To be fair, their newest attempt at governing is an improvement over last year's attempt. This proposal has 40 pages and actual dollar figures! The details can be found here: GOP Budget
They call it a "roadmap for America's future". Well, it's a map to somewhere alright.
I'll just focus on two aspects of the proposal: Social Security and health care.
1. Social Security
Surprise surprise, the GOP wants to privatize Social Security. They're not exactly hiding the fact either- Rep. Jeb Hensarling revived the Bush plan during an appearance on "Hardball" Monday. It went over so well the first time, why not try it again? The plan would offer workers under 55 the option of investing over one third of their current Social Security taxes into personal retirement accounts. This is radical enough, and I might be able to respect republicans if they just stopped there. But they know Americans hate this idea, so they try to have their cake and eat it too. Check out this addition:
Individuals who choose to invest in personal accounts will be ensured every dollar they place into an account will be guaranteed, even after inflation. With the recent market downturn, individuals must be assured their retirement is secure. By guaranteeing the dollars put into an account, individuals can be assured that a large-scale market downturn will not cost them their Social Security personal accounts.
So if you lose all your money in the stock market, the government will still make sure you get paid back. Wouldn't this actually blow a hole in the budget? If I make the choice to invest money and lose it, why should other workers be on the hook to make sure I get paid back? This isn't even privatizaion. This is a sham meant to appeal to their teabaggin' base.
2. Health Care
The plan provides a refundable tax credit – $2,300 for individuals and $5,700 for families – to purchase coverage in any State, and keep it with them if they move or change jobs. Sounds nice, right? Here's the problem: according to an article in USA Today from September, the average cost of health insurance is $4,824 for an individual and $13,375 for a family. What kind of coverage am I supposed to buy with half the money I need? Probably the kind of coverage the GOP thinks I deserve. And if you have 3 kids? Go to hell asshole.
Then we get to Medicare. This is where the GOP really goes to town. The program would be privatized of course, those currently under 55 would get a Medicare payment, initially averaging $11,000, to be used to purchase a Medicare certified plan. But there's a fatal flaw in the system. Medicare is heavily regulated. It's costs are kept down by the government-they pay medical providers less than private insurers. But that's how they keep costs down. What do you think would hapen if private insurers were forced to take Medicare patients but not allowed to use the cost control measures that makes coverage affordable? Let's just say that $11,000 wouldn't be nearly enough to purchase coverage. Don't take my word for it? Ask the CBO (PDF):
Both the level of expected federal spending on Medicare and the uncertainty surrounding that spending would decline, but enrollees’ spending for health care and the uncertainty surrounding that spending would increase.
Under the Roadmap, the value of the voucher would be less than expected Medicare spending per enrollee in 2021, when the voucher program would begin. In addition, Medicare’s current payment rates for providers are lower than those paid by commercial insurers, and the program’s administrative costs are lower than those for individually purchased insurance. Beneficiaries would therefore face higher premiums in the private market for a package of benefits similar to that currently provided by Medicare.
Moreover, the value of the voucher would grow significantly more slowly than CBO expects that Medicare spending per enrollee would grow under current law. Beneficiaries would therefore be likely to purchase less comprehensive health plans or plans more heavily managed than traditional Medicare, resulting in some combination of less use of health care services and less use of technologically advanced treatments than under current law. Beneficiaries would also bear the financial risk for the cost of buying insurance policies or the cost of obtaining health care services beyond what would be covered by their insurance.
Apparently, the GOP budget creates a roadmap to lousy, unaffordable health care and the right to lose your Social Security money to Wall Street. The good thing in all this is that the GOP had to put their name on this piece of crap.
Update: There's one other point I wanted to add. Look at these proposals the GOP makes on health care reform:
Creates state-based health care exchanges, so individuals and families have a one-stop marketplace to purchase affordable health insurance without being discriminated against based on pre-existing conditions.
Equips states with tools like auto-enrollment programs and high-risk pools, so affordable health coverage can be accessed by all.
Addresses health care’s growing strain on small businesses, by allowing them to pool together nationally to offer coverage to their employees.
Encourages the adoption of health information technology and assists states in establishing solutions to medical malpractice litigation.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't these provisions in the Senate bill? Why did the Senate bill get no GOP votes? Can we assume the House GOP will rally behind the Senate bill? Of course not, because as their Social Security proposal proved, the GOP is full of hypocrites.