Obama: Paul Ryan's Budget is 'Nothing But Thinly Veiled Social Darwinism'

WASHINGTON -- In remarks later Tuesday, President Barack Obama will slam the Republican budget plan put forward by Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as "nothing but thinly veiled Social Darwinism."

"It's a Trojan Horse," Obama will say during remarks at an Associated Press Luncheon, according to excerpts released by the White House.

"Disguised as [a] deficit reduction plan, it's really an attempt to impose a radical vision on our country. It's nothing but thinly-veiled Social Darwinism. It's antithetical to our entire history as a land of opportunity and upward mobility for everyone who's willing to work for it -- a place where prosperity doesn't trickle down from the top, but grows outward from the heart of the middle class. And by gutting the very things we need to grow an economy that's built to last -- education and training; research and development -- it's a prescription for decline," the president will say.

Staying on that theme, Obama will go on to address how prosperity in the United States has never trickled down from "the success of a wealthy few." Instead, he'll say, it comes from the success of a strong middle class.

"That's how a generation who went to college on the GI Bill, including my grandfather, helped build the most prosperous economy the world has ever known," he'll say. "That's why a CEO like Henry Ford made it his mission to pay his workers enough so they could buy the cars that they made. That's why studies have shown that countries with less inequality tend to have stronger and steadier economic growth over the long run."

Obama will give remarks and take questions at the Washington, D.C. event around 12:30 p.m.

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Comments

[PFL1982]

12:06 PM on 08/11/2012

thinly veiled? I disagree completely--it's right out in the open

[Laura Densmore]

07:26 PM on 04/11/2012

Thank you, article, for explaining what Paul Ryan's budget is. Oh wait, you didn't.

[cct1984]

10:14 AM on 04/08/2012

Instead of throwing around trite and meaningless phrases, maybe the President's party ought to produce a budget. It's been over three years since the Dems last produced a budget--a yearly per federal law--and it's become quite obvious they have no intention of producing one this year. Why not? Because that would mean putting something on paper; taking a position on spending priorities; taking responsibility for tough decisions that will need to be in order to get the country back on a sound fiscal footing. Instead, we get meaningless phrases such as "social darwinism." There is nothing "disguised" about Ryan's budget--no trojan horse. He's up front about spending priorities and the tough decisions that need to be made...he's not hiding anything. If the President and/or the Dems don't like his budget, they should propose an alternate one...then let the public debate begin on which course of action is better...rather sit in the peanut gallery throwing barbs.

[Y3rMawm]

06:34 PM on 04/07/2012

Fear mongering. The real Social Darwinism begins when our creditors figure out that we have run out of other peoples' money, and the addicts can no longer get their free fix of hopium.

40 Acres and a Skittle S#!tting Unicorn for everybody.

[mjmur]

12:38 AM on 04/06/2012

i'd go with Malthusian economics. or Newts right wing aristocratic socisl engineering.

darwinism just happens - you can't invoke it yourself.

[James Napoli]

07:33 PM on 04/05/2012

I wish our president would stop using smarty-pants phrases like "thinly veiled." Who wants to have a beer with a guy like that?

[princeperry]

08:40 AM on 04/15/2012

Too many people. That's why he won't drink woth you. Too Mouthly and about nothing.

[DaroldB]

05:31 PM on 04/05/2012

When asked about his budget the Prez responded...We got nothin!

[princeperry]

08:53 AM on 04/15/2012

You wish. You'll be sadly disappointed.

[mzkitti]

05:25 PM on 04/05/2012

Republican nominees for the Presidency NEVER mention George W.Bush, the last Republican President we had. They talk about too much spending....At their behest we have austerity coming out of our years. But, we need to remember who took this country into such enormous decline,. They ignore all this and they think we will not remember.
WE WILL REMEMBER.
Note the dates and remember Barack Obama took office in January 2009. Who should shoulder the blame for running this country into the ground?
In February 2007 - 63,999 jobs were lost.
In December 2007, the United States entered the longest post–World War II recession, which included a housing market correction, a subprime mortgage crisis, soaring oil prices, and a declining dollar value.
In September 2008, the crisis became much more serious beginning with the government takeover of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac followed by the collapse of Lehman Brothers and a federal bailout of American International Group for $85 billion. Many economists and world governments determined that the situation became the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

In November 2008, over 500,000 jobs were lost, which marked the largest loss of jobs in the United States in 34 years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in the last four months of 2008, 1.9 million jobs were lost. By the end of 2008, the U.S. had lost a total of 2.6 million jobs.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_W._Bush scroll down to Economic policy

[DaroldB]

