The Daily Caller: Nicholas Ballasy- 'Kathleen Sebelius: Paul Ryan’s Medicare Reform Plan ‘a Serious Proposal'

Source:The Daily Caller- White House correspondent Nicholas Ballasy.

"Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius told The Daily Caller that the Medicare reform plan put forth by Republican vice presidential nominee Rep. Paul Ryan is a “serious proposal” but President Obama has “made it clear” that it is not the right direction for the program.

In 2010, however, President Obama spoke highly of Ryan’s plan.

“I think Paul [Ryan], for example, the head of the Budget Committee, has looked at the budget and has made a serious proposal. I’ve read it. I can tell you what’s in it and there’s some ideas in there that I would agree with but there’s some ideas we should have a healthy debate about because I don’t agree with them. The major driver of our long-term liabilities, everybody here knows, is Medicare and Medicaid and our health care spending. Nothing comes close,” said President Obama at the GOP retreat on January 29, 2010." 

From The Daily Caller

I'm willing to give Representative Paul Ryan (Republican, Wisconsin: Chairman of the Budget Committee) credit for offering a serious plan when it comes to Medicare as well. I just don't think that's saying much. 

Giving Representative Ryan credit for offering a serious plan, is sort of like giving credit to a parking attendant who parks your car in the right spot and then remembers where he parked it and brings your car back when you are ready to leave and you reward him for that with a big tip.

Paul Ryan is Chairman of the House Budget Committee. If he's not offering serious plan when it comes to the government's finances, what the hell is he doing there at taxpayer expense. 

Representative Ryan would cut costs in Medicare by turning it into a voucher system and forcing seniors to get private health insurance. You could argue that would save Medicare a lot of money. But the problem you are saving money at the expense of quality health care and insurance and cutting back on choice for how seniors get their health insurance.