Newt Gingrich: Paul Ryan Budget Plan Is 'Courageous'

In a Tuesday interview on Fox News Radio's Kilmeade & Friends, Newt Gingrich bestowed praise toward fellow Republican Paul Ryan's budget plan.

“I think what Ryan is doing is courageous," Gingrich said. "He’s essentially right and the gap between him and Barack Obama is all that you need to know about why you want to beat Obama. I mean Paul Ryan represents a serious adult effort to get back to a balanced budget and save our children and grandchildren from drowning in debt.”

The Ryan-led Republican budget blueprint was released on Tuesday. It includes a controversial approach to overhauling Medicare. According to the AP, Americans under age 55 would experience a switch from a "fee for service" setup (where the government pays for doctor/hospital care) to a "premium support" plan (where the government subsidizes health insurance).

Back on May 15, 2011, Gingrich's stance offered a stark contrast. He was critical of Ryan's Medicare plan, casting the cuts as "too big a jump" for the American people. He added that the "radical" change would contribute to "right-wing social engineering".

Two days later, Gingrich apologized to Ryan, noting that he made a "mistake."

"The fact is that I have supported what Ryan's trying to do on the budget … the budget vote is one that I am happy to say I would have voted for, I will defend, and I will answer any Democrat who attempts to distort what I said," he told Fox News.

Democrats ended up going forward with Gingrich's words, launching a website called "Thanks Newt" to commend the former House Speaker's "radical" viewpoint. One week after Gingrich's initial comments, Ryan appeared on NBC's Meet The Press, calling the characterization "deeply inaccurate." But he added that "we've got to get beyond this," citing fiscal problems that need to be tackled.

Comments

[mzkitti]

07:51 PM on 03/28/2012

A good way tio reduce the debt RIGHT NOW.Just bite the damn bullet... DO IT!It’s Time to End Tax Giveaways to Big Oil
On the same day that House Republicans are likely to pass their Medicare-ending, taxes on the wealthy-slashing budget, tomorrow the Senate will vote on a bill sponsored by Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) that will eliminate nearly $24 BILLION in tax giveaways to the five largest oil companies. That’s $24 BILLION of taxpayer money shoveled to the same five largest oil companies that racked up an astounding $137 BILLION in profits in 2011 alone — a 75 percent increase over 2010.

[Gcosta52]

08:21 AM on 03/21/2012

In the 1970s, few CEOs made more than 30 times the average salary of their employees. In 2009, the average salary of a CEO was 263 times that of the average American worker.

So much for trickle down theory

[RiffRaffAmI]

07:43 PM on 03/20/2012

But I thought they wanted "smaller government"?!?! I sure don't see how this will lead to that...

[Joe Brod]

07:27 PM on 03/20/2012

What is "courageous" about proposing a budget you know has zero chance of ever becoming law and that, as a result of it never becoming law, you'll never be held accountable for?

Ryan isn't courageous, he's playing chicken**** politics.

[therealslimshady]

07:01 PM on 03/20/2012

Please run on it this election cycle. And Dems please campaign against it.

[1differentdrummer]

06:59 PM on 03/20/2012

Newt, is there a collar under there somewhere?

[Ozstickman]

06:57 PM on 03/20/2012

The liberal and Dem response to Ryan's budget proposal is predictable and sad because it reflects the "flat earth" mindset embraced by the Dems since the mid 1960's. JFK was the last Dem WH resident to understand and implement tax cuts to promote growth of the US economy and growth in revenues to the federal treasury. Tax cuts are not a budget expense but a stimulus to the dynamic nature of the economy .... it is not a zero sum game. Tax increases have the opposite effect of dampening economic growth and reducing revenues to the federal treasury. Similarly company tax rates that are higher than competing nations force companies to look offshore for investment opportunities .... the current 35% rate creates an incentive to invest in opportunities offshore, and reduces the incentive for investment and growth of US based business ... companies have a global Vs national perspective. Reducing energy costs Vs the current policy will further stimulate growth and return more to government coffers via royalties .... Get government out of the way, let free markets provide the optimum allocation of resources, allow the exceptional nature of individual Americans to risk for greater reward and suddenly the sky is no longer falling and there is no need for fearful folks to be rescued by their all caring Dem politicians ..... uh oh .... that eliminates their influence and harms their chance to retain and enhance their power ....

[hobiedan]

07:35 PM on 03/20/2012

Well how did that work out under Bush?

[Ozstickman]

11:36 PM on 03/20/2012

worked great till dems won back the house and started spending like men with no arms !!

[txthomas1]

06:45 PM on 03/20/2012

What a shock! Newt's falling all over himself with love for Ryan now. Truly pathetic. This guy may even be a greater embarrassment than Trump.

[Cacey]

05:58 PM on 03/20/2012

The Republicans are big on talking about "our children and grandchildren" but never back up those assumptions and statement with fact. I'd suggest that a survey of what is important to today future voters and young voters is the preservation of the environment, the broadening of the energy supply so that it is affordable as they grow older, equality for all, a reduction in unnecessary wars and the respect for and participation of women in society. Those are my claims and those are the things I hear from young people I know. Where is the Republican list even if it is non-scientific?

[RiffRaffAmI]

07:42 PM on 03/20/2012

They sure don't. They want women having baby after baby, but once they're out of the womb..."Hey it's not my responsibility"...

I hope this Ryan Plan goes down just as hard as his other one....

[David Salmeron]

05:46 PM on 03/20/2012

1. Paul Ryan give no revenue increase and refuses to end tax cuts for the wealthy.
2. Underminds medicare for the people who paid for the benefits by forcing vouchers and increasing cost in a 2 tier system which will drive those who least can afford medical coverage out of Medicare.
3. Refuses to cut the unnecessary subsidies to drug companies.
4. Doesn't advocate quality of health care.
5. Cuts Medicare by 2/3's
Paul Ryans deficit reduction proposal does not protect those that have already paid for it. The Wealthy do not need Medicare. But they take it. Remember, Paul Ryan and his family get FREE Medical Care through the government. Why doesn't the government charge the Congress and Senate for Insurance.?

[PhilipTaylor]

05:42 PM on 03/20/2012

RYAN PLAN:  MAKE USA INTO GREECE!


WITH EUR0PEAN AUSTERITY FOR THE 99+% AND INCREASED WEALTH FOR THE CRIMINAL O.OOO1%!

[Jaguar man]

05:14 PM on 03/20/2012

Exactly, it is an adult effort that attempts to balance the budget the budget without raising revenues or cutting defense spending. It also depends on the health insurance companies, that will never insure people over 70, competing for that business. It is an adult effort but could only be seen as serious by those in deep REM sleep, dreaming

[revr]

05:08 PM on 03/20/2012

Can we quote you on this Newt? Or will we be mischaracterizing what you said?

[revr]

05:05 PM on 03/20/2012

So, Newt likes Right Wing Social Engineering this time around? yuk yuk har har.

[mwilbur137]

04:49 PM on 03/20/2012

No, Newt, a "serious adult effort" would be to bring us back to a tax code/structure more reminicent of that which existed before our debt problem started....

...of course, that would mean undoing both the Bush and Reagan Era changes to our Tax Codes.

1945-1980, every president left office with less debt than the previous...IE, budget surpluses... Reagan was the first in decades to not do so. Our economic problems started in 1981 with ERTA and only got worse with "Conservatives" at the helm.