05:39 PM on 04/05/2012

George W's been gone for over 3 years Mz.....Consider the following even though it's hurtful.
Obama Must Create 230,000 Jobs A Month Until The End Of His Second Term (He should be so lucky) For Return To Breakeven... 7.6 Million absolute jobs have been lost since the beginning of the Recession;) thats a record 10.5 Million jobs (and you won't find this statistic anywhere), have been lost when factoring in for the natural growth of the Labor Pool of 90-100K a month (use the lower estimate if you want, which also happens to be the CBO's estimate)

Then consider: If you drown the economy as is being done currently in unrepayable debt, while using transfer payments to fund the digging of trenches by every man, woman and child who makes up the labor pool, then yes - you may get 0%, or even negative, unemployment overnight. Will it bankrupt the country (even faster)? Why, of course. But hey Mz..., just like Alfred E. Neuman..What, Me Worry?

Here's a nice AEN quote for you: "Most people are so lazy, they don't even exercise good judgement!"

[fel121]

12:13 PM on 04/05/2012

The new tactic of the right in this years election is the introduction of the paid troll, people paid with PAC money, thank you citizens united, to populate comment sections of webpages like this one.

You will recognize the right wing troll by his avatar, created within the last 9 months or so, he/she knows nothing but says plenty, they are drawn to news stories about President Obama like moths to a flame and usually worked into frothy lather of thinly veiled bigotry.

Be on the lookout for these contemptible vermin and call them out whenever you see them as they are the greatest threat to this Republic since King George the III.

[Chris Carlen]

09:55 AM on 04/05/2012

Isn't Darwinism good? I thought that Darwin was the Pope of the progressives.The world oprates on Darwinism-Survival of the fittest-I know it is not fair but that does not change the fact that it is.

[MJinCanada]

11:29 AM on 04/05/2012

Poor old Charles would roll in his grave.

The term "social Darwinism" should really be called "Spencerian Lamarckism."

It was Herbert Spencer who called it "survival of the fittest" and promoted the idea to the financial libertarians of the Victorian period. And Lamarck who came up with the daft idea that animals inherit acquired traits.

Thus those who inherit money and power think they are somehow superior to those who didn't, and imagine they have the perfect right to cull anyone they deem "undesirable."

Which is what Ryan's "plan" is about.

[Chris Carlen]

01:56 PM on 04/05/2012

Since you live in Canada,what do we care what your opinion of our government and iits internal policies are-rube. Run your home stay out of mine.Next you will want to determine what we do in the privacy of our individual homes. Thank you for lesson on "survival of the fittest."Should we debate your governments interactions. Ithink not,it is not my business.

[wgbobo]

09:52 AM on 04/05/2012

Paul Ryans plan is not only dangerous to Americans,but also his republican party.
This guy is a poster boy for the very rich of the richest as "Robin Hood" in disguise
as a "Republican" now days for the rich. His "Motto" take from the poor and working class
and give to the richest of the rich in this country.

[QUATYL]

06:32 AM on 04/05/2012

Come on President Obama just say they are in opposition not that they're (ANTITHETICAL). Sir your trying to reach everybody not just your Harvard law buddies. And yes I had to look it up. Learn to get your message across to everybody. And im one of your strong supporters.

[Brian Gilmer]

02:40 PM on 04/05/2012

Romney knew the definition, being a Harvard Grad and all.

[QUATYL]

08:45 AM on 04/06/2012

Hello!!! He's speaking to the American people not just Harvard Grad's, just harvard grad's won't win you an election.

[travlindr]

11:48 PM on 04/05/2012

What is wrong with using and extensive and accurate vocabulary? We do not need America to be dumbed down any further. So what is wrong with a Harvard education? It certainly better than know-nothings imposing their fears and superstitions on the country.

[QUATYL]

08:38 AM on 04/06/2012

What's wrong is he is talking to the average voter and he needs the voters to quickly understand what he's talking about. He's trying to win an election and joe everyday middle class voter must understand what he is saying. But you probably don't understand. An "extensive and accurate vocabulary" won't win an election. Bill clinton is a road scholar but he knows how to temper his speech so everyone gets the message and that's all i'm saying. Have you ever hurd the story of (the educated fool)? Well, you'll find out.

[Carl Crooks]

05:17 AM on 04/05/2012

The Ryan budget is a joke,You can't have soooooo many cuts on national staples without the tax revenues to invest back into the states,Many businesses large and small rely on monthly checks from assisted living programs,funneling more cash out of the American money supply is backwards lawmaking and horrible financial management.

[MJinCanada]

11:31 AM on 04/05/2012

Well exactly. Businesses can't make a living off the 2% alone.

[Chris Corcoran]

01:31 AM on 04/05/2012

It's not thin and it's not veiled....it just is.

[americanalien]

12:16 AM on 04/05/2012

No wonder I love him.

Obama 2012.