http://nymag.com/...
The initial euphoria phase of the Paul Ryan nomination has already faded, and now Republicans find themselves staring at a cold reality of a campaign that will largely revolve around a wildly unpopular program to reshape the face of government. Alexander Burns, Maggie Haberman, and Jonathan Martin have a staggering report in Politico today that, in more than three dozen interviews with Republican operatives, “ there is an unmistakable consensus among Republican operatives in Washington: Romney has taken a risk with Ryan that has only a modest chance of going right — and a huge chance of going horribly wrong.”
A chance? No sorry Chuckles, it already
has gone horribly wrong. Romney has
the Stench about him, and it's getting ripe.
Continued...
The discomfort of Romney’s position was already on bright display yesterday. Following the advice of Ryan’s conservative fanboys, Romney took the fight on Medicare to Obama by denouncing the Medicare cuts in the Affordable Care Act, which he described as “robbing Medicare.” Now, there are a couple problems with this line of attack. The first is that the cuts were designed not to impact patient care — it reduced excessive payments to the Bush-created Medicare Advantage program which provides equivalent services at higher cost, and it likewise reduced compensation to hospitals that treat uninsured patients in their emergency room, on the presumption that there will be fewer uninsured people.
The second, larger problem is that Ryan’s budget, in order to make the numbers add up (or pretend to add up) keeps Obama’s Medicare cuts in place. This is problematic in its own terms — the government will slash reimbursements for hospitals treating the uninsured, but rather than reducing the number of uninsured, Ryan will dramatically increase it. This is just one of many social disasters embedded in Ryan’s wild plan. But, of more immediate relevance, it also steps right on Romney’s message. If Romney is so angry about robbing Medicare, why does his running mate’s plan commit the same robbery?
In response to questioning about this Romney has repeatedly said he would up th $716 Billion Back into Medicare - although what that would really do is
give the increased payments back to the providers and put Medicare on a path to insolvency in 2016
Which is like, just 4 Years from Now, and according to everything else he's said - he wouldn't do anything about that until 2022?
This is the Box that picking Ryan has locked Romney into.
And on the otherside, apparently Ryan has been chaffing at having his own rather detailed and expansive agenda stomped on by Romney's big feet.
"I'm The Nominee, It's My Plan!"
So what's the fuck is Ryan-the-great-planner-guy doing here then if you're not going to use any of his plans ?
Remember the Paul Ryan was the Official Republican responder to Obama's State of the Union in 2010. He was the anointed one. The Golden Boy. The Immuculate Child.
Now he's just an anchor around Romney's neck dragging down his approval numbers with seniors. And since they've already pissed off minorities, the youth and women with their antics - the GOP really can't afford to piss off the seniors.
Say hello to the Titanic when you finally reach Rock Bottom Willard.
Vyan