep. Ryan makes me proud to have him as my Representative.

Pork at what price?

I just received this e-mail from Congressman Ryan's office. This is why voters in the 1st District keep voting for Rep. Ryan. He's looking out for us and our wallets. (Too bad our State Senator isn't doing the same.)

Wisconsin’s 1st District Congressman Paul Ryan introduced legislation today that would impose a one-year earmark moratorium and strengthen the paychecks of American families. With the savings from this break in pork-barrel spending, Congress would provide some relief at the pump this summer and make much needed investments in our nation’s infrastructure. “The Gas Tax Relief and Earmark Moratorium Act of 2008” was unveiled at today’s Joint Hearing before the House Budget Committee and House Transportation Committee, which focused on financing infrastructure investments.

Ryan’s proposal would suspend the Federal 18.4-cents-per-gallon gasoline tax for the high-demand summer months. Today’s announcement coincides with news that the price of a gallon of gas in Southern Wisconsin has set new record highs, averaging roughly $3.80 per gallon in some areas. With the revenues saved from the earmark moratorium, his bill would replenish the Highway Trust Fund, a critical source of funding aimed to strengthen our nation’s infrastructure. The Gas Tax Relief and Earmark Moratorium Act would go a step further by shoring up the fund’s projected shortfall for the coming fiscal year.

Ryan’s earmark moratorium adheres to the reform efforts of Representatives Jack Kingston and Frank Wolf. The Kingston-Wolf proposal would conduct a full study of the broken practice of earmarking, bring greater transparency to these spending projects, and bar any new earmarks until the system is fixed. Ryan’s one-year earmark moratorium would provide an estimated $14.8 billion of additional revenue, more than enough to provide Americans relief at the pump and replenish the Highway Trust Fund so that road repairs can continue. Additional earmark savings would be dedicating to reducing the deficit. Challenging his colleagues again on the scourge of pork-barrel spending, Congressman Ryan issued the following statement:

“The decisions made by Congress on taxes and spending impact the paychecks of working men and women. By clinging to this broken earmark practice, Congress is picking pork over paychecks, and pork over potholes. Simply saying no to earmarks for the remainder of the year could give folks in Wisconsin some relief at the pump this summer and fix the Highway Trust Fund’s deficit. I am hopeful that Congress will give up its addiction to pork and address the concerns of the American people.”